Those who have been there - advice please. DD has to choose A level subjects soon, and I am afraid she is rashly putting all her eggs in one basket!

[hmcAsWas]

She is going into Y11 in September but has to choose her A level subjects by the autumn because her very small school doesn't have a sixth form, hence she needs to apply elsewhere by December 2017. I suppose that if her school had a 6th form it would be more free and easy with the option to change her selected A level subjects at a later date - but less so with an external institution...

She doesn't really know what to do in the future. She thinks a creative career (to be fair she is particularly talented in art). She is also talented in sport but apparently doesn't want a related career, and academically she is a good (but not stellar) all rounder. She doesn't want a career involving lots of paperwork, meetings and too office based. That's about as clear as she has been...

She has taken quite literally the advice given by the Head of a Sixth Form College that we visited recently - to only study the subjects you enjoy. I do agree with this to a point....but dd wants to study A level Biology (she loves this subject and is very strong in it), Art and Graphic Design.

I am happy with Art and Biology but I think Graphic Design as the third A level is narrowing her future options given that she hasn't definitively decided what she wants to do. I've suggested Environmental Science to her (I know she would find this interesting) or perhaps Psychology...but she keeps repeating that she should her only do her absolutely preferred subjects and would definitely enjoy Graphic Design

Am pretty sure she could do Graphic Design at a later stage in a Uni course whereas she probably couldn't do a science type subject at Uni if she has 2 out of 3 A levels as Art related.

Sorry this is long and thank you for reading - any advice please? She is so bloody stubborn and thinks she knows everything at 15!!!!

I've also suggested PE A level to her (she is doing the GCSE) since it fits quite neatly with Biology - but apparently that is a naff idea too

Difficult.
I too told all of my DC to do the subjects they enjoy or they won't succeed at them, but in your DD's case she is very much limiting her options with 2 arts-based A levels.

I would say choose one of them - either Art of GD - not both, plus the biology plus one other. Environmental Science sounds like an excellent option to me but if she doesn't want to do that is there another subject she would consider?

I think she's the one who has to do the work so she needs to be happy with her choices. Help her research what uni courses she could get into with her chosen subjects and then stand back.

When DS had interviews for state sixth forms the thing they were looking at was whether his A level choices tied in with what he wanted to do. She'll be looking round sixth forms from September and have the chance to chat about her choices then, even when they've started they might have a week or three in which to change one.

My experience is that an attempt to push a strong minded child is a waste of time, it only strengthens their determination.

That's what I think TwitterQueen - choose either Art of GD but not both, however I won't enforce this, I want her to reach this conclusion herself but it ain't happening (very much 'not listening' and not debating it)

I take your point Heroic - but she is 15 and hasn't thought this through as clearly and logically as she should. I will start looking at Uni courses and entrance requirements with her though as that should help inform her decision

There is no way that an external institution would tie her to a choice of A-levels made in December of Y11. Loads of kids change their mind. What will probably be the deal is that the college arranges its timetable so that the majority of students can study their selected subjects (unless it's a massive institution who can cater for everyone), and anyone who changes their mind later can only take that subject if it fits with the timetable.

There's usually an option for kids to change courses even a few weeks into Y12.

That's reassuring noblegiraffe - thank you, I didn't realise that there was potentially a bit of flexibility

A levels are a big step up from GCSEs especially the new linear ones - I do think it's important that they do something they enjoy, , sorry!

Agree with Noble.
Kids change their minds once they get their GCSE results (or their results mean they have to change their minds).

This is really helpful - getting the low down from those of you who have been there. Thank you

When she visits sixth forms encourage her to ask lots of questions including about the workload for all the subjects she's interested in. She might come to the realsiation that both art and GD may be too much.

I also agree about the flexibility.

There's also a possibility some of the courses may be timetable d against each other, DD had to change one of her intended choices when she saw the option columns.

After I left school the advice was to initially start at least 4 a levels so that you could drop 1 at as level. In hindsight I would definitely have done better if I could have dropped one of mine which was not as I thought it would be at all. Eventually I scrapped a pass but I hated it!

My DD didn't need to confirm choices until enrolment just before college started. I would also be steering her away from 2 art subjects. Would she consider Business Studies? That is a very broad subject that be useful in the majority of careers - regardless of whether she works for an employer or is self-employed.

If she changes her mind later she can always do additional study or an access course. What's an extra year when you have a lifetime to live?

certainly worth think carefully about

www.theguardian.com/education/2017/aug/12/poor-students-miss-out-on-elite-universities

slightly misleading article title but essentially wrong choices at A level can close a lot of doors when it come to Uni;

As other posters have said any A level subject choices made in December will be provisional. When dd applied last year she had to indicate 3 "preferences" for A level subjects with either one or 2 "reserve" subjects (depending on the sixth form). After GCSE exams there were taster days where they could try out sample lessons in their chosen subjects and there was an opportunity to change preferences then and there were also other chances to "swap" subjects after results day.
If she is sure about a Creative Arts career then 2 Art subjects is possible, but it is a lot of coursework and you have to really love Art to make this work.

Any good Sixth Form will have someone available for her to talk to and work on display, so she can see exactly what would be involved in each subject.

As mentioned before, choices are provisional and give the school an indication of uptake for each subject. However, some change their minds in the meantime and there's likely to be a shake up on results day when some do much better in a subject that expected, and on the other end of the scale do worse. Also, at that point she might suddenly get a feel of something she doesn't want to do.