Maths GCSE To A level Transition
As with any GCSE to A level transition, maths is no exception. The truth is, with any transition, things get a whole lot harder, no matter how much students don’t want this to be the case. Often, students get a big shock at college when they realise how much harder A levels are compared to GCSE – and maths is definitely one of the most challenging A levels out there. So, how different is it, really? Let’s take a look!
Workload
Firstly, let’s talk about workload. At GCSE, you may have been overwhelmed by the wide range of topics on the curriculum – graphs, algebra, circle theorems, probability – the list goes on!
However, prepare for things to get a whole lot harder if you take this subject up at A level. Whilst many students find AS level quite manageable, things get incredibly complex at A level, and the workload gets heavier and heavier.
For this reason, it’s recommended that students should study throughout the academic year rather than just in exam season. Because there’s so much to learn and practice, students need to start early with their revision to be fully prepared for those pesky exams and start targeting their weaker areas.
Prepare to get out what you put in at A level – if you’re not willing to stand up to the immense workload in maths, you can say goodbye to the grade you’ve been wanting to secure.
Content
Not only is there a lot more content to learn and get your head around at A level when compared to GCSE, but this content is also a lot more difficult to understand.
Expectedly, the concepts and theories are much more complex at A level, making it a challenging subject for the average student. In fact, at some colleges, you can only take maths A level if you have a B (6) or above at GCSE.
However, many would recommend that you get at least an A (7) at GCSE to give you a good chance of surviving maths A level. This A level is not to be taken lightly, and some students don’t know what they’re getting into with it since a lot find the maths GCSE relatively easy.
Because of how difficult the content can get, many A level students may find themselves attending a GCSE Maths Edexcel Revision Course to help them target specific areas that they’re struggling with – hiring a professional expert alongside a college teacher demonstrates just how challenging this step-up can be – but that’s not to say that it’s not manageable.
So, if you’re willing to put the work in and are a relatively good maths student, there’s no reason why you can’t survive the step up from GCSE to A level in maths.
It is one of the most challenging subjects, and the transition is arguably colossal with the added complexity of new and difficult concepts, but it is definitely doable for students who equally know how to manage their studies and know what they’re getting into. Good luck with your A levels!
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