Extra subjects

[Nabeel.Ahmad]

Plain and simple, diversity!

I took a handful of subjects, and even though it affected Biology (although an irrelevant subject for me), the merits outdo the B in Biology.
Exposure to this many subjects not only brings you to a higher level of intellect amongst your immediate peer group, it also teaches you time management, new things and leaves a great impression (the ability of taking & being exposed to a variety of subject categories (Pure sciences, social sciences, humanities etc)

Subjects for the aforementioned benefits shouldn't be Urdu B (if you've taken Urdu A), Islamic Religion and Culture (if you've taken Islamiyat), Combined Sciences/ Grouped Sciences (in total, 4 subjects; all three, chem+bio, chem+phys, bio+phys) (if you've taken the 3 pure sciences which are credited over the 4).

Say you're an Engr student. You have Physics Chem Add Math and/or Computer. Adding subjects like Environmental Management, Sociology, Economics etc would be a good things in the eyes of most US uni's, although, in Pakistan, they couldn't care less.

How many subjects did you take? And what were your grades?

Okay, so let's say someone has to go into the field of Engineering. (I don't want to become an Engineer)
Shouldn't that person devote his entire time to mastering Physics, Maths, Add-Maths and Chemistry?
I mean, i like these subjects. After doing a chapter of Physics, i move on to A-Level stuff.
Like after i finished ''Static Electricity''.. i started studying the A-Level topics like ''Coulomb's Law''.. and that ''Electric Field Formula''.. and stuff like that.
And after finishing ''Mass, Weight and Density''.. i moved on to ''Newtons law of gravitation'' - which is a part of the A-level syllabus.
So, isn't one supposed to have a passion only for the field they have to choose in the future?
I don't understand why one should even bother with a subject like ''Environmental Management'' if one has to pursue Sciences in future.
Yes, studying these extra subjects does boost one's intellectual capabilities, but won't that time be better spent on the subjects we want to take in the future?
Everyone choose's a specific field. But one's success can be judged by only how good they are in THAT specific field.
A or A* is not the goal here.
Studying for the mere purpose of getting A*'s is not what studying is about, as far as i think.

 

[AbbbbY]

How many subjects did you take? And what were your grades?

I don't do that on public forums. If you really want to you, we can carry this on on PM.

Okay, so let's say someone has to go into the field of Engineering. (I don't want to become an Engineer)
Shouldn't that person devote his entire time to mastering Physics, Maths, Add-Maths and Chemistry?
I mean, i like these subjects. After doing a chapter of Physics, i move on to A-Level stuff.
Like after i finished ''Static Electricity''.. i started studying the A-Level topics like ''Coulomb's Law''.. and that ''Electric Field Formula''.. and stuff like that.
And after finishing ''Mass, Weight and Density''.. i moved on to ''Newtons law of gravitation'' - which is a part of the A-level syllabus.
So, isn't one supposed to have a passion only for the field they have to choose in the future?

Like I said, diversity! Also, EM has a shitload of applications in future for Engineers, depending on the type of Engineering you do.
D'you know why diversity is, while maintaining grades, important?
It shows you can handle both things simultaneously, something that will be tested at a much magnified proportion during your undergrad.

don't understand why one should even bother with a subject like ''Environmental Management'' if one has to pursue Sciences in future.
Yes, studying these extra subjects does boost one's intellectual capabilities, but won't that time be better spent on the subjects we want to take in the future?
Everyone choose's a specific field. But one's success can be judged by only how good they are in THAT specific field.
A or A* is not the goal here.
Studying for the mere purpose of getting A*'s is not what studying is about, as far as i think.

Getting an A/A* isn't the case in point. Getting knowledge is.
You can't go wrong with getting more knowledge, unless it's tangentially irrelevant.

Edit: Oh, and if you think Environmental Management/Sociology etc is useless for someone pursuing a career in Engineering, wait till you get to your undergrad. Then I'll ask you the refined definition of 'irrelevant'.

Edit Edit: You don't have to agree to the crap I said here. It's merely a mixture of my own opinion + observations, forming one big opinion.

