View Full Version : A levels
di marco
08-05-2007, 20:45
Got my first general studies AS next week (don't know which paper, think its about 60-90mins) and I have absolutly no idea what it's about or what sort of questions they are. I know there's lots of sections, including a language bit. We haven't been asked yet which language we want to do and I'm a bit worried in case I get french cos I can't remember anything. Nobody has been through the paper with us and we don't have any lessons on it.
dont worry about it, you can easily blag your way through general studies lol! although the language paper is difficult, i had no clue and got an E but cos all the other papers are dead easy i came out with a B without even going to any of the lessons!
Got my first general studies AS next week (don't know which paper, think its about 60-90mins) and I have absolutly no idea what it's about or what sort of questions they are. I know there's lots of sections, including a language bit. We haven't been asked yet which language we want to do and I'm a bit worried in case I get french cos I can't remember anything. Nobody has been through the paper with us and we don't have any lessons on it.
dont worry about it, you can easily blag your way through general studies lol! although the language paper is difficult, i had no clue and got an E but cos all the other papers are dead easy i came out with a B without even going to any of the lessons!
Oh that's a relief. One less thing to worry about.
My physics teacher said that we should be doing at least 6 hours revision a day for 3 subjects and 8 hours for 4 subjects :eek: :eek: :eek: which is really worrying.
I keep dreaming that I fail my exams or my coursework's rubbish. Can't wait til exams are over.
Di M is exactly right about General Studies i came out with a C without going to any of the lessons. Got A2 hope it will be as good.
Mock Geography tomorrow. Really bricking it about the Cities madule.
I prefer the cities module. Because i live in a huge city, if i can't remember anything i've learnt, i just think of random places in London, and use them for examples in the questions. Makes it easier than the Rural module.
Finnnnally handed in my ICT today. I had a couple of things to change, but all in all i'm pretty pleased with it. I handed in my other module of coursework on Tuesday, so thats 2/3 of my ICT course done and dusted and out the way. Only the exam left now.
Had general studies yesterday. It went ok, a couple of questions confused me.
Nearly finished my key skills portfolio, need to do my discussion and finish my writing off.
Study leave begins on Friday which is good because I am so behind on coursework.
We have a new timetable when we go back after study leave. No tutor and no period 3 which means we'll only have 4 hours of each subject instead of 5. I'm slightly concerned that we won't have enough time to complete the courses next year but at least I don't have to get up at 7am each morning.
i hate rural too, it's really hard to remember but it's the same with me, about manchester, it's our case stuides so it's okay!
study leave on friday and i'm really happy as i've had enough of my college i've seen it in a different light over the past few weeks.
Exams have started where i am. The Computing people had their exam today- one of my mates was up untill 5.30 doing the prep work for it, he only got 1 hour sleep, did half the exam and fell asleep :rotfl: Bless..
Got ICT next week. Totally pointless exam, its so easy. I got a B in one of my modules of coursework, so if the other module is ok, and i do well in this exam, then i should get an A/B. Fingers crossed!
2 more exams on Friday next week. And they're the ones i have to write the most for (Geography and English Lit). 3 hours each, so 6 hours of writing straight. Great.
Politics is after half term, thank god. I need to do some major research of examples of everything i know, so the 10 days i have free before the exam is going to be full of Politics (And other things. I'm not some geek that revises constantly, i have what is known as a life!)
So yeah, its nearly over!! Then its a complete doss untill summer :D
I can't wait until after exams. Going on a biology field trip to the seaside, a trip to imax in Birmingham to look at lenses (we're not really, we're just going to watch films) and a trip to London. So it looks to be a relaxed few weeks with no stress about exams or homework.
Critical thinking on Friday. There's only 2 of us doing the exam so we've been put in a cupboard. There's just enough room for 2 desks and an invigilator.
Got really stressed yesterday about exams and failing and started crying. I even cleaned my teacher's classroom for the whole afternoon just to stop myself from thinking about exams.
i finish college a week today, how scary is that. No more education hopefull if the exams go well uni here i come.
Got a C in my geography mock but i know now where the improvements can be made so its all getting better. Just need to remember facts and figures to back up my evidence.
I got my student loan valification through yesterday.
Critical thinking exams today. The first one was hard and I didn't finish it all but the second one was ok. It wasn't as bad as the specimen paper that was on the exam board website.
good good, people said critical thinking was hard here.
I have two more days in college. Got a D on my geography mock so better get revising. I'm heading to the library in a second actually. I love my double frees on tuesday morning.
Study leave started on Friday. I have to go in today and tomorrow for physics but apart from that I've got 3 weeks off :)
I've done almost half of the exams, got 3 biology, 2 business and 3 physics to go. I'm really worried about physics and biology. I know the theory and maths bits in physics but I just can't put them into practice during the exam. And biology... well, I don't think I'll ever understand that...
Went into school for a revision class today and nobody turned up even though they said they would last week! So I've come home to do some past papers. I'm supposed to be looking at a mark scheme on the exam board website but it isn't happening.
I leave today, its weird as i dont really know how im feeling, excited and sad all together. Ill miss this place i think when i leave.
The best way to study physics is to do past papers. The more examples that you do, the easier you will find the exam. Maths is the same.
Biology is a different type of science, with loads more writing required and so more rote learning is needed.
Good luck everyone.
Had my first exam yesterday, and it went pretty well actually. It was ICT so it wasn't exactly rocket science (Plus it was only 1 module which was 33% so its not overly important), but as far as exams go, it wasn't that bad.
Got 2 exams tomorrow though. I'm dreading it. English and Geography, and both of them are 3 hours long. So thats 6 hours of writing. One word for that: Ouch!
eesh abi, are you taking a resit for geography? as mine's only one and a half hours long :s. revision isn't going too well, i started really early but too early as now i can't remember the early stuff! luckily it's tomorrow afternoon, so i should be feeling better after a good nights sleep then i can have a go at revision!
No, its probably just a different exam board. I'm on edexcel, maybe you're on a different one?
I've actually been ok with my revision this year. I do from about 11 untill 3, and then go out and enjoy the summer. So its all good!
The best way to study physics is to do past papers. The more examples that you do, the easier you will find the exam. Maths is the same.
Biology is a different type of science, with loads more writing required and so more rote learning is needed.
Good luck everyone.
The same questions are repeated in all physics papers but they change the idea eg there was one on moments about shopping trollies and the same question again on another paper on a pole. There's only 5/6 questions on each paper so it's not too bad.
I really wish I hadn't taken biology now. I'm putting off revising it but I know I'm going to have to do it soon. I really do not understand any of it. My teacher reckons the same questions come up every year but I don't know where he's looking because all the papers I've done are totally different. In some ways biology is harder than physics.
Business studies revision is going smashing, its the only subject I can sit and do and not get stressed about. I never realised how much I like business until this afternoon.
Next exams on the 4th June, 3 biology and 2 business all in one day. I'm gonna be screwed at the end of it.
di marco
24-05-2007, 21:29
good luck to anyone doing as and alevels
I did biology, chemistry and physics to first year Uni level before doing a degree in biochemisty.
The thing about biology is that you need to learn information. In physics and maths you learm mainly ideas and techniques.
I found just reading to be the best method of studying biology.
thats like Law and Psychology if you dont know the stuff youve had it.
Reading up on glaciers, its not sinking in. Its the part of the Geography module i am really struggling with. Tors, Cirques Moraines. I know the terms just no idea what they are/
Done 3 out of my 4 exams now! I had 2 of them yesterday. I was ok untill i got to 4 hours, and then i slowly starting dying, lol!
They went ok though. The English was a lot easier than i had expected, especially the Shakespeare module. Rural and Urban was fine in geography, but the Physical Landforms exam was pretty hard. But i gave it a go, so i dont care anymore :p Got about 11 days to revise for Politics now. Or. Actually. Make that i've got 10 days to doss, before panicing about my politics exam :cool: :rotfl:
lol, i have four weeks till geography, and its the landforms im panicking about, theres so many of them and to be honest with you i think they all look like a flipping hill. Thats it i couldnt identify a flipping moraine or an esker, its crazy.
I hate this time of year.
I'm fed up of doing revision now. One week to go until biology and business. Im fairly confident about business, as long as I remember the motivational theorists and their ideas, the rest of it's pretty easy, quality control, stock levels, interest rates etc.
