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About to start a levels
Hi, I am 15 f and also in the uk. And am about to start ALevels a year earlier than the rest of my class. I saw your reply to a random question in witch you talked about doing your ALevels. And I was wondering how you found/are finding them? I would love to hear your opinion on how difficult they are compared to GCSE's and what choices you recommend I make. Because I am the only one in my year being moved up I have no one realy to talk to about them. I have gone with my patents to 6th form induction evenings but am conscious that all the teachers and students there were there were all trying to convince me to take their particular subjects. Sorry his is quite a long question and your thoughts would be appreciated. O, and I am thinking of doing English lit, sociology, philosophy and drama at the local grammar school.
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Wow being moved up! You must be smart. Here's A REALLY LONG ANSWER, thanks for asking:
I don't know much about sociology or philosophy but I can tell you about English lit and Drama. I did these because I like them, and I want to go into writing Dramas. I did science mainly because my parents convinced me that all arts is not useful in the big wide world.
English Literature is a lot of fun- Provided you like reading and writing VERY long essays. They don't read the book out in class like at GCSE you are expected to read it in your own time. Preferably before you sit the exam.
My A-level course requires a lot of Quote learning as you cannot bring any books to the exam. I did Jane Eyre, and we also have to learn 14 Poems by Emily Dickinson. (Its in three weeks!) It is a little harder than GCSE but very similar, you'll be okay. Just learn QUOTES QUOTES QUOTES and QUOTES from CRITICS. Also learn words like" Parenthesis" and "Iamb" and "Auxiliary verb"
You also do a 2000 word essay for coursework. Its quite simple- just keep getting it remarked until its perfect, then hand the final draft in. Use a dictionary for synonyms.
Our Drama course (I'm assuming you're going to act?) 1st year: Scripted assessment in the style of a chosen practitioner/genre - make sure you're in a good group who don't argue with each other.
2nd Year: Devised assessment in the style of another chosen practitioner/genre.
The essays are the hard part. Someone (not me) in my class got 17/100 after writing about 6 pages! You have 45 mins for each question. One asks you how you would direct/perform a scene to convey (whatever mood/theme) from a play you will study (you get to take an annotated script to the exam) and another asks "How did the actor convey >>>>> specific emotion/theme/character<<<< in a live production you saw" You get to take in pages of notes too. The essays are a big step up from GCSE, but the grade A boundary last year was only 32/50, meaning a lot of people find them difficult.
If you enjoy the subject, it will be a lot easier to understand. I did chemistry thinking it'd be useful and make me lotsa money as a doctor or something, not because I really enjoyed it, and now I'm counting down the days till I can kickdrop the damn subject out the window. Biology is a win though, you get to cut up a real pig heart with no gloves on. Teachers also have an effect on how you find a subject- some are brilliant, others barely can form sentences and then you have to teach yourself 5 days before the exam.
The 6th form is a lot more relaxed. Teachers swear freely sometimes, and if you remind them you have 4 other subjects to do then you can get away with week late homeworks. They don't chase you around with detentions so much- how hard you work is up to you. If you don't, and are upset at a line of D grades on results day then theres really no-one else to blame but yourself.
OVERALL
YOU MUST enjoy a subject to do well at it. Science and Maths A Levels in particular are a massive leap from GCSE, and a lot of hard work.
Did you know, there aren't just 2 or 3 electron shells? ohhhh no- theyre split into subshells, orbitals with 2 repulsive electrons and labelled s, p, d, and f. GCSE CHEMISTRY IS A LIEEEE! And doing the A level makes GCSE look like year 6 homework.
I recommend doing whatever you want. Bear in mind though, A levels are not compulsory like GCSEs, and the examiners know you CHOSE to study it, so you are expected to do a little extra work.
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MOST IMPORTANT NOTE **** when making your choices, think about what courses you want to do at what uni's . E.g medicine in Oxford requires Chemistry+ Biology and recommends maths or physics. Exeter just want Chemistry and Biology for sure.
Their English course only requires English Literature A level.
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