Common Mistakes and Myths

The Mistakes That Trip Students Up Every Year

Each year, thousands of students make A-Level choices that they later regret. The good news is that these mistakes are predictable — the same patterns emerge year after year. By understanding them now, you can avoid them entirely.

This lesson tackles the most common mistakes and the myths that fuel them. Some of these you may have already heard. Some may challenge beliefs you currently hold. All of them are worth considering carefully before you make your choices.

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Mistake 1: "Choose the Easiest Subjects for Higher Grades"

This is perhaps the most tempting and most damaging piece of advice that circulates among students. The logic seems sound: if you choose subjects that are reputed to be easy, you will achieve higher grades, and higher grades mean better university offers. Simple, right?

Why it backfires:

Universities Are Not Fooled

Admissions tutors know which subjects are considered easier and which are considered harder. A set of top grades in subjects perceived as less rigorous does not carry the same weight as the same grades in more demanding subjects — particularly at selective universities.