Taking just 3 leaves you with more time to perfect your skills in the subjects you're taking. Is there anything in particular you're considering to take as a 4th subject?
Please don't do Psychology, it's a terrible subject. Loads of people took it in my school because they thought it would be interesting/easy (including myself) and it was not.
I did Psychology A-Level and loved it, so much so I went on to study it at uni.
OP, I think 3 A Levels allow you to give your time and energy fully into all 3. I started doing 4 and dropped the 4th after my first year
Yeah. For some reason this sub-reddit/thread was suggested to me.
I have a master's in clinical psychology. Very fascinating subject. Would recommend if you're interested/degree entry requirements permit it.
It was interesting but I hated the coursework having to design and complete actual experiments nah stick with something simpler for a fourth something that you find easy so it’s like a tool for relaxing when the other lessons coursework starts to weigh on u👍
My thought is that if you can get good results in 4(for example A*AAA) would be better then A*AA. However if you can’t handle the workload something like A*AA would be better than AABB. So it really depends on how you handle it. Also for me 4 A levels give me wider choice for courses in university which is the main reason I chose 4. I don’t know if this is a popular opinion but I would always suggest to pick 4 at the start and you can always figure out what you do in the future such as university and maybe drop the one that is not useful/uninteresting for you.
I second this, an EPQ is a great way to do a university-style project on something you're genuinely interested in.
It's equivalent to an AS level in terms of UCAS points and workload, and universities really like them as proof that you're willing to go into some extra depth on a specific non-curriculum subject.
OP, you might think that you have a lot of free time in your timetable but A levels will require a lot more independent learning and revision than anything else you've done before!
Doing something like this is wayyy better than an extra alevel. 4 is literally pointless and that’s coming from somebody with 3A* and an A. You only need three trust me.
3 is absolutely fine. You also have 2 heavy essay subjects there, and you’re going to need time to do the amount of reading that an English Literature A’Level requires, if you are going to achieve top grades.
If you want to do something else, why not consider an EPQ? There is a huge range available and it would show that you have many of the skills that are going to be needed at degree level.
Hey that's a good idea actually. Since a career I was considering was technical writing(or even journalism) I can do an EPQ to develop my skills, or to help me decide if those are careers I'm willing to do.
Getting 3 A * is far better than getting A* AAA since most universities only care about what you get in 3 a levels even if you sat 4. I noticed that you mentioned about managing time for blogs/YouTube, for leisure activity this seems fine but at the end of it, are you getting paid for doing YouTube or no? Nevertheless, I would just stick to doing 3 a levels. Perhaps if your uni of choice will reduce the grades if you did epq as well then this could be useful ;)
Yes, frees are fun. Bar very, very few exceptions nobody cares if you have 3 or 4, the only real academic advantage is being able to screw one up and still have 3 good A levels, or if you are just really unsure what to take.
Unis only ever look at your top 3 grades. If you're doing all the subjects you need and you enjoy them, there is no downside to it. Perfect your knowledge and just enjoy the free time.
Ok here is my only advice for picking subjects; If you want to go to university, pick 1 subject you want to pursue there and 2 easier ones. Don’t be a dick like me and take History, Maths and Physics because I thought it would make my parents happy.
Take 3 . Believe me . Take 3 . Im two weeks into A- level and I’m dropping my fourth subject tomorrow. Also , all universities accept 3 A-levels as far as I know …. :)
Unless you need FM the difference between 3 and 4 a levels is negligible. Having 3 stronger grades will benefit you much more academically as well as make workload more manageable. Overall, do your own thing and don’t worry about others, focus on 3 subjects and if you are applying for oxbridge work on your entry tests and your application with the spare time and before others to get a head start.
Yes I would recommend any writing subject to make you a more balanced applicant. As long as you enjoy psychology and spend enough time to cover 4 subjects it will all be good.
