University courses advice

[HighlandCowLover2]

My DD will be doing Maths, Physics and Computer Science A levels starting in September and is looking onwards to university courses. She would like to go to a RG university. Myself, her father and her brother all did pretty rubbish in our A-levels but still went to university, but she is hoping to aim a bit higher. She is worried about job prospects which is what made her rule out Marine Biology/Ecology and English Lit, hence why she didn’t choose Biology or Lit for A levels.

Both myself and her father did computer science at university many moons ago, however she seems to be worried that she would find this too boring (despite enjoying coding). She likes physics but thinks she would struggle as she had to work hard to get an 8 in maths. She is bright as she got mostly 8s in her GCSEs.

She is also considering an engineering degree or geophysics, but is just a very indecisive person.

Any advice or ideas about how she could narrow down her options are welcome!!

Engineering is a good call with those A levels. She'd might be able to incorporate some of her interest in ecology, as a lot of civil and mechanical engineers are involved in creating solutions to the climate crisis.

She could try an online profiler like this, which considers your interests and aptitudes and suggests careers that would align with them. https://www.mynextmove.org/explore/ip

Just a thought, but is marine biology/ecology where her real interest lies? I think it would be a shame to rule it out and just do things she enjoys less in the hope of a job. It sounds like she might feel pushed towards comp sci as well because both her parents did it?

If her real love is marine biology/ecology then personally I'd steer her towards that - although maybe it's too late now? Maths, physics, biology would keep her options open more, especially if she is already a pretty good coder.

Has she considered geo-engineering? A friend's son studied that. They easily got a placement year and a job lined up before they graduated.

Don’t assume Computer Science guarantees a job in the current market:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm21dvg8l1go

Seema a shame for her not to do Biology A level if that is where her interests lie!

@Skule I’ll get her to take a look! Thank you.

@Anna467 I don’t think it’s too late for her to change her options, but having looked at the job prospects for those degrees, it seems she’d be lucky to even find a minimum wage job related to her studies! Her father and I are happy for her to take biology at A-Level rather than physics (which seems like a very tough subject) however I think she’d best going into something like cybersecurity at degree level.

@Menotests We'll have to look into that! Thank you.

She thinks a Computer Science degree would be boring, she’s interested in Ecology - why on earth are you pushing her down the cyber security route? It’s obviously a field in yours and your dh’s comfort zone (and perhaps that has rubbed off on her somewhat) but it doesn’t sound like her hearts in it at all. Why not Maths Physics and Biology? And do some more research into careers. She wouldn’t need CS AL to do a Comp degree so isn’t ruling it out.

@HighlandCowLover2 You are right about ecology jobs. Difficult to get and poorly paid.

Cannot say cyber security is enthralling but you are missing a trick here. She could look at civil engineering with environmental engineering. MEng preferably. It’s a career with prospects and takes in what she enjoys and her best 2 subjects. I think biology or geography would be best alongside maths and physics.

Unless she's dead set on a specific career that she's really passionate about, then encourage her to take the three subjects she think she will enjoy the most for a level.

I know many people that took a levels they "thought would be better" for one reason or another, or were cajoled into by a parent or teacher...

Do what you enjoy and you will succeed best at it.

I think I mean geotechnical engineering or geotechnics (just in case you Google Geo engineering - quite different!)

Genuinely, she should do the subjects that she loves. A Levels are hard enough without slogging over something that your heart is not in. I would also say if she had to work really hard to get an 8 in Maths GCSE, she should carefully think whether she wants to do that at A Level.

Most of my daughters friends did the subjects they loved- they got A*/A's. A few thought did "what they thought would be best further down the line", struggled enormously, got low grades and ended up resitting or doing foundation years.

if she’s not dead set on a career in cybersecurity it would surely be better to do a broader degree, be it CS, some branch of engineering or a science.
In general, the higher rated undergrad courses tend to be the more ‘vanilla’ ones rather than the (overly) vocational ones. You said she’d be aiming for an RG uni - I’m not sure any offer cyber at undergrad level - this link to accredited courses suggests not, so CS followed by an MSc might be the better route if she did end up wanting to go that way.

https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/information/ncsc-certified-degrees?source=post_page---------------------------#section_3

(and with the rapid advances in computing I’d be even more nervous of a narrow focussed course)

@OnlyOneAdda The big problem with doing what you enjoy can really narrow down university choices. There are pairs of A levels that sit well together giving many options. Others simply don’t do this and rule dc out of certain degrees. The best advice is to think of a career path and work backwards. Finding you want engineering with no maths A level is pretty much a no starter at the better universities. So looking at combinations pays off.

Id certainly agree that engineering can take dc in many directions and I’d swerve the narrow vocational degrees too.

Could she do Biology, Physics and Maths and avoid CS all together? I think it would really broaden her options, to some of the degrees suggested by others above, and beyond that as well.

Has she considered medicine? or veterinary medicine?

I did that and it gave me my current job that I love so thanks!

@ClearFoundation
That's a good idea! I would like her to do 4 A-levels, but she is concerned it would be too much work. I think if she dropped one, it should be CS or physics and swap for biology.

She was very interested in medicine until recently. She doesn't think she'd enjoy chemistry A-level and isn't sure whether it'd be a good fit. She's read that you should only do medicine if you can't see yourself doing anything else, so she ended up deciding against it.

I appreciate those saying to do what she loves, but she is very ambitious, and I think she'd be better off doing a well-fitting combination that opens lots of doors than a mix of 'enjoyable' subjects that she could end up hating. I'd be happy for her to do biology A-Level, but I don't think she should pursue it any further unless she did chemistry as well.

It was her school who talked her into physics on results day, and she then couldn't do English Lit as the subjects clashed.

The civil service - OFWAT and others - do a week of work experience in the summer for year 12s, expenses paid. I heard it was really good.
Also civil service - the British Geological Survey - do work experience and are very helpful. As do the Mining Remediation Authority (previously Coal Authority).

Might be a fit for her subjects, plus a watery theme!
I'd contact the BGS and the MRA - they're v helpful.

Also - there are many different careers in these companies, plus they often pay for / sponsor degrees through a degree apprenticeship. She could even get her undergraduate degree paid for if she was a good candidate.

Why don’t you think she should do Bio unless she also does Chem? Bioscience degrees can be done without it…

@HighlandCowLover2 Biology often goes well with Geography and maths. Is Geography on her radar? Lots of careers spring from Geography.

Maths biology and physics sounds like it would keep her options open. CS is a very dry A level and often isn't enjoyed that much by those who take it. In my experience it is taken by students who do maths and physics and don't have any other A levels they like, because they are super focussed in going to university to study computing.

@TizerorFizz She considered geography as she got an 8 in GCSE and some of her friends are taking it, but she finds some aspects pretty boring (mostly the human side). She does like some parts though, so it could be worth considering. She definitely wants to keep options open.

From some replies, it sounds like swap CS for biology? Her main reason for taking CS was that she finds it very easy and wants a subject that she doesn't have to work as hard for. I'm just skeptical of where biology could take her without chemistry and the job prospects for these degrees.