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Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Higher education

What degree subject possible with DS's new A-Levels?

21 replies

CompleteDelete · 01/10/2016 09:45

After a few weeks at a new 6th Form, DS has changed his A-Levels to Biology, Economics, Computing and Design.

He'll probably drop the Design at the end of the year although his weakest subject is likely to be Computing.

Which subjects can he realistically expect to study at degree level? Is there an online service (I can't find one) where he can enter his A-Level subjects and see which degrees they lead to?

OP posts:

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dreamingofsun · 01/10/2016 09:51

he's in the first year of 6th form? he has some time to think about this as he wont need to be clear until spring at the earliest. which are his best subjects, what does he enjoy? It was at the easter parent teacher session that we asked for feedback from my youngest son's teacher if he was up to doing a degree in that subject - and that gave us plenty of time to look at options

LikelyLama · 01/10/2016 09:53

What sort of grades is he expecting? Does he have a rough idea of what he would like to do?

You can look through Uni online prospectuses at course requirements.

yeOldeTrout · 01/10/2016 10:08

UCAS choosing guide?

Health Economics is a growth area. Could start with an economics course (do they need math a-level, though?) and then do a MSc with the health econ. emphasis.

ScottishProf · 01/10/2016 10:11

The website bestcourse4me.com has a service like that. ( www.bestcourse4me.com/explore/?Tab=ALevel ) Not sure how helpful it'll be in this case. Trouble is he has a bunch of subjects that go well with maths, but no maths; if he went in the direction of economics or computing, that would seriously limit his choices. Biology may be the direction to look!

dreamingofsun · 01/10/2016 10:43

wouldn't he need another science to do biology?

ScottishProf · 01/10/2016 11:41

Maybe - I meant in that direction rather than that pure subject. He may well do best finding a niche subject that appeals? yeOldeTrout's health economics suggestion was interesting though maybe there are other health-related degrees that might be less mathy? Here's Southampton's health management degree for example: from what they say his subject choice would be fine.

www.southampton.ac.uk/healthsciences/undergraduate/courses/bsc_healthcare_management_policy_and_research.page#entry_requirements

CompleteDelete · 01/10/2016 11:43

He's weak at maths. He just scraped a grade A at the old-style easier GCSE and managed to get on to an A-Level Maths course but within a few weeks found he was out of his depth.

He's too lazy to spend extra hours over the next few months improving his maths, so he short-sightedly switched from A-Level Maths to Biology.

Now he is left wondering what degree options are open to him.

I have a feeling (unless he wants to fork out £9,000 a year over 3 years for a half-useless degree) that he may have to take an extra year after his A-Levels taking some more career oriented A-Levels.

OP posts:

CompleteDelete · 01/10/2016 11:49

There are various online guides which start with a degree and then tell you what A-Levels are needed to study it but he has no idea what he wants to do.

He was taking: Computing, Economics, Design and Maths.
Now he's taking: Computing, Economics, Design and Biology.

He once fancied of developing computer games but his Computing is weaker than his now-dropped Maths.

The question at the moment is: "What is the consequence of dropping Maths for Biology?" That's why I would like some online service to say that with such-and-such A-Levels then you can do this so-and-so degree.

OP posts:

JaneJefferson · 01/10/2016 11:59

He can probably take a Computing or Business Studies degree or a joint degree. Not all universities ask for Maths for this. Lack of Maths will narrow his choice though. You really need to look on UCAS site for courses and requirements at different universities.

dreamingofsun · 01/10/2016 12:01

A business degree would fit nicely with computing and economics and wouldn't require maths A level. Pyschology degrees would like the fact that he's doing biology. What does he enjoy? what career aspirations - caring/business/ a specialist area ?

JaneJefferson · 01/10/2016 12:07

Sounds like you're erring towards Biology so just search for Biological Sciences on UCAS and see what comes up.

Me2017 · 01/10/2016 13:13

Actually some of the highest paid careers do not have career specific degrees eg half of top lawyers do not take a law degree. As long as he keeps up biology and economics he could study biology at university ( he should not read economics there without maths as the better university economics courses need maths). Then he can use his biology degree and go off to law school after for example if that were one career option for him.

However as others say it does rather depend what he actually wants to do.

LikelyLama · 01/10/2016 13:34

Do you think he will be looking at high tariff Unis or lower tariff ones?

What about IT rather than computer science. Aston have a business computing and IT degree AAB INFO HERE
32% of applicants have a math A level so 68% don't......

HereIAm20 · 01/10/2016 13:46

Many professionals do a degree in a subject of their choice that does not relate to their profession.

I am a lawyer and many lawyers do a first degree in a chosen subject such as biology but then do the conversion course to law. Same with many accountants who can enter firms on graduate training programmes with any degree.

Also a friend who did a history degree ended up as Director of Logistics for Rank Hovis McDougall.

Another became a Management Consultant with a degree in pharmacy with PriceWaterhouseCoopers.

I would suggest he goes for the one he is best at/enjoys most.

thisagain · 01/10/2016 13:52

dreamingofsun my nephew is at uni studying Biology. He stayed at college another year to add Chemistry into his A levels (Biology was his only science) when he realised how much he liked Biology and wanted to take it further. He was glad he did, but when he got to uni (Bath) he realised that a lot of others didnt have any other science.

dreamingofsun · 01/10/2016 14:28

thisagain - surprised at that - i know someone who has recently taken geology and places wanted two sciences for that. It just goes to show that investigation pays off and you can't make assumptions

Coconutty · 01/10/2016 15:54

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

bojorojo · 01/10/2016 18:02

It is worth noting that the GDL , law conversion course, is about £9000. Plenty of people have to fund this themselves because they fail to get training contracts which would pay the fees. Employers can be very choosy so this is not a fail-safe option at all. Geology can lead to well paid jobs and again is another course that is science based and I think just Biology would be insufficient. Everyone I know who has recently been taken on to train as an accountant has at least A level maths. Graduate engineers, chemists and economists for example.

The best bet is to have a look outside the box. Biology may be ok but there are other degrees which are not very specific about A levels.

Me2017 · 01/10/2016 19:22

By daughter's GDL and LPC was paid by the law firm that recruited her. I agree though that many are not funded and indeed argubly if you have not found a training contract 2 years in advance you perhaps should not take the risk in doing the course at all.

MistressPoldark · 01/10/2016 19:26

Will he be going to university just for the sake of getting a degree? Seems a bit of a waste of time and money. Surely better that he have the time and space to find out what he is really interested in and then, if a degree is necessary or desirable to follow that interest, go for that? I really don't understand the conveyor belt of GCSE-A-Level-Degree culture, especially when it's so expensive to study at university nowadays!

serin · 01/10/2016 20:04

Agricultural management?

He could have a look at RAU and Harper Adams?

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