Is A level history difficult?

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Are you a student considering picking A level history? If you’ve just completed your GCSEs and are deciding between different subjects at A level, history can be a very respectable choice. Some students, however, might be concerned about this subject’s level of difficulty. So, how hard is A level history? Read on for further discussion.

A difficult subject

There’s just no avoiding it: for the majority of students, history is a relatively hard A level. This is why it’s so recognised by universities and employers across the country. They love to see students with impressive skills, giving you a bigger chance of being hired. The skills that you’ll develop through the course of this challenging A level can include essay writing skills, written and verbal communication, and organisation. History is known for its incredibly heavy workload, so time management will be key to hitting the higher grades in this subject.

Whilst students only take around three different modules in this A level, all of them are often content-heavy. Many students are overwhelmed by the demands of memorising the whole history A level specification, especially on top of trying to manage two other A levels at the same time. College teachers can often pile on the workload even more by giving extensive amounts of homework, although this will depend on your individual teacher. Some students should expect to turn over both note-making and a full written essay each week, which many find very demanding. Whilst the content in history can often be enjoyable to learn, applying this knowledge to a good essay can be difficult. Essays don’t really have an objective answer. So, the mark schemes are sometimes less useful than those of other subjects, making it difficult to know what you have to do to get the top grade.

It depends on the individual student

As with any subject, its difficulty can only really be measured against each student. Each student will have different strengths and weaknesses and an A Level History Tutor Online can help to develop your skills. Students who are good at writing essays and have a passion for debating the past could do well in history and find it less challenging than others. Students who have a more science-dominated brain might struggle with history A level due to the demands of reading heavy passages and executing excellent written communication.

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Further still, those with a great memory will find history easier than those who struggle to retain information. As there are so many dates and facts to remember in history, students must work hard to remember all they need to know to be able to answer an exam question properly. Additionally, students who are bad with timing could find themselves facing difficulties in history compared to organised students. Timing is absolutely essential to this A level, and it shouldn’t be taken lightly.

So, is A level history that difficult? All in all, it’s relatively challenging with its demanding workload, although some students will find it harder than others. Each student will have a slightly different experience with A level history.

If you, or your parents would like to find out more, please just get in touch via email at info@exam.tips or call us on 0800 689 1272

If you, or your parents would like to find out more, please just get in touch via email at info@exam.tips or call us on 0800 689 1272

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