I have already started one thread related to Year 9 options, but am still really struggling to know what advice to give my Year 9 DS re his options. DS is in top sets (at a good comprehensive school) for all subjects. He really doesn't know what he wants to do long term. His best subjects relative to his peers are French and German, for which he generally comes top of top set. He is interested in doing those subjects for A level. Beyond that he really doesn't know what he wants to do. For English, maths and science he is in top set, but not top of top set.
Compulsory GCSEs at his school are English language, English literature, maths, (at least) double science and RE. On top of that there are four options. DS is definite that he wants to continue with French and German, so that uses two options. I think he has pretty much decided to do triple science, which uses another option. That seems sensible to me given that DS has not ruled out doing science A levels and (at his school at least) triple science = more science lessons. That leaves just one option. DS is interested in doing resistant materials. He is keen on having one subject that is less academic for which he will positively look forward to the lessons. We have spoken to the teacher who thinks DS would be capable of getting an A in resistant materials at GCSE. My concerns are (a) that (however unjustifiably) a university admissions officer at a top university would see a resistant materials GCSE as indicating a candidate who is not capable of doing all academic subjects at GCSE or (b) that the absence of geography or history among GCSE subjects might lead to DS being "filtered out" if a university has way more applicants for a course than places and needs to start with a "broad brush" way of narrowing down the candidates.
Would welcome any advice, particularly from those with knowledge of how top universities go about "filtering" applications for vastly oversubscribed courses!
TIA