I've got a few extra days to devote to physics so I'm concentrating mainly on biology. I'm really stuck on reproduction though, we've hardly covered it and the stuff in the textbook is confusing.
12 days to go until all the stress is over :)
12 days then ill just be beginning. Argh !!!!
I have my plan of action for today. I am doing half nine on the internet. THen the morning i am focusing on plate tectonics and facts and figures, getting my case studies sorted and then i am going to Tesco to get some coloured pens and this afternoon i am doing Psychology and the Environment, Environmental Cognition.
It was such a shock moving from GCSE biology to A-Level it just got so hard I didn't do very well in my A-level in biology lol oh well good job i'm now just studying drama :rotfl: got my exam for that next week...don't see me doing too well lol
I've almost got all my revision cards written out and my mum has started testing me. Particle physics is going ok, I'm pretty good on that. I need to finish electricity and plastic behaviour and start mechanics. I have 8 days until physics so I'm concentrating on biology at the moment.
Business is all done so I'm ready for questions on that.
Biology, I'm going to fail that spectaculary. I think I know some of it then I come to do questions on it and I can't remember any of it. The reproduction bit is difficult seeing as I have none of the work for it. Apparantly, reproduction almost always comes up, so I'm screwed really.
I did 8 hours yesterday and I'm absolutly knackered. I'm spposed to be doing some revision now so I'd better go.
8 days until it's all over...
di marco
31-05-2007, 13:28
It was such a shock moving from GCSE biology to A-Level it just got so hard I didn't do very well in my A-level in biology lol oh well good job i'm now just studying drama :rotfl: got my exam for that next week...don't see me doing too well lol
lol you sound like me! did alevel biology and just scraped an E, failed quite a few of my modules as well, the amount of money that subject cost me on resits! and like you im now doing a drama degree, no more biology or any sort of exams for that matter ever again yay!
3 days to go until biology and I'm really starting to panic. I don't know anything and I'm so scared.
I'm thinking about not going back in September. I'm so confused, I need a science to get into uni and I really want to go but at the moment I'm struggling so much with biology. I can do the physics work in class but when it comes to exams I completly forget everything.
I don't know what to do. I really want to go to uni and have a great time and get a degree in something that I'm interested in and get a decent job. I'll be able to leave home in a year or so. But if I drop out I don't know what I would do. I'd love to go into the police force but with my illnesses I might not get in. Of course, I could neglect to put some things down on the application form that I know would most likely rule me out but they check your medical records.
I can't wait to go back to school and talk to one of my teachers and see what he says. I know he wants me to go to uni but I don't know if I'll get in. I feel like people expect too much of me sometimes.
Sorry for the rant, I'll shut up now :)
Mine are all over now :)
I had Politics today. The "Voting systems and Voting behaviour" was better than i thought it was going to be- seeing as i didn't revise any of the voting systems, lol! The "Political Parties and Pressure Groups" was ok.. Not great, but ok. The "Features of a Representative Democracy" was a bit rubbish. I mean, the questions were ok, just a bit rubbish. Like "Define the term 'Government' " Whats with that?! Everyone knows what a Government is- where do you even start to define it? So mine was a bit all over the place, lol. Great to get it out of the way though.
I have 3 more to go on Friday. Biology was a bit rubbish. The first paper went great, a few questions that confused me a bit but it was ok. The second paper wasn't too good. Half of the paper was on reproduction and I lost what notes I had written up. I missed some lessons because of exams so I screwed that paper up. And the molecules and cells paper... well I failed that one yet again. I revised quite a bit for that but I suppose I still don't understand it.
Business studies went ok. I didn't know what some of the terms were so I just blagged it. There was a 15 mark question on quality assurances and I have no idea what that is, I don't even think we've covered it. I based my answer on quality control so I hope it's something similar. I thought it might be something about assuring people about quality but I thought that sounded a bit pants.
Can't wait for Friday when it's all over.
i had my last one today too, french. i didn't really enjoy it and i found german easier :| is this a sign of things to come, because i sure hope not!!
my friend had french yesterday it was her last one to.
Mine start in six days. Argh !!!
It was such a shock moving from GCSE biology to A-Level it just got so hard I didn't do very well in my A-level in biology lol oh well good job i'm now just studying drama :rotfl: got my exam for that next week...don't see me doing too well lol
lol you sound like me! did alevel biology and just scraped an E, failed quite a few of my modules as well, the amount of money that subject cost me on resits! and like you im now doing a drama degree, no more biology or any sort of exams for that matter ever again yay!
Yep also just scrapped an E lol well at least we passed it, better than I though lol. I didn't pay for any resits though lol...wasn't up for that:lol:
Yep no biology in sight with a drama degree lol thank goodness lol, where are you doing drama?
Good luck everyone doing exams.
Scorpio_Girl
06-06-2007, 20:47
Ooh I'm doin As Biology and Chemistry. I got a D for Biology Foundation in January and took the resit which was WAY harder than the other two modules put together.
I just know that resit money has gone to waste!
As for chemistry I'm resittin the foundation too even though i got a C.. Think i shouldn't have done that either.
Hope all you guys have done well. I know that Biology is so damn hard!
Ooh I'm doin As Biology and Chemistry. I got a D for Biology Foundation in January and took the resit which was WAY harder than the other two modules put together.
I just know that resit money has gone to waste!
As for chemistry I'm resittin the foundation too even though i got a C.. Think i shouldn't have done that either.
Hope all you guys have done well. I know that Biology is so damn hard!
Which exam board are you with for biology? I'm with Edexcel. We don't have foundation, it's just all clumped together :thumbsdow
I thought I was prepared for the molecules and cells resit but it was just as hard as the paper in January. I just know its going to be one module I'm going to keep failing.
i have 5 days, starting to brick it.
Psychology and geography. Really struggling with glaciers.
I've got so much to do today to prepare for physics tomorrow.I need to finish off my cards for mechanics then do loads of practice papers. And I've got a driving lessons at 4pm. I've only just got up so I really need to get my skates on. One more day and it's all over :)
yourll all be bragging tomorrow about them all being over, its so unfair, i have ages to go.
Crazy Gal 88
07-06-2007, 17:33
i dont finish until the 21st and dont start til the 11th - they're all in one massive clump :(
and i feel like i know NOTHING
di marco
07-06-2007, 21:28
It was such a shock moving from GCSE biology to A-Level it just got so hard I didn't do very well in my A-level in biology lol oh well good job i'm now just studying drama :rotfl: got my exam for that next week...don't see me doing too well lol
lol you sound like me! did alevel biology and just scraped an E, failed quite a few of my modules as well, the amount of money that subject cost me on resits! and like you im now doing a drama degree, no more biology or any sort of exams for that matter ever again yay!
Yep also just scrapped an E lol well at least we passed it, better than I though lol. I didn't pay for any resits though lol...wasn't up for that:lol:
Yep no biology in sight with a drama degree lol thank goodness lol, where are you doing drama?
Good luck everyone doing exams.
yeh i didnt expect to pass so i was pleased with an E lol! im doing drama at the uni of kent in canterbury
my sis finished all her AS exams yesterday, now shes got 2 weeks off of school, i never got that when i was doing mine! :( funnily enough me and my housemates were talking about alevels earlier on today and saying how it doesnt feel that long ago when we were doing ours, time goes so quickly!
i dont finish until the 21st and dont start til the 11th - they're all in one massive clump :(
and i feel like i know NOTHING
same here, i start on the 12th and finish on the 21st, my birthday.
I revising like hell but nothing seems to be going in.
Scorpio_Girl
08-06-2007, 14:23
Ooh I'm doin As Biology and Chemistry. I got a D for Biology Foundation in January and took the resit which was WAY harder than the other two modules put together.
I just know that resit money has gone to waste!
As for chemistry I'm resittin the foundation too even though i got a C.. Think i shouldn't have done that either.
Hope all you guys have done well. I know that Biology is so damn hard!
Which exam board are you with for biology? I'm with Edexcel. We don't have foundation, it's just all clumped together :thumbsdow
I thought I was prepared for the molecules and cells resit but it was just as hard as the paper in January. I just know its going to be one module I'm going to keep failing.
We have the OCR exam board. So you don't have 3 separate module papers?:hmm: Sounds harder..
Ooh I'm doin As Biology and Chemistry. I got a D for Biology Foundation in January and took the resit which was WAY harder than the other two modules put together.
