Anyone else with the A Level results today?

[bhavv]

Biology isn't a requirement for a biology degree?!?!

Chemistry + Physics suffices as an alternative, other subjects would not.

Biology and any two subjects.

Or Chemistry + Physics and any third subject.

Its no different to being able to study Medicine without a Biology A Level, Chemistry and Physics plus anything else is all you need.

Hence why Biology at A level is really a poor choice, and should be considered the weakest of the three sciences to study (as well as being so simple compared to physics + chemistry).

If you study Chemistry, Physics, Maths and any fourth subject and get AAAA, I doubt that anywhere will reject you for a Biology related degree.

Even Cambridge will let you on to their 'Natural Sciences' degree which covers both Physics and Biology modules with an A*AA in Physics, Chemistry and Maths (as an example):

http://www.study.cam.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/natsci/index.html

And once on that you can take all the pure biology modules.

 

[raikesi]

Business studies 1 retake - 96% - A
Business studies unit 3 - 84ish% - B
Computing 1 retake - 30ish% - E

annoyed with the computing retake as I had been retaking it to do a bit better than the D I got last year, but absolutely ecstatic with the business unit 3 result as I found the exam hard and thought I failed it!!

 

[Azza]

You can get into a lot of universties with an AEE. They wont be bothered at all about the Es as long at the total UCAS points are enough (I think you should have 240 points there right?).

And a lot of universities with two Es at A level and a B & E at AS.

 

[D D Danneh]

A2 results:

A in Physics
A* (100%) in Maths
A* (only just) in Further Maths
B in Chemistry.

My further maths was actually 73% for FP2, but all of us knew we wouldn't be counting that as it is much harder, so D2 from last year can be used for the A*, and I just resat and got 90% in that, so as long as I average 90% in the next two exams I'm good.

I need either A* A* A + STEP grade 2
or A* A A STEP grade 1, where STEP is an advanced maths paper that is harder than A-level, to do mathematics at Warwick. It'll probably be easier to get the A* in further maths, than to get a grade higher in STEP.

 

[bhavv]

And a lot of universities with two Es at A level and a B & E at AS.

Not for a Science degree though, the lowest I could find for Biology was 240 points, and that was many years ago!

 

[Nitefly]

Don't think so. It could have been a few years before someone took a course at uni, or perhaps their A level teaching wasn't so good, so they might not be as prepared as they could. The entire first year won't reteach you the stuff, nope. But I do believe they'll spend a bit going over it to refresh you.

In my experience there is approximately 5/10 minutes of refresher material over a 40 hour module. If you didn't get something you had to look it up.

In reality, what you learned was usually entirely new stuff anyway, so I guess it's arguably totally irrelevant!

Hence why Biology at A level is really a poor choice, and should be considered the weakest of the three sciences to study (as well as being so simple compared to physics + chemistry).

Bit of an odd criteria, if you're judging it purely on the basis on the ability to be a doctor...

If you study Chemistry, Physics, Maths and any fourth subject and get AAAA, I doubt that anywhere will reject you for a Biology related degree.

What about the universities that require biology?

 

[bhavv]

What about the universities that require biology?

Well Cambridge doesnt, so who cares about anywhere else then

Hmmm, and Oxford say:

http://www.biology.ox.ac.uk/admissions.html

The current A-level admission requirement is A*AA, with the A* in a Science or a Mathematics. Biology/Human Biology at A-Level (or equivalent higher qualifications) is normally required.

Note the 'Normally' required part, they would likely make an exception if you studied Physics, Chemistry, Maths, Further Maths and got 4 A*s

 

[RomanNose]

Jesus danneh, those are some awfully high requirements compared to my triple A offers.

 

[Azza]

Not for a Science degree though, the lowest I could find for Biology was 240 points, and that was many years ago!

I got onto Chemistry with them. Also had offers for another Chemistry course, two Forensic Science courses and two Sport and Exercise Science courses. Uni's just want the money.

 

[bhavv]

Personally, I think it's a joke when people can get into university with numerous E grades. It's just plain stupid!

