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Original poster

Biology or Economics A Level?

13 replies

wernerlau · 22/08/2023 09:30

DS2 has to make his final A Level subject choices this week. He will definitely do Maths, Further Maths and Physics. He has to do a fourth subject (FM only available as a fourth). Can’t decide between Biology and Economics.

He has enjoyed Biology GCSE but has heard that the A Level is hard and in particular is very content heavy and has quite pernickity mark schemes. He likes the idea of Economics but not entirely keen on long essays (although has done well so far in History so he can do them).

Any thoughts on which is a better option??

He doesn’t know what he might want to do at Uni …

OP posts:
Brefugee · 22/08/2023 09:32

i flipping loved Economics A-level (but then i took it in the 80s and it has most likely changed since then) I also did a PPE degree, and the economics part had a lot of statistical analysis, so if he enjoys that it may be a good fit.

Also a bit of essay writing may be a nice change sometimes?

BoohooWoohoo · 22/08/2023 09:36

There's not much maths in biology and de found the mark schemes to pernickity too.
I'd imagine that Chemistry goes better with physics and that combination would be fine with pretty much all STEM degrees.
He might welcome Economics being different from the other subjects. I don't remember the maths being at all challenging at A-level but the syllabus may be very different compared to when I studied it.

Original poster
wernerlau · 22/08/2023 09:41

Brefugee · 22/08/2023 09:32

i flipping loved Economics A-level (but then i took it in the 80s and it has most likely changed since then) I also did a PPE degree, and the economics part had a lot of statistical analysis, so if he enjoys that it may be a good fit.

Also a bit of essay writing may be a nice change sometimes?

Thanks yes I did think that too about the essay writing

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Original poster
wernerlau · 22/08/2023 09:42

BoohooWoohoo · 22/08/2023 09:36

There's not much maths in biology and de found the mark schemes to pernickity too.
I'd imagine that Chemistry goes better with physics and that combination would be fine with pretty much all STEM degrees.
He might welcome Economics being different from the other subjects. I don't remember the maths being at all challenging at A-level but the syllabus may be very different compared to when I studied it.

Chemistry is a non starter unfortunately as he found it boring - not sure the teachers were very inspiring

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Brefugee · 22/08/2023 09:44

i suppose he needs to take into account what he wants to do after A levels? is the choice going to cut off some avenue(s) he might want to explore?

Original poster
wernerlau · 22/08/2023 09:46

Brefugee · 22/08/2023 09:44

i suppose he needs to take into account what he wants to do after A levels? is the choice going to cut off some avenue(s) he might want to explore?

I think only if he might potentially do Biology at uni as he’d obviously need Biology for that but you can do Economics without an Economics A Level. But then again not sure he would know he wanted to do Economics at uni without having studied it ….

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Hoolahoophop · 22/08/2023 10:11

I loved A level biology, went on do do a degree mixed with business (lots of small research start ups). When I went genetics was such a fascinating emerging field. But in reality lab work at low wages did not interest me or the academic route so after university I went on do move into business.

At A level and degree I would go with whatever seems most interesting. Once your DC has an idea of what they might like to do as a career they can always do a related masters in the subject. I would have thought with Math and Physics they would be able to get onto most masters courses with ease.

lanthanum · 22/08/2023 10:42

I've never been a fan of writing essays but didn't find the economics A-level ones too bad - long time ago though. Usually one of them was an essay-with-sketch-graphs, which seems less essay-like, too.

The use of economics A-level with regards to economics degrees is primarily that the degree is then not a step into the complete unknown, although I gather it's still not a very good indicator of what the degree will be like - perhaps get the perspective of someone who has done both to find out what's similar and what's different.

Biology might open up/be useful for things like medical physics, epidemiology, mathematical biology, either at uni or career-wise afterwards.

Chemistry seems to be the science most often required for science subjects (other than engineering/physics, which are already covered). It was definitely DD's most boring GCSE, but fortunately she managed to see past the terrible teacher and realise that she liked the subject, and is thoroughly enjoying A-level. However it is a personal thing, and I'm still glad I didn't do it.

He'll have plenty of options whichever he goes for, so if he can decide which he would enjoy most, go for that.

NeverDropYourMooncup · 22/08/2023 10:44

I've got an economics a level.

I'd suggest that he does Biology.

NellyBarney · 23/08/2023 22:53

Biology without Chemistry is hard and a bit useless, as to study any biology related degree, or medicine, would require chemistry. Economics ties in better with maths, and as an essay subject, opens up options like law.

Henrylastwife · 27/08/2023 22:41

The subject combination with Economics is better in this case.

titchy · 27/08/2023 22:55

I'd also suggest economics. It is lots of demand-supply graphs (which haven't changed from when I did it in the 80s!) and he may well not like it. But it does give you a good basis for understanding what's going on in the world. And there are these days lots of shorter questions.

As he's not aiming for a biology degree it's not worth doing Bio (unless Bioengineering is a possibility?) as very specific wording is needed to gain points and the content is a lot.

Original poster
wernerlau · 28/08/2023 03:11

Thanks all - he’s gone for Economics!

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