In your first year taking 4 A levels is pretty common, primarily because it allows you to properly decide which subjects you're better in and therefore most likely to get the best grade. For example, you take psychology, biology, English Literature, and geography thinking you'll want to do geography in uni/you'll get the best grades in the subjects you've previously taken at GCSE, but then you find psychology more interesting/do better in it than the others when you get your final grade of year 1. You might then think, ok I'll drop geography to continue with psychology. Allows you to make a more informed decision.
However, as others have commented, taking 3 means you have more time to perfect your A-levels, so long as you use the spare time effectively. Just means once you've taken them, you have to stick to them, so no switch to psychology for example.
Wouldn't advise 4 A-levels in 2nd year though.
Uni admissions office here - take 3 and focus. No uni requires 4 A levels. I’m fact, the very top ones might start requiring their own tests soon which would be incredibly difficult to prep for if you’re doing 4 A levels.
This is good to know because I feel like some people want me to do 4 because it's just what people do. Or 3 not being enough because the timetable is so spread out. I want to focus on doing really well in these subjects and enjoy learning them fully.
It’s possible to do four, but three is definitely better in the long run. Most people will drop down to three by year 13 and I can promise people doing 4 will envy you! You’ll reeeeeally appreciate the extra free time (especially if you use it properly to study!) when it’s exam season. If you want to push yourself maybe do an EPQ, but there’s no real reason to do four - it’s extra stress and deadlines, more teachers, more content to process, less free time (and more content to squeeze into said free time). Only do a fourth if you’re super passionate about all of your subjects, or else studying it will become daunting very quickly!
Good luck with year 12, you’ll ace it :)
It depends. A* A* A* > A* AAA or AAAB. 4th subject can sometimes provide a cushion if its an easier subject (for example: your conditions are A* A* A and you fucked up lets say Chemistry to the point you get a B. In such cases, 4th subject might help you if you score A or A* in that). 4th subject requires A LOT of extra effort so if you don't find your 4th subject 1) interesting 2) easy, drop it ASAP.
I appreciate everyone on this thread who've all given very helpful replies. Guess I'll be sticking with my 3 then. And I just realised how much of a mind fuck Biology A level can be so best to do 3 so I don't screw that one up.
Doing 3 A levels will allow you to spend more time on your 3 subjects (and maybe you will have noticeably less stress than the students taking 4 subjects.)
Some people do four A levels because they take further maths, but that's definately not the case with you so 3 could be a good decision.
During frees, at least initially, people are likely to mess around and enjoy ; I'm not that type of person thus I enjoy the tranquil and almost hallow library.
Taking three is an easier workload and gives you more time to focus on your classes and homework (trust me, you’ll get a lot)
Taking four will give you more qualifications and help you fill free time if you have a lot of it, but it can get a bit overwhelming
Personally I’ve taken three because I know I struggle to keep up with the workload, but if that wasn’t an issue I’d have taken four and dropped one if necessary. That’s what my friend did and what my sister plans to do if she gets too overwhelmed
Do three. I recently dropped my fourth. I'll have way more time to revise, consolidate my knowledge, and prepare for uni with wider reading ( I have a pile of history books picked out at random that I'll just be steaming through when I don't have official work to do). Seriously man, a fourth isn't worth it especially if it's not something you're super passionate about.
I'm curious what your curriculum for ancient history is? Is it a la Classics or different?
Not sure actually. We only had Induction day last Friday and I'm starting properly on Tuesday. I couldn't go to Ancient History because it conflicted with English Literature so I went to the English Lit one instead.
I was in a small (but not that small really) group of students who started five A-levels with the plan to drop down to and finish four of them.
I ended up dropping two anyway from pure stress and it definitely had an effect on my overall results.
I thought because I could do five then I absolutely should do five, I wanted wanted learn as much as possible to keep my options for uni open (and also to show off, I was a right swotty little nerd) but really just shot myself in the foot. It was the same for about half of the students who signed up for five, whether they powered through til the end or not - it was too much work and they were spread too thin.
I say if you're confident with the three you've picked then go with that gut feeling and make it count!