 

[Nabeel.Ahmad]

Actually, A Level grades are pretty much useless for the US unis. For the Pakistani uni's, I have yet to see a student being favored for extra subs, that too at O Levels.

You mentioned the no. of sessions we take to get a certain number of grades in O-Levels.
So if i take up 10 subjects in O-Level (Add-Maths and Human and Social Biology as extra's)
And then finish it till May-June 2014.
Then give A-Level Maths and Sciences in Oct-Nov 2014. What are your views on that?
Will that be considered good?

 

[AbbbbY]

You mentioned the no. of sessions we take to get a certain number of grades in O-Levels.
So if i take up 10 subjects in O-Level (Add-Maths and Human and Social Biology as extra's)
And then finish it till May-June 2014.
Then give A-Level Maths and Sciences in Oct-Nov 2014. What are your views on that?
Will that be considered good?

Screw that, do you think you can handle the entire A Levels in 4-5 months? I know I couldn't.

 

[AbbbbY]

Yeah. Sounds good.

Where do you want to go (country, if not particular uni), and have you given any exams so far, if so, what session(s)?

I'm not sure if you can give Biology (Pure) alongside Human and Social Biology. You'd want to check up on that.

 

[Nabeel.Ahmad]

Screw that, do you think you can handle the entire A Levels in 4-5 months? I know I couldn't.

I told you. I am doing A-Level stuff simultaneously. I have the A-level Books.
I am taking simple Biology and Human and Social Biology too in O-Level.
That would give me enough Knowledge to easily finish A-Level Biology in 4-5 months.
I study A-Level Physics topics simultaneously with O-Level one's.
I take Add-Maths. (Help in A-Level Maths)
So giving A-Level in Oct-Nov 2014, will that be a good thing? or Not?

 

[Nabeel.Ahmad]

Yeah. Sounds good.

Where do you want to go (country, if not particular uni), and have you given any exams so far, if so, what session(s)?

I'm not sure if you can give Biology (Pure) alongside Human and Social Biology. You'd want to check up on that.

I have not even considered the University i want to go too. But Abroad, most probably.
I gave Pakistan Studies and Islamiyat, this May-June 2013.

 

[AbbbbY]

I told you. I am doing A-Level stuff simultaneously. I have the A-level Books.
I am taking simple Biology and Human and Social Biology too in O-Level.
That would give me enough Knowledge to easily finish A-Level Biology in 4-5 months.
I study A-Level Physics topics simultaneously with O-Level one's.
I take Add-Maths. (Help in A-Level Maths)
So giving A-Level in Oct-Nov 2014, will that be a good thing? or Not?

Really? I don't remember reading that.
Anyway. Not!
A Level isn't just about syllabus. The papers are exponentially tougher, there is zero choice in questions, and answering questions is much more tricky. If O Levels was 40% analytical, I'll say A levels is 70% (relatively speaking, ofcourse). The topics are roughly the same, the questions and answering them is much more messed up. Add Math helps you in A Level Math, but only so much. The questions ARE tougher than Add Math, especially P3. P3 is just messed up and oyu need enough practice for that.

Are oyu planning on giving AS or the entire AS+A2 in Oct 14?

 

[AbbbbY]

I have not even considered the University i want to go too. But Abroad, most probably.
I gave Pakistan Studies and Islamiyat, this May-June 2013.

Vague!

Abroad where?
UK, USA, Canada, Turkey, China, Australia, Malaysia etc.

 

[Nabeel.Ahmad]

Really? I don't remember reading that.
Anyway. Not!
A Level isn't just about syllabus. The papers are exponentially tougher, there is zero choice in questions, and answering questions is much more tricky. If O Levels was 40% analytical, I'll say A levels is 70% (relatively speaking, ofcourse). The topics are roughly the same, the questions and answering them is much more messed up. Add Math helps you in A Level Math, but only so much. The questions ARE tougher than Add Math, especially P3. P3 is just messed up and oyu need enough practice for that.

Are oyu planning on giving AS or the entire AS+A2 in Oct 14?

