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Original poster

A level choice curveball?!

29 replies

yolofish · 30/06/2015 22:55

DD2 is very dance and arts orientated. She is currently on 3 days 6th form induction at her current school, where she wants to stay.

She wants to work in fashion if her dream of being a professional dancer doesnt come true (good plan), so is considering a fashion buying/merchandising course at uni in 2 years time.

Her plans were: double BTEC dance (2 A level equivalent); photography; creative writing, which sounds like a good creative mix to me.

Anyway, she has come home today and said she might do biology instead of photography - is this a positive, adding a hard science subject to the mix, or is it just off the wall when her other subjects are dance and writing?

I had NO idea she was thinking about biology!!

OP posts:
Lolimax · 01/07/2015 07:51

Just to add here DD did biol as wants to go nursing. It wasn't needed for nursing but she wanted to offer the best she could. Bright kid but has found it harder than she thought. We'll see in August how hard!! But I agree with the others get some really good advice, I don't think we did.

homebythesea · 01/07/2015 07:45

Why not A level dance instead if the BTEC. Have you researched the academic requirements of the Uni course- are the BTECS actually treated as equivalent? Is she doing or planning work experience in the fashion/buying industry? That will count for an awful lot in the application and she needs to get cracking on this. What do her dance teachers say- is she truly good enough to consider it as a career? You need brutally honest advice. I've got a dancer too but have come to the realisation that while she's good, she's not THAT good. And that's fine but what you don't want is for her to be deluded as to her real prospects. And my other one has changed his mind as to career/uni choice about 5 times since GCSE's. This may happen for your DD so choose subjects that will keep doors open rather than close some off.

TeenAndTween · 01/07/2015 07:36

Not knowing much about this side of things, I think it is a bit of a curve ball. I don't think she'd be able to 'go' anywhere with biology without another science or maths to back it up. On the other hand it is maybe more 'academic'.

Have you checked the course requirements for the proposed Uni course? (I would expect it to maybe want an Art/Textiles/Photography course).

mummytime · 01/07/2015 07:32

Biology is a good subject. In fact she could do with another solid subject, maybe English Lit instead of creative writing.
At present she has as her first choice of career a very risky profession, and one where retirement before the age of 30/35 is not unusual.
For her second career it is again a very competitive area, which is extremely difficult to get into.

So what is her third back up? Waitress? As an office temp she would need to show more academic potential. Biology might help if she tries to get a teaching qualification.

BTec Dance is not really training for a professional dance career, that would come from specialist dance lessons and maybe courses. Does she audition for shows?

I think you need some serious careers advice, and she could do with broadening her options. 16 is very young to restrict her options so much.

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