Is sociology, business & politics A level combo a bad idea?

[LatinSisters]

A mum from school yesterday was appalled that my DD is wanting to study sociology, business and politics at A levels, saying that none of them are academic and she won’t get a place at a ‘good’ uni. DD has no clue about a career or a degree. She’s not taking any of those subjects at gcse so it’s a risk but this mum wasn’t getting at that. DD is definitely more interested in humanities than sciences. She works very hard and is likely to get the following at GCSE
maths 7, English x2 at 7, 3 sciences at 6, history 6, PE 7, Food 7/8. (Total of 9 subjects at 6/7 type results).
She thinks she’ll really enjoy sociology and politics, and that business could be interesting. BUT are these a ‘bad’ combination?

For the very top uni's like Oxbridge and maybe very competitive degrees like economics then it probably wouldn't be a good combination but for the majority of courses at the majority of universities they would be absolutely fine. It's better to do subjects you're interested in and get the best possible predicted grades then grades as that is what is most important for getting an offer at almost all uni's. It may be worth having a look at a range of courses she may be interested in and at a range of uni's she may be interested in just to be 100% sure.

A traditional, tried subject you know she does well in, might be worthwhile rather than risk three unknowns. Perhaps History or English? There may also be some maths content in each of her choices.

3 unknowns is very risky and they are not the best choices for top tier Uni apps. As long as she is going into it with eyes wide open fully aware of those facts, it's up to her.

i don’t think i’ve ever been more bored in my life than when i had my sociology a level lessons

utterly dire

it isn’t the strongest of Alevels combo

but i’m sure there is a bit of hyperbole is “appalled”

hold up

she’s thinking of doing three a levels that she has never studied before?!

Just no

Thank you. DD won’t be looking at oxbridge or anything similar. I’ve looked at a few universities (including RG) and a selection of random degrees and the majority don’t say what A levels they prefer other than not wanting ‘critical thinking’ or ‘general studies’. They just give entry requirements as three grades such as AAB etc. Just wondered if it matters what subjects the three grades are in if a university doesn’t specify? Is there a hierarchy that’s not explicit? Or that a uni will consider these 3 subjects as ‘easy’ and not academic?

I got into a RG to do law and one of my A-levels was Sociology, I also did History, English Lit and RE. I would say out of them all it was by far the easiest. I scored the highest in the country on one paper. I did need 3 As back then. I think she should do History or something a bit more solid.

For the very top uni's like Oxbridge and maybe very competitive degrees like economics then it probably wouldn't be a good combination

With 6s and 7s she's unlikely to be looking at top tier, so combination wise it shouldn't pose any problems. I agree with others though it's a risk doing all new subjects.

I teach sociology . My students do well . They don't exhibit signs of boredom. Perhaps you chose unwisely or were poorly taught...

I agree on the three new subjects point but nothing wrong with each subject individually.

Why are they not the best choices if they give her the required grades? And universities doesn’t specify subjects. This is what I’m not understanding?

DD is applying at the moment and they all just specify grades except for the obvious eg History needs History A level at most (not all) unis, English needs English etc etc, but there's no actual hierarchy of bad/good/better subjects and no facilitating subjects any more. DD does sociology and loves it.
Only concern as others have said would be starting 3 completely new subjects.

Thank you. She’s absolutely adamant about studying A level sociology and we are having to move schools as it’s not offered at her current school. You say as individual subjects they’re fine but as a combination are there ok? And do universities look at the subjects and think ‘ugh they’re a bit easy’ and not offer? Even if they’re likely to get the required grades and they haven’t said what the essential/preferred subjects are?

They're fine. I've taught lots of students who have gone to all manner of universities. One with sociology, business (CNAT , not A level) and geography in fact has just started at Bath having turned down a Durham offer.

pretty sure i didn’t show signs of boredom

i got a B with minimal work

but bloody hell it was dull

The combination is also fine. It's just the three new subjects thing. Some students ate fine with this, especially those who choose positively. The ones who crash and burn often choose new subjects for spurious reasons. I am guessing she likes discussion and moral debates. Business, to be fair, can be quite staid. She might want to look into content and teaching style.

My DS did sociology with economics and enjoyed that but his economics teacher was brilliant.

Yes, I understand the concern re 3 new subjects. Her argument is that history at A level would feel new too as different time periods studied. Ditto her argument for English lit - different texts studied from gcse. Yes @Piggywaspushed she loves a discussion and the ‘grey’ in life. Definitely not a black and white girl.

Different strokes for different folks.

She’s not adamant about business and is considering psychology instead. But this is still a new subject! I’m thinking business goes quite well with sociology and politics. Economics may be better, but still another new subject, plus the school she’s looking at don’t offer economics. They get very good results in the subjects she is considering.

following her logic…. all a levels will be “new” because a levels is very much about covering new more complex ground

My hesitation would be that since a'levels like sociology, business, psychology, law etc are sometimes seen by the more traditional universities as 'softer' than more rigorously academic subjects she may be closing some doors on herself.

It depends entirely on what sort of a kid she is and what she wants to do next as to whether there is merit in keeping other options open.

www.informedchoices.ac.uk might be worth looking at but so much depends on what and where your dd may wish to study after A levels. Stating the obvious but she just needs to be confident she isn’t closing any doors to future study of a specific subject she might want to in the future e.g. don’t drop history if a history degree is possibly in contention.

My thoughts are to keep one subject in the mix that would have previously been labelled as “facilitating” as these are typically gateway subjects for university level study of the courses your dd has said she’d like to do for A level. If she is hopeful for at least a grade 7 in maths it’s worth continuing with that as it would keep doors open for PPE type courses at higher ranking universities. You don’t “need” politics A level to do politics at uni but you’ll probably find most unis require maths for economics and maybe some business degrees.

@hillroad indeed!! And I understand her logic. I did maths, physics & DT. maths & physics were a WHOLE new ball game at A level - barely recognisable.

None of the schools we are looking at ask for GCSEs in Business, sociology or politics or psychology. In fact I don’t think they are offered at gcse. They all begin on a premise of no prior knowledge / attainment. They do ask for 6’s in maths/English and history if taken. All of which she should achieve.

@piggy

Dd is doing sociology. Never done it before and took it as an “easy” a level but is really enjoying it.

she’s also doing psychology, so 2 a’levels she’s never done before. She likes that as well as it’s science based as well.

she also has no clue career wise. AIM is to get as high grades as she can and see what’s open to her.

in her opinion she’s better taking subjects that she’s interested in and getting good grades than subjects based solely on perceived “standing” and not doing so well.

eta: dd’s school set work in the holiday after GCSE that was required to do the Alevel. That really helped did choose as she hated the worksheets for the subjects she thought she wanted, but found the humanities/ethics subjects much more interesting.

No way on this planet would she choose A level maths. She works her backside off and that 7 (if achieved) will be hard fought!! Her sister got grade 9 maths gcse and did not find A level a walk in the park.
Her existing school offer AS core maths and she’d consider that if offered at a new school (in addition to 3 A levels) but the type of maths studied for A level isn’t her bag.

Interesting! Thank you. May I ask what other subjects were in the mix and what her 3rd subject is please?