Express A-Level

tigerstyle · 14 Feb 2012 at 16:06

I'm mentally capable

but is it physically capable for me to obtain a A-Level in Physics before September?

Via distance learning? Can I do it? Or does it require hours of being sat in college to do?

Participant · 14 Feb 2012 at 16:08

Whereabouts do you sit between Stephen Hawking and a single-celled organism on the intelligence scale?

I found physics A-Level the easiest of the lot but then it's a walk in the park compared to chemistry

.

But yes, it's perfectly possible assuming you're reasonably intelligent, especially if all you need to do is pass.

RomanNose · 14 Feb 2012 at 16:09

Good luck, you would have to do all the exams in june lol. 4 physics exams? Do you realise how hard that would be? Answer is most likely no.
Edit: Do you want to pass or get an A? Might be possible to scrape a pass.

tigerstyle · 14 Feb 2012 at 16:10

Thankfully above passing an A-Level level of intelligence.

Zodar · 14 Feb 2012 at 16:12

Should be easy enough, if you are prepared to actually study a little bit and aren't an ideal candidate for the Jeremy Kyle Show.

Tom0 · 14 Feb 2012 at 16:13

Robbie G said:
it's perfectly possibly

Participant · 14 Feb 2012 at 16:14

RomanNose · 14 Feb 2012 at 16:15

Why do you need to get it anyway? Seems odd if you have higher than A level qualifications.

Zero Pope · 14 Feb 2012 at 16:19

RomanNose said:
Why do you need to get it anyway? Seems odd if you have higher than A level qualifications.

Missing requirement for a job? I think it would be possible. Think about how much time a college student spends in lessons, 1-2 a day, couple of days a week. Compact it and it should be no problem.

Skillmister · 14 Feb 2012 at 16:30

Possible if you put the work in.

feriso · 14 Feb 2012 at 16:45

Robbie G said:
I found physics A-Level the easiest of the lot but then it's a walk in the park compared to chemistry .

Other way round for me.

I'm slightly confusd youve managed to get a job need physics then doing later :confused:

Participant · 14 Feb 2012 at 17:00

feriso said:
I'm slightly confusd youve managed to get a job need physics then doing later

Where does he say that he's got a job that needed it? In any case there's loads of possible reasons...change of career, applying for role internally that requires it, personal desire and satisfaction...

TheCenturion · 14 Feb 2012 at 17:09

It's possible, but you'll be cramming 2 years worth of work into 4 months. And then there's the coursework too, unlikely that you're able to get that done tbh

I'd say it's not going to happen.

Alex74 · 14 Feb 2012 at 17:16

TheCenturion said:
...And then there's the coursework too, unlikely that you're able to get that done tbh..

This will be your biggest problem, but the academic material itself isnt too taxing. If you organise your time you should be able to do it no problem.

King Damager · 14 Feb 2012 at 17:28

Technically. Yes.

Coursework is an experiment that might be a challenge, then you just have to sit the exams. So July sitting for 3 exams I think.

Chemistry A2 is a ***** so stay away from that...

kd

TheCenturion · 14 Feb 2012 at 17:44

Moses said:
You say two years - school's 8/9 months a year? So say 17 months? Then people do 3, 4, or 5 subjects. Say someone does 4... the guy from the OP will be doing a quarter of that person's work. I'd say it's possible... not easy, but very possible.

The coursework is the biggest issue though. I'm not sure how OP will be able to get it done.

gibb · 14 Feb 2012 at 17:46

If you have a decent mind for numbers and can remember some definitions/concepts A-level physics is pretty straightforward. The exam board I am doing (OCR) has 4 written papers and 2 practical sessions (Consisting of 2 practicals with small written/calculation papers and one small written/calculation paper). The grade boundaries for the big written papers are usually very generous e.g. 70% raw marks can get you 80% of the points awarded for the paper (A boundary), so with proper preparation and all questions attempted you are usually on for an okay grade.

Doing the practicals would probably be the toughest bit as in school we do a lot of practice over the year and the grade boundaries are very tough as it is assessed within schools some get marked very generously :rolleyes:

. However with the generous boundaries on the big written papers you can easily make up for lost points as the practicals in total are worth only 120/600 points for the complete A2 (OCR).

Some people in my school passed physics with very little effort so if you are just looking for a pass it should be very doable, for the higher grades it will take some dedication but is not impossible in the time frame imo.

Nitefly · 14 Feb 2012 at 18:45

I did almost barely any work until 4 weeks before the exams with A-levels, so if I can do that I don't see why anyone else couldn't pull out an A-level in half a year. Sadly, I think that the practical sessions mean you have to be enrolled in a college / school capable of doing it. I doubt this is available in a short period, but maybe there is a 6 month course available....?

Best of luck

RomanNose · 14 Feb 2012 at 18:59

Moses said:
He doesn't necessarily have to be enrolled, they could just allow him to use them as an exam centre.

Physics has coursework on all exam boards iirc.

Nitefly · 14 Feb 2012 at 19:06

Moses said:
He doesn't necessarily have to be enrolled, they could just allow him to use them as an exam centre.

RomanNose said:
Physics has coursework on all exam boards iirc.

^ that was the point I was considering. I'm not sure if anywhere will offer all coursework over such a short space of time when most people take A-levels in evening classes over a year.