GCSE’s to A-levels: Half the subjects, double the stress

Are you even starting your A-levels if not at least one person tells you that the bridge between GCSE’s and A-levels is MASSIVE? To be honest, this small nugget of knowledge is in fact true. Although due to the new 9-1 system of the GCSE’s, GCSE’s are a lot tougher so the gap may not be as large as it used to be. But it’s not just the content or what you have to learn that makes this such a huge leap. It’s the fact that this is one of the first times that you may be given the illusion of freedom, when in fact this is when your willpower is being tested and your ability to work without being told to is being put under pressure. It’s not that you won’t get help anymore; it’s not a switch where once you reach the age of 16 and start your A-levels suddenly your teachers sign a pact that they can’t help you out. It’s more that now you are going to be expected to self-motivate and study independently. And to top it all off, you will now get free periods or may even be allowed to go home and you’ll think ‘Great! I barely have any work to do!’. We hate to break it you, but A-levels cannot be neglected and revised for a week before your exams begin. A-levels are designed so that you have to work at them consistently, because the amount of work is quite dense so it’s extremely difficult to study it all in one go. But it’s okay, we wouldn’t sit here and tell you all these overwhelming things without some sort of way to overcome them or ease your transition. Millions of students have done this, so that means you can too!

1- I’m only studying 4 subjects for my A-levels whereas for my GCSE’s I studied at least 10 subjects. Surely A-levels will bring less work right?

You may have had more subjects in your GCSE’s but you didn’t go into as much depth as you will for your A-levels. The majority of your GCSE’s you didn’t actually get to choose – they were compulsory. However, for your A-levels you get to choose your 4 subjects, and it is expected that by the end of these two years you should be prepared to undergo a whole degree in one of these subjects. So by definition, you’re going to cover more content, which means more work. But don’t worry, it doesn’t necessarily mean that things have to get a lot harder, it just means that you can’t start your A-levels with the same mindset you started your GCSE’s because this is new territory. This is a big and common problem students make when transitioning between these two pillars of academia, they think ‘Oh GCSE’s were okay and I didn’t try too hard, so A-levels should be a breeze’. no, No, NO. Don’t be fooled, comparing GCSE’s to A-levels to determine your work ethic for your A-levels is a losing game.

2- How do I prepare for my A-levels then?

You get organised. You get all the right stationery, you organise your folders and you walk into the new school year with the mentality that you will try your best from day one. You will work consistently (in a healthy manner), meaning reviewing your lesson on the day that you had them, doing your homework as soon as you get it (for example when you get a free period), you will ask for help as soon as you don’t understand something and you will under no circumstances tell yourself ‘Oh it’s alright, I’ve got plenty of time’. To put it simply, you don’t, A-levels go very quickly, so working consistently at a healthy pace (meaning taking breaks, having a good work-life balance, sleeping right, exercising) will save you a lot of trouble and stress.

3- I’m scared/stressed about the transition from GCSE’s to A-levels.

This transition can be a pretty scary one because for many people it’s not simply a case of moving on to further education but in fact you may be moving schools which can bring along its own stresses. But if it’s any consolation, you really are not the only one doing this. When I went to school, there were a lot of new people from other schools and by the end of the first term I’d pretty much forgotten that they’d come from elsewhere. The key is to put yourself out there. In terms of being worried about the transition, seek support from your friends, family and teachers because someone amongst them knows exactly what you’re going through. This is new for everyone going through this transition, so talk to each other about it. And sometimes to reduce stress it can help to be prepared so that you have fewer things on your mind. To find out what to do a week before you’re A-levels check out this article.

4- I didn’t too well in my GCSE’s. And from the sounds of it, it sounds like I’m going to find A-levels even harder. What’s the point?

One of the perks of A-levels is that you get to choose them. So subjects that you may have found previously really interesting and wished that you could’ve learned more about will now become a significant portion of your timetable. Or to look at this another way, all the subjects you hated when you were doing GCSE’s never have to cross your mind again. We truly believe here at BLOSSOM that you should choose subjects for your A-levels that you will enjoy and actually interest you. Furthermore, GCSE you is in the past and you can’t let how you did in your GCSE’s dictate the rest of your A-levels. You now have a clean slate to try again and this time to try your best. No one wants to hear that you didn’t work for your A-levels because you were disheartened by your GCSE’s. Instead of looking at this as a new obstacle, look at this as a new chance! By the end of it, you’ll be able to do sign up for a whole degree!