I just know that resit money has gone to waste!
As for chemistry I'm resittin the foundation too even though i got a C.. Think i shouldn't have done that either.
Hope all you guys have done well. I know that Biology is so damn hard!
Which exam board are you with for biology? I'm with Edexcel. We don't have foundation, it's just all clumped together :thumbsdow
I thought I was prepared for the molecules and cells resit but it was just as hard as the paper in January. I just know its going to be one module I'm going to keep failing.
We have the OCR exam board. So you don't have 3 separate module papers?:hmm: Sounds harder..
Sorry, my mistake... I'm with Edexcel for biology and AQA for physics. Yeah, we do have 3 different module papers, they just aren't tierd (as far as I know).
Physics wnt ok today. I forgot a formula that I needed throughout each exam so I was a bit screwed on some questions. As a friend said, it was like pissing up a tree... I've probably tempted fate now.
i had my forst exams today, Geography and Psychology. they bopth could have been a lot worse so hopefully, ill have scraped enough to get a Cor a B and get myself off to uni.
I shouldn't worry too much Katy, I'm sure you'll have done ok.
I'm really annoyed, we now have a mandatory timetabled tutor period on Wednesday period 3 to talk about UCAS forms. Which means that we lose a lesson of physics which is so annoying as the course is complecated enough with all the maths stuff in it. I know it has to be done but I don't see why they couldn't have done it for Friday when I have biology...
lol, I doubt ucas will take that long we had a talk for about 15 mins, its pretty simple if you listen carefully.
Had general Studies today, what a pointless three hours of my life, although i managed to write about Hollyoaksm, Corrie, Man City take that and Beethoven in the essay question which was quite fun.
Scorpio_Girl
13-06-2007, 23:05
I shouldn't worry too much Katy, I'm sure you'll have done ok.
I'm really annoyed, we now have a mandatory timetabled tutor period on Wednesday period 3 to talk about UCAS forms. Which means that we lose a lesson of physics which is so annoying as the course is complecated enough with all the maths stuff in it. I know it has to be done but I don't see why they couldn't have done it for Friday when I have biology...
Yeah, I've got to do that too. It's enough doing Biology. I really admire you for doing Physics though- It has too many formulas and things to remember! Hope it went well.
Ps. Love that pissing up a tree phrase. :p
I shouldn't worry too much Katy, I'm sure you'll have done ok.
I'm really annoyed, we now have a mandatory timetabled tutor period on Wednesday period 3 to talk about UCAS forms. Which means that we lose a lesson of physics which is so annoying as the course is complecated enough with all the maths stuff in it. I know it has to be done but I don't see why they couldn't have done it for Friday when I have biology...
Yeah, I've got to do that too. It's enough doing Biology. I really admire you for doing Physics though- It has too many formulas and things to remember! Hope it went well.
Ps. Love that pissing up a tree phrase. :p
I much prefer physics to biology and I feel I'm better at it too. The lessons are much more fun as well, today we made musical instruments out of paper straws. Next year's biology doesn't sound too bad to be honest, its ecology and immunology type stuff.
I've got a UCAS thing on Monday morning from 9am until dinner. All these meetings/tutor periods seem to be missing my biology lessons :angry:
5 weeks to go until summer hols :thumbsup: Long lie ins and not much to do for 6 weeks :cheer:
Scorpio_Girl
13-06-2007, 23:23
I've already started my holidays. I've just got to go back to college for 3 days starting the coming monday.
I hope I did well in my exams. I do Chemistry too and I prefer that too Biology. There are less things to remember and things seem to make more sense Chem-wise. UCAS thing with my tutor is on wednesday. Good thing all the teacher's love me. Yeah, I'm a kiss-a** lol
Open day on Wednesday. I'm really not in the mood for walking around and listening to lectures for 7 hours as well as two hours of traveling either way. If I don't go this week the next one is at the end of November.
I wish I didn't have 5 weeks to go until the summer hols. Although at the rate I'm going I might end up not going at all. I can't remember the last time I was at school (I know thats bad) and I'm not going this week either. I have a field trip to the seaside next Friday but I'll probably miss that too.
The UCAS morning is cancelled tomorrow because school is closed. At least the torrential rain has brought something good :)
I got to that stage. I have done all my exams bar 2, general studies on Wednesday and Law Synoptic on Thursday. Todays went well i feel much more confident than January but knowing me that probably means i have failed. I have a dent from when i was writing. Its killing me.
emma_strange
19-06-2007, 10:37
Not long until all my exams are over now! Do my last exam on thursday then i'm finished college for good. So far they've been....alright, some better than i thought. Though my friend walked out of the psychology exam last tuesday because he couldnt answer the last question.
Well, English lit today, then psychology tommorow, then media thursday, and thats it, no more!
My business teacher has recommended a good website for revision and discussing exams, work etc. It also has an off topic area. I'm finding it a bit difficult to navigate at the moment but it seems a good website.
Its for GCSE, A level and Uni mainly.
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/
i'm on that, Katy200. Its pretty handy.
yeah, i'm on there too, raspberry bubbles.
can be pretty useful!
:( Got told today that my geography teacher wont be in till after xmas, she is in hospital
aww, we don't have a teacher for one of our lessons till after xmas too... freedom :D although we have exams in jan (2!)
Lol but Im so worried, I really want to do well in my subject and she is the only geography teacher
Do you have a text book? I did Geography last year, and everything we needed to know was in there. Just read and remember the book, and you'll be fine. Maybe ask another teacher what work you should be covering, then you can keep on top of it. Though i'm sure they'll figure out a way of teaching you it all, before your exams.
Lol but Im so worried, I really want to do well in my subject and she is the only geography teacher
Ask around to see if anybody else teaches geography. Some of the history and science teachers at my school also teach geography.
You'll be fine, and try what both Abi and Abigail say. Also, get yourself a hold of the syllabus and just make sure you know everything on it- we are given a copy at the start of each unit, and to revise, i just check off through that and check that i know it all. failing that, form a small study group and work together when you should be having that lesson?
Believe me she is the only geography cos otherwise they would of gave us a cover teacher that also knows some geography
you added me on msn yet Abbie, what is the real problem in goegraphy is it energy and life.
you added me on msn yet Abbie, what is the real problem in goegraphy is it energy and life.
The thing is I dont really have a problem, we still havent learnt anything in energy and life and I have the text book which I'll read and learn, it will just be werid going to the exam only doing text book work on that topic with no teacher notes or anything like thta, if that makes sense
yeah it does, that was similar to me, as we ran out of time with energy and life. It really stresses me out that you learn all the stuff i remmber mine they asked all the marks on Podsols, i nearly cried. I hated AS the A2 stuf is so much bettter.
Its sod's law that you will get questions on the things you haven't learnt. I ran out of time to revise reproduction for my last exam and half of the questions were on reproduction. Considering there was only six questions I was bound to fail that paper.
Ahh Im really going to stress out. I hate having to teach myself
don;t stress as its really not worth, it plus you probably know more than you think. Theres always a resit in June isf your really bomb and hen there loads of tie to revise.
Yeah I suppose, Im just having to work through a text book which I fnd hard and plus i prefer learning at college rather than home
.:SpIcYsPy:.
04-01-2008, 23:35
A question..
For AS levels you pick 4 subjects right..
For A levels can you pick 5?
Or does this depend on your 6th form/college?
Thanks :)
I think you can pick 5, I know you can where I am :)
Where I go we choose four AS subjects the carry 3 on to A2. We also have the option of doing a fith AS alongside the A2 but its not recommended.
Thats for almost everybody but the head of 6th will make some allowances. I did three ASs. My friend did four ASs and did badly in two of them so she's now doing two A2 and two AS. The ASs will give her the same UCAS points as an A2.
.:SpIcYsPy:.
05-01-2008, 00:19
I think my school will only allow us to do 4 AS..
And it must be 3A but I got confused and thought it was the other way around.. Thanks!
Yeah, my school is 4 AS's and 3 A2's, although we are forced to take a general studies AS in our A2 year.
