A-levels

[yertle-the-turtle]

Mine are coming to an end. My friend in the UK's doing them in June next year though.

So any teenagers from UK/Commonwealth here?

Or any oldies want to share their grades?

I'll resurrect this thread next March and post what I got.

 

[MissVelvetDress_75]

best of luck with yours.

 

[TheQuiet1]

Mine are coming to an end. My friend in the UK's doing them in June next year though.

So any teenagers from UK/Commonwealth here?

Or any oldies want to share their grades?

I'll resurrect this thread next March and post what I got.

I guess I'll fall into the second category now then



Good luck with your results Yertle. I'm sure you'll do well.

 

[LJT]

I'm an oldie (well technically 20 is still very very young) and i'm taking a whole new set

Oh the joy

 

[TheQuiet1]

Oh the joy

Aw

They'll soon fly by...says she who isn't taking any.

 

[yertle-the-turtle]

Iris - thanks.

So what did you guys take?

I'm taking economics, English literature, history, and theatre studies. General paper at AO level, Chinese at AO level (did that last year) and history and English literature special paper.

Right now I've got one more theatre paper and my S paper lit to go. Sitting in front of my computer trying to prep stuff on theatre.

Edit: Quiet...I thought you were a bloke! My bad.

 

[LJT]

I alread have an A in Computer Studies, A in Business Studies, B in Biology.

They were done in 2005.

Now i'm repeating Biology but under a new exam board, which means none of my marks from my last Biology grade count for anything now The content between exam boards does seem to differ quite a bit too:S

Anyway and I am doing Chemistry A level (as well as my Biology one) from scratch in one year, so the AS' will be done in January and the A2s in June.

In your A levels Yertle, are the AOs a exam level, like what we mean by AS and A2s?

 

[yertle-the-turtle]

I don't know what an AS or an A2 level is, although I've seen it in a few textbooks.

Basically an AO level is an exam level. It's kind of a bridge between the O-levels (GCSEs in the UK) and the A-level. Most people don't do AO levels except in GP (which is compulsory for all students*) and in Second Language. Basically Second Language is compulsory at O-level; some people do Higher Mother Tongue and some don't. Those who don't do HMT (or who did it and didn't get a satisfactory grade at O-level) have to do a year of Second Language at junior college level and then take an AO level exam at the end of the first year; if they fail that they have to retake it at the end of the second year. I took regular Second Language rather than Higher at O-level (I got an A2) I took mine last year, got a B3, and decided I didn't want to retake it. The grading system for AO level is similar to O-level, so instead of the regular A, B, C, D and so on there's A1-F9.

*They've recently changed this to an altogether more confusing points-based system for junior colleges. They've introduced a new A-level subject (not AO level), Knowledge & Inquiry which can be done in lieu of GP. But this is only available to students in JC1 from 2006 onwards, so I'm not eligible.

 

[LJT]

Aaah, your system does seem a bit more confusing than others, though I do think our exam system is a bureaucratic mess itself

Basically our A levels are split over two years. At the end of the 1st year the exams you sit earn you a grade at AS Level (equivalent to half an A level). The A2 exams you do at the end of the 2nd year, giving you the full A level.

The AS level is a qualification in itself though, some uni course can ask for instance, that you have an AS level in another subject as well as your 3 A levels (or 4).

 

[TheQuiet1]

Now i'm repeating Biology but under a new exam board, which means none of my marks from my last Biology grade count for anything now
Anyway and I am doing Chemistry A level (as well as my Biology one) from scratch in one year, so the AS' will be done in January and the A2s in June.

That really sucks about the marks not counting. So are you basically doing 2 full A levels in one year? Is this on top of your uni work?

So what did you guys take?
Edit: Quiet...I thought you were a bloke! My bad.

I won't ask why you thought that!


I took:

AS Level Psychology (Got an A)
A2 Level General Studies (Got an A)
A2 Level English Literature (Got an A)
A2 Level History (Got a B)
A2 Level Geography (Got a B)

 

[LJT]

That really sucks about the marks not counting. So are you basically doing 2 full A levels in one year? Is this on top of your uni work?

The two A levels are being done in the one year but I've dropped out of uni....disliked the course, Psychology was not for me, I am now going through the whole system again and reapplying to unis, as i'm tryin to get into Medicine....

....out of the frying pan into the fire

What are you doing with yourself anyway? Enjoying the world of work?

 

[Tilli]

Good luck with the A level's Yertle. What are you hoping to do once you finish?

The two A levels are being done in the one year but I've dropped out of uni....disliked the course, Psychology was not for me, I am now going through the whole system again and reapplying to unis, as i'm tryin to get into Medicine....

....out of the frying pan into the fire

I did wonder what you had decided to do. Best of luck with the Medicine applications

I did A levels a number of years ago now - Business Studies, English Lang. and Literature, Biology and Law. Plus I did AS Sociology recently before I went back to university.

 

[yertle-the-turtle]

Damn those are good grades.

I've got two years of national service before I can do anything but after that I'm hoping to do English at a UK university and then teach afterwards.

