suggesting DD chooses a different A Level

[xmaswiththeinlaws]

DD is relatively bright and in Year 11. In her mind she has vague ideas of careers but nothing definite. Initially she expressed an interest in Architecture and more recently, Interior Design.
My dilemma is that she is taking Art GCSE and has been predicted a 4, which she swears is wrong and her teacher hasn't looked at any of her work recently and should be a 6. It is her worst subject, all the other predicted grades are 6, 7 or 8.
She has put down to do A level Art (Photography), and I she is resenting me suggesting she choose a subject that is not her weakest, and preferably not subjective, as Art is. She doesn't have an SLR camera, she takes a few pictures on her iPhone, but nothing really for months.
We moved house and have a lot of decorating to do, in which she has shown absolutely no interest, she does not watch interior design or art programmes on TV or read any books on them. She also doesn't appear to make any art projects for pleasure. She only designs lovely houses on SiMS.
When I was at school I enjoyed art but did not take it, even for GCSE, I wasn't allowed as I was capable of passing 3 sciences so it wasn't an option (unless I had had outstanding artistic talent). I drew, created and made things for pleasure, even in the 6th form but never considered myself artistic. I did OK in my A levels but did not get the grades I needed for my choice of Uni course , despite having got As in those subjects at GCSE and working reasonably hard (I thought at the time).
I feel it would be very risky her taking a weak, subjective subject at A level, whereas she thinks I am just being negative. She also plans on History which she is good at and Psychology, which I don't anticipate being a problem. (She already has 7s in English language and RS, which she took early).

AIBU and pissing on her bonfire or is she taking a real risk by choosing Art/photography, especially if she changes her mind on future career options (as both myself and my husband have done)?
How difficult is it to get a good grade in A level art? she thinks with a good teacher, she'll learn what she needs to know.

I fully agree that its her decision but I just don't think she's committed to it as i dont see much evidence of it and would rather she do it as an EPQ project. Obviously not having done art myself I am not clued up on how it works and I don't want her limiting her options if it all falls flat, as it is something you can do as a hobby and build a portfolio with later if you really want to. She has applied to several places, all who want at least a 5 or 6 to get in. She tells me her teacher hasn't looked at her work since Christmas and her grade then was a 6 but her predicted grade is still a 4 on today's report. It just concerns me that her expectations may not be very realistic. Her friend got a 3 English last year but has her heart set on being a surgeon, so I'm not sure of the quality of careers advice they are getting.

Get her to go and look at the A level art portfolios. That will give her a good idea of the standard expected. Go on some open days for other schools and colleges as the art is usually exhibited. A level standard work is quite daunting I’m always blown away by it. If she’s not naturally talented and a 4-6 grade at gcse which suggest she’s not then she may reach the conclusion herself that her strengths lie elsewhere.

A level photography is a lot of research and writing as well as the photos its following a project through to the finish and shows a lot of skills that can be used in business have a word with her art teacher.

You cannot dictate her study choices. Support her if fails. Support her if she succeeds.

Assuming the OP is in England this may not be an option. Since AS levels were decoupled from A levels many schools have stopped offering them. The only AS level that is offered at my DC's school is Core Maths. For everything else you have to commit to 2 years. If you drop an A level after 12 months you've just wasted a year of time and energy that you could have spent on a subject you're actually going to get a qualification in.

Why don’t you encourage her to take a fourth subject so then she has options to drop the photography if it’s not what she expected? A level photography is not an easy option and requires a lot of dedication and time

I would be wary of a school letting a student carry on with a subject at A level after getting a 4/5 or even 6 at GCSE

My mum made me choose a certain A Level even though I wanted to do a different one. I disliked it and got an E. I still sometimes feel annoyed about it.

I think when it comes down to 2 years of study, you should let your DD choose.

To be honest, I don’t envy school careers advisors. Imagine having that conversation with a child. Telling them their grades are currently not good enough to become a surgeon so have you thought about XYZ. Imagine the parent storming in to complain.
It would be a nightmare!

History, Psychology and photography are fine as a set if she wants to study history or another humanity at uni. Not sure it's sciency enough for Psychology degree unless she gets very high maths and science grades at gcse. And not sure enough fine art to do a foundation but maybe wrong

This is a good point re Psychology, I haven't seen many Psych degrees, if any, that don't require, or at least expect 2 sciences (this can include geography, PE and the like as well as the traditional sciences/Maths)

Echoing what PP have said. Art/Design A-levels are pretty formulaic; getting a good mark is as much about putting in the hours (annotating, explain, writing essays) as talent. If she isn't doing that at GCSE, it's unlikely she'll do it at A-level.

Also, strongly agree with @highfidelity. Art School is very hard work, and if you're not passionate, it would be miserable.

GCSE grades often don’t predict A level grades. New teacher, new methods (photography) will all have an effect. This is her choice to make and not yours. Stop pressurising her to do what you want her to do.

She has been to open days and seen A level portfolios. I encouraged this and it has given her ideas on how to improve, which she has started to do. I know i can't make the decision for her, or would i want to, I just think she thinks it will be a easy option. The teacher will be different as she has to leave her current school.
I'm happy for her to do the other subjects, I can't see her going to a Russell group uni or doing Psychology as a career, I have friends who have masters in Psychology still getting paid peanuts in the NHS, less than nurses.
I just can't see the logic in picking your weakest grade subject for A level unless you had a definite career plan that depended on it.

4 A levels aren't really an option here, unless they are Maths and Further Maths. Although one 6th form let's you take 4 for a term with an option to drop the 4th on e you have decided, but they don't offer photography.

Has she considered computing? If she's wanting to decorate sims houses then maybe learning to code and creatively design games and website design might be more in line with what she does like doing?

I'm a psychologist. The biggest issue that most undergraduates hit is that they think it's dream analysis, body language, freud etc. They don't realise until a few lectures in that it's learning about quite mathematical models linking specific cognitive processes and behaviours, or about the specifics of designing experiments, and remembering lots of names and dates i.e. it can be quite 'dry'

“ Initially she expressed an interest in Architecture and more recently, Interior Design.” “she does not watch interior design or art programmes on TV or read any books on them. She also doesn't appear to make any art projects for pleasure. She only designs lovely houses on SiMS.”

Tbf the world has moved on. Her lovely houses on Sims are in fact digital art projects and Sims is based on the old architecture CAD software of the 90s.

If she were to become an architect, she’d be designing houses digitally. No one hand draws houses or house plans anymore.

So if architecture is an interest, I’d look at her studying maths, physics and art at A level. Architects need to have some civil engineering expertise to understand things like the minimum slope you need to bear snow weight in say an Alpine ski resort design. Or how many weight supporting walls you need for a 3 story building. That sort of thing.

I agree photography isn’t going to get her to architecture.

If she’s thinking of something like archaeological architecture- doing the digital reconstructions of what ancient buildings looked like from excavated ruins, then history or classical civilisation, maths and art would be good.

I think when it comes to A-Levels you have to leave it to them to make up their own mind. I always wanted to do Law but did dreadfully at AS level so dropped it in the second year - I had to learn that for myself though. I think I’d of always wondered what if, if I didn’t pursue the subject that greatly interested me. She’ll find her own way and will no doubt appreciate your support.

Help her fully research her choices
But let her decide.