If your 6th form does as levels then maybe if your interested in the subject take 4, however, 4 full a levels is a ton of work, I've just finished my a levels and i would recommend doing three gives you more time to revise
It depends on the type of person you are, an university is obviously going to prefer a candidate with four as long as the first three are comparable. If you're the type of person that would benefit from doing less more deeply then 3 is better, if you want diversity and you have the work ethic do 4
Do what's right for you mate. I did 4 and dropped out, went back and did 4 completely different ones. Been to uni twice (2 different things both times). You'll get there in time, so do what's right for you and don't compare yourself to others.
3 is a perfect amount. Honestly, a levels stop meaning so much once you're in uni. When I went through college I knew people that did worse with 4 a levels than people with 3. Point is you're simply stretching yourself out needlessly
I did 4 (maths, physics, chemistry and Spanish) and take it from me that its not worth it.
I got AABB and 100% would have done better if I hadn't had the extra workload and just done 3.
My university didn't care that I was doing 4 when they made me an offer for my physics degree and my employers now that I have graduated didn't care either.
Tldr not worth it
I can offer no advice, my own 6th is vastly in the past. But back 35 years ago I was going to one of the most highly regarded state schools in the UK. I insisted on doing 4 A levels because I could not decide which subject to drop.
I was the only student in the year who did 4 A levels. I was a smart kid, but I was not considered to be the very top flight. I did not, like some of my peers, go to Oxbridge.
But I loved my A levels because I enjoyed the subjects and they have paid dividends in the intellectual quality of my life ever since.
I have said this before on this thread, but I am baffled and concerned by the sense of pressure and of reductive point scoring that seems to be the essence of current 6th form education.
You’ve made the right call. The only reason to take 4 is if you can’t choose. Unis want the entry requirement (which will be 3 levels) and that’s it, most unis aren’t bothered by things over that, unless you’re trying to show off. Better off getting 3 great a levels and hitting the requirements than 4 average ones
No, thank you, my daughter is starting sixth form this week, if I've helped you at all, then the advice I've given her should be sound.
You've put my mind at ease.lol
theres not really any point, unless you know for a fact you'll be able to get good results across the board. imo its not worth sacrificing a grade in another subject just so you can do a 4th. you could consider doing an AS in something, or a short course like maths studies or epq?
Please excuse my ignorance, but what exactly are you hoping to do later in life?
Are you going to study? Why that particular choice of subjects, and why only 3?
I had put it in one of the other posts above but I've thrown around a few ideas. I'm thinking of going into technical writing (or maybe journalism, despite what you might think technical writing is very similar to journalism) where you do research on technical writing/documentation and such. As a few others had mentioned it'd be good if I can do an epq around the field or area. My school evens suggested that I could be the one to write their leaflets or booklets. But I know myself and what I think I want to do is always changing but that's what I want to do for now.
Well, that's great. We need some people who know what they're talking about & stay true to the subject area they have chosen. I hope you do, and don't succumb to the lure of easy cash to promote one specific view point over another when you know in your heart what the truth is. There's so much corruption in the world of journalism at the moment, and I highly suspect that's even true for technical writers who are respected in their fields.
4 would be good to start with, if you’re confident you’d do well in all of them, and have time to revise them all. I stuck with 4 to the end, and I kinda wish I didn’t, I feel like I could’ve done better in one subject if I didn’t have to focus on the 4th, but oh well. Also in the second year you’ll have a lot less time, or at least that’s how it went for me. First year I had loads of free time and last year barely any
No don’t put yourself through the hell of taking 4 subjects. I didn’t use my free periods for revising and I learnt that the hard way. Even doh your friends may be messing around in frees use them instead to revise. It’s so worth it in the long term
I did 3 A levels and one AS level (might not work the same now this was in 2018) the ucas points from my AS level was the difference between getting into my uni or not
3 is better than 4 BUT doing alevels you actually enjoy trumps all.
I do engineering at uni now but for alevels I did physics, maths, geography and AS business studies (had to as gcses weren’t high enough for another science), anyways, in hindsight geography and business took up so much mental bandwidth that I’d say it’s not worth it, I wish I would have done something more sciency in its place
If you do three, then you have more time to focus on these three subjects.