I think most schools only allow 4 AS's and 3 A2's, while there's a lot more freedom at college than in Sixth Form, according to my tutor.
di marco
05-01-2008, 09:36
I think most schools only allow 4 AS's and 3 A2's, while there's a lot more freedom at college than in Sixth Form, according to my tutor.
yeh thats generally the case but it depends on the school. while most think you should do 4AS and then drop a subject for alevel, some (like my sis old school) make you carry on all 4 subjects, while others (like the school i did performing arts at) have the majority of pupils doing 3AS and then 2/3 alevel. but as i said it depends on the school. your best bet is asking your school about it cos obviously they will know exactly how it works at your school, youll prob have a sixth form information evening about it soon, when i was looking the schools in my area had them in about jan/feb time. also most schools make it compulsory to do general studies/critical thinking/key skills at least for your first year
We have to hand our applications in next week, and then have an interview in the spring time. Is there anything in your prospectus that might tell you how it works at your school Spicy, because that's where most information was that I have. The evening we had in November was to look at subjects and just general things about the AS, A2, UCAS points etc.
A question..
For AS levels you pick 4 subjects right..
For A levels can you pick 5?
Or does this depend on your 6th form/college?
Thanks :)
You can't do more A2s than AS. You pick 3/4/5 AS Levels, depending on your school policy, and then drop 1 after AS, and continue with the rest in year 13.
I did English Literature, Politics, ICT and Geography AS Levels last year. Then i cashed in Geography, and am continuing with the rest. So at the end of the year, i will have 3 A2s and 1 AS.
To be honest, you should do 4 AS levels, and 3 A Levels, in my experience. Good unis want 3 full A Levels, so doing another AS means you have the leniancy to drop one of them, if you hate it. The difference between GCSE and A Level is huge, so subjects you are good at now you might find very hard at A level, so its good to have the option of dropping one.
I think it depends on the college but where i went there was a system called a G Score which is a number got from all you GCSE grades, each greade wasth a number and the add them all up and divide by how many you took so my G Score was 5 . 8 round about a B on average. At my college this determined how many A Levels you took. I did 4 dropped one and ended up with 4 A2 and 1 AS. If you are of certain intelligence then they may wish you to take up 5 AS in the first year and then 4 A2 in the second it all depends.
Just a quick question for anyone who has done/is doing A Levels... my friend was telling me today that she's applied back into our current school for A Level, as well as into a college. Would anyone recommend applying to more than one place?
DaVeyWaVey
17-01-2008, 21:30
Just a quick question for anyone who has done/is doing A Levels... my friend was telling me today that she's applied back into our current school for A Level, as well as into a college. Would anyone recommend applying to more than one place?
I only applied to my current school for A Levels as I was confident I would meet the criteria to get in (5 Cs or above in GCSEs) and I was happy to stay on at my school anyway..:) But it depends, would you be happy just applying to your current school and staying on? Does it offer the courses you want to do? Are you confident you would meet the criteria to stay on?...if so, I wouldn't bother applying anywhere else. :)
I have mixed feelings on the school really. I don't make friends easily and I don't want to have another 2 years with no friends if I go to Sixth Form somewhere else and I'd have to get subsidised transport and to get that I think there have to be children of compulsory school age in the taxi, so I don't know if I'd get it if I changed schools. However the transport is driving me up the wall so I don't know. I want to get busses but there's only 1 school I can think of that wouldn't require me to get more than one bus and I was thinking of applying there as they do the subjects I have applied for at my current school, but I don't know. It's bigger than my school and I really hate the fact that my school is so big...
I'm confident of getting the 5C's to get in though. I already have an A in Science from last year and my predicted grades and mocks would be enough to get the rest if I got those grades in my final exams.
I onlt applied to the one place, the one college I go to now. I didnt want to go anywhere else and I thought I would get the grades I needed
CrazyLea
17-01-2008, 21:57
I haven't done A levels but..
Is there a college near you Kim??
People who I know are really shy and don't make friends easily even made loads of friends in college. It's completely different to school. They treat you better as well. And from my experience, no one cares about how you are, what you look like, what kind of person you are..
There are 3, but they aren't very close at all. Closest is probably 6 miles, which is probably a bit less than my current school, but they're still 2 busses each as I live out of town and would have to get a bus into town before I could get there. Two only do BTEC's and Diplomas though..
The other is probably about 10 miles, and is the one my friend has applied to. At one point I was sure I wanted to go there but they only do three of the four options I've put down for at my current school, and my fourth subject at the college would be a blacklist, so I don't know. It's also the place I know least well out of the three and I would still have a transport problem. The bus is horrendously expensive to go up there and I don't think it stops anywhere near the college...
I only applied for one place, I don't know anyone who has been rejected from a college on the basis of their results.
Things you need to consider are location/transport, the courses you want to do, timetable, quality of teaching and how you feel about moving on to a new place.
I stayed at my school because I couldn't be bothered getting up at 6am every morning to get the bus at 7.30am and not get in until 5pm. I get up at 8am to be in for 9am and I finish at 11am in the morning and 3pm in the afternon. I also get one full day and two half days off per week which I wouldn't do if I went to a college.
I already knew most of my teachers and was used to their teaching style. There is still that boundary between student and teacher but its not as defined as it is in the lower school.
If you do decide to go on to university then you will have to meet new people and get used to a huge campus, depending on where you go.
Do what feels right for you and not what other people are doing.
I don't know the statistics for the college, but out of my school and the massive, one bus ride one, my school does have the better statistics. The options I want could be done at both though, it's just the college I'd have to have different ones. I'm pretty much stuffed for transport wherever I go and won't get home very early at all. I don't at the moment and it's really getting to me.
PLus the great thing about colleges are free periods, that means you may get an afternoon off which means you will be home early at least one night.
With the big colleges like mine 2000 students in both year groups then there loads and loads of people desending on the town centre and the getting buses into college, thats waht it was like near me and where my cousins live in Birmingham.
I had to leave my school as our borough council haveno sixth forms in school (unless its private grammer) and therefore the only option is going to college, i applied to two and made my mind up nearer the time, they are nt that strict on places either, i had a friend who went to do a vocational course and hated it, about 4 weeks in they let her in at my college as by this point they know how many students as you will be surprised as to how many drop out and get a job once realising college is not for them.
As for the friends thing, at college there are tons of people who you will find that are like you, whether it be the same course, or groups. Its easy to make friends in college as there are people you sit next to, those in your form who you see every day. I found it one of the best things i also felt that by havijng more freedom and the teachers made you call them by your first name things like that i had an easier time settling to Uni, as they did not spoon feed you we had to work really hard at A Levels and the jump has not been as great for me as it has some people.
What ever you decide it's got to be right for you, i dont think it matters what other people say.
di marco
18-01-2008, 08:41
as people have said, most people will get a place at the school/college they want to go to so as you said your predicted results are good then you shouldnt worry about applying to lots of different places just in case you dont get in. however i do suggest going to the open evenings (if they have them) of the other schools/colleges so you can look around, meet some of the teachers etc. i applied to 3 different schools so that i could decide nearer the time where i wanted to go. i think if youre unsure about where to go then apply to different places as then you can decide later and arent stuck with the school you dont actually want to be at. and as others have said, making friends is quite easy, new people will be joining the school/college who wont know anyone and people will be leaving the school youre at now, you should base your decision on where your options fit and which place would be best for you
Chloe O'brien
18-01-2008, 12:40
We have a number or students with different disabilities and mobility issues who come to college from all over the city. Some travel 15 miles. They are brought to and from college by taxi.
I go to school by taxi at the moment, but there are several problems with it. My parents will have to pay around £296 (termly or yearly; not sure) to get me in the taxi, and that's only allowed if there aren't children of the compulsory schooling age don't fill up the taxi, which could mean that I don't get in the taxi to begin with or end up being removed from it at any time. I may as well not have the frees either because the taxi only runs at school hours when there are other children in there (the two at the moment are 5 and 6 so I'll be at university before they're out of the taxi.) I want to get out of the taxi so badly at the moment though.
Mum says I shouldn't bother with the college (It'll cost me like £5 a day in busses, it's bigger and I can't get my first choice options.)
There is another school but the Business department has a bad reputation and that's what I want to take.
I applied to college and sixth form because i didn't know whether i wanted to do a performing BTEC or my A levels.
I got accepted to both, but i decided to stay on at school and do my A levels.
Kim, could you not speak to the colleges/sixth form/local council and see if you can get discounts on transport. Our local county council susidise the bus passes by £100, so it may be worth inquiring ?!
