What is it like to do 5 A-level subjects?

[dynamicequilibrium]

What is it like to do 5 A-level subjects? e.g Physics, Chemistry , Maths, Further Maths and Biology.

I am still considering being a medical doctor or an engineer so somehow the above subjects give me the best options. However, is this manageable or will this even be a burden to myself?

Should I concentrate on 4 subjects (Physics, Chemistry, Maths, Further Maths) for two years of A-level courses or drop one (e.g. biology) from the above 5 subjects after AS level?

Thank you very much.

Are you planning on doing them fulltime over two years? What’s your academic background, specifically wrt maths?

Five is too many unless you're a) v organised b) very VERY clever. 3 is reasonable. 4 is hard if you're working.

I've a Masters and five is NOT going to work.

Are you at school? What do your teachers say? I think if you are pretty maths, not unreasonable......

Really Kendal? Why not?

I’d say it is harder now with the new Linear structure-you can’t bank unit/module grades anymore or re-sit them. Linear exams for most A levels are between 2 and 2.5 hour exams with each subject having two or three. Could you handle 30 odd exams at that length in a two to three week period?

Am I right in thinking you don't need physics for medicine?

My dd was going to do 4 but decided on three in the end and I'm glad she did. She's very organised and self disciplined with work and revision but even with three, she's now under intense pressure in the lead up to exams.

Grades are much more important than the number of A levels I.e. you are better to do 4 at A* than 5 at A. Get the most impressive grades you can by doing 4!

Even for Oxford or Cambridge you only need 3, but obviously those 3 need to be A* and relevant. You could do four, but you certainly don't need 5. Your issue is that for Medicine you have to have Chemistry, plus one of Biology or Maths or Physics, and for Engineering you need both Physics and Maths, and then a further one. So, if you want to keep your options open, do Physics, Maths, Chemistry, and then perhaps decide between your Biology or Further Maths for the extra flexibility and kudos if you feel you can stretch that far.

Five is a pig. Trust me.

If you want to be a medic, don't drop physics. The med school will teach you all the biology and anatomy you need. Chemistry and maths are your friends, but physics opens up avenues like anaesthesia.

My husband did 6 as levels and carried on 5 to a level (maths, further maths, physics, chemistry and history). In the end he dropped one of them half way through year 13 as he found it too much. I've just asked him and he regrets trying to do that many as he decided he also wanted a social life and really struggled to do both in year 13. The homework/revision time was too much. He's an engineer now.

I did five, ten years ago though. I did six AS Levels and dropped one for a levels in year two. I think my grades probably suffered so if you need excellent grades I would stick with 4 max, unless you're very clever of course. Also, those subjects are pretty intense. I did Maths, Business, Psychology, Drama and General studies so three more intense and two that were easier. Ended up with an A, 2 Bs and C.

Won't you need Biology A-Level?

I did maths, chemistry, physics, biology A2 in 2002, along with further maths AS. My main problem was that my school didn't have slots to teach 5 subjects. They entered me into all the exams, but my parents had to buy the textbooks and resources for the subject I taught myself. My friend in the same year did all of those and did Music as well, again she had to teach herself some of the time.

I think physics is very highly valued, so if you can do medicine without biology, I'd drop that. Universities want quality not quantity.

If you do Maths/Further Maths/Physics there is a lot of overlap which helps a lot. The problem most have with Physics and Further Maths isn’t workload so much as the material is very challenging and they reach the limits of their ability levels. I think those three plus Chemistry make a lot of sense, provided you have a natural aptitude for Maths.

Five is fine if you are bright. You might consider dropping something post uni offer to try and optimise your grades in the light of an offer. I did five before AS even existed and while it was hard work I was doing plenty of other stuff. Don’t be confused by the fact that top unis might say that they make offers on three. That is the minimum they will accept you with given that have decided to make an offer. Places like Cambridge have many applications from kids doing 4 or 5 and you want to aim high rather than doing the minimum suggested by their web sites. Aiming low never a good plan though once you have an offer then getting top grades in the subjects in the offer should be a priority.

I think those 5 are fine if you are very good at maths, as there is lots of overlap between physics and maths, and further maths will build on that, so it isn't as much work as if they were a mix of arts and sciences for example. If you need to drop one, even for medicine, you should drop biology - you don't need it for any medicine course afaik and the others will probably open more doors and keep other options open.

PS just to say I did 5, 12 years ago. 3 arts and 2 sciences and it was fine. Did for enjoyment, only needed 3 for my uni offer.

I did 5 plus general studies and it wasn’t fine. Yeah I got good grades and it sounds impressive, and I did other stuff outside of school, but I feel like I missed out by not having free periods in sixth form, that I spent a lot of time studying on my own when I could have been doing other things, and I was burnt out and fed-up of exams by the time I got to uni. It wasn’t great for my mental health and academically wasn’t actually of much benefit.

Most state sixth forms don't have the funding or the timetable slots to allow 5 A levels. Many will allow 4 and the 4th subject is often Further Maths.
However for medicine I doubt that unis would be interested in the FM grades and any offers would be based on the other subjects.
The essential A level subject for medicine is actually Chemistry,
It hasn't been mentioned yet but Maths is the last facilitating subject to convert from modular AS/A2 to linear. Y12s have started the new course but there hasn't been a cohort sit the final linear exams yet. So don't make this decision based on past sixth form results and the old syllabus.

I’d look on TSR. A levels keep changing so someone’s experiences from a few years back aren’t necessarily relevant to current A levels.

Also, I’d suggest swotting up on CURRENT medical school requirements and preferences. There is a lot of misinformation about and, again, requirements and preferences change.

Having said that, I was under the impression that it’s quality not quantity that matters with A levels and medical schools.

Also, if you are going to do medicine it’s a good idea not to make things any harder for yourself by doing extra AkLevels. You will have years and years of hard work ahead of you so I’d suggest pacing yourself and giving yourself time to enjoy life alongside your studies.

Engineering you need both Physics and Maths, and then a further one

Small correction - the only eng. you would actually need a further one for would be chemistry for chem eng. DD is doing an MEng at Cambridge with just those 3.

My DD is about to take her GCSEs and is considered to have Oxbridge/RG potential. She is probably only going to take 3 and the EPQ. None of our local 6th forms would even consider letting her take 5. I agree that you should look at which subjects the med schools you are interested want you to have. AS an employer, (admittedly not a medic) I wouldn't be remotely interested in a 5th A level. I would care far more about your personal skills and broader experience. How would you fit in volunteering or gaining work experience if you were bogged down in 5 subjects?