Chemistry - degree course where, what to look for/avoid?

[GnomeDePlume]

DD is finishing GCSEs now. The plan is to take A levels in:

Chemistry
Biology
Maths
French

All are subjects DD loves.

To date DD has attended a fairly rough school but has done well despite some problems with provision in the school. She has been lucky to have had some truly inspirational teachers in the sciences.

DD is hoping to change to a completely different 6th form (outstanding in all areas , brand new science block).

DD wants to study chemistry at university. She is interested in spending a year abroad (she already has an A grade A level in a different language).

If you are a chemist and had your time again what would you do different? What do you wish your parents had done to help?

Neither DH or I are scientists. We want to help DD to achieve everything she is capable of.

What do we as parents need to be doing to help DD please?

That DD will need to do post-grauate study comes as no surprise. I think that is pretty much the same in all professions. I'm an accountant with a degree in finance and I still had to do post-graduate study to qualify. DB is a physicist with a PhD as well so there is plenty of family experience!

Thanks Claire, the idea that DD really has to get her ideas in a row over the next year or so is good to know and will help to focus DD's mind.

I have had another look at the sixth form prospectus. They do have strong links with a major R&D company in the same town as well as various optional trips. This is all very reassuring and part of what DD wanted to get out of the change of schools.

I also agree about the plain BSc. When I got mine, 25 years ago you could still get graduate level scientific jobs in some disciplines (generally the applied disciplines rather than the pure ones) with it, but having the industrial placement year was a huge advantage.

Having been involved in the recruitment of many chemists over the subsequent years things have changed a lot. In more and more disciplines / career paths you really won't get a foot in the door without a PhD and preferably some relevant work experience. In other places you might get a job, but it is likely to be at the technician area with very limited prospects.

I realise it's hard to get the experience though. In my last job we used to recruit industrial placement students and we were awash with applications, we really could pick and choose the best ones. Those were nearly always the ones with a bit of work experience, not necessarily in science, but anywhere that they could show initiative and the ability to work with systems and procedures. One of my best industrial placement students got his job based on his Saturday job in Spar. Anything that makes your CV stand out from the crowd helps as you start out.

Thanks WhoKnows, interesting point about the industrial placement. Will certainly make sure that DD keeps this in mind.

just to say unless your DD is doing IGCSEs it a big jump from GCSE to A level - so however much she loves chemistry and is doing well it can be hard going - it can often take a bit of time for concepts to fall into place

GnomeDePlume - if your DD is interested in medicine but not medicine has she looked at materials science and engineering (biomaterials) degrees? this is what i studied an it was a good degree we covered all the sciences and was really interesting, and everything had a medical slant on it.