Which A level would you drop?

Did anyone watch the TV series Industry last year? It is about some deeply unpleasant drug taking, back stabbing individuals working in an investment bank.

I have no idea how much of it was based on real life, but it presented the kind of image that I imagine most people have of the sector.

@Oblomov21

I too am very very saddened to see Talkwhileyouwalk who I have seen before posting, and know that she recruits graduates for top Investment banks etc, dismiss sociology so much and say that a B in chemistry is better than an A in sociology.

By certain type I don't mean men, I mean graduates able and willing to work in a highly demanding and competitive workplace - this starts with the most competitive A level results. I can tell you that I wouldn't want to work for a bank and I wouldn't encourage my children down that route either!! It can be a very intense and unpleasant atmosphere.

@MarchingFrogs

Also, the assumption that every student wants to work in a fairy ring magic circle law firm, work for a company of dishonest swindlers a bank/finance or work for another city firm.

Of the same ilk as the person who posted on TSR that their Fairy Ring - sorry, Magic Circle - law firm would only recruit from a handful of universities in the UK, because

• they had a lot of US clients
• who wouldn't accept a lawyer if they hadn't heard of the university s/he had attended
• and they hadn't heard of many UK universities

Still, as long as HR remembers to put it in the person spec, I suppose it's okay (or at least, will be with some folk).

I too am very very saddened to see Talkwhileyouwalk who I have seen before posting, and know that she recruits graduates for top Investment banks etc, dismiss sociology so much and say that a B in chemistry is better than an A in sociology.

I'm: two kids done and dusted with A. Levels and either at uni or gap year. One doing GCSEs next year. I've read endless amounts of university entrance requirements and have a few years real world experience of various A levels getting various offers. My grammar school relatives have a very Mumsnet view of A levels, still obsessed with facilitating subjects and 4 a levels, meanwhile ime teens are gaily off to Bristol Leeds Exeter Durham York UCL etc with 3 A levels and one or two not 'facilitating'!

Sometimes I think on these threads posters should put their 'qualifications' to have opinions on A level choices to help the OP decide who might be more informed.

(Went to uni late 80s, neither DC doing A levels, not involved in education or recruitment, interested bystander only ).

*for

Mind you, dd3 has already decided she wants to go to Bristol to do a film and TV degree. So she's looking at English lit/history/art history/sociology/psychology/RS/PE/drama and other non Stem a levels, so I'm steeling myself from my nephews/ILs comments!

Preach!

Mind you, the relentless obsession with Stem doesn't help.

Also, it's not true. Fair enough, financial services want Maths and possibly further Maths, so if you do those A levels you probably also do Economics or Chem. But Sociology/History etc would be great as a third.

What is interesting is the same subject snobbery often isn't applied to politics and economics. I have always suspected a degree of sexism in that. Likewise graphics is often talked up over textiles.

At A-level it is not well regarded by many of the top graduate recruiters. Banks, Accountancy Firms and Law Firms are generally not interested in A Level Sociology,

I may be misreading the OP's DD completely, but a pathway involving such Top graduate recruiters doesn't sound a terribly close match?

And also that your recruitment process is looking for a 'certain type". This sounds very biased and exclusive which I find hard to believe is an instruction from any large firm these days.

Sorry, my post was confusing! A B in Chemistry would be more useful than a A in sociology for most of the graduate schemes that I recruit for

Really? How utterly behind the times and strange.

Some candidates with lower than AAA do get through, especially for the less popular roles such as IT.

The recruitment process is usually as cut throat as the work culture.....Not saying it's right but it does take a certain type to survive in many of these roles.

My dd did English Lit, rs and classical studies and an epq. We got absolute bare faced snobbery about her choices from my grammar school nephews and their parents. I was quite shocked at the time that anyone could be that damning, particularly their absolute belief that an extra A level instead of epq would be much preferred by unis. I can't say I wasn't delighted when she got a Durham offer (nephew was rejected by them the year before).

I haven't read the whole thread so this may have been said: she should drop the one she enjoys the least. She is less likely to carry on with that subject. People saying things like " no one takes sociology seriously " are talking rubbish.
Being hung up on snobbery when it comes to A level choices ends up causing all sorts of problems, not least for the students who end up doing subjects they have no interest in.

So good to see some common sense on here!

Gosh some odd "advice".Piggy agree completely.

"Dont drop any". Well unis want 3 grades, 3 grades is the current norm. 3 As is better than ABBC for entrance of course it makes snese to drop one and focus on getting as high grades as possible.

"Sociology is worthless drop it." Showing some real ignorance here. Its an A gradd so very much worth keeping! As has been demonstrated is a mainstream subject. And even if it wasn't they have 2 others so really no problem!

"Do chemistry". Without any knowledge f they "need" it doing it because it sounds good is ridiculous. If already a C (which is still a good grade for A level but if she can get As it will open up more uni choices for sure.)

"Get a tutor." Crackers when she has 3 good grades... And also yes throwing that out as if it was a common thing to do. It isnt always the answer anyway.

There is no planet from which a C is better than an A... But discussions need to be had.

Is it her favourite subject and desperate not to drop it?
Does she want to do a degree requiring chemistry (maybe not the right direction anyway.)
Otherwise yes I'd drop it and focus on the others. A good time to start lookong at courses they fancy though.

I don't think your DD should do 4. It's not required OP and could be one of the reasons why chemistry didn't go to plan.

Look at websites, attend talks, have a careers appointment?