What are the best A levels choices for university?

[Veronica25]

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.

@Veronica25
Your DD is utterly wrong about Geography and poorly advised by her school. Surveying, planning, environmental professionals, food production and sustainability snd lots of other areas directly relate to geography not to mention work involving natural sciences which is now a huge area of work. Good geography courses are a springboard for all of this.

There are also loads of students who do Maths, FM and Physics. For maths, engineering and physics degrees for a start!

I personally think Physics, Maths snd DT keep more doors open. Wider choice of engineering degrees for a start! But not chemistry of course!

Another issue that may have some impact is where she wishes to take her A levels, and what choices that place may offer.

This is true -I don't think all sixth forms offer DT A level. Or may only run it if they get enough wanting to do it that year. My DD wanted to do the systems & control A level which existed at the time - her school couldn't run it in her year because only a couple wanted to do it, and she didn't want to change school. So instead she did comp sci to AS and an 'artefact' EPQ which allowed her to do the practical/creative aspect she wanted.

Yes, it will be her decision at the end of the day; we just want her to made an informed decision. Also, true that she may feel different about her subjects next year. DT has been always a top subject from year 7 which she really likes and does well at. She is moving schools for Sixth Form so we were hoping to find a school which offers DT.

By the way she has not been wrongly advised by the school reg Geography. She just made that conclusion based on a document she got from a Sixth Form we were looking at. The school was not saying anything wrong about Geography she just didn't see many jobs related to it. She had an excellent Geography teacher but he has now moved to a different school.

Well I don’t believe she’s come to an accurate conclusion about Geography snd jobs and if this is based on info from the school, it’s plainly inaccurate. You might want another look at the careers several of us have mentioned and maybe the subject info was not good regarding careers. Lots of university geography departments list possible careers too based on graduate destinations. It is best to get advice and info from a number sources. With all due respect, most teachers have only been teachers. They might not know about a broad spectrum of possible careers.

@RampantIvy

Geography A level is a very well respected subject to have under your belt. It offers a lot of transferrable skills. Part of the course includes doing a non examined assessment (20% of the final marks come from this), which is really like a mini dissertation. It involves conducting some research, presenting data and writing a report. DD's was about 6,000 words.

A lot of people have said that it is similar to doing an EPQ and the experience of doing her NEA was useful for when she started university.

'presenting data' why bother? data should be analysed but for that you need a statistical background which requires Mathematics. Geography is strong on 'presenting' pictures, pie charts etc. weak on analysis.

@TizerorFizz

Well I don’t believe she’s come to an accurate conclusion about Geography snd jobs and if this is based on info from the school, it’s plainly inaccurate. You might want another look at the careers several of us have mentioned and maybe the subject info was not good regarding careers. Lots of university geography departments list possible careers too based on graduate destinations. It is best to get advice and info from a number sources. With all due respect, most teachers have only been teachers. They might not know about a broad spectrum of possible careers.

Agree with TizerorFizz. Geography is already considered a solid, academically rigorous subject. I would have thought its importance is only set to grow given that it encompasses so many issues relevant to the world – climate change, migration, the environment and environmentally friendly sources of power, sustainability, etc.

I wouldn't set much store by anyone who tells you (or your DD) that they don't see many jobs related to Geography. It's nonsense.

data should be analysed but for that you need a statistical background which requires Mathematics. Geography is strong on 'presenting' pictures, pie charts etc. weak on analysis.

Ive looked at a couple of the papers published by the young geographer I know out of interest - it's all solid statistical analysis. To be sure, that sort of geography needs mathematics - but it seems like that will definitely be in the OPs DDs choices anyway.

Some Geography topics are enhanced by maths A level but not all. There is always Environmental science for the more mathematical or Environmental Engineering if you want to evaluate and design solutions rather than present papers on the issues!

@Megan1992xx
I don't know what your issue is with geography! Did you have a horrible teacher or something?

I did a geography degree 30 years ago and even then it involved a lot of statistics, mathematical analysis and computing. Seeing how other subjects have progressed over the years I can see no reason why geography wouldn't have done.

Oh - I found a pretty decent career. And no, it wasn't teaching.

presenting data' why bother? data should be analysed but for that you need a statistical background which requires Mathematics. Geography is strong on 'presenting' pictures, pie charts etc. weak on analysis.

We are talking about geography A level here, not degree level. I doubt that most students doing geography A level are taking maths A level as well.

Did you mean to be so dismissive?

My DN did. It’s useful with Biology for Environmental science.

I took Geography, Maths, Economics and English A levels. Perhaps an unusual combination but I loved Maths and hated the sciences. Maths was useful for the stats type work for my geography degree. My friend found it quite a struggle at degree level having not done maths A level.

I also happily accept the jokes about colouring in. Funnily enough one of my degree modules was cartography with only black pens; coloured felt tips would have been a real treat. Followed by the usual shaming in pub quizzes when I don't know the capital of an obscure country (I think learning capital cities may have been a thing in geography for my parents' generation). I can see the funny side.

DT is really the slightly unusual one of these choices which concerns me but is the girl's favourite I think. However combining it with the 2 others which are normal traditional subjects is probably okay.