How Difficult Is A Level? Real Talk on Subjects, Workload, and What Actually Matters

Let’s get real for a second. If you’re asking how difficult is A level, you’re not just curious-you’re probably nervous. Maybe you’re 15 and staring at your subject choices. Or maybe you’re a parent wondering if your kid can handle it. Either way, the answer isn’t a simple yes or no. It’s messy. It’s personal. And it depends on way more than just the subject name.

It’s Not the Subject, It’s the Match

People say Maths A level is hard or History is easy. That’s not true. What’s hard is doing a subject you hate, or one you have no natural hook into. I’ve seen kids crush Further Maths because they love puzzles. I’ve seen others break down over it because they were forced into it for university entry. The same thing goes for Biology-some students live for dissecting frogs and memorizing metabolic pathways. Others stare at the periodic table like it’s ancient hieroglyphs.

Here’s the thing: difficulty isn’t about content. It’s about alignment. If you’re genuinely interested in how societies change over time, History A level feels like digging into your favorite Netflix documentary-except you get graded on it. If you hate writing essays but love building things, Design & Technology might feel easier than English Literature, even if everyone says Literature is "easy."

The Workload Is a Silent Killer

A level isn’t hard because the topics are complex-it’s hard because the volume doesn’t stop. GCSEs? You had six subjects, maybe 10 hours of homework a week. A level? Three or four subjects, but now you’re expected to spend 15 to 25 hours a week outside class just keeping up. That’s not just revision-it’s reading ahead, writing full essays, doing past papers, and attending extra help sessions.

One student I spoke to last year took Physics, Chemistry, and Psychology. She thought Psychology would be a "light" subject. Turns out, she had to write three 2,500-word essays in one term. Plus memorize 80+ studies. She didn’t fail. She just stopped sleeping. And that’s not rare.

There’s no official timetable for A level workload, but most schools expect you to treat it like a part-time job. 35-40 hours a week total. That leaves little room for part-time work, hobbies, or even seeing friends. And if you’re taking the "hard" subjects-like Maths, Further Maths, Physics, or Chemistry-you’re often expected to do extra problem sets on weekends. No one tells you that until you’re drowning in it.

Exams Don’t Test Knowledge-They Test Stamina

GCSEs were mostly multiple choice and short answers. A level exams? You get 2-3 hour papers with essay questions that ask you to connect five different topics. One A level Chemistry paper might ask you to explain reaction mechanisms, calculate equilibrium constants, and then discuss the environmental impact of the process-all in 90 minutes.

It’s not that the content is harder. It’s that you’re expected to apply it under pressure, with no room for error. You can’t guess your way through. You need precision. You need speed. And you need to remember everything from Year 12 and Year 13.

Most students don’t realize how much mental endurance this takes. It’s like running a marathon while solving math problems in your head. And the exam boards don’t give you breaks. You sit three back-to-back exams in one week. No one says, "Hey, you’ve been studying for two years-here’s a nap."

Some Subjects Are Just Heavier Than Others

Let’s cut through the noise. There are subjects that consistently rank as the most demanding, not because they’re "smart people only," but because of structure, volume, and abstract thinking.

• Maths & Further Maths: You need to think in layers. One concept builds on five others. Miss one week, and you’re lost for months.
• Physics: Heavy on problem-solving, heavy on math, heavy on conceptual leaps. You’re not just learning facts-you’re learning how to model reality.
• Chemistry: Memorization overload. Thousands of reactions, mechanisms, and exceptions. One small mistake in balancing an equation and your whole answer collapses.
• Biology: Less math, more detail. You need to remember every organ, every hormone, every stage of meiosis. And yes, they will ask you to draw a diagram of a mitochondrion in the exam.
• Modern Languages: If you’re not fluent, you’re writing essays in a language you still think in. Listening exams? They speak at native speed. No rewind button.

On the other end: subjects like Art, Drama, or Media Studies. They’re not "easy," but they’re different. You’re assessed on process, creativity, and personal development. The workload is still high, but it’s more flexible. You can recover from a bad day with a strong portfolio piece.

Grading Is Harsh-And It’s Not Fair

Here’s a truth no one tells you: A level grades are curved. If your cohort does well, the grade boundaries go up. If they struggle? They go down. But you never know which one you’re in until results day.

Two students, same subject, same effort. One gets an A*. The other gets a B. Why? Because the exam paper was harder that year, and the first student just happened to be better at that specific style of question. It’s not about being better overall. It’s about being better on that day.

And don’t get me started on moderation. A teacher gives you 87% on your coursework. The exam board says, "Nope, that’s actually a 72%." You have zero appeal process. It’s final. No discussion.

It’s Not About Being "Smart"-It’s About Being Consistent

The students who do well aren’t geniuses. They’re the ones who show up every day. They do one past paper a week. They ask questions in class. They review their mistakes. They don’t cram. They don’t panic. They just keep going.

I’ve seen kids with 9s at GCSE fail A levels because they thought it’d be "the same." I’ve seen kids with 6s at GCSE get straight A*s because they showed up, asked for help, and didn’t let one bad grade break them.

Consistency beats talent every time. If you can manage your time, stick to a routine, and not let stress spiral, you’ll do fine-even if you think you’re "not a science person."

What Actually Helps? Real Strategies

• Start past papers early-not in Year 13. Start in January of Year 12. You’ll see patterns.
• Build a revision bank-a Google Doc or notebook with all your key definitions, formulas, and essay plans. Update it weekly.
• Find your study rhythm-some people need silence. Others need background music. Some learn by teaching. Others by drawing mind maps. Don’t copy someone else’s system.
• Talk to your teachers-they’ve seen hundreds of students. Ask them: "What’s the biggest mistake students make in this subject?"
• Protect your sleep-you can’t memorize 300 terms if you’re running on 5 hours. Your brain needs rest to lock things in.

What If You Struggle?

It’s okay to feel overwhelmed. It’s okay to hate your subject. It’s okay to think about dropping one. A level isn’t a life sentence. If you’re failing, or you’re miserable, talk to your tutor. Talk to your parents. Talk to someone who’s been through it.

Some students switch subjects mid-Year 12. Some drop to two A levels and take a BTEC in something they love. Some take a gap year. None of that makes you a failure. It makes you someone who knows their limits-and that’s a strength.

University doesn’t care if you took four A levels. They care if you passed them with decent grades and can show you’re ready for the next step. A level is a step, not the whole journey.

Final Truth

How difficult is A level? It’s as hard as you make it. It’s not about how smart you are. It’s about how steady you are. It’s not about the subject you pick-it’s about whether you care enough to stick with it. And if you don’t? That’s okay too. There’s more than one path. The exam board doesn’t get to decide your future. You do.