A-Level课程选3门好还是4门好？

A-Level选课时，很多小伙伴会面临一些问题。比如，想要申请牛剑这类英国顶尖高校，要不要选4门A-Level课程？选4门必然有课程数量优势……

可是……并不是所有选学4门A-Level课程的小伙伴们都那么幸运能够学好每门课程，取得优异成绩的。那么A-Level到底是三门好还是四门好呢？到底如何能够提高名校申请成功率？我们看一下牛剑等名校是如何回答这个问题的。

University of Oxford

Oxford University states that: ‘Our courses require students to have not less than three A levels, or other equivalent qualifications. Many candidates do take additional AS levels, A levels, or other qualifications such as the EPQ. These additional qualifications can be one way of demonstrating the academic abilities that will be required for the intense studying of an Oxford degree but they are not essential.’

As an alternative, it suggests: ‘Students can also demonstrate their abilities by exploring their subject beyond what is expected by their exam syllabus. Oxford tutors may prefer a candidate who has read around their subject beyond school and college work, and who shows a great passion for, and engagement with, their subject, over a candidate who may have taken more qualifications or more subjects, but who is unable to discuss their interests with any enthusiasm or in any depth.’

英国牛津大学表示：我们的专业要求学生学习不少于三门A-Level。目前也有不少申请者选择额外的A-Level科目，这确实能在一定程度上证明申请者的学习能力，但却不是我们在招生时考虑的最重要因素。

概括：相比赢在学科数量上的申请者，牛津更喜欢那些对学科有热情、并且对科目的学习和理解不仅仅局限在课本和大纲范围内的申请者。

University of Cambridge

Oxford University states that: ‘Our courses require students to have not less than three A levels, or other equivalent qualifications. Many candidates do take additional AS levels, A levels, or other qualifications such as the EPQ. These additional qualifications can be one way of demonstrating the academic abilities that will be required for the intense studying of an Oxford degree but they are not essential.’

As an alternative, it suggests: ‘Students can also demonstrate their abilities by exploring their subject beyond what is expected by their exam syllabus. Oxford tutors may prefer a candidate who has read around their subject beyond school and college work, and who shows a great passion for, and engagement with, their subject, over a candidate who may have taken more qualifications or more subjects, but who is unable to discuss their interests with any enthusiasm or in any depth.’

和牛津大学观点类似，剑桥大学表示：大学的标准录取要求是3门A-Level，相比科目数量，大学更希望申请者能在学科上提升学习的深度和广度。

剑桥明确表示：学习4门A-Level并不会比3门更有申请优势。

King’s College London

King’s College London explains: ‘Our conditional offers are based on three A level subjects. If you are studying four or more A level subjects, we will take the highest three grades into consideration for assessment. High achievement in additional A level subjects may compensate for an applicant who narrowly fails to achieve the A level offer.’

KCL表示：大学的标准录取要求为3门A-Level，如果申请者学了4门，我们只考虑其中成绩最好的3门。 大学还补充道：对于那些差一点点就满足录取要求的申请者来说，额外的A-Level科目如果取得了很好的成绩，可能会帮助TA拿到offer。

University of Bristol

The University of Bristol states on its website: ‘The standard requirement for our undergraduate courses is three A levels (or equivalent qualifications). We do not give preference to applicants taking four A levels, although we welcome the breadth that a fourth subject taken to AS level can bring to an application.’

布里斯托大学表示：尽管大学愿意看到申请者学习了4门A-Level科目，但是在发offer时，有4门A-Level科目的申请者不会比3门更有优势。

总结

看了上述几所名校对于A-Level科目数量的态度，认为与其去追求A-Level科目的数量，不如把眼前的3门科目学好学扎实了，把有限的时间和精力放在现有的科目上，考出3门优异的成绩，比4门普普通通的成绩更容易让我们拿到名校和好专业的offer。当然，在3门科目成绩优秀学有余力的情况下去学习第4门科目自然也是锦上添花。