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Original poster

Sorry another A level choices thread

33 replies

IdontknowwhyIcare · 29/11/2011 15:33

Ds is making his choices for 6th form. He doesnt find reading easy at all and has struggled with the two books for this years Eng Lit (mice and men, and Lord of the flies) and he has a diagnosed learning disability which entitles him to an extra 25% time, a scribe, use of a computer and someone to transcribe if he uses a grid system like in science multiple choice (bit like a lottery ticket).

He is very interested in politics and would like to work behind the scenes in government, or head and NGO.

He is happy to go with History, Government & Politics and economics. His fourth choice is proving more problematic. I suggested Eng Lit as you cant go wrong with that (IMHO) but he is worried (and I can certainly see his point) about the amount of reading coupled with the other subjects.

My question is this, would Psychology be a better option? Useful and maybe more relevant and therefore more easily digested reading? Is Psychology considered a useful subject? I'm checking the UCAS site for links to course he is interested in, like International relations etc. Any advice would be more than welcome. TIA

OP posts:
Original poster
IdontknowwhyIcare · 29/11/2011 17:35

I agree about being less reading intense. I suppose I orginally sugested Eng Lit as I would be able to help by at least having read the books, plays poetry. He was struggling to think of a 4th subject and so I suggested Eng Lit. Stupidly with hindsight, must be because I enjoyed it but quite rightly not a reason for my DS to choose it. Blush

Because he wasnt diagnosed till last year, he always struggled with languages and now isnt taking one at all. Against my better judgement having read mumsnet for years. However DH made the very valid point that better he take another subject and be in with a chance of a good grade than take a language and be doomed to failure.

Regarding the leap from GCSE to A level we have talked about this alot (I found it quite hard) and hopefully he will get a chance to speak with another student in 6th form who struggles in the same way who can advise him from their actual point of view.

Congrats to woodentop junior (it must be a releif to have a good offer under his belt already). Ds school dont offer RE (we are in the ME) nor philosphy.

OP posts:
Get0rf · 29/11/2011 17:29

I am having the same conversation with dd at the moment.

She also has reasonably severe dyslexia and has the same level of help as the OP's son. She is OK at reading, however it takes her a lot longer than her peers. However her favourite subjects are the ones which require a lot of reading, and she is choosing to study History, Geography and either English lit or Biology.

She is unsure about a 4th, and is thinking Media or a food tech course (I forget what it is called exactly, is an AS level). I am tempted to tell her not to bother with a 4th at all, and just concentrate on the 3 main subjects. You don't have to do a 4th subject, do you?

Kez100 · 29/11/2011 17:28

My daughter was looking at Psychology. They wanted minimum C in English, Maths and in her double award Sciences. When I mentioned a C and D predicted profile on the sciences, they said they would have to consider her full grade profile before making an offer.

mumblechum1 · 29/11/2011 17:28

He'll probably find that there isn't a massive amount of reading for politics. DS is doing it for A level & hoping to do a politics degree and he finds that most of the work in class is discussion, and there isn't that much homework. In fact he says it's by far the easiest of his four subjects (Chem, bio, Politics and History) and the most enjoyable. He reads a lot of foreign newspapers online but mostly for interest

Agree English Lit sounds like a bad idea if he struggles to the degree you mention in your OP, and if he's good at sciences/maths that would seem a better balance, as v little reading and writing as such (compared to essay based subjects)

mummytime · 29/11/2011 17:23

I'd suggest Maths or Sciences if he is any good at those and struggles with reading. What does his school suggest.

titchy · 29/11/2011 16:43

I have wonder why you suggested English Lit as a fourth choice given his difficulties with reading.....?

The three he has are all good academic subjects and won't restrict where and what he can apply for - what is he predicted for GCSE?

All three are quite reading-heavy though. Will he be abel to cope? The leap from GCSE to AS is a big one.

He could do a totally different 4th subject for the sheer joy of it you know. Art, Drama, Music, Photography, Media Studies if I dare say it. Quite a lot of universities like to see a bit of breadth.

If he is fixed on the idea of the fourth being relevant then Media might be useful, or a Language, or Business. Or Maths.

To be honest though I'd be suggesting something less reading-intense. No point in buggering up his three main subjects for the sake of a fourth that won't really count.

cricketballs · 29/11/2011 16:35

if he struggles with reading then I would suggest re-thinking the History as there is a lot of work based on sources

mrswoodentop · 29/11/2011 15:38

My ds is applying for politics at University next year (one offer so far but from v good university) he is doing English Lit,RS and History for A2 and also did Philosophy at AS

Philosophy was harder than he thought even though he enjoyed it,his HM calls philosophy and psychology the trendy P subjects as because they are new and lots want to do them but then find them harder going than expected because they don't really know what they are getting into.

Psychology generally quite well regarded I think,especially as a forth subject