Urgent! A level options help/art gcse

[Anonymousspace]

DD is struggling to narrow options down, for context she is a very passionate rower (9+ times a week), musician and generally an all rounder who enjoys everything! Hence why narrowing down options for a level is very difficult, can’t do IB as didn’t go for school that does it. Can only take 3 a levels plus EPQ/some AS levels. Predicted 8-9 across the board (apart from art as I will come back to later!)

English lit is the only one confirmed and after that there are these options:
maths (predicted 9, but not a particular strong passion or enjoyment)
politics
biology
music
economics
geography (never actually did it at gcse but enjoys human geography)

Was thinking originally English lit, politics, biology but now swayed to English, maths and music as this keeps a lot of options open. Still not sure though.

DD has researched all and genuinely can’t narrow down, can be an overthinker. Looking into Liberal arts, PPE, anthropology, HSPS and music uni courses. Aiming for Oxford/cambridge and other top universities. Would maybe like to be a teacher or journalist however ultimately doesn’t know and I could see DD doing any number of things. (apparently DD being a broadcast journalist is 100% match)

any help would be much appreciated! Thank you

timetabling usually creates issues with mixing arts and sciences - I had to go to 2 separate sixth forms to be able to do music and maths.

Don’t do maths a level if it isn’t a strong enjoyment.

After the week we've just had, I'd strongly advice seeing if school will release the (proposed) blocks. I've no idea if it's something they are likely to do, but it might rule out some combinations.

What about:
English
Politics or economics
Music

I think maths and Geography probably need to come off the list.

Maths is generally the most facilitating A level but with that set of favoured degree programmes it isn’t likely to be of explicit use. In its absence, some subject requiring analytical thought would be helpful. English Lit goes some distance to answering this but History, Economics or Politics would be better.

When the entry requirements for a degree programme are fairly broad, as they will be for some programmes you’ve listed, it is helpful if you can show the logic behind your subject choices. Ideally they complement each other - not necessarily to the outside eye, but in a way that you can explain - but it’s fine to explain that one of them (or your EPQ) represents a last chance to study a favourite secondary interest.

If we exclude Maths, Eng Lit, Music and ??? Can DD show how those fit together and prepare her for the realm she is interested in? That’s the challenge. Best wishes to her

I agree that taking maths A level if you don't love it is not the best idea. Taking it while not loving it bc it keeps options open is sort of even worse – as in, it’s hard and if you are thinking “huh I only took this to keep options open and I hate it” then that’s not great.

Agree with @poetryandwine that on its own in any case it doesn't facilitate much – economics degree I guess. But it is useful as a rule to facilitate a science degree (do DS did biology and maths and does bio at uni) – without another science subject it’s kind of a dead end. Hmm, dead end is harsh - apols to mathematicians, I love maths too! Let’s say it’s great to do if you love it but well, see earlier comment.

Same could be said of bio on its own, tho actually a good number of unis will take you for a bio degree with no other science (tho will ask for higher grades). Not sure about Oxford and Cambs on that tho.

How about Eng lit, politics, econ? tbh Eng lit, maths, biology makes sense too but steers her in a sciencey direction. Have you checked the A level list Cambridge (I think) suggests? Is history a no?

What’s wrong with art btw? don’t think you said @Anonymousspace

Meant to say if she wants to be a journalist I can give some top tips haha (starting with maybe don’t, sorry) but if that is a serious idea then it needs to be a passion, evidenced as soon as she can (ie now).

Very very easy to get your work published.

Art gcse comment didnt add! I was saying that DD is currently at a 6 and is struggling to know whether to drop it or not so close to the end. Art teacher is absolutely useless (rips out work, gives 0 guidance etc etc) and DD has lost all joy for the subject unfortunately. Wants to drop but it is very close to entry date (7 lessons!) and not sure whether it’s worth just getting the 6.

re maths - it would be a very good facilitating subject to take but if DD doesn’t enjoy it we are unsure whether to suggest. Needed for PPE often though, which is why we started looking at HSPS instead.

re history - DD finds it very interesting, top in the class for class discussions etc but during exam papers struggles with the techinque and a difficult exam board

If she is in year 11 she must have finished art surely? They used to do it in February or maybe early March at my school I thought? Maybe it varies by school though.

The idea behind facilitating subjects is that they are needed to do certain degrees. So single hons French degree without French A level, or BA in English lit without Eng lit A level, is more or less a non-starter. But politics is not needed for a politics degree etc.

