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Higher education

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

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Original poster

Wrong A’levels

46 replies

Fruitflylady · 26/06/2023 08:59

Looking for a little advice, or to hear others’ experiences in similar situations…
Ive recently started on the Open Day rounds with DS, who was planning to apply to do a music degree. He’s currently studying for A’Levels in music, French and biology.
After our first uni visit, and what I thought was a rather good talk at the music department in Manchester, he’s realised he doesn’t want to do music after all and would much rather apply to do biology! We’ve since been to both music and biology talks at another uni and his thoughts remain the same.
The question now is how do we best get him in a place to apply successfully? All the courses we’ve looked at require biology and at least one other science/maths, so we are thinking;
a) take a gap year and try and get an A’level in maths or chemistry in his own time plus do some relevant part time work, or
b) apply for a university offering a foundation year and stump up for a year of extra fees/accommodation etc?
Has anyone else been here before, and what would you advice in our situation?
Thanks in advance…

OP posts:

clary · 26/06/2023 09:44

Some biology courses do not require another science, or at least offer an option if a higher offer without another science.

Loughborough for example only needs one science; Leeds prefers two but one is ok as long as it is an A grade. I am sure there are others.

Worth thinking about tho is whether it is a good idea - if another science is often required, does that mean those skills are needed? Ds2 does biology and did maths A level which he says has been v useful. So your ds might like to consider another year and taking maths perhaps? Does he like maths? What GCSE grade did he get? Might be a slog after two years with no maths tho.

Probationnotontarget · 26/06/2023 09:47

You can study both - have a look

fortyfifty · 26/06/2023 11:48

Would Core Maths help? He could do that in a year. It's a level 3 qualification. It does include a lot of stats which I guess is the part that would be useful for biology.

Hoppinggreen · 26/06/2023 11:53

DD did similar so she is having a year out and doing a Biology A level online while working in a related field.
Its not cheap though
She did look at her chosen course with a foundation year but was advised that due to her predicted grades it probably wouldn’t suit her

SkaterBrained · 26/06/2023 11:55

I think it would be very hard to do Biology at university without Chemistry, in some universities it is more important in applications than Biology itself. Therefore I'd go for option A.

Original poster

Fruitflylady · 26/06/2023 12:06

Thanks for the replies so far, and the info about Loughborough and Leeds. We are at an early stage of looking into Biology now, so will research all the options. It may be he can get in somewhere regardless, that’s worth considering. Although as someone else pointed out, maths and chemistry are actually quite important aspects of a biology degree anyway so I still think it’d be worth his time to boost his qualifications there.
He did very well in his science and GCSE maths; all grade 9s, so is confident he could pick them up and carry on for A’level in whichever turns out to be the best option. What that option turns out to be remains to be seen…

OP posts:

Pythonesque · 26/06/2023 12:22

I think in your position I'd want him to be seeking information from a range of universities. If he got 9s in his GCSEs, he might be better doing whatever it takes to get into a higher ranking course, rather than "settling" for somewhere that will take him with his current subjects. Maths A level is a lot of work for most even after a GCSE 9, but core maths could be very achievable for him even next year I suspect (I don't know a lot about core maths though, but both my children have done A level maths, one alongside humanities). I have a feeling that I've heard of foundation years being able to be used for admission to courses at other universities, not just the one you do it at - definitely something to ask about.

Some good quality advice from admissions tutors could really help him map out the next couple of years in a positive way.

Good luck supporting him along his path. It's actually really tough when they have lots of choices (both of mine could easily have studied music but decided to keep it "alongside" for the time being).

clary · 26/06/2023 13:16

Hi again @Fruitflylady with those GCSE grades it sounds like he would be fine to do further study in maths or another science. Obviously taking a degree at RG unis like Leeds and Cardiff (also it seems fine with one science) or RG+ (apparently; whatever that means) Loughborough is “settling” for a lesser degree or lower-grade institution. That said, he may, for other reasons, have his heart set on somewhere else which does ask for two sciences.

It would be worth IMO him talking to some admissions people for biology – whether at an open day, by email or on the phone – to see what they would prefer; if he takes a year out to take maths A-level (for example), that will be a year away from his biology A-level study which the uni may not be keen on. They may be more willing to consider his application with his A levels as they stand. He can always apply and then see what he gets offered. No idea tbh how popular biology is – DS2 had five offers from RG (and Lboro where he is!). Has he got a good explanation for his PS as to why he didn’t take a second science?

SiouxsieSiouxStiletto · 26/06/2023 16:44

Would he be interested in doing a Joint Honours? Has he got an idea of what he wants to do after his degree?

titchy · 26/06/2023 17:06

Left field suggestion - drop French or Music and do another science AL in a year? Bloody hard work but he might be up for it.

