Switching A level choice at end of first year of college, ant advice please?

[Monr0e]

DS is currently studying maths, physics and law. He is doing well in maths and physics but is really disliking law and massively regrets opting for it as an A level.

When he chose his A levels he had zero clue what he wanted to do. He's starting to get a better idea and is leaning towards an engineering degree (possibly!)

He has had a meeting with his head of year to enquire about dropping Law completely and was hoping to do computer science as he feels this is much more fitting with his other subjects and degree choice. But has been told this probably won't be an option, but another subject might be. But they won't know what is available to swap to till after half term

He is pretty low at the moment, kicking himself for picking the wrong subject, worried there won't be a suitable subject to swap to and worried this will ultimately affect his grades and uni options.

Sorry it's so long! But if anyone has any experience or advice I would really appreciate it.

DS has friends who just started over after their first year 12. I've heard that story a few times.

Further Maths?

I think a lot of colleges would be reluctant to allow a swap after year 12 because so much content will have been missed.

My DS thought about changing a subject after the first term but was put off doing so because of the catch up.

Is he planning to start the third subject from scratch? He'll not be able to make up a whole years work before September. I'd be wary of anyone telling him he could.

Where I work we wouldn't allow anyone to swap subjects after the first short term. How is he going to catch up?!

Really really bad idea. He will have missed in the region of 60- 70 percent of the course already. He should just stick with the courses he’s doing.

Did he do computer science for GCSE and/or is he really good at coding? If so, you could get him an A level book now so he can try catching up on content, and he would also need to start working on his project (my dd does computer science and they've been working on their projects for a few months now). Then you could show the teachers the work he's already done and really push for him to be allowed to do it.
The other option is further maths, my dd has a year 13 in her class who is doing it in a year, he'd obviously have to catch up on a lot of content on his own too.
The most important thing is, there's always options, foundation year, repeating year 12, doing an easier subject, or if you're prepared to fund it, an Access course or studying an A level privately. Sympathies though my dd has also just dropped law.

Law is boring to study at A Level but it isn’t hard. Stick with it. Anything else will be risking grades and grades are everything. He’ll literally be applying to university at the start of next term. How can he be given a predicted grade when he hasn’t even started the subject. It’s way way too late. Lots of kids hate their choices but after the first half term in year 12 it’s too late to switch.

Lots to consider;
Does he know where he wants
to study?
Are the entry reqs in Ucas tariff points?

Would they let him do an AS subject plus an EPQ? So he would finish still on schedule.

Or as pp suggested truest year 12. But I’d check out the merits of the above first.

Find out what the options are.

Some colleges DO offer the option to double up to achieve an A level or equivalent in one year. However, it will be a massive workload.

He may want to consider further math or a btec in IT ( or similar). That will help bump up his UCAS points. The college will likely tell him what his AS( or equivalent) options are. He will still be half an A Level down, but that isn’t the end of the world.
He may also consider a half A level equivalent plus an EPQ. If he does a computing topic, that would help.

There are university options compatible with 2 or 2.5 A-level equivalents.

Alternatively, he could see if there are engineering extended diplomas close by- he could start from scratch.

There are also apprenticeships available at different levels too.

Lots of options ☺️

Agree with universityhelp about computer science a level as it would be too late to start on the project. Is an AS level possible in computer science, further maths or chemistry - all useful for engineering degrees.

Even a very basic awareness of law such as obtained by A level, is useful for any professional to have.As other have said he needs to just get his head down

Just remind him that he probably disliked some of his gcse subjects too. DS hates economics with a passion. It’s been a hard slog for two years since he just isn’t interested and finds it really dry and boring. But he left it too late to switch (Christmas of year 12) so has just had to get on with it. It will be his lowest mark but he made university choices knowing he might only get a B

@Monr0e Work backwards. Does he know what type of engineering he might want to do? What grades approximately is he looking to achieve?

I just ran mechanical engineering through, UCAS code is H300 for all unis offering 3 year BEng, some seem to want just maths and physics, some of the very top ones like Imperial want a science in addition to maths and physics. So start with looking at university entry requirements for whichever courses he might want.

Once you know the UCAS code for the engineering degrees you can run them in google against whichever university he thinks he meets the entry requirements for. Google will give you the Complete University Guide rankings for the course.

When you have that information there are then options to consider. One is, no matter how he feels about Law he aces it, does what it takes to learn and master it. It is a good life lesson that sometimes we have shit things we must do in order to get somewhere. It is one year.

Second, he resits his entire year 12 with maths, physics and computer science. If this is an option then he might want to consider further maths but this will depend on his maths ability. He might not be able to do this at his current college, all to do with funding. He needs to talk to them.

Third, he takes up a new subject but computer science might be out of the question. However, he does have the rest of the school year and the summer plus access to course materials through school for computer science, maybe if he showed willing now, that might sway college. If he took computer science for GCSE then this will be a much easier transition as he will have the foundation down.

