A Level Accounting

[Infracat]

Does anybody have any experience of this subject? My son has decided he might like to do it. Is there very hard maths involved? Is it really boring? It would be alongside Business A Level. I think they go well together. Hes not good enough at Maths to do Maths A level. So would he struggle with this? Its so hard as applications due in this week and its stressing me out. I dont want him to pick the wrong subject.

To be honest it’s a bit pointless. It’s narrow and not of much value. What else is he good at? Favourite subjects?

https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/programmes-and-qualifications/cambridge-international-as-and-a-level-accounting-9706/

look up the curriculum, but to be honest if you think it’s boring, it will be boring as it’s not a subject he’d be interested in.

There are thousands of accountants who must enjoy the subject

Agree. It’s pointless. Do a subject he’s interested in. If he wants to be an accountant, he can take the courses after A levels.

The problem is he really doesn't know what he wants to do. He was originally thinking 3D product design and then psychology and now accounting.
I dont think its necassarily boring. Its something I read online.

Virtually no one studies it as an A level. Most accountants are mathematical or enjoy maths but do another degree. Many don’t do an accounting degree either. It’s a job that has a very wide intake. Specialising early is no benefit at all.

Why does he want to be an accountant? He is also looking at psychology and accounting neither of which, presumably, he does at GCSE? What does he like at GCSE? Surely something?

If he wants to keep doors open, he needs one solid academic subject then build others around it. Maths is easily the best for business and accountancy but that’s out so it feels like grasping at straws. He must like something at gcse? Any higher grades predicted? Should he be doing A levels or would Btec type learning be better?

I'd do accounting later.

If he actually wants to be an accountant then the maths in it, at least to becoming qualified, isn't really that hard. I'd describe it as being numerate, rather than maths. So it's things like being able to sense check that a number is about what you'd estimate. Or that when you convert from GBP to USD the number gets bigger.

@Mayflyoff £ to $ - at the moment!

As an accountant, I wouldn't bother. If he wants to become an accountant he can do AAT/an apprenticeship/train on the job/go to uni. There are much better routes for becoming qualified.

If he isn't sure he wants to be an accountant then the A Level is pointless. He'll not be doing the "interesting" accounting/tax stuff, it'll be the basics of double entry etc.

He's better off picking subjects he likes and/or will do well in.

What other subjects could he choose?

A friend's daughter is doing both Business and Accountancy A levels at college. She got a grade 5 maths - so decent but not good enough for A Level. She is taking these A levels with a view to, possibly, a modern apprenticeship route into a company or an entry level office admin role, perhaps in a credit control or finance team. She is enjoying enjoying the Business course more than the Accountancy course at the moment (year 12).

What about economics instead?

@postitnot He is already wanting business studies. It’s unlikely he’s got the maths for economics.

As one who taught Accounting and Business and Economics for decades, I would suggest that Economics would be much more interesting and a great fit with the Business he is doing.

Not that it probably matters for DS here but the Complete University Guide says this about A level combinations. The advice for potential uni students is don’t do Economics and Business studies. People who teach don’t know everything!

Another alternative to A'Levels would be doing AAT Level 2 at College and having a job alongside.

It's a one year course and he'd then be able to apply for apprenticeships starting in the Summer when the course finishes.

So he would still fe studying but instead of being at Sixth Form, by Y13 he'd be studying, working and earning.

Whilst it is true than some uni explicitly caution against combining Economics A level with Business A level, some 8,000 18 year old did just that in the June 2024 exams. Of these, fewer than 2,000 took Maths as their third A level. The most popular third choice for the Econ/Bus 'combiners', after Maths, was Psychology and then Geography (800-900 each).

It’s still a combo most schools don’t like as per CUG advice, Many aren’t keen on economics without maths either because it cuts down uni choice. Is grade 5 maths ok for A level economics? Some schools would say no. However if the DS here wants a better subject than accounting, Economics is a possibility but I don’t think we know what else might be under consideration.

Some schools, not "most schools."

It’s fairly unusual to have an economics teacher doubling up with business studies though. There’s also a split between who does economics and who takes Bus studies based on maths GCSE results. So it’s unlikely academic dc do both and yes, most schools would advise against this combo. For obvious reasons.

If he is not great at Maths then accountancy as a career is not a good move and the A level would be fairly pointless. Likewise, economics is not ideal without Maths.

I also would not recommend combining Business Studies with Economics or Accounting as it doesn't show a great breadth of study for university. Students with higher Maths grades are usually directed to Economics rather than Business Studies and vice versa.

Geography and Business Studies is a much better combination, otherwise any other academic subjects from his GCSEs that he enjoyed.

I just think it's disingenuous to say CUG have said "most schools" when your own screenshot says "some." Some is very different to most, it doesn't even indicate a majority. You can have your opinion but don't dress it up as CUG advice as it isn't.

Just to provide an alternative opinion, I did AS Accounting and loved it - and that's why I'm an accountant now. It is a much easier way to see if you like accounting than embarking on an apprenticeship and finding you hate it!

I don't have A Level maths either and I'm pretty good at finance 😉

Is it boring? Maybe. I'd rather poke my own eyes out than do business studies though, I think that's really dull.

I’m an accountant and I wouldn’t recommend it - it won’t be useful in the future

Hubby taught accounting. He sats basic maths ... add, subtract, multiple, ratios. It's about understanding concepts and dpes use quite a bit of English for report writing.

@Acc0untant I accept that. I think in reality it’s probably over 50% will say it’s not a good idea - because it’s not,