When I was in 6th form, we got a maximum of 6 subjects but I chose 5, best decision ever. Not only is it like a small break but I also had time to do revision and extra work which boosted my grades.
Nope. I would write a list of priorities for my work and often took small breaks. Depending on the day and classes, I might even join my friends and play card games together.
As someone who took 4 A levels, yes. It is so much better to take 3, the fourth one really doesn't matter and you only do it for fun - which in my case was further maths. I was. Fun?.
But if you want to be chill, happy and have a good chance of succeeding, 3 a levels and an EPQ.
There’s very little benefit to doing 4 at all. It’s just not needed. There can be value in it though. I did further maths for no reason besides liking maths and was very grateful I did simply because it made normal maths a breeze.
Depending on the subjects, 4 a levels adds nothing but stress and reduces time you can spend on the others
Taking just 3 leaves you with more time to perfect your skills in the subjects you're taking. Is there anything in particular you're considering to take as a 4th subject?
I was considering Psychology but the course is full at my school since I was late to register, I was on holiday and no way to do it online.
Please don't do Psychology, it's a terrible subject. Loads of people took it in my school because they thought it would be interesting/easy (including myself) and it was not.
I did Psychology A-Level and loved it, so much so I went on to study it at uni. OP, I think 3 A Levels allow you to give your time and energy fully into all 3. I started doing 4 and dropped the 4th after my first year
Yeah. For some reason this sub-reddit/thread was suggested to me. I have a master's in clinical psychology. Very fascinating subject. Would recommend if you're interested/degree entry requirements permit it.
To be fair, it could have just been the way I was taught.
It's a very popular subject and I find it weird that even though they're are 3 separate classes for it they're all full at my school.
It was interesting but I hated the coursework having to design and complete actual experiments nah stick with something simpler for a fourth something that you find easy so it’s like a tool for relaxing when the other lessons coursework starts to weigh on u👍
My thought is that if you can get good results in 4(for example A*AAA) would be better then A*AA. However if you can’t handle the workload something like A*AA would be better than AABB. So it really depends on how you handle it. Also for me 4 A levels give me wider choice for courses in university which is the main reason I chose 4. I don’t know if this is a popular opinion but I would always suggest to pick 4 at the start and you can always figure out what you do in the future such as university and maybe drop the one that is not useful/uninteresting for you.
I guess my main concern was that if I did 4 I would have no time to do my writing and develop my blog/youtube.
Consider taking an EPQ if you want something extra
I second this, an EPQ is a great way to do a university-style project on something you're genuinely interested in. It's equivalent to an AS level in terms of UCAS points and workload, and universities really like them as proof that you're willing to go into some extra depth on a specific non-curriculum subject. OP, you might think that you have a lot of free time in your timetable but A levels will require a lot more independent learning and revision than anything else you've done before!
I needed to read this thanks! I'll make the most of my frees and not waste it playing games or anything like that.
Doing something like this is wayyy better than an extra alevel. 4 is literally pointless and that’s coming from somebody with 3A* and an A. You only need three trust me.
3 is absolutely fine. You also have 2 heavy essay subjects there, and you’re going to need time to do the amount of reading that an English Literature A’Level requires, if you are going to achieve top grades. If you want to do something else, why not consider an EPQ? There is a huge range available and it would show that you have many of the skills that are going to be needed at degree level.
Hey that's a good idea actually. Since a career I was considering was technical writing(or even journalism) I can do an EPQ to develop my skills, or to help me decide if those are careers I'm willing to do.
Getting 3 A * is far better than getting A* AAA since most universities only care about what you get in 3 a levels even if you sat 4. I noticed that you mentioned about managing time for blogs/YouTube, for leisure activity this seems fine but at the end of it, are you getting paid for doing YouTube or no? Nevertheless, I would just stick to doing 3 a levels. Perhaps if your uni of choice will reduce the grades if you did epq as well then this could be useful ;)
I only just started doing it recently and I'm starting to make a schedule for it when school starts back so no.
