Confused over A level choices

[ihearttc]

DS1 has just finished Y11. He is a fairly bright boy and is predicted 6s, 7s and 8s for GCSE. He has picked his a level choices…PE, Geography and Biology. These are some of his best subjects and is predicted 8 in both PE/Biology and a 7 in Geography.

He had his induction day at 6th form this week and PE/Geography are ok, the Biology didn’t go well. He thinks the teacher is great (he taught him before) but the others in the class are just not on his wavelength. I’m aware that sounds really shallow and pathetic but 2 of the boys especially are very hard work and he said he was only in there for an hour and wanted to walk out. There are 10 of them and he said there is literally no one he could talk to. He is rather cool and sporty…they are the complete opposite so I can see why he found it tricky.

Anyway…my question is does he suck it up and just accept the fact that he is going to hate a lesson just to do the subject or walk away and chose something else. He wants to do something sport related…either sports science or become a Secondary PE teacher if that’s relevant.

The other option is his other choices are limited due to timetabling. It would have to either be the biology, Media Studies (which he did for GCSE), a BTEC medical science (which seems not at his academic level) or Maths. The obvious one is maths but he is freaking out over hard it will be and he doesn’t want to fail.

Any thoughts if that makes sense at all?

He doesn't need biology to do sports science! PE, Geography and maybe Psychology would be a good three.

Exeter and Loughborough don't require Biology. Just sciences, which include PE and Psychology

He’d love to do psychology but it’s in the same column as PE

L'boro needs two sciences tho, so if he ditches biology for media then the only science he will have is PE. Some unis count geography as a science tho. Have a look at where he fancies as it might clarify things.

@ihearttc

He’d love to do psychology but it’s in the same column as PE

That's really annoying!! That would be a great combo

@clary

This is what it says on Loughborough. So am I correct in thinking if he did the BTEC Medical Science diploma and got Distinction then it would work alongside the other 2 A levels of PE and Geography?

Biology is hard. It's one of the most content-heavy A levels.

[quote ihearttc]@clary

This is what it says on Loughborough. So am I correct in thinking if he did the BTEC Medical Science diploma and got Distinction then it would work alongside the other 2 A levels of PE and Geography?[/quote]
He would need the BTEC to be the Extended Diploma and he'd have to get a distinction that would mean distinctions in the majority of the assessed coursework right from the beginning. So annoying he can't do psychology!!

It's BTEC Applied Science (medical)

Lots of different types of applied science

My à-level classes were fantastic, because we had a great mix of 'sporty cool' and quieter, more serious types. I would expect my son to suck it up, it will be great practice for working with different personalities later on, whether he chooses a btec or uni. A great deal of nerdy, Sheldon Cooper-types work in sport too!

I think it is the extended diploma…it seems like it is from all the stuff on the school website but it doesn’t list the qualification. Will get DS to email tomorrow. It seems more achievable perhaps.

My feeling is that there is still some snobbery about BTEC and that a traditional ALevel would give him more options in the future.

I don't think he needs to have mates in all the classes.

He sounds like he is pretty academic so should be able to cope without a group of mates. Tell him to just keep his head down and do the work.

Yh what @Bryonyshcmyony says.

High grades for that course, and they specify GCSEs too! ds2 is hoping to do biological science there and hid offer is AAB and no mention of all 6/7 at GCSE.

One of the nice things about A levels is that everything changes from school. You get to know kids you never expected to be friends with, you get to learn in a different sort of atmosphere and you get to be a slightly different “you” to the one that you got typecast into in about year 8.

Your link says it needs to be the Extended Certificate in conjunction with 2 other A levels.

@clary

He should be ok with the GCSE grades…the only one he might get lower than a 6 is Spanish.

This is a fairly ordinary uni 's physio requirements :

courses.uwe.ac.uk/B160/physiotherapy#entry

It requires biology. Some sports science/Physio degrees don't require biology but many do.

(I know he hasn't mentioned physio but he could change his mind...)

@Comefromaway

In the second paragraph it says Extended Diploma with Distinction plus an A grade in a preferred subject which I’m assuming is PE?

He needs to suck it up. More doors will be opened to him with Biology + PE together.

Genuine question…would everyone really “suck it up” for 2 years if it made you feel uncomfortable every day? Cause I’m not sure I could.

The people in the class - unless threatening or very disruptive - shouldn’t be a factor given any weight in subject decisions!

Relative requirements for HE and possible future jobs, subject preferences and prospects of doing well.

Whatever he does next he’ll be surrounded by people, many of whom he’ll have little in common with. Presume he’s had some experience of this already at school.

I don’t think you’re helping by entertaining the idea that it’s a problem to study/work with people you didn’t like much! It’s just normal reality.

[quote ihearttc]@Comefromaway

In the second paragraph it says Extended Diploma with Distinction plus an A grade in a preferred subject which I’m assuming is PE?[/quote]
The first paragraph referes to the Extended Certificate, the 1 A level equivalent qualification. It is accepted alongside 2 other A levels.

The second paragraph refers to the National Diploma which is the 2 A level qualification, again they will accept that alongside one other A Level

The third paragraph is referring to the fact that unlike some other universities they will not accept an Extended Diploma on its own without having studied at least one A level. Some universities state this as they want proof of the candidates academic ability through at least one traditional A level.

It’s not a problem…I don’t give a shiny shit who is in the class with tbh. He says he feels really uncomfortable because they are a specific “type” (whichever way I say it seems wrong) and is completely different.

He has had experience of them at school which is the whole reason he doesn’t think he can cope being in a class with just them for 2 years.

It’s a social circle which he will never ever be able to penetrate.

It's worth noting that they also want Distinctions in all units too. The marking system of the Btec means you get awarded points for each unit depending on size of unit and grade awarded for that unit and it is possible to get awarded DDD as a final grade for example even if you have obtained a Merit for the odd unit.