What A Levels to choose when what you like and what you are best at aren not the same

[TapiocaSilkpaws]

Just that really. Does doing well but feeling non-committal over something outweigh being interested but always getting lower grades? We're talking 8/9s as opposed to 6's. I know A Levels are hard-going and would always think students should go for something they enjoy - but on the other hand it seems a big gap....

I’d say you need to look at why they got the 6s and consider the subject. Loving maths and physics but only managing a 6 at gcse would be a bad move. Getting a six because content was missed in geography might be easier to pull off with a move to a level

I would think about careers - work back from that. Quite a number of careers require specific A Levels. I'm not sure (speaking as a teacher) there is always a huge gap in students who come in with 6s or 8/9s in my subject (English), many students flourish at A Level because the criteria are very different. Maths/science may be more closely linked to GCSE. What kinds of careers are you (or your child) considering?

What are the subjects in question? It's important to study subjects you enjoy, but worth considering what you might want to do after a-levels and what results you need to achieve to be able to get there.
Also, there are subjects (eg.maths a-level) that would be a slog if you only got a 6 for GCSE.

They are interested in creative subjects and would love to work in art based design. But results in science, language and Maths are consistently better than art, English, humanities.

Can't they do a mix? I know a lot of people who did two science/ maths subjects and one arts to balance it out.

I suppose it also depends if they have an idea about uni/ careers yet. A Levels basically function as a path to university, there's not much point to doing them beyond that, so they could have a think about what uni/ career they might be interested in and base the decision on that.

If they're not sure - go for a mix.

6 is still decent whilst 8/9 is exceptional.
I would encourage a combination. Art and maths or art and physics are good combinations for design, going into production design, architecture etc? Combining something they love with something they are probably guaranteed an A at will be good for university points.

@TapiocaSilkpaws

They are interested in creative subjects and would love to work in art based design. But results in science, language and Maths are consistently better than art, English, humanities.

Sorry, cross posted with this.

I could advise them to do art and design, a tech/ graphic design subject, and then one subject from the science/language/maths.

If they know they're interested in an artistic career then they don't need science and maths. But if it guarantees a good grade then it's worth doing one.

Sorry typo - I WOULD advise

I would say go for a mixture. You don’t need geography a level to do graphic design for a job, for example. So, pick one arty a level and two science/maths.

Take the point in doing a mix, although that still means a decision to take 'subjects A&B which I'm not at all fussed about' which seems a bit unsatisfactory somehow. I know maths is quite different at ALevel than gcse, is the same true for Sciences?

If I lived my life again I would most certainly have taken the subjects I liked not the ones I was best at.

I was railroaded by my parents into maths and science, because it was believed I would be a Doctor (both were medical). They were relatively easy subjects for me but not where my heart lay. I didn’t take the exams because I was ill with Glandular Fever in U6th and ended up just leaving school as I couldn’t face another year.

My whole career was dictated by that choice and was miserable. I could have, should have changed track somewhere in the my 20”s, 30’s, 40’s but was a single parent and couldn’t let the higher salary go.

Only now in later life can I pursue the things that really interest me and it makes me sad that decisions made at 15 have coloured my life experience in such a marked way. I will never have my dream career or live the life I could have lived immersed in my areas of true passion.

Retrospectively I realise that we live long lives and don't need to be straight A students at 18, but conversely short lives and should have the freedom to explore our passions at a time when they can still open the right doors for our future happiness.

@TapiocaSilkpaws

Take the point in doing a mix, although that still means a decision to take 'subjects A&B which I'm not at all fussed about' which seems a bit unsatisfactory somehow. I know maths is quite different at ALevel than gcse, is the same true for Sciences?

I think they should take two they like and one they are good at, rather than two they are good at and one they like.

Motivation is important and if they just take things they are good at but don't like then they won't want to do the work and might do badly anyway. A Levels are a huge leap from GCSE's and if you're not enjoying the studying it will be hard to commit to it.

The one they are good at also shouldn't be one they hate.

I was always an arts person, I took Biology as my Science because I think it is almost the least sciencey science, if that makes sense? It was less technical and more relatable to real life, and I enjoyed it.

(Physics and Chemistry are mostly about about really small or really big things that you can't see, but Biology is mostly about living breathing things)

So yeah, I'd go for two arts, and a maths/science that they don't hate.

Surely there must be a balance somewhere of something they like and something they are relatively good at.

It can't be that everything they like they are bad at, and everything they don't like they are good at.

There are so many options at A level, it's not even about just arts or science. There are things like Psychology, which are sort of a mix.

They don't have to do straight Maths or Physics just because they're good at them. They can do something a bit Sciencey which they would also enjoy, along with some Arts subjects.

My advice as a parent would be to do what you enjoy.