Believe me, i can manage.
Let's say i manage to complete it and get the desired grades in Physics, Chem, Bio, Maths in Oct-Nov 2014!
Will that be Super Good or not?
All i know is, i don't want to be Ordinary.
If i don't want to give more than 10 Subjects in O-Level, then will completing A-Level in 5 months do the trick?

What's the difference?

 

[Nabeel.Ahmad]

Vague!

Abroad where?
UK, USA, Canada, Turkey, China, Australia, Malaysia etc.

I seriously have no idea.
Am i supposed to start thinking about this stuff at this age?

 

[AbbbbY]

Believe me, i can manage.
Let's say i manage to complete it and get the desired grades in Physics, Chem, Bio, Maths in Oct-Nov 2014!
Will that be Super Good or not?
All i know is, i don't want to be Ordinary.
If i don't want to give more than 10 Subjects in O-Level, then will completing A-Level in 5 months do the trick?

What's the difference?

10 subjects are more than enough.
I don't know why you'd possibly want to do A Levels in 5 months, but I guess so. You're at no benefit doing it earlier than the rest. Just clarifying.

All I'll say here is, achay achon say A Level 2 saal may nai hota. If you can manage that in 5 months, go ahead & hats off. But, don't do it for the sake of it. Do it only if you know you can, when you step into A Levels. The books aren't even 10% of the level itself. Like I said, it's exponentially tougher. Good luck!
(P.S: Finishing A Level Organic is impossible in 5 months doing others alongside it. Just my $0.02. Don't struggle needlessly and stress out at this stage.)

AS = First year.
A2 = Second year.

Some give it the AS + A2 way. One session, AS exams. The other, A2 exams. However, some give directly the A Levels, [i.e all papers together, P1 to P5 for sciences contrary to P1 to P3 in AS and P4 P5 in A2]. (I believe your school doens't give you the option of AS+A2, you guys directly give A Levels at the end of the second year)

Curious to know, though, why you'd want to do A Levels 1.5 years ahead of when you're scheduled to do them.
If you wanted to do something quick(er), it was O levels!

 

[Nabeel.Ahmad]

10 subjects are more than enough.
I don't know why you'd possibly want to do A Levels in 5 months, but I guess so. You're at no benefit doing it earlier than the rest. Just clarifying.

All I'll say here is, achay achon say A Level 2 saal may nai hota. If you can manage that in 5 months, go ahead & hats off. But, don't do it for the sake of it. Do it only if you know you can, when you step into A Levels. The books aren't even 10% of the level itself. Like I said, it's exponentially tougher. Good luck!
(P.S: Finishing A Level Organic is impossible in 5 months doing others alongside it. Just my $0.02. Don't struggle needlessly and stress out at this stage.)

AS = First year.
A2 = Second year.

Some give it the AS + A2 way. One session, AS exams. The other, A2 exams. However, others give directly the A Levels. (I believe your school doens't give you the option of AS+A2, direct A Levels at the end of the second year)

Curious to know, though, why you'd want to do A Levels 1.5 years ahead of when you're scheduled to do them.
If you wanted to do something quick(er), it was O levels!

No benefit?
No one, ever, i think, does A-Level in 5 months and get's the desired grades.
If i manage to pull that off. Won't that be unique?
Don't Universities want unique candidates better than the rest?
Won't it separate me from the rest of the University Applicants and give a good impression?
A normal student finished A-Level in 2 YEARS!
Someone who finished A-Level in 5 months and got good grades. Won't that be remarkable?

Lol, so i can chill the next 2 years [Jk]

 

[AbbbbY]

No benefit?
No one, ever, i think, does A-Level in 5 months and get's the desired grades.
If i manage to pull that off. Won't that be unique?
Don't Universities want unique candidates better than the rest?
Won't it separate me from the rest of the University Applicants and give a good impression?
A normal student finished A-Level in 2 YEARS!
Someone who finished A-Level in 5 months and got good grades. Won't that be remarkable?

Lol, so i can chill the next 2 years [Jk]

First get that, then think about unique. Like I said, you can't base your application on something you don't have. Trust me, I've been there, I've done that. I may sound like I'm mocking you here, but trust me, I'm not.

