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Higher education

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

Original poster

What are the best A levels choices for university?

113 replies

Veronica25 · 30/11/2021 22:06

What subjects should DD choose for A levels>

I know it depends on what you are planning to study but DD has no idea yet, she is an all rounder. She enjoys and does very well at Maths, DT, Geography, Chemistry.

She doesn't enjoy Physics or Classical Civilisations but she is happy with all her other subjects.

OP posts:
Changemusthappen · 01/12/2021 11:42

Maths is an excellent 'A' level subject but do not underestimate just how difficult it is. My DD got an 8 at GCSE but found it very very tough. Remember that all others taking maths will be very bright (most schools won't let you do it without a high grade at GCSE). So 'doing well' might not be enough. My experience of 'A' levels is that if you are doing combos like maths, physics, chemistry then you need to be very bright and very motivated.

mnp321 · 01/12/2021 11:51

Sorry but a Geography Degree is not likely to lead to a well paid profession most likely you will end teaching Geography!

As a geography graduate, I feel I have to defend my subject slightly....! It took me into a grad job in a big four firm, followed by a highly paid job in investment banking. I'd say geography graduates were well represented amongst my peers.

The recruiters at most of the firms we applied for were far more interested in the reputation of the Uni and our motivation to work in that area, than the degree subject itself. Perhaps economics graduates have a slight edge for financial services firms. Nothing wrong with teaching but none of my fellow geography students are teachers, most work in legal and professional service firms.

mnp321 · 01/12/2021 11:54

I'd also second that Maths A level was more difficult than I anticipated, and I found it harder than qualifying as an ACA/accountant. It took me by surprise as I found GCSE maths straightforward.

Original poster
Veronica25 · 01/12/2021 13:24

Medicine is not an option for her. I don't think she likes it. We were thinking Economics, Engineering, Product Design; but that's just me based on what she tells me she enjoys and does well at as she really has no idea.

She is bright so I think she will get the GCSEs grades required; She s top set for maths.

Initially we were thinking of the IB because she is finding it difficult narrowing it to 3 subjects as she enjoys different subjects; but are now having second thoughts because of the amount of work required and the pressure to get the grades required for university which could be too much if you are doing 6 subjects, so considering A levels now.

Fortunately she doesn't need to make a decision until next year but I know it will go quickly. It is a difficult decision and I wish they would have more help at school with their choices.

A gap year or even a trainee program are good options too before going to university; but her A levels will be important not matter what she decides to do so it is important to get them right.

OP posts:
Megan1992xx · 01/12/2021 13:33

@mnp321

Sorry but a Geography Degree is not likely to lead to a well paid profession most likely you will end teaching Geography!

As a geography graduate, I feel I have to defend my subject slightly....! It took me into a grad job in a big four firm, followed by a highly paid job in investment banking. I'd say geography graduates were well represented amongst my peers.

The recruiters at most of the firms we applied for were far more interested in the reputation of the Uni and our motivation to work in that area, than the degree subject itself. Perhaps economics graduates have a slight edge for financial services firms. Nothing wrong with teaching but none of my fellow geography students are teachers, most work in legal and professional service firms.

I am assuming that when you say 'a big four firm' you mean Accountancy? Which makes my point perfectly you had to get an additional post graduate qualification to get where you are. The fact is I find it unlikely that you would have been offered an Investment Banking job based solely on your Bachelor's degree, whereas if you had studied Economics or indeed a STEM degree you may very well have been hired. Your degree was your Accountancy the Geography was merely treading water for 3 years.
mnp321 · 01/12/2021 14:11

I respect your view but I have to disagree. My degree opened the door into a big 4 accountancy job so I don't see it as treading water. The university itself was the main differentiating factor in my career, not the subject. Maths and science graduates followed exactly the same career route as humanities graduates etc.

For my area of investment banking, all fee earners were either qualified lawyers or accountants (apart from a tiny intake of graduates straight from university, some of whom had studied degrees such as English and various other arts subjects). Having a STEM degree wouldn't have opened up a different path for my career.

MarchingFrogs · 01/12/2021 15:43

Your degree was your Accountancy the Geography was merely treading water for 3 years.

Acknowledging that if personal circumstances dictate that whatever one's achievements at school, one is very much in need of earning, rather than spending, money when one leaves, then anything other than going straight into paid employment is a luxury, but there are still a few folk out here who view Higher Education as, well, Higher Education.

Megan1992xx · 01/12/2021 15:49

@MarchingFrogs

Your degree was your Accountancy the Geography was merely treading water for 3 years.

Acknowledging that if personal circumstances dictate that whatever one's achievements at school, one is very much in need of earning, rather than spending, money when one leaves, then anything other than going straight into paid employment is a luxury, but there are still a few folk out here who view Higher Education as, well, Higher Education.

I have noticed that quite often the senior members of staff in school have degrees in Geography. Unsurprisingly the tend to push Geography as an A level because there are less STEM graduates in management (they are far more useful actually teaching and cannot be substituted by an endless supply of Geography teachers) these subjects get pushed less, particularly amongst girls! Schools are poor at giving career advice because the people responsible have simply gone from one institution school to another university and then back to school. CAVEAT EMPTOR parents!
Xenia · 01/12/2021 15:58

"Economics, Engineering, Product Design" would be zero facilitating subjects so leave out a lot of options. Geography, maths and economics would leave lots of options open.

On geography and general degrees - the highest paid graduates often have degrees like that as they go into things like banking and law and accountancy. Two of my children did geography and then law after. 50% of top city lawyers do not read law for their first degrees and then do an extra year postgrad rather than just the one year after that.

