A at A level maths?

noblegiraffe · 28/04/2022 00:31

That’s an oddly specific requirement. What if you had a B at A-level but a maths degree?

purplepaintedpineapple · 28/04/2022 00:31

I was good at maths, took it at A level with sciences, and did a maths based degree, but I did go to a girls grammar where it wasn't seen as out of the ordinary (in the 80's)

Wilkolampshade · 28/04/2022 00:43

Well my DD just landed a job as a Graduate Programme Manager at a multi-national engineering firm with no Maths at A level but an (excellent) Humanities degree...... But it took a lot of doing and she's a bright kid. All her GCSE's and A levels either A or A*. She also had to do a maths and verbal reasoning test online in the 2nd round of interviews which she obviously passed.
It's not a walk in the park but can be done. They seemed to value her other skills but did reference her lack of an A level Maths at 3rd round interview - to which she just asked "well, I did pass your Maths requirement-yes? "
Go her.

Tomorrowtomorrowandtomorrow · 28/04/2022 00:50

My Google searching is failing, but this could be thought of as an age discrimination thing. It depends when you took your A levels. I am almost certain that significantly proportionally more A level Maths students are awarded A and A star than a few decades ago.

Not really what I meant as it’s probably because of circumstances around exams during Covid, but this table shows that 25.2% got A or A star in 2019, but 44.3% in 2021.

To answer your question, I got a B in A level Maths and a high first in my Maths degree. That was also in the days when relatively few firsts were awarded, compared to now.

Tomorrowtomorrowandtomorrow · 28/04/2022 00:52

I appreciate that A star grades are a relatively recent thing.

fUNNYfACE36 · 28/04/2022 00:54

Wilkolampshade · 28/04/2022 00:43

Well my DD just landed a job as a Graduate Programme Manager at a multi-national engineering firm with no Maths at A level but an (excellent) Humanities degree...... But it took a lot of doing and she's a bright kid. All her GCSE's and A levels either A or A*. She also had to do a maths and verbal reasoning test online in the 2nd round of interviews which she obviously passed.
It's not a walk in the park but can be done. They seemed to value her other skills but did reference her lack of an A level Maths at 3rd round interview - to which she just asked "well, I did pass your Maths requirement-yes? "
Go her.

Isnt that basically an HR/organising training job?

Tomorrowtomorrowandtomorrow · 28/04/2022 00:58

The figures for Maths A level are 40.5% A/A star in 2019 and 54.4% A/A star in 2021, if my arithmetic and table reading are correct.

fUNNYfACE36 · 28/04/2022 00:59

fUNNYfACE36 · 28/04/2022 00:54

Isnt that basically an HR/organising training job?

Show quote history

Sorry i misread

DropYourSword · 28/04/2022 01:00

Tomorrowtomorrowandtomorrow · 28/04/2022 00:50

My Google searching is failing, but this could be thought of as an age discrimination thing. It depends when you took your A levels. I am almost certain that significantly proportionally more A level Maths students are awarded A and A star than a few decades ago.

Not really what I meant as it’s probably because of circumstances around exams during Covid, but this table shows that 25.2% got A or A star in 2019, but 44.3% in 2021.

To answer your question, I got a B in A level Maths and a high first in my Maths degree. That was also in the days when relatively few firsts were awarded, compared to now.

I didn't think there was A stars in A levels?

TheyCallMeMaman · 28/04/2022 01:02

Yes: I listened to the teacher and learnt what I was taught. I got an A at gcse but didn't take it further. I wasn't really encouraged and did other subjects as I got As across the board.
Are you recruiting? 😁

Tomorrowtomorrowandtomorrow · 28/04/2022 01:04

@DropYourSword , A star at A level is a relatively recent thing. If you look at the tables in the article I linked it shows the proportions getting A star and getting A, plus others.

Flowersandwine12 · 28/04/2022 06:01

I was/am good at maths. I got an A at GCSE but was never really pushed to continue maths, I remember in fact that the school wanted me to take the lower maths paper where the maximum possible would have been a C.

Now I'm a bookkeeper. I wish I had taken maths a bit further when younger as I'd have loved an accounting degree but you did need a maths Alevel to get it back when I was young

ItWasTheBestOfTimes · 28/04/2022 06:22

I got all A*s/As at GCSE but found maths came least naturally to me, and because I wasn't very hardworking or studious picked subjects that did - English Literature, Biology and History - I got all As in those and then went on to do a law degree. I now work in IT for the law firm I joined as a paralegal when I first graduated. The IT director asked me to apply for the job. It had computer science degree as compulsory so there is no way I would have applied without him asking me to.