Arts courses. If you get E's at A level, then that means you are capable of getting a third at uni, so some unis will let those students on as long as they maintain a 40% pass rate.

I got onto Chemistry with them. Also had offers for another Chemistry course, two Forensic Science courses and two Sport and Exercise Science courses. Uni's just want the money.

Really? I remember that my A level Chemistry teacher told us he had gotten onto a Chemistry degree with 2 D's, but that was like way way way way back when universities had more slots to fill than students with good grades. I wouldnt think it would be possible today.

 

[Nitefly]

Note the 'Normally' required part, they would likely make an exception if you studied Physics, Chemistry, Maths, Further Maths and got 4 A*s

lol, I think that's a bit of a... unusual way of applying for it, I have no idea why anyone interested in biology wouldn't take an A-level in it anyway.

 

[bhavv]

lol, I think that's a bit of a... unusual way of applying for it, I have no idea why anyone interested in biology wouldn't take an A-level in it anyway.

According to my lecturers, it was because some students that studied Chemistry and Physics A Levels found out that they didnt like, or didnt want to pursue those subjects anymore at Degree level, so they cop out and apply for Biology instead.

Where's your irrational hatred of arts courses come from?

??? I dont have an irrational hatred of Arts course, I studied a minor in Music too!

From that I learned that you can get onto music degrees with nothing but an Audition if you are really really good. I wasnt at the time so I got on with my average grades, but virtuosos can go straight onto a BA in Music with zero A levels / GCSEs.

E.G. If you manage to win this, you win a choice of a cash prize or a free scholarship at a top uni for an undergrad in Music even if you have zero GCSEs:

http://www.lipc.org.uk/

 

[D D Danneh]

Jesus danneh, those are some awfully high requirements compared to my triple A offers.

S'maths for ya. Cambridge would've been the same offer, but I didn't get past the interview Bristol is an AAB, so if I don't get in warwick, I'll be there for sure

 

[PermaBanned]

lol, I think that's a bit of a... unusual way of applying for it, I have no idea why anyone interested in biology wouldn't take an A-level in it anyway.

It is entirely possible that they discovered a love for Biology after making their A Level choices. It's not like you can be expected to know exactly what you want to do in life at 16

 

[Nitefly]

It is entirely possible that they discovered a love for Biology after making their A Level choices. It's not like you can be expected to know exactly what you want to do in life at 16

True!

 

[J-FRO]

Don't worry chaps. A-levels mean nout. I got BCD (History, Media, Chemistry) back in the day and Kent still let me in despite the BBB requirements. I think they're like AAB now with a written entry exam. Whoop! I brought the standards up fo sho.

 

[e36Adz]

I did Biology, Chemistry and Maths. I got a B in Biology from simply revising the answers on the mark schemes, that's how silly it is. Get the last 10 years worth of past papers, all the mark schemes and just revise the answers. You will soon see what key words they are after in order to get the mark, otherwise there is just too much to learn. My Biology teacher was an examiner and this is what he told us to do. If you can smash Physics, Biology will be a walk in the park.

 

[Tephnos]

I did Biology, Chemistry and Maths. I got a B in Biology from simply revising the answers on the mark schemes, that's how silly it is. Get the last 10 years worth of past papers, all the mark schemes and just revise the answers. You will soon see what key words they are after in order to get the mark, otherwise there is just too much to learn. My Biology teacher was an examiner and this is what he told us to do. If you can smash Physics, Biology will be a walk in the park.

Yeah, I didn't do that. I stupidly revised the course material instead.

 

[bhavv]

All I did for Biology was read my AQA text book!

It covers everything you need to know and that will be on the exam, simples. I just didnt read it enough.

 

[flibbage0]

I must be really stupid because even my 2nd attempt at A levels I can't manage 3 A's

On 3 B's at the moment, need ABB to get in. Only good thing is that I just missed out on a A in Maths and Biology, so I'll probably leave biology alone and redo chem unit 1 and 2 as well as a maths module.