Non preferred A level subjects - how much impact will picking one or two have on uni admissions?

[SonionRing]

Dd is about to get her GCSE results, and will then finalise her A level choices.

She's really struggled to narrow down her choices, but thinks she wants to do a.mixture of Business Studies, Politics, and either History or English Lit, or maybe Textiles

However having looked at uni entry requirements some unis consider Business Studies a lesser a level? Is this something she should be worrying about?

Oh I agree of course that certain A-level subjects (or combinations of subjects) keep more avenues open than others.

But I don't think this statement is correct: "All of the DD’s potential A levels except Textiles are Informed Choices."

Textiles absolutely could be part of making an informed choice of A-level subjects.

Yes, I agree with you completely in principle! However it is not a formal Informed Choice on the Informed Choices website. These are the A levels that replace the former, formal group of Facilitating Choices.

But I don't think there is a list of subjects that count as "Informed Choices" on the informed choices website!

I think it is deliberately a move away from a formal list of "facilitating subjects" (which was criticised, and later dropped) and towards a broader concept of making informed choices, and understanding the implications of those choices. No subject is excluded from being an "informed choice" as it's all about making the right choices for the individual.

So for the OP's daughter, choosing Textiles alongside, say, Business and Politics, after careful consideration and research, absolutely would count as an informed choice.

However, we seem to have both interpreted it differently, so I'm happy to agree to disagree 😁

The site has a list. You can navigate to it from ‘Now choose your subjects’ or ‘I don’t know what I want to study’.

I don’t mind a friendly disagreement either, so I thought about letting this go. But I realised that you’ve made an excellent point: the list should really be more prominent than it is. Others MumsNetters might also want to know.

And as we, and the Informed Choices people, agree about the underlying philosophy, there is really no reason not to include other A levels on it.

Results day is here, and shes got into the school she wanted. Phew.

Shes just firmed up her 4 a level choices (with the aim of dropping 1 in October). Shes dropped textiles from her options but knows she can always do something with it for an EPQ potentially, or just doing bits of sewing and embroideryat home. Shes decided she wants to swap business with economics a level (probably due to a lower than expected grade in gcse business and higher grade in maths).

So she'll be doing Economics, Politics, English Lit and History. Which the informed Choices website gives quite a broad range of degree options for.

Many thanks to everyone for clearing up our confusion about preferred/non preferred subjects. Its really helped her think things through.

That’s a very ambitious set of A levels, though Economics is obviously a great choice. In your shoes I would be holding my breath until one was dropped.

Any three of them will give DD great options. Best wishes to her.