Can YOU Guys please tell me a Little bit about my AS-Levels?

[Karma]

Hey Guys,

Well I will be doing 4 AS-Levels from September and I would like to know a little more depth about the AS-Levels I am doing like "How you Guys find it?" and "If it is interesting or just plain boring?"

I picked my AS-Levels in a ration of 3:1 - 3 Main Subjects to do with my future Career & 1 Less pressured Subject to get away from the stress and boredom of the Main 3 Subjects!

My AS-Levels are ...

Accounting
Business
Mathematics
Sociology

In the Ratio of 3:1 - Accounting,Business Mathematics : Sociology!

Much help and information appreciated!

Thanks

Amit

[Abbie.]

well i know maths is meant to be really hard lol


if you just keep on top of the work, you'll be fine!

[Smiddy]

I think my main mistake when going into sixthform was taking 4 AS levels, It was almost too much new stuff to try and take-in, then too much to try and revise at the end of the year.
If I had to do sixthform again, then I'd only do 3 AS (then the same 3 A2 levels the year after) so I could concentrate on them, I've never really regained my full concentration in sixthform; good thing it's over now haha.

But of course, that's just an individual, other people can cope with stuff in other ways. I wish you luck with it no matter what happens

[Kieran]

Ok, I do maths so I can tell you anything you need to know about it.

The topics you cover will be called:

Core Mathematics 1
Core Mathematics 2
Statistics 1

Maths can be hard at times but providing you have a good understanding of how maths works you wont have a problem with it. If you struggled to get say a B at GCSE level, you are going to find it hard but it is doable! Don't do it if you don't find it interesting as you will find it harder. Statistics is an easy exam to do, so providing you learn and understand it all, you won't have a problem with any of it.

If you have anymore questions about maths at AS Level, just ask =)

I also do Physics, English Literature and Design Technology (Systems and Control) if you want anymore information about those =)

[Virgin Mary]

What exam boards are they with? Just look them up on the exam board's site and it pretty much tells you everything.

[Frodo13.]

I do AS Business with OCR and what I've learnt is that in Business you need more then just the knowledge that would get you through GCSE Business, because there really is not much diffrence in the knowledge part, but you also need to apply, analyise and evaluate, which are skills you will need to learn in order to get decent grades in not just Business, but all of your A Levels.

[Enrique.]

I think my main mistake when going into sixthform was taking 4 AS levels, It was almost too much new stuff to try and take-in, then too much to try and revise at the end of the year.
If I had to do sixthform again, then I'd only do 3 AS (then the same 3 A2 levels the year after) so I could concentrate on them, I've never really regained my full concentration in sixthform; good thing it's over now haha.

But of course, that's just an individual, other people can cope with stuff in other ways. I wish you luck with it no matter what happens

we can only choose a min. of 4.
max of 5.

[kk.]

Ok, I do maths so I can tell you anything you need to know about it.

The topics you cover will be called:

Core Mathematics 1
Core Mathematics 2
Statistics 1

Maths can be hard at times but providing you have a good understanding of how maths works you wont have a problem with it. If you struggled to get say a B at GCSE level, you are going to find it hard but it is doable! Don't do it if you don't find it interesting as you will find it harder. Statistics is an easy exam to do, so providing you learn and understand it all, you won't have a problem with any of it.

If you have anymore questions about maths at AS Level, just ask =)

I also do Physics, English Literature and Design Technology (Systems and Control) if you want anymore information about those =)

Wrong . Its C1, C2 and a third. I'm doing decision maths which I would try to avoid if you get given the choice. I think you can do stats and mechanics also.

Its pretty much logic and the need to know about equations and problem solving. A lot of c1 is gcse but v2 is a big step. I take business and economics which I would say is a harder choice because of the economics. Once again, a larger step up from yr 11 than most subjects and you do need a lot of knowledge. I dont know about the other ones and your in the same sort of area I am interested in

[PaintYourTarget]

I did C1, C2 and Stats, but it's up to the school on the third generally. As long as you revise maths and put the work and effort into it you can do it. I'm only struggling because my C1 teacher was terrible and I didn't have the time to put into it.
Once you get your head round the idea and concepts then it's just a case of applying them to questions, which is the easiest bit.

[Soka]

I do maths and accounts, physics and economics at AS, and next year I plan to do maths, accounts, physics at A2, plus further maths at AS. So i think you've made the right choice to choose 4 AS, because if you'd only chosen 3 and didn't like one it would mean you'd probably have to take a 3rd year because universities like 3 A2s.

Maths:

If you get A/A* at GCSE Maths, you will find C1/C2 relatively simple as long as you do the work.

C1 is basically the top end of a* gcse work (i found this simple) + a new branch of maths called diffrentiation which includes stationary points etc. which is really easy to understand.

C2 is an extension onto gcse triganometry including a few new sine rules - easy to learn - some are given in a formula book, logarithms - just learn 3 rules, binomial expansion - easy, intergration - reverse of diffrentiation - so easy and this also links in with areas under curves and the trapezium rule - given in formula book. Plus, theres some sequence rules to learn for geometric and arithmetic which is really simple, and again the formulas are given (summing formulas to n terms, finding nth term etc.)

You'll then do M1 / S1 or D1, I was forced to do D1 so can only comment on this. It's a whole new branch of maths that i find incredibly boring, but its really easy if you've got the patience to learn it. Its basically following instructions like a robot and just memorising what to do.

It's not too hard to get good UMS marks on any of these modules above.

Accounts

Totally new work for me, but realtively simple again. At AS you'll do Unit 1 /2 /3 OR Unit 2/3/4 - I have being taught unit 2/3/4 because unit 2 links in very well with unit 3, and unit 1 links in well with unit 5 (A2, so my tutor is going to wizz through unit 1 with unit 5).
Unit 2- You learn about shares & dividends, profit and loss accounts, balance sheets, its very simple if you learn the work nothing too hard to grasp.

Unit 3 - Just more complicated balance sheets etc, more complicated shares and divdiends, + you learn about stock valuation and accounting concepts - again nothing hard to understand.

Unit 4 - This is hardest I feel, because your introduced to accounting ratios, budgets, break even analysis and social accounting. Its harder but as long as you learn it its realtively simple

In AS accounts and AS maths anybody is capable of getting good grades if they work hard because its quite easy to understand, but A2 will be a big step up - AS UMS counts towards A2 so its always good to get as high marks as possible at AS to allow for dropping marks at the harder A2.