What level of maths is required to succeed at a chemistry degree?

[surelysomething]

DS is currently in Year 12 doing A levels in chemistry, maths and French. In class tests he has recently been averaging a C in maths, but that average hides a huge range from ungraded to A* and all grades in between! DS has struggled with some of the maths topics, so we have recently got him private tuition (about 1.5 hours a week).

DS really doesn't know what he wants to do after leaving school, but has thought about doing a chemistry degree. If he is struggling with some of the maths topics at A level, I am wondering whether this is a wise choice. I have no experience of studying science beyond O level, so I don't have a feel for what level of maths is involved in a chemistry degree. Is it the case that someone who can manage a decent grade at A level will cope with the maths in a chemistry degree, or does the level of maths required move up a notch, so that there may be some students who can get a decent maths A level grade but will not be able to cope with the maths required for a chemistry degree?

Husband has phd in chemistry and studied to a level.

DC1 has 1st class masters in chemistry did not take A level maths. Didnt find the maths bits easy but the uni offered extra lectures etc for those who did not have maths a level.
Probably best contact uni's or ask at open days about specific requirements.

One of mine is doing a chemistry degree. He got a good grade at A level and says the maths in his chemistry degree is no more difficult than A level maths but he's very glad he's got it. The students on his course who didn't do maths A level have really struggled to keep up. The extra lectures for the non mathematicians aren't much help as uni teaching style is so different from school and based on a lot of self teaching.

I think basically with chemistry it helps to have a mathsy sort of brain. If maths isn't your thing probably chemistry wont be your thing either.

Check the individual uni's entry requirements. They know the contents of their course best.

Ie, if they say you need it at A Level, perhaps look elsewhere. If they don't mention it, you'll be fine.

You don’t need maths beyond the basic GCSE statistics / algebra.

Check the UCAS requirements for any course. Also, check the prospectus to see what support they give for non-mathematicians.

Any Chemistry student will need to be very good at arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and calculus.

It was way back in the last century when I did my chemistry degree but this without a good A-level in maths had to sit a maths course in first year while those who did had to sit a much harder maths course!

But yeah, he'll need to be confident with algebra and understand calculus.

I did a Chemistry degree without A level maths. I wouldn't recommend it, was clueless with calculus, as had never done it. I did scrape a degree but it was hard work and in hindsight, not a good choice.

I did a degree and a Ph.D in chemistry, and did maths A level although the course at the time didn’t require it (others at other unis did). I went to the lectures intended to get those without a maths A level up to speed, just as a refresher, and I do think those who’d not done the A level struggled. The uni made maths A level a requirement a year or two later.

Having said that I think it’s more about familiarity with the ideas so I wouldn’t think he’d need to get the top grade or anything.

Any good chemistry degree will need at least A level maths. Good unis that make offers to students without A level maths will make those students take supplementary maths in the first year to bring them up to speed. You can't access fundamental problems in chemistry (atomic orbital theory, reaction kinetics etc) without at least A level maths.

If he's doing A level maths, he'll be okay as he'll be familiar with calculus etc.

Dsd studied Maths, applied Maths, Physics and Chemistry at A level, she got top passes at A level. In school work her grades would have been in the 90s, often 100%.

She did a Physics Maths degree where she came first in her year, and then Phd in Chemistry.
It helped that she loved her subjects.
I have to add that she studied very hard from GCSEs onwards. Never needed to be coaxed to revise. She had a goal.
However, she did have to resit his English at 0 level in order to be allowed back to do A levels.

Am just interested in what all these chemists ended up doing afterwards as DD is interested in Chemistry too.

My dd's good results got her financial sponsorship from a well known company to do her 3 years P.hd.
First year or two after completing a P.hd is usually spent doing research, often at another university as a Research Fellow. Then comes the serious but of looking for a career building position. My dd works as a Scientist with a major company.

Thank you everyone for your replies - very helpful.

I did a Ph.D but I was never very comfortable in the academic environment. Wanted to get a science job in industry, but due to recession and being unwilling to relocate for personal reasons, ended up training to be an accountant. Now work for one of the big 4 firms.

When I studied Chemistry there were extra catch-up Maths lessons for those without A-level Maths. The rest of us had to do a more difficult Maths course.
There is a lot of Maths involved - especially in Physical Chemistry and Quantum Chemistry.
You can of course choose modules that are less Maths based (look at the course to see when and what you can choose). On my course, those who struggled with Maths tended towards the organic chemistry, environmental chemistry, biological chemistry side of things.
I think it's hard work without a good understanding of Maths but friends of mine came out alright in the end by choosing options carefully.

I have a chemistry degree but I was at uni so long ago I don't remember the maths part of it being a big thing. It could be that the content of the degree is different now, I did maths at A level and a complusory course in the first year at uni and had no trouble.