PresentingPercy · 26/06/2023 17:06

@Fruitflylady Someone I know did vet science foundation. They didn’t have the right A levels. Ticked other boxes and did foundation at Nottingham. I think the foundation route is a good one. The other option could be environmental science. The reason the foundation is good is that it is tailored to the course. So sets you up with appropriate modules. (Well the vet one did!)

clary · 26/06/2023 17:20

Haha should preview - I meant I don’t think Leeds, Cardiff or Lboro etc would be settling for second best! Apols.

tribpot · 26/06/2023 17:30

Bangor is another university that will accept Biology without another science. Well worth a look.

Original poster

Fruitflylady · 26/06/2023 18:20

SiouxsieSiouxStiletto · 26/06/2023 16:44

Would he be interested in doing a Joint Honours? Has he got an idea of what he wants to do after his degree?

Yes he would, with French, but he still needs that extra science or maths…grr!

OP posts:

Original poster

Fruitflylady · 26/06/2023 18:23

titchy · 26/06/2023 17:06

Left field suggestion - drop French or Music and do another science AL in a year? Bloody hard work but he might be up for it.

Thanks, this has been suggested by a maths teacher friend, and tentatively by his tutor, more in terms of restarting the year again, but he still loves the French and music, it would be a shame not to carry on and get them as A’levels.

OP posts:

Original poster

Fruitflylady · 26/06/2023 18:27

Thanks @clary , lots of useful advice there. I hadn’t considered the perception of him being ‘away’ from biology for a year. However, he does have the possibility of a work experience placement at a biological research institute abroad (we have connections there) so I think that would make up for it.
We will make sure he gets in touch with a few admissions tutors at unis he likes to see what they advise as well. I think the ones he’s looking at are fairly competitive with high grade offers, so I’m not hopeful if too much wriggle room…

OP posts:

Original poster

Fruitflylady · 26/06/2023 18:32

@PresentingPercy we are certainly considering the foundation year route. The disadvantage with that option is the extra cost involved, and also the possibility he may end up re-doing most of the biology he’s been doing and will have done during his A’level. We did attend a talk about the foundation year at Southampton, and a third of the course would end up duplicating work he’s already done. However, I would guess not all foundation years are the same. More research required…

OP posts:

PresentingPercy · 26/06/2023 19:39

@Fruitflylady Might there be a way he could do more maths and chemistry and less biology on the foundation? The DD I talked about had some of the A levels needed but not Chemistry (I think it was!). So yes, it’s not ideal but it helps with missing A level(s). I agree it messes up funding for another year but I’m afraid most “wrong” decisions have a cost.

Skule · 26/06/2023 21:24

He could look at Natural Sciences at Durham or Human Sciences at UCL. No second science subject required. He can lead with Biology while also sampling some humanities/social sciences. This route could be more appealing to a student who has as broad a range of interests as your DS.

Doveyouknow · 26/06/2023 21:30

It might be worth him thinking about what area he is interested in within biology. It a wide subject. If he is interested in biochemistry/ molecular biology then chemistry and maths would really help. If he is more interested behavioural biology or ecology related subjects chemistry would be less relevant (though maths especially statistics is useful across the board).

AP5Diva · 26/06/2023 21:33

Environmental science usually only requires one science A level.

Original poster

Fruitflylady · 27/06/2023 07:55

@Doveyouknow thats a good point but tough to answer right now!

OP posts:

Hoppinggreen · 27/06/2023 07:59

Fruitflylady · 26/06/2023 18:32

As I posted up thread we were advised by 2 different Unis plus a friend who works at a third that a Foundation year may not suit DD as she was a high achiever.
I was pretty surprised to be honest but having had the same advice from 3 different sources she decided to take it

PresentingPercy · 27/06/2023 08:11

@Hoppinggreen The DD I know that did vet science foundation was a high achiever too, I can assure you! Some foundation courses are hugely competitive! They are a means to an end. She was not going to get to be a vet unless she did it. Worth looking at for biology but obviously not always the right answer! Foundation courses are not just for lower achieving DC.

Hoppinggreen · 27/06/2023 08:18

PresentingPercy · 27/06/2023 08:11

I thought that too but DD was genuinely told not to take that route.
At one Uni open day a tutor was discussing the Foundation option with her then asked her predicted grades and said that it probably wasn’t for her then.
She was told the same at another Uni open day and then a friend who works at a 3 rd Uni said the same.
Its not my opinion they aren’t for high achievers, it’s just what we were told.
It makes no sense but there we are

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