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Original poster

If you did maths, chemistry and physics A levels what degree and job do you do?

137 replies

bluefineliner · 12/03/2023 07:56

My DD is close to GCSEs and is predicted v good grades in all subjects. She is favouring maths, chemistry and physics A levels (which would have been my worst nightmare when I was at school!) but not sure what to do after that. As well as being academic, she does love to plan, organise and lead so sitting on her own in a lab or churning out statistics may not suit.

Obviously loads of time, but I am an AHP and DH in computers, so no direct experience to draw from. What jobs did you end up doing after studying similar A levels please, DD veers from teaching to dentistry! I want to inspire her when the world is her oyster at the moment.

OP posts:
useitorlose · 12/03/2023 11:19

DD did these - she's now 23 and a graduate civil engineer with a MEng. Earns a great starting salary, has a company car and a housing allowance. She's working on a railway tunnel project and learning so much.

Have a look at Quest scholarships run by ICE - she had £10k off them over 4 years.

kitsuneghost · 12/03/2023 11:21

Biochemistry. But it is traditionally very low paid (lower than nursing). However I love it.

cathyandclare · 12/03/2023 11:22

Medicine

Interested in this thread?

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General education
cathyandclare · 12/03/2023 11:22

DH did law with the same A levels

Utini · 12/03/2023 11:45

I did those plus further maths and a maths degree. I'm now work for an insurance company as a data scientist.

fUNNYfACE36 · 12/03/2023 11:54

Engineering

Rainbowshit · 12/03/2023 12:14

I studied engineering at university and like a couple of others on this thread I am now an actuary.

Whiteroomjoy · 12/03/2023 12:23

I did chemistry.
that starts me in working on formulation of drugs in pharma industry- research based
then d coded 4 years in my brain doesn’t hunk as researcher and moved into production support technologist
orking In production then got me into production planning
and into supply chain management
and finally, before I retired, to a global supply chain consultant

supply chain as a discipline didn’t exist when I was at uni or even when I first started in production planning. It was more basic material management asdidnt have computers available on that scale back then. So no way could I have planned it

And that’s the point - a good degree in science trains you to think logically, be data driven, solve problems, be unflinchingly curious, question everything, be able to adapt to new technology…and that’s it’s value.

Whiteroomjoy · 12/03/2023 12:24

Sorry, crap typing, lying don with bad back 🤷🏼‍♀️🤦‍♀️

Twiglets1 · 12/03/2023 12:27

My dh did those A levels and he is a Clinical Scientist in a hospital

KnottyAndPistey · 12/03/2023 12:37

DD did those three, plus A level further maths.
Physics degree at Edinburgh
Astrophysics MSc at UCL

in year two (just) of getting experience but working in data analytics. Currently working an area of identifying financing of terrorism.

So it’s not what she wants to do long term. However the money and benefits are obscene. But everyone wanted experience. So she’s getting that. She saw a job she really liked using data analytics in elite sport. Think premiership football. But didn’t have the experience at the time.

she also fancies a move into medical physics.

or even post grad medicine.

who knows where she’ll end up!

Bumply · 12/03/2023 12:58

I did Maths, Physics and Biology in the 80s
Did first degree in Land Surveying
Phd in Digital Mapping
Started off with Surveying, but moved over to System Admin and now work in DevOps

titchy · 12/03/2023 13:08

KnottyAndPistey · 12/03/2023 12:37

DD did those three, plus A level further maths.
Physics degree at Edinburgh
Astrophysics MSc at UCL

in year two (just) of getting experience but working in data analytics. Currently working an area of identifying financing of terrorism.

So it’s not what she wants to do long term. However the money and benefits are obscene. But everyone wanted experience. So she’s getting that. She saw a job she really liked using data analytics in elite sport. Think premiership football. But didn’t have the experience at the time.

she also fancies a move into medical physics.

or even post grad medicine.

who knows where she’ll end up!

How did she get the job she's currently doing if you don't mind me asking - grad scheme or advertised somewhere (where?). Have a dc following a similar path with similar interests and not quite sure where to go next.

Sorry for derail!

Cornishmumofone · 12/03/2023 13:40

DSis did Physics, Maths and Chemistry followed by a degree in Mining Engineering. Before she had graduated she was offered a well paid job in mining. She still works in mining earning a huge salary. She does a lot of project management and travels globally.

PeekAtYou · 12/03/2023 13:41

Ex did those A-levels then went on to do a Computer Science degree.

DonnaHadDee · 12/03/2023 14:39

I did exactly those, and went on do a degree and masters in computer science (and later after working for a few years a PhD in computer science field). I've worked in software development all of my career.

Both my brother did same for subjects for A levels. One works in another well known tech company, the other went back to our family farm.

BaconAndAvocado · 12/03/2023 14:50

DS1 did those A levels and Further Maths, followed by a Chemical Engineering degree.
He now works at KPMG and has almost got his Chartered Accountancy qualification.
Ultimately, he wants to work for a hedge fund.

FinallyHere · 12/03/2023 17:08

does love to plan, organise and lead

Sounds a potentially ideal candidate for a degree apprenticeship, plenty of choice , here is just one

** https://careers.sky.com/earlycareers/apprenticeshipss**/*

My best friend at school did those 'A' levels, then picked up a general management place at an international corporate. Specialised in chemistry for a while then moved into HR

All good.

SagittariusDwarf · 12/03/2023 17:09

I did two out of those 3 (with a modern language and another science one) in the late 90s and am now a lawyer.

cowzen · 12/03/2023 17:20

That is probably one the most versatile set of A Levels to be honest. The maths opens up any engineering course you want plus you have access to medicine etc., I did those A Levels and travelled the world working for a multinational company. Now a university lecturer. Not bad for the first person to go to Uni from my northern working class family. Personally I think the opportunities are endless with a good science degree - and you are much more likely to face a level playing field when applying for jobs (very few unpaid internships in science).

HannahinHampshire · 12/03/2023 17:20

DS2 did those A levels followed by a Master of Physics at Manchester Uni. He’s now a software developer (and loves his job).

KnottyAndPistey · 13/03/2023 11:15

@titchy LinkedIn

Initially she looked at grad schemes. She’d been doing well in the data analytics grad scheme process for both British Airways and the RFU but we live in SW London and she fancied working centrally. Then this particular company had an opening.

but yes, both grad schemes and full jobs in LinkedIn

Kindofthisnotthat · 13/03/2023 11:29

My DS 2 is in a similar situation. Wants to study A'level Maths, further maths, physics and biology or Chemistry. Regrets not doing computer science at GCSE.
Could he ultimately get into some kind of data science/software dev job with a degree in maths ?

xogossipgirlxo · 13/03/2023 11:35

I did math, chemistry and biology. Accounting&finance.
Husband did chemistry, biology and physics. IT.

xogossipgirlxo · 13/03/2023 11:35

*maths, sorry