Science A levels -what laptop/ device does your child have?

[somebrightmorning]

My ds has asked for a Microsoft surface pro for his birthday. £££££££!

He says his school-issued IPad is no good for taking notes but a standard laptop is no good for drawing/ writing graphs/ charts etc.

What do others use?

Mine had bog standard laptops for A levels - between them did all three sciences plus maths between them.

Any graphs were hand drawn! And in class notes typed up into OneNote.

My dd uses pen and paper.

An HP laptop running Windows / MIcrosoft Office, about £450.

Have a missed a memo about needing a laptop for biology?

My DD is taking Biology and manages to take notes by hand. There are online graphing tools your DS can use on any Windows laptop, he just has to do a bit of work finding one that works for him and learning how to use it.

Your DS sounds like he's trying it on for the sake of getting his hands on some cool kit, I wouldn't stand for it.

Actually, and I may be wrong, but I think the spec of the surface pro is quite poor compared to even a low-mid range laptop (very little memory I think).

Dd is doing biology, psychology and sociology.
All teachers recommend ring binders (one for each project, so three per subject over the two years), notebooks and pens.

Wanted to add, I do know sociology is not a science, I wanted to illustrate advice was consistent across all subjects.

No reason to need their own computer for Science A-levels (I teach chem). They need internet access at home and might need to word process the odd assignment. Graphs are hand drawn.

Don't buy a surface pro, just buy an android tablet and keyboard, drop it a couple of times so it works like the surface pro, then set fire to the other £200.

Ooh yes wrap up a ring binder instead

DD took chemistry and biology, and needed internet access to do her homework. We used a lot of printer cartridges because the homewotk was set as exam style papers. It is good practice for exams to write on exam papers as, unless there is special dispensation, you can't take a laptop into an exam. She just used her Macbook.

DD1 took Maths FM, Physics & Chemistry with a crappy old laptop she'd had since 2010. All A*/A. We bought her a new laptop for her 18th, some weeks after A levels finished, but ready for uni. Her preferred method of working was/is pen & paper.

DD2 took Maths, FM, Biology & Chemistry this year with a crappy old laptop she'd had since 2012. She now has a new one for uni.

Sorry OP, but I think your DC is trying it on.

Dc doing chem, biol, maths A levels.
Does homework using pen and paper and ring binders. Uses laptop only to find out what homework is or for research

A level Maths, Further maths, Physics, Chemistry. Applying for Oxbridge this year.
He has a Chromebook, and lots of written notes.
He has used an iPad with a bluetooth keyboard as well in the past.

A desktop computer (with Windows) and a Chromebook but they were what we already had. Everything is handwritten from notes in class to homework as it is usually completing sheets or stuff through Moodle.

Tell him you will ask his teacher which device he needs

Ds1 has folders in school and a notepad plus usual pen, pencil, ruler etc.

My DC just had bog standard laptops (I'm not even sure DS1 had one as I think his was broken) and took notes with good old pen and paper.

Your DS is trying it on!

This is a very nice try from your son, but beyond a decent scientific calculator, no other equipment is needed for science A levels (I’m a teacher). He doesn’t need to do graphs on his laptop. Plotting by hand is the assessed skill.

Sciences, maths and further maths here, using a laptop in its 6th year (bought when DC started secondary school). Laptop never taken into school.

All notes made at school done by hand, kept in subject ring binders. We do have an impressive range of highlighters and pens though. And the v expensive scientific calculator for maths of course.

Maybe, a very slight maybe, we'd look into buying new laptops for university (if they go in 2 years' time). But probably not if these laptops are still working.