all A Levels created equally

[littlebillie]

So just some thoughts on A'Level choices, are they all created equally?

My DS is looking at either English Language, History and Politics and now has been advised to study History, Politics and Law. First thought on this, are they worth anything at Uni and where could you go with this?

English language is not a facilitating subject, if RG is important to you

No they aren't, universities prefer traditional subjects. They really don't like law, accounting or other applied type subjects if that's your intention to study at degree level (they would prefer English lit to be honest.)

What are the other options in that block?

If he really wanted to do it then fine but I wouldn’t be happy if was pushed into it for timetabling reasons.

Does he have any idea about what he wants to do after sixth form? I’m guessing with his preferences there’s no particular subject he might need to study - except maybe history.

Crikey F'ed up with all my posts tonight sorry .. anyway was trying to say that DD also wants to do Law and had seen an advisor who advised her not to do law A level if she wants to do it for a degree .. stick to good solid "facilitating subjects"

Def been advised not to do Law

A level-

There's a fair amount of prejudice against Law A-level, justification is that it's over simplified so not a helpful preparation for uni level law, and probably closes a fair few doors to non law subjects- begs the question why law A-level if you're not planning to study it...

Big overlap with politics too.

Not a fair swap really although there always used to be snobby stuff against English language too...

@randomsabreuse there still is. Not sure why

I would have a good look at the syllabus for English Language. It’s not - obviously - English literature. It’s a bit of an odd one. I had to do a bit as part of my degree and it was both difficult and boring, which is a killer combo. That might have just been the bits we had to do or my reaction to it but do check out what it entails.

There's a clash between History and English? It's a pretty standard combination. I'd be seeing if there was anyway to get him a last minute place somewhere else, although I guess that might be hard this year.

Can he do English lit instead. It's a better A level then English language anyway.

I'd say that law A-level would fit with say Biology and Chemistry for a student interested in forensics long term, possibly good for a long term plan in policing. Maybe with something like psychology and biology/maths for a psych degree. It's quite a limiting A-level (at least as a degree it is acceptable for non-legal grad schemes)

Politics would overlap a lot too - have a very outdated memory of the A-level syllabi though.

Do they offer criminology or psychology?

Is Economics considered good?

Economics is a good well regarded subject. Law isn't though Im afraid (and I say this as a lawyer who actually did Law as a 4th A Level because I didn't get good careers guidance).

@Twisique Economics is a great one and DD will do.. but for facilitating subjects there's lots of good advice on youtube .. they will walk you through which are considered to be the core subjects that a sold grade in will be recognised by Russell Group Unis and others

The list of “facilitating subjects” was completely abandoned by the RG universities and others last year as it was being misinterpreted by pupils and led to a drop in arts subjects particularly. It particularly affected disadvantaged pupils as well.

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/schoolsweek.co.uk/russell-group-ditches-facilitating-subjects-a-level-list/amp/

My DC’s grammars don’t offer law as an A level and they seem to churn out a lot of lawyers. I don’t think many do law degrees either-they tend to pick an academic subject eg English and do that as their first degree and then qualify afterwards.

Look at the grades awarded for each A level at the school (over a number of years) and let you son have a think about what he would likely get the best grade at. There were big unexplained differences at my DCs college.

Double check he isn't likely to be ruling out any possible courses or careers and then chose the A levels he is likely to enjoy and is likely to get the best grades at.

Also, there may be an advantage to doing law for you son if it means he gets a chance to understand whether or not he might actually want to be a lawyer.

Strong A level grades in so called softer subjects are generally better than shite grades in the harder subjects.

If a uni course says three A levels at A grade, one of which should be XYZ then that's what they want. They don't secretly want something different. If they have a preference for 'academic' subjects or sciences or whatever then they typically state that. Admissions are meant to be clear and transparent. The students shouldn't have to guess what is acceptable.

You have to do your homework a bit more with the highest ranking Unis but nearly all of the time it is clear what is and isn't accepted.

Thank you all, it's been really helpful. Now mulling over the options again. I studied language and literature and loved them both. It's difficult to know where these a levels will take him.

Anyhow...

He should go with his strengths, what he loves.

It's better to get high grades at a few ' mediocre' subjects, than mediocre grades in ' top subjects'

much better to do a facilitating subject and for some faculties it could actually disadvantage you as they want to teach the law from scratch in their own way

So, a bad idea (posdibly) if you want to read Law at university.

Probably an even worse idea, though, if you've had a look at the syllabus and not much in there floats your boat .

I can't see anything in the OP' posts that suggests a career in the law is a burning desire of their DS's in the first place and apart from e.g. trying to do Medicine with neither Biology nor Chemistry, or Fine Art with zero artistic talent being quite difficult, many, many university courses and careers out there make no stipulation at all as to what you need to have studied at A level. Yhere is really no need to spend two years studying something in which you have no interest at all, just because someone, somewhere, in a profession you have no interest in joining, either, will judge you for not having done so. Or for having chosen something else instead, which did interest you. Apparently, there are masses of people who have done all the right things for it and actually do want a career in the law, who just can't get in, so you think someone who decided to choose an A level which apparently rendered him unemployable in that sphere from the outset would be encouraged.

But he doesn't fancy Law anyway...?