What are your all-rounders doing at A-Level

[Emalex]

DD has just finished her A-Levels, she is a true all rounder type of kid and loves everything. Her GCSES were English, Maths, Triple Science, German, Geography, History, Classics, Latin (done as an elective in lunch and after school) and French (DH is French, both our kids do French Saturday School, speak French at home etc. so this didn't take much in the way of studying, just soe time familiarising wit question style etc.)
She is predicted 7-9 across the board, sciences were all 7, German, Geography and History 8, 9 for Maths, English lit and lang, Classics, Latin and French. She also plays competitive tennis to high level and just did Grade 7 Piano. (This makes us sound very pushy but it all comes from DD, she us a twin and DS Did 11 GCSES, predicted 6/7/8, quit music at 13 and doesn't love sports so will just about play football with friends once a week - we are proud of them bot and don't force DD into being busy)

Now DD has no idea what she wants to do, she likes the idea of working in Law or Finance, but also loves classics and thinks maybe researcher or museum work, also has an interest in politics so thinks maybe politics and economics might be for her then thinktank/policy advisor role. We aren't putting pressure on picking anything but she does need to finalise her A-Levels.

Her original choice was English Lang+Lit, Maths, Classics, Economics, but since then shes wanted to swap in Politics, Latin, History and Further maths. English and Maths are set in stone, she really wants to do them

So what are your all-rounder kids studying at A-Level as DD is finding it very hard to pick!! Any advice on what she should pick??

If you are genuinely very good at everything (I’d say ideally Level 9 or certainly 8) then doing Maths is a very useful subject to have. It keeps a lot of doors open and is clearly well-regarded. Even as a humanities person, Maths adds something.

Personally I think 4 A Levels is for those doing Maths and FM. Without those 2 included it’s best to do 3. I’ve seen a number of excellent students do 4 (without Maths and FM) and end up with some As and Bs instead of all A stars that they could have got. It’s quite simply an awful awful lot of work…and assuming you want your DC to keep going with their sport or music or DofE or other broadening stuff, really it can be too much. Students who do Maths and FM don’t find it double the work nor double the number of lessons.

Fine to start with 4 if the college or school allow it. But definitely plan to be dropping one by Oct half term.

Don’t be fooled into thinking it will make them more attractive as candidates to unis. It won’t. 4 only for Maths and FM or possibly if they are bilingual and the language will require extremely little time and effort - probably unlikely because if literature etc.

I couldn't agree with you more @WombatChocolate

Posters whose DC studied 4 different A levels, did D of E, and an EPQ while holding down a part time job seem to be completely unaware that their DC are exceptionally able.

DD started with 4 different subjects - biology, chemistry, geography and psychology, and was almost on her knees with tiredness from the volume of work - mainly from psychology.

By dropping psychology she upped her grades on two of her subjects. I doubt that she would have achieved the grades she did if she had kept on with psychology.