Yeah even though I dont live that far away I got a public bus pass and then keeping my attendance above a certain amount I so much money back after each term
Chloe O'brien
18-01-2008, 23:45
I go to school by taxi at the moment, but there are several problems with it. My parents will have to pay around £296 (termly or yearly; not sure) to get me in the taxi, and that's only allowed if there aren't children of the compulsory schooling age don't fill up the taxi, which could mean that I don't get in the taxi to begin with or end up being removed from it at any time. I may as well not have the frees either because the taxi only runs at school hours when there are other children in there (the two at the moment are 5 and 6 so I'll be at university before they're out of the taxi.) I want to get out of the taxi so badly at the moment though.
Mum says I shouldn't bother with the college (It'll cost me like £5 a day in busses, it's bigger and I can't get my first choice options.)
There is another school but the Business department has a bad reputation and that's what I want to take.
Have you contacted the student support at the college or the social services at your local council as the students who attend the college where I work don't pay anything as it is covered by the social work department and they get a taxi to themselves or maybe two sharing depending which area they are going to. I would contact the Student advice or student services for help Kim.
Thanks everyone, I'll definitely be looking into that. I'll see what is offered with the student bus pass in my area as I'd much rather get a bus to the taxi I get now if I'd have to get the same taxi as I get now to Sixth Form.
I know I definitely want to do A Levels so I'll stick with my school unless there's an easier solution to transport going to another school, as I should be able to get all of my first choice options. I'll see what happens when the blocks are out in a few months.
Layne, are the busses subsidised by £100 a term in your area, or is that over the whole year?
If its not that many miles away, then can't you walk? My 6th form (And school for the 5 years previously) is 2 miles away, and i've always walked. 4 Miles a day does you good :)
Chloe O'brien
19-01-2008, 23:54
I'm not sure if things are different because of your disabilty, but up here in Edinburgh the council will not provide a child or teenage with a free bus pass if they live less than 3 miles from a school as they are supposed to go to the district school. If a parent decides to send their child outwith the district school they have to pay the bus pass that is why I have to pay £24 a month for Marley. If a child has to go to a school over 3 miles because of their disabilty then the council give them a free bus pass if they are able to travel by themselves otherwise they are taken to school by minibus or taxi, again the council or social work department pay the costs.
DaVeyWaVey
20-01-2008, 12:58
If its not that many miles away, then can't you walk? My 6th form (And school for the 5 years previously) is 2 miles away, and i've always walked. 4 Miles a day does you good :)
This is what I do - it's definetly something worth considering, as it keeps you fit.
Layne, are the busses subsidised by £100 a term in your area, or is that over the whole year?
I think its over the whole year, i didn't buy one though :rolleyes: Too much money, considering i live like 2 miles away!
If I stay at my school, which is the only place I've applied for so far, it's something like 8 miles each way. I don't think it's a very good idea to walk that, especially not with my disability. There is one I could try walking to, but it's bigger than my school and I really don't want to go to anywhere bigger - my school is big enough and I get pushed out of the way enough as it is.
I have a review like next week sometime at school so I will definitely be asking about the bus pass at that. I live more than three miles from any of the places I could go to - that is the rule here too. One is only just over that, but it was agreed when I started high school that the school I go to would be better for me than that one.
Anyone else get their result from the jan exams??
I got A (psychology) B (english, 6 marks off an a) C (health and social care)
I'm well chuffed :D I'd have had to retake psychology if i hadn't got an A, English i may retake but i can make up those 6 marks with my coursework, and health and social - well i hate the subject and wasn't excatly expecting anything higher, im dropping it at the end of the year so i'm not too bothered!
I said it on the Hows your Day thread, but i may as well post here too.
I did a politics module, and got an A. So i'm very happy (I had BB in the other modules, so i've got a high B overall so far).
I got a C in geography and C in Biology but 2% off a B, Im thinking about re-sitting both but need to find out more information about it
I got a C in geography and C in Biology but 2% off a B, Im thinking about re-sitting both but need to find out more information about it
I don't think you really need to with those grades!!! Though it depends what you're aiming for. If you want an A in the end, then maybe. Its just the UMS points that matter in the end, i guess.
Well I know I can do better, we had soo much trouble with geography and then with my biology I would like to do something with that and with me being not far off a B I would like to try again.
Have you done a re-sit before?
I've done lots of resits. Only problem is the added revision on top of the exams you are taking for the first time in June.
If you're doing A2 finals you might be better off focusing on your A2 exams because you can't resit them and whatever mark you get from them in summer is final.
Well I know I can do better, we had soo much trouble with geography and then with my biology I would like to do something with that and with me being not far off a B I would like to try again.
Have you done a re-sit before?
I resat a module of Politics in Jan. I got a D in the summer, re-took it, and got an A. But i didn't have any other Jan exams, so i could spend all my time concentrating on that one subject.
But remember, it doesn't matter how far off a B you are, its all about the marks. If you think you can gain considerably, then re-take it. But if you are only retaking to gain a few marks, and bump you to a B, then its not worth it. After all, you can gain them in your last few modules.
And remember, all the stuff you would be tested on you would have done months ago. Most teachers won't help you, so you've got to be able to revise purely on your own. Which would be very hard if you have lots of other exams going on.
Thanks for all the advice.
I know a lot about what goes on cos my dad teaches at the college, but I do think I can do a lot better and I wnat to try and get the best mark possible so I have a better grade for AS and then which will help me for my marks in the second year.
I just need to know about the costs
Thanks for all the advice.
I know a lot about what goes on cos my dad teaches at the college, but I do think I can do a lot better and I wnat to try and get the best mark possible so I have a better grade for AS and then which will help me for my marks in the second year.
I just need to know about the costs
Some schools will pay for you to do it, but i think thats quite rare. Its usually about £30 a module to retake. Ask your examinations officer and they'll be able to tell you what its like at your school/college.
i think resitting is only a good idea if you know you have the time, as sometimes your other grades could suffer and dont forget the mark can also get worse. I learnt the hard way.
WEll done soe good january results there.
Well Like I say my exam timetable looks good and I am going to dicuss with teachers as well, plus my exam dont start until a week and a half into the whole weeks of exams
well thats alright then sometimes they are really awkward times. I just applied for the resit and ended up with 6 hours of exams on one day. You seem to have it all sussed though which is great! much more organised than i was.
StarsOfCCTV
29-03-2008, 21:54
All of mine are so early :crying: :p
23rd of May! :eek: Biology and Philosophy on the same day! I have 5 and a half hours of exams on the same day :crying: :crying:
I don't know when my history exam is yet..(well I've forgotten the date but it's sometime in June) :p
I better start revising :p
Yours are early!!!!
Mine start on the 14th of May :eek:
StarsOfCCTV
29-03-2008, 21:57
14th May :eek: Blimey! And I thought mine were early :p
I have to go back to school for 3 weeks after A levels. What is the sense in that :lol:
I have to go back to school for 3 weeks after A levels. What is the sense in that :lol:
I know same here, its to start the A2 stuff
My last exam is one the 4th of June
DaVeyWaVey
29-03-2008, 22:24
I scored 82% in my Drama AS practical. Only 4 marks off an A!
I have to go back as well after my exams, to start A2. Do all of you have study leave for your AS?
Yeah we do, not sure how much we get of it though
StarsOfCCTV
29-03-2008, 22:35
Well done Davey :D
I have Easter for 2 weeks, 2 weeks (I think) of lessons, study leave, then half term. It's really wierd :p I think my history's in the half term. and Biology and Philosophy's on the last day of study leave..:hmm:
an exam in half term :eek:
I beat you all in the exam length league. I have a 10 hour exam!!
Its my ICT exam, done over 3 days, cause its so long. 13th, 14th and 15th of May if i remember right.
My other 2 are mid-June. AS exams are usually before A2 though, so thats why those are so much later than yours. My ICT is only early because its a practical subject, so they get them out the way first.
What are you all aiming for?
10 hours :eek:
Ho many hours do you do each year?
Im aiming for the best I can get, english language at the moment my teacher thinks I can get an A, as im pretty much there already. geography and biology a B and drama hopefully an A too, as thats what Im already working at already :p
:o
DaVeyWaVey
29-03-2008, 23:16
Wow! 10 hours, that is insane!
I know I have 3 English exams in a row, and 3 Drama theory exams in a row. My other ones are spread out quite well.
I am expected 1 A in English and 3 Cs for Drama, ICT and Media...but I could get an A in Drama as my theory exams will be worth more than my prac, and I was a few marks off an A in my prac, so I might be lucky there! ICT - teacher thinks I will get a C, same with Media, though my current grade for that is a B.
