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Original poster

GCSEs and beyond - advice please?

31 replies

SuzieHomemaker · 03/09/2010 14:17

DD1 is now entering her GCSE years. She is doing mainstream academic topics including modern languages. She wants to go to university to study sciences but not sure what exactly yet which is fine.

What I need help with is how the whole AS, A2 thing works. How many AS levels should someone be aiming to take? How many A2s? I have seen so many stories of young people with bucket loads of qualifications failing to get in to university that I just dont know what is normal anymore.

Does anyone know of any good guides for parents on the next stages (AS, A2 and university application) please?

OP posts:
webwiz · 03/09/2010 16:01

There seems to be a lot of confusion about General studies - lots of universities say they won't consider it but some use it as an extra factor if you just miss your offer (Birmingham have this on their website). DD1, who is about to start her second year at university, took the whole of General Studies A level in year 12 and got an A. Her sixth form just entered them with no teaching. She applied for Biological sciences and one of her offers was from Sheffield and instead of the standard ABB offer she was offered BB because she already had an A. I was quite surprised, in fact I think DD1 emailed the admissions tutor to check that it wasn't a mistake!

DD2 is two years younger than DD1 and has just started year 13 and now General studies isn't offered any more. I think maybe they thought the cost of entering the everyone for the exam wasn't worth it for a subject that isn't universally accepted.

senua · 03/09/2010 15:37

Look at the UCAS website, which has a list of all University courses and the entry requirements. I have yet to see a course asking for more than 3 A Levels.

The best guide for GCSE and beyond? MN of course.Grin
One of the worst guides? Unless you are lucky, your school.Shock

Original poster
SuzieHomemaker · 03/09/2010 15:36

Many thanks for the answers. Why do schools offer General Studies/Critical thinking for A level if universities arent interested? In my day (sabre toothed tigers were roaming the earth back then) A levels really were to do with getting ready for and applying to universities.

OP posts:
hocuspontas · 03/09/2010 14:27

More schools are offering the extended project as an 'extra' as opposed to General Studies, which AFAIK counts towards UCAS points (equivalent to half an A-level).

Lilymaid · 03/09/2010 14:24

The usual path is to take four AS Levels, then drop one subject and carry on the remaining three to A2 level. It is possible to take more AS levels but schools can't always timetable to allow for a student to take more than 4. Many schools also run courses in AS/A2 Critical Thinking or General Studies - but neither of these would count as far as university offers are concerned and you can do General Studies AS without any preparation whatsoever.
Quite a lot of students carry on all 4 subjects for A2, particularly the most academic students but the standard university offer will be based on three A2s.

Ponders · 03/09/2010 14:21

IME (selective grammar) they generally take 4 subjects at AS & drop 1 of them at A2. They also do General Studies, but that doesn't count towards admission.

Those doing maths/science often take more.

Probably not much help, sorry!

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