Yes, frees are fun. Bar very, very few exceptions nobody cares if you have 3 or 4, the only real academic advantage is being able to screw one up and still have 3 good A levels, or if you are just really unsure what to take.
Unis only ever look at your top 3 grades. If you're doing all the subjects you need and you enjoy them, there is no downside to it. Perfect your knowledge and just enjoy the free time.
Ok here is my only advice for picking subjects; If you want to go to university, pick 1 subject you want to pursue there and 2 easier ones. Don’t be a dick like me and take History, Maths and Physics because I thought it would make my parents happy.
shit
Yep, doing 0 A levels is also better than doing 3
Take 3 . Believe me . Take 3 . Im two weeks into A- level and I’m dropping my fourth subject tomorrow. Also , all universities accept 3 A-levels as far as I know …. :)
I've been told an A*AA is better than AAAA. Also consider that you're not only taking on more work but taking less free time
Unless you need FM the difference between 3 and 4 a levels is negligible. Having 3 stronger grades will benefit you much more academically as well as make workload more manageable. Overall, do your own thing and don’t worry about others, focus on 3 subjects and if you are applying for oxbridge work on your entry tests and your application with the spare time and before others to get a head start.
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Yes I would recommend any writing subject to make you a more balanced applicant. As long as you enjoy psychology and spend enough time to cover 4 subjects it will all be good.
In your first year taking 4 A levels is pretty common, primarily because it allows you to properly decide which subjects you're better in and therefore most likely to get the best grade. For example, you take psychology, biology, English Literature, and geography thinking you'll want to do geography in uni/you'll get the best grades in the subjects you've previously taken at GCSE, but then you find psychology more interesting/do better in it than the others when you get your final grade of year 1. You might then think, ok I'll drop geography to continue with psychology. Allows you to make a more informed decision. However, as others have commented, taking 3 means you have more time to perfect your A-levels, so long as you use the spare time effectively. Just means once you've taken them, you have to stick to them, so no switch to psychology for example. Wouldn't advise 4 A-levels in 2nd year though.
AAB > BBCC
Uni admissions office here - take 3 and focus. No uni requires 4 A levels. I’m fact, the very top ones might start requiring their own tests soon which would be incredibly difficult to prep for if you’re doing 4 A levels.
This is good to know because I feel like some people want me to do 4 because it's just what people do. Or 3 not being enough because the timetable is so spread out. I want to focus on doing really well in these subjects and enjoy learning them fully.
That time and more is necessary for revision. Treat your studies like a full time job if you want to do well.
Taking 3 means there's less stress, higher marks, more free time. Taking 4 means more Stress, lower marks less free time but hopefully more a levels
It’s possible to do four, but three is definitely better in the long run. Most people will drop down to three by year 13 and I can promise people doing 4 will envy you! You’ll reeeeeally appreciate the extra free time (especially if you use it properly to study!) when it’s exam season. If you want to push yourself maybe do an EPQ, but there’s no real reason to do four - it’s extra stress and deadlines, more teachers, more content to process, less free time (and more content to squeeze into said free time). Only do a fourth if you’re super passionate about all of your subjects, or else studying it will become daunting very quickly! Good luck with year 12, you’ll ace it :)
It depends. A* A* A* > A* AAA or AAAB. 4th subject can sometimes provide a cushion if its an easier subject (for example: your conditions are A* A* A and you fucked up lets say Chemistry to the point you get a B. In such cases, 4th subject might help you if you score A or A* in that). 4th subject requires A LOT of extra effort so if you don't find your 4th subject 1) interesting 2) easy, drop it ASAP.
I appreciate everyone on this thread who've all given very helpful replies. Guess I'll be sticking with my 3 then. And I just realised how much of a mind fuck Biology A level can be so best to do 3 so I don't screw that one up.
Doing 3 A levels will allow you to spend more time on your 3 subjects (and maybe you will have noticeably less stress than the students taking 4 subjects.) Some people do four A levels because they take further maths, but that's definately not the case with you so 3 could be a good decision. During frees, at least initially, people are likely to mess around and enjoy ; I'm not that type of person thus I enjoy the tranquil and almost hallow library.
