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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

A level options - too soft for top unis?

101 replies

ALevelDilemna · 26/10/2019 10:23

My dd is in Y11 and is making her choices for sixth form. We seem to be going round in circles discussing the best options for her but she has finally plumped for:

English Lit
Textiles
RE / Philosophy and Ethics
French (reserve choice)

Is this combination OK? She is bright and aiming for unis such as Bristol / Manchester / Bath / Leeds etc...

OP posts:
Lavenderblues · 27/10/2019 07:45

At our school all pupils start with 4 A levels in year 12 with the option to drop one after one year. Could she do that?

stucknoue · 27/10/2019 07:45

I would advise against textiles unless she wants to study fashion (anyway most fashion students do a foundation year so don't need specific a levels) the other 3 are fine but French is very very hard unless she's a native speaker. In DD's class only one student got a b who didn't have native speaker parent/grandparent.

stucknoue · 27/10/2019 07:49

Ps if a business degree is a possibility a level maths is very helpful, I didn't have it and I struggled with the maths elements of my degree

Original poster
ALevelDilemna · 27/10/2019 07:49

It’s an option, Lavender, and one that dd is 50 50 likely to take, but she will need to work incredibly hard at French to get her skills up to scratch, and that could take time away from her other subjects in the meantime. I have pointed out to her though that no time is wasted in learning a language and even if it doesn’t lead to a qualification it will still be a skill to put on a CV! As she wants to learn it anyway it won’t do her any harm. I just wish she could do an AS in it Sad as that would have been great.

OP posts:
Original poster
ALevelDilemna · 27/10/2019 07:50

Stucknoue while dd is top set maths she absolutely hates it and can’t wait to drop it Grin

OP posts:
Savingforarainyday · 27/10/2019 07:56

I despair at people saying creative subjects are soft.

For heavens sake. If people want to enter creative careers, then they need to take creative subjects. Seriously!

At A level, they are still children. They should be exploring their interests still.

daisypond · 27/10/2019 08:08

One of DD’s friends, also at one of the universities you mention, a different one, did P&E, psychology and sociology for A level - again, no traditional subjects. Is now studying psychology.

AvillageinProvence · 27/10/2019 08:12

university.which.co.uk/a-level-explorer

Has your dd tried this? You type in the A level combo and it tells you what courses it suits. (I know this isn't your question, but may be useful anyway!)

atmum · 27/10/2019 08:23

Hi, there's been a few mentions of 'facilitating subjects'... The Russell Group scrapped this idea earlier this year. They said “We have sometimes heard other people suggest that facilitating subjects are the only subjects pupils should consider to get into a Russell Group university, or that you must take them for any degree. This has never been the case.”
They have a new website to help guide A-Level choices: www.informedchoices.ac.uk/

Might be worth a look?

corythatwas · 27/10/2019 08:41

Do point out to your dd that A-level won't be her last, or perhaps even her best, chance of learning French ever. It is even possible that the university would let her do it as an optional module, I know ours would.

Original poster
ALevelDilemna · 27/10/2019 08:45

Again, thank you all. Am digesting posts and following links!

Cory, yes exactly. My friend’s daughter is studying German as an additional module at uni alongside and Eng Lit course.

OP posts:
mum2eim · 27/10/2019 08:54

I have two friends who’s DDs did an arts subject. One is studying philosophy at Leeds and did history, p&e and textiles.
The other did RS, psychology and art and is studying psychology BSc at UEA which although is not RG is a very good Uni.
Having had a DD go through A levels and a DD also in year 11, a passion for the subject is more likely to lead to higher grades and open up choices, than choosing subjects that on paper appear to be stronger but will make them miserable for 2 years.

