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Higher education

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Original poster

Is further maths ok as one of three a levels?

61 replies

Thethingswedoforlove · 25/08/2018 20:12

Eg maths, further maths and one other? Or is it always considered by universities / employers as an adjunct/ additional or fourth subject? Confused that as one of three it might not ‘cut it’ and can’t seem to get a clear answer from school or uni websites.....

OP posts:
ErrolTheDragon · 30/08/2018 11:43

I find age 16 is far too young to become so specialised.

Doing away with AS and trying to get them to only do 3 subjects from the off is decidedly retrograde. Though I think a lot of sixth forms still have the sense to let them start 4 with a view to dropping one eg by half term. But I think it's a shame that they can't do something along the lines of short courses on a variety of subjects, maybe not assessed in any way just for broader education.

Seems like there's too much of a mindset of it not being worth studying unless you can get a bit of paper.

abilockhart · 30/08/2018 12:25

I find age 16 is far too young to become so specialised.

It's an absolutely crazy system. Many end up going down rabbit holes rather than getting a broad and solid education.

AlevelConfusion · 30/08/2018 13:26

DD1 at Camb doing Psychology. Her A levels were Maths, Further Maths and Psychology. She had offers from Cambs, Durham, Bristol . Sussex and Newcastle. At no point did anyone suggest FM wasn't anything other than a full a level. Nor did she need extra a levels or a epq.

Thanks so much for this fontofnoknowledge. My DD has just picked Maths ,fm and Psychology at A-level, with a view to doing either Maths or Psychology at University and I was getting a bit worried about the maths/fm counting as one dilemma. So pleased to hear she had no problem getting so many offers.
Can I ask what grades your DD got at A-level?

Sunflower321 · 30/08/2018 14:38

Though I think a lot of sixth forms still have the sense to let them start 4

Schools around here encourage them start with 4 A levels and quite a few actually end up doing 4 A levels (some even 5 if Further Maths is included).

Many Universities outside the UK require 4 independent A level subjects (including a language, Maths and a Science) to even be considered for a place. They are looking for a broad education until age 18.

Clairetree1 · 30/08/2018 14:40

It’s also most typically taken with sciences which wouldn’t be as time consuming for the more capable pupils as essay subjects.

what a weird thing to say? what makes you think science A levels are not as time consuming? of course they are

PandaPieForTea · 30/08/2018 18:00

what a weird thing to say? what makes you think science A levels are not as time consuming? of course they are

I’ve done them. If you understand the science first time round then running through some questions for homework is pretty quick. Whereas being a capable student for an essay subject doesn’t bring the same time savings as writing an essay is time consuming.

smeerf · 30/08/2018 18:06

10 years ago I got lots of university offers to read Maths based on me doing Maths, Further Maths and Physics to A2, Art to AS. There was no problem with the subjects not being diverse enough.

Clairetree1 · 30/08/2018 18:08

you just found science easier.

plenty of students find the more literacy based subjects quicker and easier than science.

PandaPieForTea · 30/08/2018 18:18

Yes, but the type of student who is capable of Further Maths A Level will probably find sciences easier.

I really don’t think it’s possible to get through essay subjects as quickly, even if you find them easy. I ended up with a degree in an essay subject, so I’ve written quite a few.

coffeeforone · 30/08/2018 18:22

To do maths at degree level, I'd recommend doing maths and further maths. For someone with a flare for maths they shouldn't be too time consuming and they should have the capacity to do 2 other A-Levels, so 4 in total.

This is a while ago but I did A-Levels in Maths plus 2 other separate subjects, and went on to study Maths at Uni. I wish I'd done A-Level further maths (either in addition to or in place of one of my other A Levels) as most of those on my uni course had. Maths was by far my easiest and least time consuming A Level and further Maths would have just been more of the same.

Sunflower321 · 30/08/2018 20:32

To do maths at degree level, I'd recommend doing maths and further maths. For someone with a flare for maths they shouldn't be too time consuming and they should have the capacity to do 2 other A-Levels, so 4 in total.

I agree, especially if Maths and Further Maths are taught as one course over the two years, Maths in first year, Further Maths in year 13.

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