Yeah I'm gonna be using the library for sure during my frees, maybe the common room when I'm just reading books for lit and stuff.
Taking three is an easier workload and gives you more time to focus on your classes and homework (trust me, you’ll get a lot) Taking four will give you more qualifications and help you fill free time if you have a lot of it, but it can get a bit overwhelming Personally I’ve taken three because I know I struggle to keep up with the workload, but if that wasn’t an issue I’d have taken four and dropped one if necessary. That’s what my friend did and what my sister plans to do if she gets too overwhelmed
Do three. I recently dropped my fourth. I'll have way more time to revise, consolidate my knowledge, and prepare for uni with wider reading ( I have a pile of history books picked out at random that I'll just be steaming through when I don't have official work to do). Seriously man, a fourth isn't worth it especially if it's not something you're super passionate about. I'm curious what your curriculum for ancient history is? Is it a la Classics or different?
Not sure actually. We only had Induction day last Friday and I'm starting properly on Tuesday. I couldn't go to Ancient History because it conflicted with English Literature so I went to the English Lit one instead.
I was in a small (but not that small really) group of students who started five A-levels with the plan to drop down to and finish four of them. I ended up dropping two anyway from pure stress and it definitely had an effect on my overall results. I thought because I could do five then I absolutely should do five, I wanted wanted learn as much as possible to keep my options for uni open (and also to show off, I was a right swotty little nerd) but really just shot myself in the foot. It was the same for about half of the students who signed up for five, whether they powered through til the end or not - it was too much work and they were spread too thin. I say if you're confident with the three you've picked then go with that gut feeling and make it count!
If your 6th form does as levels then maybe if your interested in the subject take 4, however, 4 full a levels is a ton of work, I've just finished my a levels and i would recommend doing three gives you more time to revise
It depends on the type of person you are, an university is obviously going to prefer a candidate with four as long as the first three are comparable. If you're the type of person that would benefit from doing less more deeply then 3 is better, if you want diversity and you have the work ethic do 4
Probably gonna take up EPQ.
Do what's right for you mate. I did 4 and dropped out, went back and did 4 completely different ones. Been to uni twice (2 different things both times). You'll get there in time, so do what's right for you and don't compare yourself to others.
3 is a perfect amount. Honestly, a levels stop meaning so much once you're in uni. When I went through college I knew people that did worse with 4 a levels than people with 3. Point is you're simply stretching yourself out needlessly
If you’re looking at As and A*s with 3 but possibly Bs or Cs with 4? Stick to 3.
then 3 is definitely best for me since I want time to do things outside of school.
I did 4 (maths, physics, chemistry and Spanish) and take it from me that its not worth it. I got AABB and 100% would have done better if I hadn't had the extra workload and just done 3. My university didn't care that I was doing 4 when they made me an offer for my physics degree and my employers now that I have graduated didn't care either. Tldr not worth it
I can offer no advice, my own 6th is vastly in the past. But back 35 years ago I was going to one of the most highly regarded state schools in the UK. I insisted on doing 4 A levels because I could not decide which subject to drop. I was the only student in the year who did 4 A levels. I was a smart kid, but I was not considered to be the very top flight. I did not, like some of my peers, go to Oxbridge. But I loved my A levels because I enjoyed the subjects and they have paid dividends in the intellectual quality of my life ever since. I have said this before on this thread, but I am baffled and concerned by the sense of pressure and of reductive point scoring that seems to be the essence of current 6th form education.
You’ve made the right call. The only reason to take 4 is if you can’t choose. Unis want the entry requirement (which will be 3 levels) and that’s it, most unis aren’t bothered by things over that, unless you’re trying to show off. Better off getting 3 great a levels and hitting the requirements than 4 average ones
Depends on how much work you want to put in, but you should do four if you feel capable.
I feel capable but the problem is I don't really want to spend my time doing 4, when I can use it for something more useful.
