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Higher education

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

Original poster

Choosing DC's Degree Course & University

116 replies

MessyandLost · 06/12/2022 20:33

DS's school will support him with A-levels and applications for university. However, they don't provide any direction or information about the courses and universities so basically we have to do all the research on our own.

His prediction for GCSEs is all 9s. He is very bright. So I believe there is almost nothing he cannot do but only if he knows what he wants to do...DS has no idea what he likes to do and what is available out there yet. He definitely needs help from experts.

How does your DC know/decide what they want to do at university? Does their school invite people from universities and experts in wider areas so DC get to see and hear their stories? I feel DS needs this kind of experience...

We are of course thinking to visit some universities but DS needs to be more informed so could narrow down his targets... I am seriously thinking to move him to a school with better support after GCSEs but if other schools are equally rubbish about providing information and experiences the move would be just a waste... I don't know if his school's attitude is normal or outrageous...

I feel totally lost... Any advice would be greatly appreciated...

OP posts:
Ciri · 06/12/2022 21:20

Which A Levels is he taking?

Original poster
MessyandLost · 06/12/2022 21:23

He has no particular interest in earning lots of money. Well, that's what he says...

Do you think I can hire a career advisor privately? We would do all the research ('we' mean I do it on my own but DS is also doing it on his own) but it would be great to have some advice from people with knowledge...

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Original poster
MessyandLost · 06/12/2022 21:24

He said he would do Maths, Further Maths, Language, Biology and Music. One of them may be dropped at some point, I don't know...

OP posts:
alexdgr8 · 06/12/2022 21:24

why are you babying him ?
if he is so clever, likely to get good results, and wants to go on to further study, well he ought to be able to do his own research on courses etc.
no wonder so many students drop out.

Dreikanter · 06/12/2022 21:24

Lots of uni open days in Yr 13, plus plenty of resources online.

You can research online the courses you can do with your A level combination.

www.theuniguide.co.uk/a-level-explorer

Ciri · 06/12/2022 21:27

It’s very foolish to do five A Levels. With the greatest of respect straight 9s isn’t that unusual at GCSE level. It’s a massive mistake to overstretch him like that. There isn’t a single university In England that requires it.

BonnesVacances · 06/12/2022 21:29

DS had no idea what he wanted to do at uni until he started his A levels. He thought he'd probably do English, but it turned out that he was bloody good at psychology and he loved it, so that's what he's now doing. He doesn't know what he wants to do with it but time will tell. Who knows where life will lead?

titchy · 06/12/2022 21:34

Drop one of those - five is madness! How does he feel about a Maths degree? Does he love love love Maths? If not, don't do a maths degree and consider FM as one to drop. Music is an odd one as well - assuming a music degree isn't on the cards.

Don't get too hung up about specific careers or degree subjects. The majority of degrees will lead to graduate employment. Unless he has very specific career ambitions of course.

If he's happy at school and they get decent A level results don't move him. You can do online quizzes, tests etc to see where his strengths might lie which may spark a bit of interest in favour of one subject.

Dreikanter · 06/12/2022 21:34

MessyandLost · 06/12/2022 21:24

He said he would do Maths, Further Maths, Language, Biology and Music. One of them may be dropped at some point, I don't know...

Very unlikely that schools would consider 5 A levels. Uni offers will be based on 3 A levels, with FM as a fourth for Oxbridge / Imperial etc.

Maths and FM go well together but you have to love maths.

Original poster
MessyandLost · 06/12/2022 21:35

DingDangMerrily, thanks.

I do think some of those people who say back off etc are just talking from their own experience and that had worked fine for them. Or just very laid back. Or just so bitter and looking for every opportunity to bite those who came to MN for advice.

It sounds like there is a way to stay at the current school and still manage to support DS in making the right choice. Lots of think of...

OP posts:
Endofmytetherfinally · 06/12/2022 21:39

Is it a state school? My private school gave a fair amount of direction with subject selection but it was purely based on what would likely get you the best grades and into your preferred uni not what career you wanted long term (aside from medicine obviously).