Therefore, start with looking at university courses and their requirements before anything else and go from there.

Thank you all for your advice

Lots to think about. I rang college earlier today and have requested a call back from his head if halls to discuss it with them. I dont feel they have really discussed the pros and cons with him and he seems to think its a dine deal. I agree with what most are saying, that it's too late and he should stick with law and get the best grade he can but right now he is adamant he wants to switch so not pushing it at the minute.

And no, he didn't do computer science for gcse, so even more at a disadvantage.

My worry is he will just pick anything, hate that as well, then be even worse off next year.

They have told him that if he switches he would have an introductory lesson in July then be given work to catch up on over the summer then have make up lessons in the new term. I think.

You should be putting your foot down if his college lets him do this. The only way it should be permitted is if they run a one year only A level in something. Otherwise it would be running a serious risk with his grades. There are literally a few weeks left of year 12. Does he realise that in many schools year 12 kids will be doing their personal statements before the end of term in readiness for ucas applications as soon as they get back. Presumably he hadn’t done any open days yet?

He might be able to do FM .
some schools do all maths one year and all FM the next for their double maths students . Next year that would give him 4 blocks ie physics, maths with the other y13 single mathematicians plus 2 blocks of FM with the y13 double mathematicians.
Alternatively he could perhaps do AS law this year and another AS next year

ASs aren't really a thing anymore in England. They still sort of exist but not in the way they used to.

They are still available but not all schools will enter students. But they can if they choose to.

I think that he either has to put his head down and stay with the Law A level or take two A levels and take a third one whilst doing a gap year.
I wouldn’t advise anyone to do a completely different subject at this late stage.
Further maths is notoriously difficult, but would probably be his best option if he insists on dropping A level Law . Still don’t think that this is advisable though

He has been given poor advice by his college. When students start their 3 A levels in September if they want to switch they must do so before half term in October. Even then they will have 6 weeks work to catch up independently, possibly by borrowing another student's book and copying it all up. Photocopying is not as good as it won't sink in as well. He needs to buckle down and get on with the law. It would be virtually impossible to catch up to 9 months of work independently over the summer. In IT if he has not studied it at GCSE he would be having to learn that too before thinking of launching I to A level. Plus IT has ridiculously long coursework that even students who are really organised and start early, say it interferes with their other subjects as so labour intensive. It would be a terrible idea for him to do this. Most University places will ask for maths and Physics so he'll have those already. I was a HoY for Year 12 for many years and I would never have allowed a student to switch this late. Put your foot down, show him the replies on here. His college should not be feeding him this nonsense.

Thank you again everyone. I managed to speak to his head of halls yesterday. He explained in more detail how it works. They call it "subject in a year" and say they run it every year and have appox 200 students who switch. The courses offered are very specific and not many choice due to how they are structured and delivered. So computer science, English, any other sciences are not due to the amount of work already covered in foundation year. The A Levels most likely available to switch to are media studies, ancient civilisations, possibly sociology and a couple of others mentioned. He also said B Tecs such as IT and health and social care are usual offered. I expressed quite clearly that I did not feel any of these would be of benefit to DS and my concern he feels this is a suitable option. I had a long chat with DS yesterday afternoon. He was frustrated however has come to the sensible decision of sticking with Law for the rest of the A Level. He feels he will not do very well with it and is worried it will drag his marks down but I still feel he would do much better than choosing another random subject! So we are going to try and help him get the best grades possible with the A levels he is doing. Thanks again for all the comments, they have been very helpful

An IT BTEC would actually be very useful for Engineering

I hope people with y11 kids are reading this my kid got a 7 an 8 and 8 9’s and thought they were bright as a button and could manage any A levels based on such great GCSEs and they’re at an outstanding 6th form

instead it’s been a nightmare they chose 2 sciences one is really hard the other an absolute shit show if they pass it’ll be a miracle

mine finally admitted they couldn’t cope at the Xmas but even 3 months in it’s too late to change so we’ve had to throw money at a tutor and plow on

y11s need to be strategic in their choices as many a levels they actually enjoy and come easy to them as possible that might mean going to a different college than their preference

as parents be on the ball with them in the first 6 weeks speak to teachers if you feel the need, a lot of 16 year olds aren’t best placed to realise there’s a big problem that needs fixing they’re more likely to be an ostrich

because my kid could have got into the uni of their dreams if they’d done things differently now all I can do is support encourage and hope they’ll get grades to do their subject, the one successful a level, somewhere

A/S levels are done in Northern Ireland still, where pupils typically do 4, then drop one of their subjects for their final, A level year.

Aside from giving the kids formal exam experience in L6 (useful for those who didn't sit formal GCSEs), they don't appear to be of any benefit when applying for Universities at all.