Unique isn't doing A Levels in 5 months. And, well, for starters, admissions in the US are w/o your A level grades, they're on the basis of your O Level and AS level grades (or internal A1 grades if you didn't go the AS+A2 way). Unique is being innovative and doing things that genuinely impress them. Like I said earlier, the O&A Levels make up about 15% of your entire application. So you stood out in the 15%. Heck, you were the best candidate there. What about the other 85?

 

[fb.junks]

We have to start planning from now? :O
I have been delaying it. I don't even know which University i want to do too.
What subjects are Beneficial? As you said we should go for subjects that benefit us.

Beneficial in sense that they can help u out in A level as additional maths and human biology or something that bring diversity to u such as business studies but remember these subjects are not easy and will take some time and hard work as well.

First decide what u want to do and which uni u want to go.Please don't delay it and make up a plan and stay to it.

 

[Faizan Muhammmad]

No benefit?
No one, ever, i think, does A-Level in 5 months and get's the desired grades.
If i manage to pull that off. Won't that be unique?
Don't Universities want unique candidates better than the rest?
Won't it separate me from the rest of the University Applicants and give a good impression?
A normal student finished A-Level in 2 YEARS!
Someone who finished A-Level in 5 months and got good grades. Won't that be remarkable?

Lol, so i can chill the next 2 years [Jk]

if its so easy for you take up thinking skills etc. in alevels, make your subjects 6+, that would be better

 

[Faizan Muhammmad]

First get that, then think about unique. Like I said, you can't base your application on something you don't have. Trust me, I've been there, I've done that. I may sound like I'm mocking you here, but trust me, I'm not.

Unique isn't doing A Levels in 5 months. And, well, for starters, admissions in the US are w/o your A level grades, they're on the basis of your O Level and AS level grades (or internal A1 grades if you didn't go the AS+A2 way). Unique is being innovative and doing things that genuinely impress them. Like I said earlier, the O&A Levels make up about 15% of your entire application. So you stood out in the 15%. Heck, you were the best candidate there. What about the other 85?

isnt that good
school main to phir bhee marks ajatay hain external hee roltay hain hamari

 

[Faizan Muhammmad]

AbbbbY
i was wondering if an application could be rejected after a level results come out?

 

[fb.junks]

Believe me, i can manage.
Let's say i manage to complete it and get the desired grades in Physics, Chem, Bio, Maths in Oct-Nov 2014!
Will that be Super Good or not?
All i know is, i don't want to be Ordinary.
If i don't want to give more than 10 Subjects in O-Level, then will completing A-Level in 5 months do the trick?

What's the difference?

U cant do A level is 5 months.A level is a different story than O level and studying some A level book doesn't get u a A in A level and it would not make a much difference in your application as well and only benefit i can think of is u will get a year promotion.

And frankly speaking when u are studying O level please don't study A level as some concepts change in A level but dont apply to O levels as O level papers are made to be done with O level knowledge not A level knowledge.U can mess your O level papers like this so its a humble advice not to study A level now please.

And like AbbbY said if your 15% application is strong and u have a year free.Universities will like to know what u did in that one and a half year as well so u will be in more trouble.

 

[!C3-MAN]

I told you. I am doing A-Level stuff simultaneously. I have the A-level Books.
I am taking simple Biology and Human and Social Biology too in O-Level.
That would give me enough Knowledge to easily finish A-Level Biology in 4-5 months.
I study A-Level Physics topics simultaneously with O-Level one's.
I take Add-Maths. (Help in A-Level Maths)
So giving A-Level in Oct-Nov 2014, will that be a good thing? or Not?

I am also planning to give the same subjects in O'Level (NOT sure about the A-Level 5 month plan though). Anyways, so generally speaking is Human and Social Biology complicated and lengthy or as far as I have seen from its past papers quiet the same course as normal O'Level Biology. When are you planning to appear for Human and Social biology? And which book are you studying from?
Lastly, lets assume one doesn't get the desired grade in his CIE exam's for a compulsory subject (i.e a B grade) and then appears again in the next session for the same subject and secure an A*, so would that result in a problem with his admission. Would universities bug him over his first B or straightly consider it as an A*.