Would you let your child choose “easier” A-levels to get better grades?

[ainawatson]

My child is about to start sixth form and we're having a bit of a disagreement about subject choices.
They're considering subjects they genuinely enjoy and feel confident they can get good grades in, but I'm wondering whether they should choose more traditionally academic or “useful” subjects instead to keep more university and career options open.
Would you prioritise enjoyment and the chance of higher grades, or choose subjects based more on future career prospects?
Interested to hear what other parents and students would do!

No.

Out of interest why is psychology a level considered soft?

OP hasnt answered my question. I am now very wary of mumsnet threads. I think this thread could be some sort of information gathering exercise.

There is a thread about shagging the vicar which has now appeared in the Telegraph. I think the OP in that thread was the Telegraph journalist.

Don't be surprised if this thread appears in some form in a national newspaper.

Do you know what psychology is? It is the study of brain and behaviour. One module is Research Methods. Is research methods a walk in the park? Can you tell me what research methods is?

You obviously think research methods would be absolutely no use at all at university.

My DD did Art, Psychology (though she applied to Sixth Form thinking she would do Biology) and History. Her interest was in a creative degree. However after receiving her results (three A*), and more research into job prospects she pivoted and is now at Durham doing a social science degree. Her subject combination may have cost her a place at the likes of LSE, but Sociology at Durham is in the top five in the usual league tables (and one recent year was 15 in QS ratings).
This is what I hate about the system here. It requires a decision at age 15/16 that may well shut off future careers. A broader subject selection would keep options open. And other countries manage it (as well as having an exam/grading structure that allows for firm, not conditional, offers). My DD’s very in depth knowledge of the Tudors is irrelevant to her degree, and a less concentrated curriculum could have meant better prospects, or at least a wider one. But we are in the system we are in.
As oft mentioned, there is a balance between interest, what one is good at (not always the same), and future goals. Rather than opining on what A levels to take, suggest that your YP looks at possible career choices, then university subjects that could lead to that career, then requirements for those subjects. Most have broader requirements than one would think.

Just out of interest, what career is she planning on?

Most schools also do an EPQ, which helps to broaden scope, and is worth UCAS points.

Is this AI? Your replies seem "robotic" OP.
Or possibly a journalist?
I'm 57 - back in the 80's my (interested) parents, had no input at all into my choices.

Why are all of the OP’s posts AI generated?

AI seems to lack the capacity to answer that question.

OP is gathering information to write an article. Maybe they are a sixth former researching parental input into A level choices.

They were unable to answer my questions regarding their own A level experience and support provided by the school with choosing A levels.

OP are you writing your replies on AI?

As it progresses, this thread makes no sense at all.

FWIW I think chem, maths and eng is an awful combo: either go all stem or if he loves humanities do something like politics, and economics instead of the chemistry

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/education/5574228-what-do-you-wish-youd-known-before-your-child-started-a-levels

This thread is also by OP and has an AI feel to it. The 6th former author idea is a good one - gathering info but not really engaging.

I was busy and couldn't reply you earlier. I didn't attend all the open days yet, which is why I am asking for other parents' experiences. I can assure you that this not an information gathering exercise. I am genuinely looking for advice.

You haven't attended all the open days yet? That makes no sense, OP. You have told us your DS is starting Y12! There cannot be open days for his cohort because choices will already have been made and teaching begun.

Typo

My take was to properly inform our DS about the pros and cons of choosing STEM subjects compared with, say, humanities, etc. We also started looking at Unis in year 11 before he had to choose his A level subjects, so we "exposed" him to the types of subjects offered at Uni, the types of subject that required specific A levels, the type of Uni requiring specific grades, etc. We made sure that he could make a properly "informed" choice bearing in mind all the pros, cons, consequences, etc., rather than just glibly taking his "favourite" or "best" subjects etc (or even worse, choosing subjects that his best friends were taking so he could be in classes with them!!!), so basically we made sure he had the "tools" to make informed choices bearing in mind his resultant Uni options and subsequently his resultant career options. He said it was enlightening to see how his A level choices would impact his lifelong career options as he'd never thought of it that way before! In the event, he took Maths, Economics and Physics, as he wanted to do either Maths or Engineering at Uni, but ended up doing a financial Maths degree (he got a First) and then a graduate scheme actuarial job with one of the UK's biggest financial services firms (when he thought about it at age 16, he decided he wanted a "financial services" type of job, so his A level and Uni choices were made to facilitate that!

If he'd had followed his heart and chose his favourite subjects of German, Geography and History, he'd not be working where he is today (very happily!!).

Haha, I think you're reading way too much into it. BTW, I did not do A levels, so I can't comment on my own A level experience.

Enjoyment of the subject should be the main criterion. High grades come when the extra reading and extra practice is a joy, and there's absolutely no point getting a B in a subject you never wanted to do instead of an A* in a subject you love.

Education is what is left over once you have forgotten everything you learned in school. GCSEs are a benchmark to prove you have the capacity to understand the basics across a broad swathe of topics and types of skill. A-Levels and equivalent L3 qualifications are supposed to demonstrate just how brightly you can shine when you are motivated and engaged with topics you have chosen.

The actual knowledge that your child needs in their eventual career will not be learned during 6th form. They will learn that later on. The best thing to do in the 16-19 stage of education is to find out just how high you can rocket when you're allowed to do what you love. Let her do her favourite subjects.

OP please respond to my point about open days. Has your son now started in Y12? Can you tell us what GCSE grades he achieved so we can see where his strengths lie?

@Badbadbunny Thanks so much for the detailed advice, really appreciated.

And that depends on whether those parents actually know what they talking about - or just THINK they do.

Which depends on whether the parents have done any research, i.e. looked at Uni and employer websites to see what career options are available, subjects & grades required, etc. If they havn't, then obviously they'll have a very limited outlook on future opportunities and probably too blinkered and not really in a position to give good advice.

I'm interested @ainawatson - is this the same DC you are talking about on your other thread? who has this week (yesterday in fact) started in sixth form – even though on the same day you posted that you hadn't been to all the open days yet? or is this thread about a different DC who is maybe currently in year 11?

Did they decide to go with your choices? how do they feel about that?

I raised the point about open days yesterday. OP has not replied. Perhaps your question, and those on related points, will fare better. As I have said in a previous post, either OP's is a chaotic household or this is not a genuine post.

No, we didn't get to any open days in the end. He has started. GCSE wise he did well. He got 7s.

Yes, same DS. I can see why that sounds confusing! We’d discussed the open days before, but things moved quite quickly. I told you about his subjects. He chose Maths, English and Chemistry.