My son's friend is in a big accountancy firm which hires people from the better universities straight from university and then you work whilst you do your ICAEW exams over a 3 year post grad period I think.

clary · 01/12/2021 16:08

There is some misinformation on this thread.

Chemistry, for example, is a good idea to do for A level if you are thinking of medicine (a pp suggests a combo which excludes it for medicine) - I know the OP says no to medicine but others may read this thread.

I am not aware of anyone (including employers) who thinks of geography as an easy degree.

Many "decent" schools do not do maths GCSE early. There are plenty of decent schools where I live and none of them do this. DS did Maths A level having done the GCSE at the normal time and did just fine.

OP you mention economics - have a look at a thread about a studnet who wants to do economics at uni having done it at A level but not maths. Most universities prefer maths for an economics degree, but don't need economics as so many schools don;'t offer it. So maths may be a better choice than economics for A level - that's if she has the ability. See what her teachers say on that one.

cptartapp · 01/12/2021 16:25

DS1 did Geography, Business and Maths. He too was top set at maths at GCSE but sweated blood and tears at A level for a B. Really hard going.
He chose to do a Geography degree as enjoyed the subject and wanted to keep his options open. DH has been CIMA qualified over thirty years and recruits regularly, and would highly favour a Geography graduate over the masses that do Business for example. So many transferable skills.

Original poster
Veronica25 · 01/12/2021 16:26

When I mentioned Economics, Product Design, Engineering I was referring to careers at university not the A levels.

For A levels and based on what people have said I am thinking: Maths, Chemistry, DT and maybe Geography if she can do 4.

I always wondered why so many people in the past in the UK studied Geography, History, Chemistry, etc at University and went to do jobs that had nothing to do with it. I think in the past employers valued any degree from a good university and those people went to work in banks, etc. I am not entirely sure this is still the case in the UK.

OP posts:
thing47 · 01/12/2021 16:26

I have to agree with Clary (and others), I have not heard of geography being anything other than a highly regarded general degree which facilitates entry into any number of related and unrelated professions. Apart from anything else, it is hugely wide-ranging, incorporating everything from rocks and rives to climate change to tourism and migration.

No one in my immediate family is a geographer so I am only going by anecdote but I think the disparaging views are somewhat out of date.

thing47 · 01/12/2021 16:28

If I was an English graduate like DH I might even be able to spell 'rivers' Smile

Original poster
Veronica25 · 01/12/2021 16:28

@cptartapp

DS1 did Geography, Business and Maths. He too was top set at maths at GCSE but sweated blood and tears at A level for a B. Really hard going. He chose to do a Geography degree as enjoyed the subject and wanted to keep his options open. DH has been CIMA qualified over thirty years and recruits regularly, and would highly favour a Geography graduate over the masses that do Business for example. So many transferable skills.
Why would you go to do a Geography degree and waste all that money if you can go straight to do CIMA, ACCA, ACA, without having a university degree and go straight into employment? Honest question, just want to understand a bit more about it
OP posts:
Megan1992xx · 01/12/2021 16:32

Absolutely correct their real degree was Accountancy they spent 3 years treading water and accumulating debt doing Geography.

Original poster
Veronica25 · 01/12/2021 16:35

Apologies. I see it is your husband who has the CIMA qualification and your son the Geography degree, ignore my previoius post.

I do know some people that went to uni to do a 3 years degree and then did CIMA, ACCA, etc so I felt the uni degree was a waste of money. I am sure you learn lots of things plus the experience of being in university but it is 30k debt.

OP posts:
Megan1992xx · 01/12/2021 16:35

A somewhat tangential point but I would hate to hear that a girl considering A level choices would be steered from STEM subjects into studying Geography, Business etc because she happened to 'enjoy' the non stem subject at GCSE.
I suspect it happens all the time, they even tried it on me, no wonder we have an unequal society!

mnp321 · 01/12/2021 16:36

Many of us don't see our degrees as a waste of money. Apart from being career enhancing over the longer term, we studied a subject we were genuinely interested in and enjoyed the wider aspect of being at university.

I could possibly have studied for my ACA straight from school but having a degree was a pre-requisite for employment at our corporate finance firm.

ErrolTheDragon · 01/12/2021 16:40

Geography can be a pretty STEM oriented degree - I know a young woman who focussed on the physical geography side and what she does now - at the post doc level hopefully heading towards an academic career is very much that way. (She did maths, geog and physics A levels).

titchy · 01/12/2021 16:45

I think in the past employers valued any degree from a good university and those people went to work in banks, etc. I am not entirely sure this is still the case in the UK.

On the contrary, the vast majority of grad-level occupations still do not require a specific degree, so it is still very much the case that a good degree in any subject is valued.

gogohm · 01/12/2021 16:49

Maths is a great option for all subjects, if she is leaning towards sciences then the other a levels will be sciences, if the arts/humanities then at least one essay based subject is essential usually history and/or English

onlyconnect · 01/12/2021 16:51

She should do the subjects she enjoys the most. Why would she do anything else?

gogohm · 01/12/2021 16:52

Btw geography gets a lot of stick - it's nickname is a level colouring in! But it's actually a pretty good all around subject, one of mine got an a* in geography and is in the navy now

ErrolTheDragon · 01/12/2021 16:55

@onlyconnect

She should do the subjects she enjoys the most. Why would she do anything else?
In the case of the OPs DD that's probably fine. For some kids, their mix of subjects they most enjoy in yr 11 may rule out or make difficult some courses they want to do in the future.