AS Level vs A Level: How They Fit Together

AS Level, A2 and A Level are easy to mix up. In short, AS Level is the first half of the course, A2 is the second half, and together they make a full A Level.

What each one means

AS Level: the first part of the course. It is a qualification in its own right, and it covers about half of the A Level content.
A2: the second part of the course. It is not a separate qualification, and you need AS content to complete it.
A Level: the full qualification, made up of the AS and A2 parts.

How the grades work

AS Levels are graded a to e, in lower case. A Levels are graded A* to E. Your AS part makes up half of the full A Level. The A* grade is only available for the full A Level.

Ways to take your exams

All at the end: sit every AS and A2 paper in one exam series at the end of the course.
In stages: sit AS first and A2 in a later series, then combine the results for your A Level.
AS only: stop after AS Level and keep it as a qualification.

Which route should you take?

Taking AS first spreads your workload and gives you a result early, which can help with university applications. Sitting everything at the end gives you longer to master the content, but it makes for one heavy exam period. Rules on combining results and on the time allowed between stages can change, so check them with your school or exam centre before you decide.

How to plan your revision

Start from the syllabus, because it shows which topics are AS and which are A2, and which papers you need for each. Then use topical past papers to work through each part.