StarsOfCCTV
29-03-2008, 23:23
My Textiles GSCE was 10 hours..I feel your pain :p
My Mags are DDD, but I'm predicted C (history) C (Philosophy) B (science).
Philosphy are hopeful! I don't think I'll do well in that at all. :p Probably have to resit it lol
Wow! 10 hours, that is insane!
I know I have 3 English exams in a row, and 3 Drama theory exams in a row. My other ones are spread out quite well.
I am expected 1 A in English and 3 Cs for Drama, ICT and Media...but I could get an A in Drama as my theory exams will be worth more than my prac, and I was a few marks off an A in my prac, so I might be lucky there! ICT - teacher thinks I will get a C, same with Media, though my current grade for that is a B.
What exam board are you on for ICT?
And yeah, i agree about the 10 hours being insane - But you seriously need it!!
What do you do for 10 hours?
Databases. Which is very boring. And takes forever, because of the size of the data source.
:eek:
I hate databases
I hate them even more :p
I remember doing them for DIDA
StarsOfCCTV
30-03-2008, 00:09
Databases. Which is very boring. And takes forever, because of the size of the data source.
What are databases about?
Databases. Which is very boring. And takes forever, because of the size of the data source.
What are databases about?
Ways of storing, processing, inputting and using data/information.
how do i get a sig?
This isn't the right place to ask this. If you have a question about the forums, then ask here (http://www.soapboards.co.uk/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=20). Cheers!
And in answer to your question, you have to have 50 posts, i think.
DaVeyWaVey
31-03-2008, 13:36
Wow! 10 hours, that is insane!
I know I have 3 English exams in a row, and 3 Drama theory exams in a row. My other ones are spread out quite well.
I am expected 1 A in English and 3 Cs for Drama, ICT and Media...but I could get an A in Drama as my theory exams will be worth more than my prac, and I was a few marks off an A in my prac, so I might be lucky there! ICT - teacher thinks I will get a C, same with Media, though my current grade for that is a B.
What exam board are you on for ICT?
And yeah, i agree about the 10 hours being insane - But you seriously need it!!
I am with AQA. Your course sounds different to mine. We've just done coursework in which we had to create a booking/invoice system using Excel, and now we have 2 theory exams in the summer, both an hour long, I think.
Wow! 10 hours, that is insane!
I know I have 3 English exams in a row, and 3 Drama theory exams in a row. My other ones are spread out quite well.
I am expected 1 A in English and 3 Cs for Drama, ICT and Media...but I could get an A in Drama as my theory exams will be worth more than my prac, and I was a few marks off an A in my prac, so I might be lucky there! ICT - teacher thinks I will get a C, same with Media, though my current grade for that is a B.
What exam board are you on for ICT?
And yeah, i agree about the 10 hours being insane - But you seriously need it!!
I am with AQA. Your course sounds different to mine. We've just done coursework in which we had to create a booking/invoice system using Excel, and now we have 2 theory exams in the summer, both an hour long, I think.
I'm on Edexcel, so thats why they're different. Both my AS and A2 have been 2/3 coursework (Which is ridiculously easy, but takes soooo long to get together), and an exam.
di marco
01-04-2008, 23:50
I beat you all in the exam length league. I have a 10 hour exam!!
i had a 20hr performing arts written exam! good luck to everyone doing as/ale vels, hope you all get the grades you want :)
StarsOfCCTV
02-04-2008, 00:44
Why do the teachers wait until now to give me loads of work :p I have two major science courseworks to do, and a Philosophy essay. Revision is going to be seriously hampered! :rolleyes:
My exams start on the 5th June but they're just general studies which I don't need to revise for. My important exams start on 11th June and finish on 18th June. On one day I have 7 hours of exams :thumbsdow I have to be supervised all day and I won't leave until 5pm.
My exams start end of may .... :eek: I know for definatly i have my psychology one on the 21st and then i have my drama pratical like two days later or something - i can't believe how quick they've come around!
i can't believe how quick they've come around!
Doesn't seem long since January exams. I can't wait for 18th June, exams are over, I'll have finished my A levels and have nearly three months of doing not much :cheer:
Its very scary how quickly they have come around
I've found a website for Edexcel biology A level past papers and notes (http://edexcelbiology.co.uk/home/index.php)
You probably know that Edexcel are so tight fisted that they won't put any past papers online for students to print off.
Omg!!!! Thankyou so much, I need past papers as Im re-sitting the first unit that I got a C in and was like 3 marks off a B. And it has that very paper on there!
OH MY GOODNESS a levels are so much harder than GCSEs :rolleyes:
Done my psychology, did my english today. Drama performance tomorrow then drama theory after half term. Can't wait till they are over.
I know, they are So hard.
Good luck in drama :D
StarsOfCCTV
21-05-2008, 16:53
OH MY GOODNESS a levels are so much harder than GCSEs :rolleyes:
I know! I actually have to DO revision for these :lol: Can't wait until the weekend. Two down one to go :p
I don't even know why I'm revising for Philosophy it's not like I'm going to pass it :lol:
I have a break now until the 3rd June thank god :)
StarsOfCCTV
21-05-2008, 17:13
Do you have to go back to college after A levels? I do...for 3 weeks!
Can anyone point out the point of that :p Everyone's blatantly going to forget/not care about what the teacher is going on about...lol
Same here, for 3 weeks, so we finish 27th June
DaVeyWaVey
21-05-2008, 18:04
Yeh I have to go back on the 16th June for a month...before I am off for the summer holidays. I have a break from my exams now until the 2nd June.
Yeh we have to go back, learn the first unit of A levels. Fun times ...!
Yeh we have to go back, learn the first unit of A levels. Fun times ...!
Yeah I think its cos there is so much to cover in the next year
Do you have to go back to college after A levels? I do...for 3 weeks!
Can anyone point out the point of that :p Everyone's blatantly going to forget/not care about what the teacher is going on about...lol
Its because you need to start your A2 courses. There's a lot more to cover at A2, even though you only do two units per subject. The third exam is a synoptic which you can't really revise for because its not specific to one area or unit of the course.
I know! I actually have to DO revision for these
I got that shock when I did my first AS exams and realised I hadn't revised as much as I should have done.
I only have two hours of lessons left then I've finished my A levels :cheer: Its been a long two years, probably the worst two of my life. I've hated doing them but if they get me into uni then thats all that matters.
Good luck to everyone who is doing exams. Mine don't start until 5th June.
What is a synoptic paper?
What is a synoptic paper?
Its basically an exam covering everything from your mandatory units over the two years. In biology our synoptic covers units 1, 2, 3, 4 and the compulsory part of unit five. You can be asked questions from any of those units or the question might incorporate several units. None of the synoptic papers will include core options.
On the edexcel biology synoptic there are two short-ish questions then a fifteen mark essay. You choose from two questions in the essay, both on different units but you can use knowledge from any unit to answer the questions.
:eek: Thats a lot and I do Edexcel biology
:eek: Thats a lot and I do Edexcel biology
Are you doing pure human biology or biology with human biology?
erm....... biology with some human biology- I think
we have done a lot on plants, its so boring but then we have done some human stuff
You must be doing the same spec as me then. I cannot stand plants, I don't care how water gets up them or how they photosynthesise.
Are you going to take it on to A2?
Well the site you posted has got the exact paper I did in Januray on, so I must e :)
Yeah, I want to take in to A2, thats why Im resitting unit 1 in about 2 weeks now :S
What did you do your coursework on?
They were all enzyme based, other groups at my college did the same investagation but changed the variable, out class did lots of different investigations completely.
Mind was the immbolisation of Lactase:effect of pH
I did mine on daphnia (water flea). Worst coursework I have ever had to do. Try putting an almost microscopic water flea under a microscope, addin ethanol then counting its heartbeat for a minute :rolleyes: Almost impossible to do accurately.
Oh my god! That sounds hard. I cant use the microscopes well. They starin my eyes, so I always have to get my friend who sits next to me, to help :o
I don't know how to use a microscope either. In the end I made some of the results up because I got so frustrated. Half of them died when I put ethanol on them :lol: At least I had plenty to talk about in my limitations and analysis.
