How to choose A levels when unsure of future career

[doglover]

Our dd is in Y11 and we've just started visiting sixth form colleges. She's in a bit of a quandary over what to study and I suggested that we canvas some MN views ...........

Her definite is Eng Lit and her other possibilities include: sociology, RE, Eng Lang and maybe music or history.......

She's a bright girl and wants to continue to university but doesn't yet know what she wants to study for her degree or do as a career. How should we advise her? Contact potential universities to ask about which subjects are acceptable? We know that most of her preferred subjects aren't on the 'facilitating' list so will that automatically exclude her from applying to decent unis?

Please advise! TIA

Doing a Librarianship degree/post grad course can lead into a lot of different types of jobs, mainly not working in your local public library.

Could she do A'level English Language and Literacy? My DD is considering that and its as highly thought of as just English Lit. I would suggest you look at Informed Choices as produced by the Russel group, there is also a list produced by Trinity College Cambridge which can be used to see which A'levels are highly respected.

Do be guided by her interests, as there is a lot of self-study for A'level.

this time last year my dd had the following list for her A-levels: Eng lit, Maths, Music and fourth was undecided

she settled for - History, Maths, Biology and Music

in both History and Music she is learning about essay writing

she says she is actually looking forward to her lessons as she is finding all subjects interesting and they were chosen by her

your dd may change her mind about subjects even in September next year so tell her to do her best and not to worry

also - choice of Biology was due to her considering Psychology as university course (she did Psychology GCSE but decided on Biology as more generic and she is loving it)

My DD doesn't have a clue either. She is going with subjects that she finds interesting, and that she is (hopefully) capable of doing and that look generally useful.

However, agree you should look at the Informed choices booklet and at the facilitating subjects list.

Broadly speaking out of those options, I would think 1 English, Sociology and History look as if they would give her the widest scope, (but that is my opinion, not necessarily fact).

If she is bright, make sure you check the list of "acceptable" A levels that Russell Group/Oxbridge publish.

See the Trinity college Cambridge list of A levels, which will show you which ones are considered OK and which not. www.trin.cam.ac.uk/acceptable-level-subject-combinations

You can see from that that perhaps Sociology and English Language would perhaps be ones to avoid ...

I would say the best combination would be Eng Lit, History and Music. Three serious A levels there.

With a DD going throughout uni application process atm, I have discovered
If you want to do something sciencey, you tend to need to do more than one science subject at A Level.

Otherwise you tend to need a good grade on the subject you want to study at uni. As long as the others are good subjects, it doesn't matter what they are

Russell Group unis base their application requirements on 3 grades at A2

Others are based on points (e.g. 100 points for a B at A2) and can include other stuff at AS level depending on the uni

Interesting link Bumsadaisy - hadn't seen that one...

Oh - and with a DD already at uni doing Fashion, they didn't care what subjects she studied at A Level as long as she got the required points

Go to the UCAS website and start looking at possible degree courses and the entry requirements. Individual university websites will have full prospectus information online.

See also Russell Group Informed Choices information.

Haha - there are already links to the Informed Choices booklet. It really is worth looking at grin

I'm immensely grateful for all this wonderful advice. It looks like it'll be a busy weekend perusing the Russell Group Informed Choices information.

Many, many thanks.

One of my dcs was persuaded by her school to do the 'worthy' academic subjects not the ones she was interested in. It was a train wreck - she hated them, did badly and might go to uni one day as a mature student. Her sister did the subjects that interested her, did well, and is happily in her second year. I'm an academic with a PhD in a subject I did not study at A level - what you study at A level does not commit you for life - it just sets you off in a particular direction - which can change. If you learn how to be a skilled and strategic learner during A levels then it's those learning skills that are the most valuable thing you gain - not the subject knowledge.

It sounds like your dd is setting off in the general direction of humanities not science(?) but if library work interests her then IT skills are also something to think about - our uni library staff do a huge amount re supporting students to handle online resources,

This adds another perspective, Catsrus, which is refreshing to read. I suppose part of the dilemma is knowing whether to follow one's heart or head? She could opt to study Eng Lit, History, RE and Music. The RG group of universities predominately seem to state they're looking for AAB - ABB for most humanities courses and I'm not sure if this is a realistic target for our dd.

Part of me wonders if she would be better choosing slightly less rigorous courses (and probably achieve higher grades at these) even if this means it leads her to a less prestigious uni ...........

Decisions.

My DS has just started looking at 6th form, he's considering psychology, sociology, biology and philosophy and ethics.

My understanding is that with the loss of AS levels (apart from as stand alone courses) a lot of schools (including academic ones) will be dissuading their pupils from doing more than 3 A levels as all the exams would be terminal ?therefore no opportunity to drop a subject at the end of year 12.
Doglover that humanities combination would be hard work as 4x 2 year courses.
What about English Lit, RE and maybe music?

Or English Lit, RE and psychology (slightly easier than history but still quite well regarded).

When we went to the sixth form open evening, we were told that it hadn't been definitely decided whether the A level courses would be remaining as they are (4 AS to 3 A2) or would be changing to 3As. We're hoping for the former option!

In our case dd is unlikely to achieve mostly As at A level, so Russell Group approved subjects isn't so important. She averaged Bs at GCSE which according to school means B to C at A level.

I'm pretty sure she won't be going to University straight from school anyway, she's got no idea what she wants to study, so seems daft to start a course costing £1000s until she's worked it out.