Thing is with maths, for a maths degree at any top uni you most likely need FM. Ain't nobody taking that just because haha. You have to love maths to do FM. Yes, maths will support PPE and straight econ degrees as well (tho again some will want FM). But tbh if you don't love maths, then I cannot see the point of taking it bc it facilitates degrees that require maths. Bc you’re not going to like them either.

Worth getting a 6? Remembered a 6 is the equivalent to a B in old money!

If she wants to do a broadly humanities / social science degree, choose two out of geography, economics and politics (alongside her English Lit choice). Any two will be fine.

Maths will inly be needed for PPE, but obvs not HSPS, Lib Arts degrees etc.

Also, be careful of choosing A-levels solely with the aim PPE or HSPS in mind because those are some of the most competitive courses at O and C respectively. I think it's 1 in 10 offer rate for those courses and all applicants will have very top grades, EPQ, essay competitions etc etc. it's good to have a go, but do big up other unis.

Geography A level is really very challenging and definitely builds up. I think she’d find it very hard not having done it at GCSE and this could hamper her chances of getting into oxbridge.

Themes emerging from our current Y12 thread:

1. Economics seems to be the most enjoyed of the “new at A Level” subjects.
2. Maths is the most complained-about (or regretted) subject.

thank you so much for all the replies - lots of interesting things to think about. I just have 2 questions

firstly, around biology. DD can’t see herself working in a lab how might use biology in other ways such as anthropology or zoology and does find it really interesting. Got an 8 in the mock and probably a 9 predicted so is a strong subject. However is biology by itself any help at all in keeping pathways open? Our main aim is to help DD pick choices where she can pursue whatever she wants or decides going forward at Uni.

This leads me onto my second question surrounding maths. DD is very good at maths and it seems to just click now, did put in a lot of effort to go for a 6 to a 9 in the mocks. It’s not the strongest passion however would it be best to take it going forward to help with future applications? After all it is the most facilitating subject

thanks again for all the replies!

English, politics and Biology is a fascinating combination. Politics and Lit go really well together

I’d put music if she’s sure about her post 18 options. If she’s not then Biology to keep more options open. Not maths if she doesn’t love it.

Candidly HSPS is very hard to get into these days, history is a better bet and you can often switch after part I. Politics isn't an absolute requirement for HSPS either.

The answer to the question is fairly much which are the 3 subjects she is mostly likely to get A stars in. She will need a 3 A star prediction to have a good chance at Cambridge. To get A stars she needs to absolutely love the subject. So what are the ones she has the most love for and will do lots of super curricular for. Cambridge don't much care about rhe EPQ, it just helps in terms of super curricular eg my son was able to use his epq work to support his personal statement and submitted essays for Cambridge as it was a history topic but not on the curriculum.

Also balance whether DD would benefit from some coursework alongside exams. History has a coursework component for example, does she enjoy that or is she an exam person

My DD and DS in similar situation (DD also with the art!). All rounders with little idea of what they want to do. DS wants Theology at Cambridge, which is his passion, and has decided Maths, Chem, Geog and Spanish. He will prob drop one he doesn't get on well with but at this stage it's hard to predict what that will be as A levels are very different to GCSEs. Maths and Spanish are his natural talents. DD has really no idea even though she's had to apply to sixth form with certain subjects.

My older son did Maths. It's one of the most popular A level subjects but also incredibly hard to get the highest A level grades in. He got a high 7 at GCSE nearly an 8, and a D at A level though he basically gave up in Y13 as it got so challenging. It was one of his favourite subjects at GCSE. If people are moaning about it on the Y12 thread, just wait for Y13 to hit!

As a result of my older son's experience, I'm encouraging my kids to choose 4 and narrow down later. It might just take a term to realise it's really not for them, or even after Y12 exams.

Definitely do the art GCSE. It shows versatility even if the grade is a bit lower and it's mostly out of the way before the rest of the exams.

History is also v different at GCSE. GCSE is much more facts and memory based. Answers are basically a 'formula' which you just follow. A level is much more depth of thought and in my DD's school they do some coursework too. Much more reading and analysis. I'm not sure if my DD will get on with A level History but we will see. She's currently applied to sixth form with Biology, History, Politics and Chemistry. She is naturally v good at Chem but the teacher teaching it next year is awful (she's had him for the past 2 years in physics and not doing well)!

Good luck to your DD. It's very hard to narrow down this early.