:eek: Thats a bit harsh, them dying. Although the other day when we went to collect biomass, some of the woodlice died.
di marco
22-05-2008, 10:41
OH MY GOODNESS a levels are so much harder than GCSEs :rolleyes:
I know! I actually have to DO revision for these :lol: Can't wait until the weekend. Two down one to go :p
lol i remember thinking that when i did alevels, i didnt revise for my gcses either and when i did well assumed that i wouldnt have to revise for my alevels either, and the first units in jan i didnt revise for and did ok, got such a shock in the summer when i did really badly lol!
di marco
22-05-2008, 10:44
Do you have to go back to college after A levels? I do...for 3 weeks!
Can anyone point out the point of that :p Everyone's blatantly going to forget/not care about what the teacher is going on about...lol
Its because you need to start your A2 courses. There's a lot more to cover at A2, even though you only do two units per subject. The third exam is a synoptic which you can't really revise for because its not specific to one area or unit of the course.
it depends what subjects youre doing on whether theres a synoptic exam, i did maths alevel and we had to learn 3 whole new units for alevel, there wasnt a synoptic paper
StarsOfCCTV
22-05-2008, 10:46
lol i remember thinking that when i did alevels, i didnt revise for my gcses either and when i did well assumed that i wouldnt have to revise for my alevels either, and the first units in jan i didnt revise for and did ok, got such a shock in the summer when i did really badly lol!
Yeah I think I will probably be re-sitting Philosophy! :p I'm SO glad I took the Double Applied science the 2 exams are only 30% of the marks :)
I hope I dont have to re-sit geography or biology
di marco
22-05-2008, 11:39
I hope I dont have to re-sit geography or biology
i resat every biology paper lol! not much good it did me though!
cant remember if ive already said this, but good luck to everyone doing exams! :)
Thanks.
I really dont want to re-sit biology though, its too much stress
StarsOfCCTV
22-05-2008, 12:01
I kind of want to re-sit Philosophy. Not that I'm going to purposefully fail lol. Of course I'll try my best. But I don't think I'll do very well. If I re-sit in January then I can set aside more time revise I won't have a mad rush with coursework like I did a few weeks ago.
di marco
22-05-2008, 12:10
I really dont want to re-sit biology though, its too much stress
yeh it was so much stress for me! in the end i just gave up cos my marks were getting worse and worse lol!
Awww, plus next year they are changing the specifiaction so we are the last to do the current one, so it will be harder to do re-sits cos there will be no AS classes we can attend
GCSEs are a walk in the park compared to A levels.
My friend had her maths exam yesterday. She had a sudoku to complete :lol: Wish my exams were that easy.
GCSEs are a walk in the park compared to A levels.
My friend had her maths exam yesterday. She had a sudoku to complete :lol: Wish my exams were that easy.
I know thats what I thought, But I suppose at the time your doing them, they arent, its not until you progress that you think back and think they are easy. Well is was for me
And seriously a Sudoku, was that on the higher paper?
I know thats what I thought, But I suppose at the time your doing them, they arent, its not until you progress that you think back and think they are easy. Well is was for me
And seriously a Sudoku, was that on the higher paper?
It was an A level exam, C4 I think. Her maths modules don't have proper names. The paper was in two halfs with the sudoku on the second paper.
:eek: Omg really? I think I know someone doing that kind of maths, was it is called?
StarsOfCCTV
22-05-2008, 16:11
I can't do Suduko to save my life :lol:
:eek: Omg really? I think I know someone doing that kind of maths, was it is called?
I'm not sure what exam board it is, I think it could be OCR. The course is maths (as opposed to pure maths).
I thought I'd been doing human biology for two years, my teacher told me today its just biology :searchme: Good job he told me otherwise I'd have done the human biology questions in the synoptic paper and got no marks.
Isnt OCR suppose to be one of the harder exam boards?
lol, I think I am doing the same course as you
StarsOfCCTV
22-05-2008, 16:21
Isnt OCR suppose to be one of the harder exam boards?
Oh crap. I've got OCR for science :p
Sorry its just I dont know many people on it and isnt it used by Cambridge or something?
I know my dad marks for OCR
OCR is Oxford, Cambridge and RSA. I did OCR GNVQ ict. It was so easy, most of the course was coursework with just two exams. Easiest qualification I've ever done.
di marco
22-05-2008, 16:49
Awww, plus next year they are changing the specifiaction so we are the last to do the current one, so it will be harder to do re-sits cos there will be no AS classes we can attend
we couldnt attend AS classes and cos id done most of the work a year before it was really difficult, though in the summer our teacher did go over some of the AS work with us in our revision lessons
di marco
22-05-2008, 16:50
I know thats what I thought, But I suppose at the time your doing them, they arent, its not until you progress that you think back and think they are easy. Well is was for me
And seriously a Sudoku, was that on the higher paper?
It was an A level exam, C4 I think. Her maths modules don't have proper names. The paper was in two halfs with the sudoku on the second paper.
i did alevel maths, wish id had a sudoku on my paper! cant really see how the c4 paper would link to a sudoku? though i wasnt with ocr i did edexcel
I hope I have the same biology teacher next year too.
Isnt OCR suppose to be one of the harder exam boards?
lol, I think I am doing the same course as you
I heard it was. I'm doing OCR RE and they don't even formally predict A*'s due to it being so hard. It might be different for A Levels with them though.
di marco
24-05-2008, 06:55
Isnt OCR suppose to be one of the harder exam boards?
lol, I think I am doing the same course as you
I heard it was. I'm doing OCR RE and they don't even formally predict A*'s due to it being so hard. It might be different for A Levels with them though.
i never realised it was. ive only ever taken ocr gsce double science and avce performing arts for alevel, i didnt find either that hard tbh
OCR is blatently not harder than any others. They just cover more unconventional parts of the subject, so you have to use your head, rather than read a book.
I have 3 Biology exams tomorrow :sick: I feel ill :(
di marco
02-06-2008, 20:57
I have 3 Biology exams tomorrow :sick: I feel ill :(
good luck :) im sure youll do fine, cant do worse than i did anyway!
But I feel like I know nothing! I dont know why, I think its cos Ive had more than a week of no exams at all but I dunno, I mean I do know it, well most of it...ahhh Im confused myself
di marco
02-06-2008, 21:03
But I feel like I know nothing! I dont know why, I think its cos Ive had more than a week of no exams at all but I dunno, I mean I do know it, well most of it...ahhh Im confused myself
im sure you know more than you think. does your third paper have a case study in it?
Erm kinda, where we get like 2 or 3 sheets of data and we answer questions based on it. Im not worried about that paper cos I can use some of my georaphy knowlegde it it. Its Unit 2 which is the big unit and then Unit 1 which Im resitting so I feel like I must do better in it.
di marco
02-06-2008, 21:26
Erm kinda, where we get like 2 or 3 sheets of data and we answer questions based on it. Im not worried about that paper cos I can use some of my georaphy knowlegde it it. Its Unit 2 which is the big unit and then Unit 1 which Im resitting so I feel like I must do better in it.
yeh thats the sort of thing we had in our unit 3 too, thats the only part i could answer lol! i failed unit 2, all 3 times i took it haha! unit 1 i got a C in it the first time, retook it twice and got lower both times so gave up! are you with edexcel (think thats what i did!)?
yeah Edexcel, and Yeah I got a C in Unit one the first time, 2 marks off a B.
Its just I know, I know it, but they never ask me the stuff I want them to or word the question so I think I have to answer something else !
My exams don't start until Thursday :crying: I've got another 16 days of revision left before I'm free.
di marco
02-06-2008, 21:32
yeah Edexcel, and Yeah I got a C in Unit one the first time, 2 marks off a B.
Its just I know, I know it, but they never ask me the stuff I want them to or word the question so I think I have to answer something else !
i only just scrapped a C lol! yeh i know what you mean, i know i wasnt very good at biology but i knew more than i could answer cos i didnt understand what they wanted from the questions!
di marco
02-06-2008, 21:32
My exams don't start until Thursday :crying: I've got another 16 days of revision left before I'm free.
i think my sis exams start on thurs as well. good luck :)
I just hope the papers are okay and it all come to me in the exam. Anyway off to do more revision, whooo
di marco
02-06-2008, 21:34
I just hope the papers are okay and it all come to me in the exam. Anyway off to do more revision, whooo
ok bye, good luck, let us know how they go :)
Okay, I had them today, they were okay, Unit 1 was quite a good paper, but paper 2 was HARD!!!!!!! Unit 3 was pretty easy, I finished early, and eneded up just sitting there for 20 minitues
di marco
03-06-2008, 22:15
Okay, I had them today, they were okay, Unit 1 was quite a good paper, but paper 2 was HARD!!!!!!! Unit 3 was pretty easy, I finished early, and eneded up just sitting there for 20 minitues
i think unit 2 was the hardest unit out of all 6 units. what was your case study on? the first time i did unit 3 mine was on monkeys i think
All finished now :)
I just hope i did okay ... The likelihood is i'll have to retake english and psychology but i don't want to redo drama!