I had a similar choice when I was a teenager OP. Good grades across the board. Parents (mum especially) wanted me to do science and maths. Largely because that's what my older sibling did. But also because prospects and all of that. In the end I did the more creative subjects (English and History) Much to my mum's dismay.

There was a huge leap between GCSEs and Alevels. I struggled as it was and would have struggled to keep going if I wasn't at least somewhat interested in the subjects. Being good at something only gets you far when you keep being good at it.

And being totally smug, my sibling went onto flunk out of their science degree at uni while I went onto get an upper second.

Look at how you want your future to be.

Choose based on what puts you on that path.

It may, or may not include doing any A levels.

Look further ahead at potential uni courses (if that's the plan) and what the grade requirements are. Not all unis accept UCAS points. Look to see if any stipulate specific A levels for specific courses.
A mix may be better and choose those that meet both the subject entry criteria and those that may get you the highest grades.
DS1 for example did Business alongside Maths and Geog. He needed two A's and a B to study Geog. As he knew maths was hard he chose Business as an 'easier' one to balance it out and increase the likelihood of getting an A. He did get two A's and a B (maths) and into the uni of his choice.
To a certain extent you have to choose strategically if going down the uni route.
Speak to the college careers advisor.

I agree with cpt look ahead beyond A levels, so uni, or jobs or apprenticeships, what are they looking for? For university have a look at specified A levels if there are any and their own entry grades for the course she may be interested in.

Just because an entry grade says ABB doesn't mean everyone is at that grade, so try to find out what the usual successful applicants have ie A A A etc. Some stuff is on WhatDoTheyKnow? website who do freedom of information requests to universities for these kinds of figures.

Is your DD in year 11? They still have time to bring those grades up from a 6 but it will require focused effort. The general rule of thumb from GCSE to A level is a one grade drop however there are exceptions to this but it is a guide. Therefore I would be asking the sixth form for details on students coming in with a grade 6 what did they end up with at the end of A level.

It's much easier to get 8/9 at Science GCSE than an A or A* at A level. Physics especially.

So there's not an easy answer - it seems the best thing to do is to pick A levels that you'll get the best results in - and only 3 - if a degree is your end goal. Depending on subject you may not even need specific A levels, so it then becomes all about the grades.

My DS got an 8 in GCSE Physics but would never ever have taken it as an A level - it's super hard at A level and he's not that into it. He's not especially good at Physics - but it seems at his school it's quite normal and easy to get 8s in the sciences.

DS picked 2 of the 3 subjects he got the highest grade in (Maths and Physics) and the subject he enjoys the most but didn't get the highest grade in (History).

It seems a good balance for him and he puts far more effort into History than the other 2

They are interested in creative subjects and would love to work in art based design. But results in science, language and Maths are consistently better than art, English, humanities.

I think that science, language and maths would be just as useful for art based design as english and humanities. Probably more so: design can be very technical. So in terms of long term plans, I would think art, maths and either a science or language would be great. On the other hand, what do they enjoy studying more right now? English/humanities or maths/science/language? For art/design they will probably find that a high quality portfolio is more important than A level grades as well.

I don't know very much about this, but I do know a little. For a while my daughter wanted to do graphic design at University and we went to a few open days. She did maths/german/english/art. The maths went down very well with some departments! Her strong interest in languages also tied up as it is all do to with communication and her project was language based. She ended up doing german and linguistics however...

For students who are getting "easy" 8/9 at GCSE, the science syllabuses can be quite limiting I think, even boring. Some detailed discussions with teachers might help to tease out where the lack of interest is related to the subject vs the way it is examined at this level. If someone does well at GCSE because remembering facts comes easily, then no I wouldn't recommend doing physics or chemistry A level without real interest in them, but if applying concepts and relating stuff together, and handling mathematics, is all easy then talking about what the subjects are like at A level may clarify that there is a science they might enjoy taking.

I'm also inclined to agree that for those with the ability, A level maths is a valuable subject to take regardless of where they think they are headed (daughter did English/history/maths, going to study English at uni but who knows where she'll end up).

I also agree that A levels would be an awful slog if trying to do a set of subjects that don't speak to a student's interests. Don't forget the EPQ can be a good way to include interests outside the subjects they are actually taking.

What they like every time (assuming working standard is high enough for A Level study).

DD is consistently getting 9s in one subject at GCSE. But she doesn't want to study it at A Level because she doesn't really find it interesting-she's just worked out what you have to do to get top marks. The subject she is studying instead is something she is passionate about, will really enjoy, and quite likely will do better in at A Level where a higher standard of input is required than at GCSE.

I think it’s a huge bonus that they are good at maths as that can often be a huge advantage in the creative world. The combination of creativity with analytics will go a long way. What creatives is he interested in? Some go very well with physics, biology, maths - think architecture, product design, engineering, robotics, prosthetics, music production etc. Like other posters have suggested a combination of A levels would be good.