To think that university is easier than A-Levels?

[AWinterWonderland]

Obviously content-wise, university covers much more complex and difficult topics and the workload is much more intense. However I found it a lot easier to get top grades at university compared to during A-Levels.

I really struggled during A-Levels and it took pretty much constant studying and a round of resits to get decent grades. I remember during A-Levels I would start revising for summer exams in February. Whilst in my final year of my undergraduate I started revising two weeks before my exams.

At university (undergraduate and master's level) I found it a lot easier to get good grades. I didn't feel like examiners/markers were trying to catch me out. I felt the marking was consistent which enabled me to be able to judge my work, I could always roughly tell when my work had reached first class or distinction standard and was ready to be submitted. In comparison, I remember walking out of an A-Level exam feeling that it had gone really well only to get a D! At university, I felt that there was less of an emphasis on exam technique and memory recall and instead more emphasis on higher level thinking like critical analysis, synthesis of information, etc.

Does anyone else agree?

Totally agree

Definitely not for me, though I suppose it might depend on your A Levels and your degree.

I do vaguely recall my sixth form tutors saying that.

Depends where you went to university!

Definitely not for me. I found my degree harder. Harder than my masters in a way too.

I certainly did a whole lot better at uni than I did at A-level!!

Yes, I found university easier than A level. But then, I was going subjects I was the best at and knew pretty well already by then.

My dissertation was the most stressful thing I've ever done academically / work wise though. But normal university exams, tutorials, coursework were all pretty enjoyable tbh.

My sixth form teachers said this too

I have to disagree. In a level you can skip a topic or part of it, work too much consequence. It may never come up in the exam.

In uni you have to do everything. If there's something you don't get, you can fail the module.

Also I find it easier working in a classroom at set times and being forced to work. Too much free time leads to procrastination.

Definitely agree. I put in many many hours of A level revision, but university was much more manageable provided you stayed on top of everything as you went along.

No. University was significantly more difficult.

There have been similar threads before, it seemed that broadly opinion was divided depending on the subjects. It may also depend on age I suppose.

I'm talking about late 70s Chemistry, Physics and double Maths (Pure + Applied) A levels versus a chemistry degree.

I think it appears to be because the gap between gcses and a level is greater than a level and year 1 uni for a lot of subjects, and you've grown up a bit by year 2 of uni. My theory anyway.

GCSEs and A levels to a large extent are a memory test. And there’s an awful lot of information you’re expected to remember. And it’s not an effective long term pedagogical method. I got decent grades at GCSE which admittedly were some years ago....I can’t recall anything I learned. I got an A in French, I bet I could barely ask for directions to the beach now! Ditto history.....I can’t remember the dates of the Spanish peninsula war battles and to be honest why would the ability to do so be of any benefit.

Agree that university tends to be more about analysis. Clearer learning outcomes. Allows you to demonstrate decent thought processes and understanding.

Dep2nds what you did at A level and degree level. I did humanities subjects at A level and now doing a social science for my degree. In my third year of psychology and it's tough. You need to apply critical analysis to everything this year and I don't find that easy at all.

I fully accept it does probably depend in degree. I’d hazard a guess that a maths, physics, chemistry degree is going to be tough. I’m basing my answer on social science type,degrees.

X post!

Interesting that quite a few of you agree.

For context my A-Levels were Biology, Chemistry and Physics and my undergraduate degree and master's are in Molecular Biology.

DH and I were at the same university, nearly the same a levels. He did a BA and I did a BSc. My degree was phenomenally hard! I had 4 hours a day lectures every day of the week,, 3 hrs a day practicals four times a week, and essays to write. He had 9 hrs lectures and one afternoon practical per week, and an essay. His subject matter was far less complex and was more to do with interpretation than knowledge of hard facts. His degree for him was definitely easier than his a levels.

Yes. University rewards different skills and behaviours to A Levels, and more so as you go along. Hence some students who got on well at A Level can struggle to adapt to the more independent nature of degree level study, but for others it's a liberation. Personally I was in the latter group, and did better the further along (and more in charge of my own learning) I went.

I found A levels easier than GCSES and one degree harder than both

I found uni harder because you got scored down for things that weren't knowledge on the subject you were being tested on. I have various learning disabilities so my literacy and communication skills aren't good, but my science and math skills are. But my science degree depended alot on my literacy skills.
My knowledge of a test subject would be vast but I couldn't write it down correctly. I write in lists, one statement after another, perfect for A-levels, that's exactly what their markscheme looks like, but it wasn't what was wanted at uni.

It’s because universities sensibly don’t put all the exams at the end, which is a recipe for carnage. You have course work and exams which count each semester. It’s much better IMO, and should be how A levels work (we wouldn’t be in this mess now if it was).

A levels are set across the country

University exams are set by each university. So if you went to a less academically rigorous one, the exams will be easier than more rigorous ones

It was for me, because of the freedom and independence that went with Uni. Plus I CHOSE Uni and could see the point of being there al the options degrees were leading to, whilst A Levels felt like a boring inconvenience.

So whilst I worked a lot more and a lot harder at Uni, I had to, it was rather competitive, but it felt easier. Let's be honest, I spend so much time having a social life and partying around, I can't have been studying that much

I know what you mean; I found the step up from GCSEs to A levels really hard but my degree felt on a similar level or just a tiny step up. I think it helped that by uni I’d learnt how to self study and motivate myself without being spoon fed. I’d also figured out by then how to answer questions in exams to maximise my marks

I did history a level
Easy

University very highly regarded for history

That. Was. Challenging.