In the UK, the post-16 A-Levels qualification requires a student to study a minimum of three subjects in depth, and is sometimes considered as a prerequisite before applying to some universities.
Sometimes, A-Levels can be more daunting than studying a university degree, because there may be external pressures which stem from the need to achieve highly so that you can get an offer at your dream university.
That being said, in my personal experience, I found studying for my A-Level subjects both enjoyable and difficult, and it was through my A-Level Religious Studies qualification as well as, my passion for religion and theology that motivated me to pursue a degree in BA Religion, Philosophy, and Ethics.
You can study a subject that you are truly interested in!
One of the reasons why studying an undergraduate degree can be more enjoyable than A-Levels, is because you are allowing yourself to study and research a subject that you are truly passionate about! Whichever field of study you decide to progress in, the invaluable information, opinions and critiques that you absorb from the intellectually stimulating community here at King’s, will help you to prosper within your studies!
Independent Study and Research!
Unlike in A-Level studies, university requires its students to undertake a lot of independent study and research whether it is for writing your assignments or fulfilling a dissertation. Independent learning skills can at times be a daunting aspect of university compared to sixth form studies where students tend to be given more guidance. However, I think that if you like a topic that you are learning about in a specific week within a module, for instance, you are more likely to do better for that particular assignment because you are independently researching and learning more about your chosen topic of interest!
Specialising in your chosen degree!
Over the three years of my undergraduate degree, I have had the opportunity to build upon the foundational knowledge and skills that I have learnt from my 1st year, especially regarding the religious tradition: Christianity. I have developed a sort of specialism now in my 3rd year where I can confidently say that I know a lot about this religious tradition. From initially studying the introductory 1st year module of ‘New Testament, Origins, Contexts, and Meanings’, to studying the ‘Trinity in Recent theology’ in my 2nd year, and now in my 3rd year. I am studying the module ‘Jesus in Context’, which has not only enabled me to study what I love, but, has enabled me to direct my own learning experience!
Developing transferrable skills!
Through studying my undergraduate degree, I have gained a lot of transferrable skills such as, developing more independency through self-study and researching, increasing my networking skills by speaking to different people, and improving my organisational skills, all of which I believe can help me succeed in my academic career, as well as, into a professional career in the near future.