Careers advice is notoriously poor in most schools. Can you ask friends of yours and your partners with different jobs to talk to him about their experience. Most subjects aren't going to cut off any future careers and it's normal to not know what you want to do till you actually start working particularly as internships pre graduation are so hard to secure unless you know people.

If he's predicted all 9s I wouldn't dream of moving him by the way. I know several of my friends went to college instead of the 6th form and dropped from having top grades to very mediocre a level results. Not worth it in my opinion.

Original poster
MessyandLost · 06/12/2022 21:40

Sorry I didn't mean to say he will do 5. He just mentioned those subjects and as I wrote in the previous post one of them would be dropped I guess? But it's something DS and the school decide.

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Dreikanter · 06/12/2022 21:41

Careers advice is notoriously poor in most schools.

I knew someone who was given the careers adviser job in a top private school. I absolutely concur with the above.

Endofmytetherfinally · 06/12/2022 21:41

Also that is quite a strange mix of subjects. Language trally jumps between gcse and a level in difficulty. I ended up dropping feench one term in. Why biology but no other science? Music and maths / FM? Remember he's likely to have to apply for one of those subjects at uni. People tend to chose mostly humanities or mostly maths and science.

Endofmytetherfinally · 06/12/2022 21:44

5 isn't actually unheard of. My sister did 5 as and 4 a levels. But 2 were French and Spanish which she spoke fluently. To be fair a lot of schools will let you do maths and fm as well as 3 others but usually physics is included as there's a lot of crossover.

senua · 06/12/2022 21:46

That is a strange mix. Pupils often choose predictable subjects (eg medics go for the sciences) so timetabling is arranged to make those popular choices possible. He may find that those subjects cannot be taken together.

Get him into work experience, volunteering, sport, etc. Get him out in the world, speaking to people, asking questions.

Original poster
MessyandLost · 06/12/2022 21:49

He isn't thinking of a music degree. Just likes it and is good at it. So it could be dropped.

He loves Maths. So a Math degree could be a good choice IF he still doesn't know what to do for his career and he feels passion for Maths at the level. A Maths degree seems to leave him many choices after uni. He could have a look at the department.

He said he was interested in computing science, physiology, and PE and bought a few books about them to see if he really liked them.

OP posts:
EwwSprouts · 06/12/2022 21:50

DS didn't know what he wanted to do. The advice from school was choose your favourite subject so that's what he did. He's enjoying first year biology but still no idea what he might enjoy as a job/career.

senua · 06/12/2022 21:50

Also, if he looks at University websites, they often have a page where they say people who did <this degree> went on to to <these jobs>. That might give him some pointers.

Dreikanter · 06/12/2022 21:52

Endofmytetherfinally · 06/12/2022 21:44

5 isn't actually unheard of. My sister did 5 as and 4 a levels. But 2 were French and Spanish which she spoke fluently. To be fair a lot of schools will let you do maths and fm as well as 3 others but usually physics is included as there's a lot of crossover.

Since A levels went back to being linear, 5 A levels are very unlikely to be offered in the majority of schools.

Generally maths / FM / physics A levels are a good combination for maths, physics and most engineering Uni courses.

Endofmytetherfinally · 06/12/2022 21:58

Yeah PE is slightly rogue as well to be honest. Biology physics maths and further maths could be a very strong mix if he's genuinely strong in those subjects otherwise it could be a struggle.

Original poster
MessyandLost · 06/12/2022 21:58

So sad to hear many people find it's a strange mix of subjects. When I asked about a-level subject choices a while ago I was told Music or Language/Biology/Maths and possibly plus FM were a good combination... So I thought 'oh great'.

It may sound random but he just picked what he enjoyed and was good at.

OP posts:
Original poster
MessyandLost · 06/12/2022 22:00

He is less interested in Physics and chemistry than biology, hence the choices...

OP posts:
Original poster
MessyandLost · 06/12/2022 22:02

Language is no problem as he already finds A-level content easy. He is trilingual.

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Endofmytetherfinally · 06/12/2022 22:03

In that case its a no brainer. Languages look good on uni apps and go with pretty much any mixture. Music isn't odd on its own its just unless he wants to be a musician most people will think that's a vocational or soft subject. Same with PE.

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