Okay, I had them today, they were okay, Unit 1 was quite a good paper, but paper 2 was HARD!!!!!!! Unit 3 was pretty easy, I finished early, and eneded up just sitting there for 20 minitues
i think unit 2 was the hardest unit out of all 6 units. what was your case study on? the first time i did unit 3 mine was on monkeys i think
What do you mean? there was no case study? You mean the one where your given loads of data?
Whooooo :cheer: All over now, finished exams
di marco
04-06-2008, 19:27
Okay, I had them today, they were okay, Unit 1 was quite a good paper, but paper 2 was HARD!!!!!!! Unit 3 was pretty easy, I finished early, and eneded up just sitting there for 20 minitues
i think unit 2 was the hardest unit out of all 6 units. what was your case study on? the first time i did unit 3 mine was on monkeys i think
What do you mean? there was no case study? You mean the one where your given loads of data?
yeh thats what i meant, my teacher always used to call it a case study
Erm ours had a bot on the carbon cycle, and oil production, linking it into global warming and CO2 increase
di marco
04-06-2008, 19:37
Erm ours had a bot on the carbon cycle, and oil production, linking it into global warming and CO2 increase
sounds difficult! think mine was linked to deforestation or something, cant really remember just know it involved monkeys lol!
Lol, we also had something about birds
Well Im gonna give this thread a bump!
:eek: Just reading the last posts me complaining about the paper that I found HARD, well I did get an E in it so makes me feel better to read that after I did it, I did find it pretty evil :lol:
Got our exam timetables a few weeks ago
I have my first drama exam a week today 11th Dec and then 5 exams in January
This year is going so quick, I have so much revsion to do
Kirsty :]
04-12-2008, 17:54
5 exams?! I'm counting myself lucky! I only have 2 in January. Still.. lots of revisiong to be doing!
Everyone ahd their predicted grades today but I missed for so I'll ahve to get mine tomorrow. ALl I know is I'm predicted a B in English Lit... I don't know what they've taken! I had a D at AS Level... how will I actually bump up to a B.. unless I get an A or something in my A Level exam.. Pahaaa!
Yeah Im doing one geography re-sit the E I got :lol: If I get it up to a high C then I'll be on an A overall so far
The one english lanuage re-sit, I got a B overall, and im retaking the one I got a C in, I'll never get it up to an A but cos its the last time they exams will be available, cos they spec changed we are all resiting outr worst
The A2 exams: 1 biology, 1 english language, 1 geography
Kirsty :]
04-12-2008, 18:01
Oh God I dropped Geography after GCSE!..I realised I'm not exactly Christopher Columbus! Haha
I'm resitting 1 English Language module, whcih modules are you resitting? I had an E I think in the one module and 2 C's in the other.. which resulted in a D, so hopefully if I boost that up I'll get at least C/B. I'm still finding A Levels a really really big jump from GCSE.. you jsut ahve to be so specific!
I know its such a big jump
Im re-sitting Module 2 , the one where you do a text analysis, write your own piece and do a comentary
Kirsty :]
04-12-2008, 18:06
Module 2?? I think we do different exams ahah.
What exam board are you on for English Lang?
We have:
Elang 1- which is what i;m resitting. Writing your own piece and then analysing it.
Elang 2 was coursework
Elang 3 was like 3 different types of writing on a topic and you had to compare and contrast them
Kirsty :]
04-12-2008, 18:09
Ahh I'm WJEC.
Your Module 2 sounds similar to my Elang 1 though lol
Kirsty :]
04-12-2008, 18:21
I don't know lol, just an exam board. I quite like it though :) I was jsut about to say I did AQA last year in Biolody.. but that was OCR ahaha. Theres too many exam boards!
Im on Edexcel for biology :p
Ive never heard of that exam board, Ive heard of AQA, Edexcel and OCR
Kirsty :]
04-12-2008, 18:27
Ahhh!
WJEC's history
WJEC was previously called the Welsh Joint Education Committee. It was established in 1948 as a consortium of local education authorities in Wales. It is now a registered charity, and a company limited by guarantee, owned by the 22 local authorities in Wales. A subsidiary company, WJEC CBAC Services Limited, provides specialist printing and publication services.
Now WJEC provides examinations, assessment, professional development, educational resources, support for adults who wish to learn Welsh and access to youth arts activities. It also provides examinations throughout England.
basically, it used to be an exam board only in Wales... but that's now changed and it also examines in England now. I don't knwo when it changed though, so it may be recent
My school does WJEC Film Studies and I live in England. It's the only WJEC thing we have though.
I have 2 in January, though some people have 0. I can imagine myself having at least 5 come June though. Because of the spec changes I only have 2 units for everything but Business, which hasn't changed because it's an Applied course. I will have 1 exam for everything plus any resits in June. There are no practice papers, the Psychology exam is on the anniversary of the day my Gran died and I'm predicted an A. Apparently they don't give special consideration for A Levels so I think that'll be a resit. Praying I don't mess up Economics; apparently most people fail it the first time they sit an exam in it :eek:
Im sure theres special circumstances for all exams. I thought there was anyway im pretty sure my friend had one at A Level.
Economics i found realy hard i did it in muy first year at uni. I just didnt get the numbers.
Good luck every one, i remember sitting mine it seems ages ago but its really not that long! I got too uni exams in January, FUll modules as well so i know what ill be doing over christmas!
You can get special circumstances at A level but only if you are ill on the day (really ill, not just a cold) or have a disability which directly affects your work. Even then it's not guarranteed that the exam board will allow them. I doubt you would get them for your circumstances.
Ah right i knew there was definitly some special circumstances for A Levels as my friend got one. I though i was losing it!
I reember last year one of the girls in my year turned up to our public exam after having an operaation in the morning and the lecturer was like glad to see youve made it. She was still high on all the gas! It was really funny.
I reember last year one of the girls in my year turned up to our public exam after having an operaation in the morning and the lecturer was like glad to see youve made it. She was still high on all the gas! It was really funny.
lol that sounds fun
I know last year one person had a huge nose bleed in the middle of an exam
It wasnt one of my exams though, I only heard about it
One girl tried to kill herself in our RE exam and had to be carried out by the teachers :ninja: There was blood all over.
:eek: OH my god, was she alright?
Yeah, she survived. She was a bit strange after that, she always seemed scary to me.
You mean she was strange AFTER THAT? :eek:
Kirsty :]
06-12-2008, 17:49
Omg! That is disturbing :eek: how on earth did she manage to nearly take her life??
Blade out of a pencil sharpener. There was about 250 of us in the exam and everybody started looking at her. There was blood all over the desk and floor.
Sorry, that was fecicious (sp) :angel: facetious :)
She must have felt really desperate :(
Someone in my school burned his A Level Chemistry paper which is shocking enough but that :eek: :eek:
Just done my drama exam!!!!!
Im sad its over :(
Just done my drama exam!!!!!
Im sad its over :(
Well done, but don't be sad. Regard it as an achievement :lol:
lol but I loved the group I was in.
The things is that was only one of the drama exams, we still have another 2
That, last night was our devised piece, we have coursework that goes with it, and then we have another peroforance in march and then written one in june
We were just a really good group and all my friends have been saying how good ours was, how they understood it and then early today this girl came up to me and said 'did you play annabelle last night' and I was like yeah and she said I was very good :D
Makes me feel good, but seriously im sad that our group will be split, we were so good together!
Well done on playing a good Annabelle. Should have given her your autograph :lol:
:lol: this happened to be last year
And my friend also aksed, why do I always play the messed up characters :lol:
lol, that was like me Haha, i was always the loony, i found that with my music class we were really good together it was horrible when we were split up.
In the long roon though Ab a t least you got one of the exams out the way! Thats always a good thing.
Yeah its a shame its only worth 10% :lol:
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