Original poster
ALevelDilemna · 27/10/2019 11:32

I’m so glad I started this, because it’s really helped to sharpen ideas on what do do beyond A levels. Thanks to all who have offered anecdotes as well as links to useful info. Fashion with a business discipline seems to be the way forward and we have identified three ‘old’ unis and a whole range of ‘new’ unis that offer such courses. None specify any particular A levels although the higher ranking unis will be looking for As and Bs, which i think dd will be capable of if she does subjects she’s good at. Looking at the course content, Textiles A level would be useful for all of them.

OP posts:
Wheresmykeysnow · 27/10/2019 11:43

Definitely do the subjects she’s good at. It seems more and more to be the grades that count. I know 2 people who didn’t get onto what they wanted because their maths grade was too low (they didn’t need maths just a good grade).

BeyondMyWits · 27/10/2019 12:05

DD is at Bristol studying Eng lit.
She took Eng Lit A*, Art B, Music C and has an A in her (English Lit based) EPQ.

They were much more interested in the A* in subject and A for EPQ - in subject, than anything else.

Boyskeepswinging · 27/10/2019 12:16

Great to hear she's starting to look at possible courses. As a parent, links with industry and employability are a key consideration (there's a huge varience in this in Fashion Management courses) and what I'd be exploring with the staff at Open Days.

DionneJ · 27/10/2019 13:59

I've worked in universities for 20 years. I strongly recommend that you decide which subject area she wants to study for three years - a significant commitment in term of time and money - and then discuss A-level choices with the target ones for this subject. The top institutions will factor A-level subjects into their decision-making. Personally, I would be thinking about likely career options at this point and making choices appropriate to that.

MarchingFrogs · 27/10/2019 18:19

I strongly recommend that you decide which subject area she wants to study for three years

Please reassure me that you in this case is meant in the plural, not the singular... Isn't parents deciding what their DC want to study what used to get medical schools a whole load of students with no interest at all in sick people or in making them better?

notmytea · 27/10/2019 18:20

Keep philosophy, I'm a lecturer and students who have taken philosophy tend to be the best at forming arguments and therefore get the top grades

BubblesBuddy · 27/10/2019 19:30

My DD is a fashion intern at the moment. I would say dreaming of working in fashion in Paris is a total dream! How many Brits are actually doing this? Probably a handful.

Fashion is a huge area. There is design, pattern cutting, designing fabrics, marketing, buying and actually making clothes, just to name a few! All are very hard to get into. It’s needs persistence and speaking French really won’t get you anywhere if you don’t have talent.

A former boyfriend of DD1 did French at university so he could do a year abroad. This was in top of an engineering degree. It was bloody hard! He had an A* at GCSE and was very bright. You don’t even get chosen to have a go at this unless you have a decent GCSE in the subject. It’s not the same as A level with teachers holding your hand. It’s a lot of self study. I just do not think that plan is realistic.

She needs to narrow down exactly what working in fashion means to her then choose an appropriate degree. Also I’m afraid it’s who you know and unpaid internships are common to get a foothold in some areas of work.

So choose A levels and the degree wisely. Then get networking! But Chanel and Dior might not be calling. Sorry.

sendsummer · 27/10/2019 21:31

Even if she does n’t end up working in fashion the A level in textiles will give her some insight into the mechanics of major industry as well as develop her talent for creativity. Both factors may well differentiate from others in whatever her future career is. The other two subjects of English and philosophy / RE sound a great combination, particularly if they are the ones she is most likely to enjoy. She would certainly be able to study either of those subjects at a good university with that A level combination should that end up being her preference.

Bakeo · 30/10/2019 04:35

I know 2 people who didn’t get onto what they wanted because their maths grade was too low (they didn’t need maths just a good grade). Maths this year threw up some really random results (not helped by Edexcel's inability to keep papers hidden until the exam for the third year in a row). I know quite a few who didn't get into where they want due to maths.

olympicfan · 01/11/2019 07:56

This girl took Geography, Sociology and Textiles at A level and went to Oxford to do Archeology and Anthropology. She dropped Biology mid way through A levels.

BubblesBuddy · 01/11/2019 08:48

Arch and Anth won’t get you far in the fashion industry!

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