Wilkolampshade · 28/04/2022 06:35

@fUNNYfACE36 no problem. I think they want the maths for data analysis - but it's very much not my field!

ilovemyelectriccar · 28/04/2022 06:40

Didn't take A level maths at school but I did take it later at evening classes when my DC were small. And yes, I got an A.

ilovemyelectriccar · 28/04/2022 06:41

Oh, and yes, I took it 30 years ago.

Jellycatrabbit · 28/04/2022 06:54

Recruitment is getting a bit silly at the moment imo re specific qualifications being requested. I'm an accountant (chartered) with a good STEM degree and 20 years experience - but roles are being advertised as needing a business degree in the essential criteria and candidates not meeting this are auto screened out.

Then the same role is re advertised a month later with less specific qualifications required . . .

I do have A level maths though!

JurasicPerks · 28/04/2022 06:55

That's a strange requirement.
What about a degree in physics? Would that meet the maths A level requirement?

Anyway, I've got the A at A level maths, and the numerate degree. But think it's a bizarre requirement.

InkySquid · 28/04/2022 07:06

but roles are being advertised as needing a business degree in the essential criteria and candidates not meeting this are auto screened out

Yep, I now work as a contractor, in roles where I'd be screened out on the job requirements for a permanent post. Luckily I'm paid handsomely for it or I might be bitter.

windynight · 28/04/2022 07:12

runforyourdog · 28/04/2022 00:12

I recently discovered that to be employed as a grad where I work you need an A at A level maths.

I didn't even get an A but am head of the analytics team!

We want to get more women involved.. so question...

Were you good at maths but maybe didn't take A level?

I'm a bit baffled by the comment about getting more women involved. Are we assuming women don't/didn't take Maths?

Mummadeze · 28/04/2022 07:20

I was good at maths at GCSE and got 98% in my mock. Every test I did I found easy. But in my actual GCSE exam I had a mental block and got in a panic through nerves, and I ended up getting a B. It is hard to explain but I couldn’t think straight on the day. I still think I am good at maths though and sometimes think I should take it again just to get that A because it is annoying. But I am 48 and don’t require it for any reason.

NancyJoan · 28/04/2022 07:24

I'm a bit baffled by the comment about getting more women involved. Are we assuming women don't/didn't take Maths?

It’s not an assumption, it’s a fact. This from the Institute of Fiscal Studies:

There is a striking gender gap in the proportion of pupils pursuing maths and physics to A-level, which has persisted over time. Among students taking A-levels in 2017 – the most recent national data available – 18% of girls compared to 33% of boys took maths A- level, and just 4% of girls compared to 17% of boys took physics A-level. By contrast, the gap is just two percentage points for chemistry - 13% of girls and 15% of boys took chemistry A-level in 2017 – and slightly more girls than boys took A-level biology (19% of girls compared to 14% of boys).

fairylightsandwaxmelts · 28/04/2022 07:27

I'm a bit baffled by the comment about getting more women involved. Are we assuming women don't/didn't take Maths?

No assumptions needed - statistics show very few women take maths beyond GCSE and even fewer go on to do anything maths-related at university.

sashh · 28/04/2022 07:27

runforyourdog · 28/04/2022 00:12

I recently discovered that to be employed as a grad where I work you need an A at A level maths.

I didn't even get an A but am head of the analytics team!

We want to get more women involved.. so question...

Were you good at maths but maybe didn't take A level?

They are on dodgy ground with that, it could be seen as indirect discrimination. I'm doing an OU degree in maths. I was good at maths at school and I loved physics as well. But I wanted to leave school at 16.

I hated VI form, hardly attended so I sat in some classes but I didn't want to go to uni and the best way to make that happen was to fail.

Many women go to uni as mature students, many with no A Levels.

My first unit which was a mix of GCSE and A Level maths I got a distinction, I would hope that would count for something.

RachelshouldvegonetoParis · 28/04/2022 07:34

I was consistently top of my class at Maths in a mixed school. I loved Maths but was never encouraged to do A level and it literally never occurred to me to do so.

That was a long time ago but I wish I’d taken it further. It’s so much fun when you work something out yourself.