 

[1stepcloser]

I'm 21 and at uni now in 2nd year. I got all B's at A-level in History, English Language and Media.

Now doing History at Leeds Uni.

English literature is too much for me, can't be doing with all that poetry!

 

[TheQuiet1]

Damn those are good grades.

Of-course LJT, 1Step and I could be lying through our teeth and just plucked the grades out of thin air...

The two A levels are being done in the one year but I've dropped out of uni....disliked the course, Psychology was not for me, I am now going through the whole system again and reapplying to unis, as i'm tryin to get into Medicine....

....out of the frying pan into the fire

What are you doing with yourself anyway? Enjoying the world of work?

Good luck with applying for the medicine courses. Have you got your eye on any uni in particular? (I mean have you got one in mind that you really really want to go to?)

As for the wonderful world of work- I'll tell you as soon as I can convince (con?) someone to employ me! I seem to have got stuck in the 'No experience, no job. No job, no experience' cycle.

I did A levels a number of years ago now - Business Studies, English Lang. and Literature, Biology and Law. Plus I did AS Sociology recently before I went back to university.

Was Law any good as an A Level? You could study it at my school but it had be as an extra A Level with you going to classes after school hours, Saturdays, free periods etc and so I frankly couldn't be arsed. Two of my friends took it with one hating it and the other loving it.

 

[yertle-the-turtle]

I'm 21 and at uni now in 2nd year. I got all B's at A-level in History, English Language and Media.

Now doing History at Leeds Uni.

English literature is too much for me, can't be doing with all that poetry!

What's it like at Leeds Uni? It's in my top three choices - Glasgow, Edinburgh and Leeds.

And there seems to be a pretty broad range of subjects you can take at A-level in the UK. Most Singapore kids do four out of Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Economics, Further Maths and Biology, or if they're in 'arts' they'll do English, History, Economics and Maths. A handful do languages (Chinese, Malay, Tamil, French, German, Japanese), a few do Art, and a few do theatre studies. That's about it. There's also divinity but I've never heard of anyone who's actually done it.

Of course now with the syllabus changing it gets a helluva lot more confusing.

 

[1stepcloser]

What's it like at Leeds Uni? It's in my top three choices - Glasgow, Edinburgh and Leeds.

Leeds is good. There's 2 library's and both of which are excellent. Quite a lot of toffs here though (Oxbridge rejects) and they're really annoying but if you can keep your cool and not get angry every time they tell you about how they're "going to Henry's house tonight to get, like, totally wasted" then it's fine.

It's a nice city, the Uni is really close to the city centre too so it's a short walk. Good bus links and a relatively low crime rate (don't quote me on that though!).

I've been to Singapore before, surprised you don't want to stay there, i loved it. Bit hot though

 

[the rockin edge]

I'm 21 and at uni now in 2nd year. I got all B's at A-level in History, English Language and Media.

Now doing History at Leeds Uni.

wow, i've got a mate doing history at Leeds! he says he really likes it there.

 

[1stepcloser]

wow, i've got a mate doing history at Leeds! he says he really likes it there.

What year is he in?

 

[the rockin edge]

What year is he in?

2nd year.

 

[1stepcloser]

2nd year.

So am i

Whats his name? if you don't mind me asking...

 

[the rockin edge]

wow

his name's paul, i dont think i should go into more detail than that on a public forum

 

[1stepcloser]

True. In that case it's more than likely i've seen him about and in lectures and stuff. Small world eh lol

 

[the rockin edge]

sure is.

he's the one who got me into oasis.

 

[redkat]

6 degrees of separation with 1step

thought I'd join in...

1step do you know a Kyle from Birmingham, he's in the RAF

 

[LJT]

Good luck with applying for the medicine courses. Have you got your eye on any uni in particular? (I mean have you got one in mind that you really really want to go to?)

As for the wonderful world of work- I'll tell you as soon as I can convince (con?) someone to employ me! I seem to have got stuck in the 'No experience, no job. No job, no experience' cycle.

I've applied to Glasgow, Aberdeen, Leeds and Newcastle for medicine, have an interview with Glasgow in January which should be fun, still waiting to hear about interviews with the other unis though. Either Glasgow or Aberdeen are the ones I want to get into, not sure which I would pick over the other yet though.

It would probably be tough tryin to get a job around now anyway, since it is so close to Christmas. I'm currently lookin for a second job, my current one (care assistant for alzheimers, senile dementia patients) isn't giving me enough hours at the moment. Care homes and the like are always lookin for people experience or no, you could try some of them if you feel up to it. That or use my favourite tactic; lie through your teeth

 

[1stepcloser]

Re: 6 degrees of separation with 1step

thought I'd join in...

1step do you know a Kyle from Birmingham, he's in the RAF

Well, i know a guy who just dropped out of the RAF from my neck of the woods but i don't know a Kyle. He might though.

These days though i only spend 5 months of the year in Birmingham

 

[redkat]

He's a paratrooper but he's in Iraq right now. If he knew him that would be cool and freaky at the same time

 

[TheQuiet1]

That or use my favourite tactic; lie through your teeth

Don't go giving me ideas!