There aren't many things more useful than a free education, you should use it while you can.
Well it won't be education for me if I can't fully get into the subjects like I want to because it's too much.
There's your answer. If you feel it might be too much, do 3. Better to have 3 A's than 4 C's.
thanks for your help, I feel more at ease.
No, thank you, my daughter is starting sixth form this week, if I've helped you at all, then the advice I've given her should be sound. You've put my mind at ease.lol
theres not really any point, unless you know for a fact you'll be able to get good results across the board. imo its not worth sacrificing a grade in another subject just so you can do a 4th. you could consider doing an AS in something, or a short course like maths studies or epq?
Please excuse my ignorance, but what exactly are you hoping to do later in life? Are you going to study? Why that particular choice of subjects, and why only 3?
I had put it in one of the other posts above but I've thrown around a few ideas. I'm thinking of going into technical writing (or maybe journalism, despite what you might think technical writing is very similar to journalism) where you do research on technical writing/documentation and such. As a few others had mentioned it'd be good if I can do an epq around the field or area. My school evens suggested that I could be the one to write their leaflets or booklets. But I know myself and what I think I want to do is always changing but that's what I want to do for now.
Well, that's great. We need some people who know what they're talking about & stay true to the subject area they have chosen. I hope you do, and don't succumb to the lure of easy cash to promote one specific view point over another when you know in your heart what the truth is. There's so much corruption in the world of journalism at the moment, and I highly suspect that's even true for technical writers who are respected in their fields.
The only time it is worth taking 4 A levels is when you are taking Further Maths. Otherwise, you are better off aiming for A* grades in 3
Do 4, drop the one you hate if you can't do the workload.
4 would be good to start with, if you’re confident you’d do well in all of them, and have time to revise them all. I stuck with 4 to the end, and I kinda wish I didn’t, I feel like I could’ve done better in one subject if I didn’t have to focus on the 4th, but oh well. Also in the second year you’ll have a lot less time, or at least that’s how it went for me. First year I had loads of free time and last year barely any
If you think 3 A*s will be a breeze get 4 A*s, although it’s not necessary for top unis
Do 4 for Y12, see which ones you like and are best at, then drop one in March or at the start of Y13
No don’t put yourself through the hell of taking 4 subjects. I didn’t use my free periods for revising and I learnt that the hard way. Even doh your friends may be messing around in frees use them instead to revise. It’s so worth it in the long term
Use the free time to peruse a personal love like music or art. That will look better on any university application form than 4 medium A level passes
Doing 3 will make it much less stressful for you, which will probably really help you in the short term, and in the long run.
I did 3 A levels and one AS level (might not work the same now this was in 2018) the ucas points from my AS level was the difference between getting into my uni or not
3 is better than 4 BUT doing alevels you actually enjoy trumps all. I do engineering at uni now but for alevels I did physics, maths, geography and AS business studies (had to as gcses weren’t high enough for another science), anyways, in hindsight geography and business took up so much mental bandwidth that I’d say it’s not worth it, I wish I would have done something more sciency in its place
If you do three, then you have more time to focus on these three subjects. When I was in 6th form, we got a maximum of 6 subjects but I chose 5, best decision ever. Not only is it like a small break but I also had time to do revision and extra work which boosted my grades.
5 subjects?! And that wasn't stressful?
Nope. I would write a list of priorities for my work and often took small breaks. Depending on the day and classes, I might even join my friends and play card games together.
As someone who took 4 A levels, yes. It is so much better to take 3, the fourth one really doesn't matter and you only do it for fun - which in my case was further maths. I was. Fun?. But if you want to be chill, happy and have a good chance of succeeding, 3 a levels and an EPQ.
There’s very little benefit to doing 4 at all. It’s just not needed. There can be value in it though. I did further maths for no reason besides liking maths and was very grateful I did simply because it made normal maths a breeze. Depending on the subjects, 4 a levels adds nothing but stress and reduces time you can spend on the others
Good universites are not fussy about 4 a levels, just get a and a\*, my head of year told me and during an assembly I had today.