AS Levels were last overhauled by the government in 2015 and have been decreasing in popularity with students and schools ever since, so is it still worth taking AS Level exams, and how are they different to A Level qualifications?
An AS Level is an advanced qualification that students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland can study after completing their GCSE exams.
They were first introduced in 1989 to broaden the range of subjects students could study post-16. Called Advanced Supplementary exams, they were normally studied over two years, often alongside A Levels, but because of the demands of the course were only worth half the UCAS points of a full A Level.
In 2000, AS Levels were renamed Advanced Subsidiary exams. They were still worth half the UCAS points of an A Level, but were only studied for a year. Students were also given two options:
However, in 2015, AS Levels changed again to the system we still have today. And now, where you live has a major impact on how AS Levels contribute to your A Level grades.
If you’re taking AS Levels, you can still choose between dropping your AS subject at the end of Year 12 or continuing your studies in Year 13. However, if you’re studying in Wales and Northern Ireland, your AS results will now only contribute 40% to your A Level grade.
And if you’re studying in England, your AS results will no longer count at all towards your final A Level grade. Instead, your A Level grades depend solely on the exams you take at the end of Year 13.
As with your A Levels, AS exams are graded A through to E. However, unlike A Levels, there’s no A* classification.
AS grades can also be converted into UCAS points:
Perhaps not surprisingly given how AS Levels are now structured for English students, their popularity has dropped in England.
According to Ofqual, the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation which regulates qualifications, examinations and assessments in England, 281,600 17-year-olds took one or more AS Levels in 2015.
Just three years later that figure had plummeted to 64,810.
In England, where AS results can’t be banked to go towards your A Level grades, they might seem a pointless exercise. You also need to consider the impact of taking on another subject at an advanced level of study when you could be focusing on your A Levels.
However, AS Levels can still benefit your A Level studies and even support them, particularly if they’re similar or related subjects – and that could translate into better grades at A Level.
Plus, if you’re torn between different subjects, completing a year of study in each might help you decide which you want to take forward to A Level and, ultimately, which might give you a better final grade.
Your AS Level results could also help shape the predicted grades your teachers will submit as part of your university application. If you have an AS qualification, and the university you’re interested in bases its entrance requirements on UCAS points, it might contribute to the total UCAS points you need.
If you’re applying to university you won’t be at a disadvantage if you don’t have AS Levels. Universities base their entrance requirements for UK students on A Level grades and Scottish Highers, and most ask for specific grades at A Level rather than UCAS points.
Universities are increasingly looking at more than just grades and academic achievement, too, when it comes to assessing applications. They will also take into account your references, your personal statement and, for certain degrees, portfolios of work, interviews and assessments. They want to know how passionate you are about studying a particular degree if you have any relevant experience, and what your ambitions are.
At Newcastle University, our commitment to widening participation in higher education means we make contextual offers. Examples of what we mean by context include: where you live and if that area has a low participation in higher education; your socio-economic background; participation in our PARTNERS supported entry route; or if you have experienced time in care throughout your life.
As you make your A Level choices, think carefully about your strengths; the subjects you’re best at and the ones you’re most fascinated by. Weigh up the demands of each of your A Level courses and get some advice from your teachers on whether AS Levels will benefit you and, ultimately, help you progress to university.