Which A level would you drop?

Biology Geography and Sociology are a perfectly good and solid set of A levels. Getting ABC instead of AAB isn't the best idea.

Definitely Chemistry! AAB will get her into most uni courses and Biology will get her into Physio if that was an option, you don't need Chemistry for that.

If she wants a year abroad then geography and biology are the most obvious routes. Chemistry supporting them will make a stronger scientific application than sociology. If she's gutted about the chemistry she presumably feels she should have / can do better in it?

Ditch sociology IMO

I'd drop chemistry. Unless she wants to do a degree which requires chemistry. A lot of degree courses just ask for x ucas points so she'd be better off keeping the higher grade one not the C grade one.

But she needs to talk to her chemistry teacher as it sounds like she wasn't expecting the low grade and find out why - was it just one bad paper?

*teach, not year. Sorry.

She needs to decide what she wants to study at uni. Look for courses with an integrated year elsewhere.

I did biology at uni and it offered a year in industry or a year abroad, and various paths within the subject (my degree is genetics but I could have specialised in ecology, biochemistry, or immunology) It was a while ago, but careers in science communication rather than the science itself might suit your DD if she goes down the science route? (I now year chemistry after 10 years in industry).

Once she's decided what she'll apply for (she'd need to do that soonish anyway), and the course requirements, then look at what to drop.

I also suspect supplementary modules will be increasingly offered due to post covid learning gaps.

The decision boils down to chemistry related degree course, or top flight university options.

Logically the weakest subject would be dropped ie. chemistry. Unless she needs it for a subject she might want to do at uni ie Biochem she would be better going for the subjects she will achieve best grades in and have a better chance with fewer subjects. Even if she did need more Chemistry a degree foundation year or catch up modules may be possible . With biology, sociology and geography many degree subjects remain open in social sciences, humanities, even science as well as those which have less specific entry requirements and do not directly follow on to traditional A levels like Law , Psychology and Criminology and some medical related fields.

She’s lower sixth. I think expecting her to have career direction is a bit much at this stage. Yes some kids will have an idea but the vast majority of kids who think they will become an “insert career choice”, will end up doing something entirely different.

I would look for a thread that asks "if you travel a lot through work, what did you do what did you study ?" and if there isn't a thread then start one.

Then discuss the different career options with your dd.

By this point I would not be worried about the grades as much but more about the lack of general career direction.

Once you have a career path in mind there will be a greater incentive to get the required results and you are less likely to drop something that might be relevant.

She likes to earn money and would like to work abroad.
Get a good science degree and then get on to a graduate scheme for accountancy or international banking. Accountancy if your with a big firm then you can move to a role that has international travel. ( this is the most successful route to money and travel I have seen with any of my friends).
Now decide what good science degree you are going to get and then drop the A-level which is least suitable for that degree.
Friends who are in the accountancy/ banking world studied pharmacy, electrical engineering and geography.
Good science degree shows ability to learn and analyse with enough maths for banking or accountancy.
Friends who have gone this route have worked in just every country I can think of and honestly the ones who have run with it are seriously wealthy.

I'm not british and have no idea how A-levels work but... Why drop one at all ? Isn't it better to have 4 even if one is a low-ish grade ?

My DC did A levels 4 and 5 years ago, so apologies if things have changed.

Chemistry A level is really hard, especially if you're not doing maths. Dc2 did it and really struggled to get good grades, despite getting As and A*S in her other subjects. She was the only one in her A2 class who was not also doing Maths. I think competition in Chemistry makes it extra hard in terms of the grade boundaries - so many doing Chemistry are also doing Physics, Biology, Maths, and each subject helps the other. All potential vets and medics are doing Chemistry, and they all need top grades. Sociology has a broader cohort, as students combine it with other less competitive subjects.

I have to confess that I suggested one of my DC drop Sociology because she wanted to teach, and I thought English would be more useful. I've been proved wrong several times already and it's only 2 years since she graduated. As a trainee teacher she's had more opportunity to teach A level classes than her peers because the school she's in is short of Sociology teachers and it's such a popular subject!

There's also the Environmental Science track. With a masters in development or water she could look at UN agency jobs.

Agree with Shiny's posts.

Although...
Was she gutted by the C because she loves chemistry or because she worked really hard and expected up do better?

If she worked hard and still got the C then definitely drop it.

If she loves it, then maybe rethink.

I know someone who did biochemistry, then a masters in international relations, currently running a big overseas aid agency.

The international relations masters programme involved French, economics, and pol sci, as well as subjects that could be broadly categorised in the geography and sociology area.

Interesting answers! I don't know how many posters on this thread are sixth form tutors or uni admissions staff but I'm thinking some certainly are not.

I am not either, btw. Here are my thoughts:
Drop her least favourite
Drop the one she doesn't need for her uni course
Drop the one with the worst grade

If there is correlation between these, all the better. Yes, sociology is not needed for any uni courses (not even sociology, as some sixth forms don't offer it), but the disparagement it is receiving here is shocking. It is her equal best grade so unless she hates it I would keep that. Research what degrees you need chemistry for - does she want to study biochemistry? If not, I would be inclined to drop that as it is her lowest grade. Tho if she loves it (and that is why a C is gutting) then it might be worth carrying on.

A B in chemistry is only ever better than an A in sociology if you are applying to a course where chemistry is essential. Otherwise, the A is better of course. What snobbery! DS2 (yr 13) did maths, biology and ... PE. He is the brightest in the PE class - not boasting as he is far from the brightest in maths. It's not an especially academic subject. But he needs AAB for his chosen course and frankly he is more likely to get A in PE than if he had done chemistry or physics. So on that basis, it was a much better choice.

To sum up, OP, we don't have enough info, but unless chemistry is a must in the future or she absolutely loves it, yes I would drop chemistry.

Btw geography counts as a science for uni admissions so if she wanted to study biology and two sciences were needed (they aren't everywhere) then she would be OK.

Is she aiming to go to university? If so she really needs a bit of a clue what she wants to study. So first work that out, then find out entry requirements, then decide what to drop.

People saying drop sociology are being ridiculous. It’s her highest grade!

Drop chemistry