Help! DDs A level choices

[whoseboots]

Sorry, I'm totally clueless about this!

Dd is just finishing year 11 and due to start her A level courses in September. She is hoping to go into the film industry, but realises that it's very tough to get into and she will need some sort of back up plan.

A level subjects she has chosen are Business Studies, Media Studies, Drama and for her AS, photography. Am I right in thinking that, if she wants to go on to Uni later, that these will be viewed as 'soft' subjects and she might struggle to get a place? I have read a bit about facilitating subjects and am concerned that she has not considered any of these.

Her GCSE predictions are for a B in maths, everything else is A or A* if that helps.

Grateful for any advice - I didn't go to Uni and don't know anyone that did, so I'm really out of my depth with this.

She is ruling out a lot of options with those A levels.
But maybe she wouldn't want those options anyway?

As she seems quite academic, maybe get her to check the RG facilitating subjects lists just to see what degrees she is ruling out by choosing those particular A levels.

What is her backup plan?
And when you say film industry do you mean behind the camera or in front of it?

Have a look here: www.russellgroup.ac.uk/media/5272/informedchoices-print.pdf

Long but comprehensive.

Drama is well thought of generally, it goes well with English Lit and History, would she like to swap Business or Media for English Lit?

I think a couple of facilitating subjects would be better, along with something she really wants to do.

Yes, you’re right. I would discourage taking more than one non-facilitating subject. What sort of degree might she be interested in?

It depends on what kind of degree she wants to do. Southampton has a highly regarded film degree, but it is theory rather than practice: https://www.southampton.ac.uk/humanities/undergraduate/courses/filmstudies/p3033bafilmmstudies.page#entryrequirements%0AA__

A levels aren't just about career options, they are also about getting an education. That really isn't much of an education. Apart from drama the other A levels are fair irrelevant to film, why doesn't she take more generalised A levels that will help with developing academic skills or general knowledge. History for example is excellent, it teaches good writing skills, reasoning skills, research skills, referencing, and also gives an imprest understanding of the world around her.

Thanks for your replies and the links - I'll read through those with her at the weekend.

She'd be happy to be either behind or in front of the camera, but I do think she needs to revisit her choices.

She is quite determined to do Media. She took History as one of her GCSE options, so I'm a bit baffled as to why she won't continue with that as she enjoys it - It might be an idea to maybe switch Business for History.

She doesn't really have a back up plan as such, but I'm concerned that she may be limiting other options should she decide to change course further on.

Thanks again.

My DD is hoping for a career in front of the camera, and is taking Drama, EngLit and History Levels. DD is at a full time performing arts school and they really emphasis the need to have solid academic qualifications as PA is such an unpredictable business!

Exactly what I was thinking error! Your Dd's choices look very sensible. Thanks for your advice.

Could she do economics instead of business?

Am I right in thinking that, if she wants to go on to Uni later, that these will be viewed as 'soft' subjects and she might struggle to get a place?
Grateful for any advice - I didn't go to Uni and don't know anyone that did, so I'm really out of my depth with this.

If she wants to go to University then your obvious start-point for information is the Universities themselves. Look at the UCAS course search to find out what degrees are out there and what the entry requirements are.
For an industry like this, it's not all about the academics. She needs to be able to show extra-curricular activities too.

I have a friend from uni who is now enormously successful behind the camera in the film industry. You will have seen one of their films.
They studied English, Maths and Psychology at A level, did a gap year working for a major UK IT firm and studied psychology at Uni.

They often give talks about getting into the industry and always recommend a broad education, but joining film club at uni etc.

If she's thinking about the film industry, then media studies, drama and photography wouldn't be bad subjects to have followed. Perhaps, for her, I'd think about dropping business studies or drama though. My DD is at a private school, one of the career advisers there came from a business related background and he's said if they're interested in business studies, just go and work in business. She could join a club outside school and do drama as well. If she's got an academic subject behind her, this could possible still keep this option open.

It might be worth checking out something like WhatUni, searching for film studies courses and checking out uni's individual requirements, some of them may require a particular academic subject.