Anyone give me some career advice for 15 year old DD? Thanks!

[CressidaMontgomery]

She is doing her GCSEs and is in year 10. Predicted 12 A grades (providing she works hard of course!)

She is really knuckling down already and is starting to think about what she would like to study at university. She wanted to study Law but is now not so sure.

I've suggested pharmacy, chemical engineering ( probably not my greatest suggestion!) , joining the RAF as a graduate, an English degree .. Err that's it.

Her strong areas are English I suppose. She hates French and she says she is not interested or very good at the sciences ( although she's doing triple science ). Her maths is only so so.

Any suggestions? I know she doesn't need to decide now but she feels it would be useful to have something to aim for

I have a joint honours degree in drama and English and have had or been offered jobs in politics, pr and teaching. I didn't act at all in my drama degree. I did a design unit but mostly studied plays and theatre history.

Ok I've had a re think about drama! She absolutely loves it but I genuinely believed that you had to be a talented actor to get the most out of it - she cannot act! It's an enjoyment thing for her. She's actually predicted A* in drama and I now understand that it isn't perhaps the 'filler' that I thought it was for her

I think A levels in English, history and maybe politics / geography with maybe drama too sounds like a perfect combination for her so will see what she thinks.

I've learnt a lot from this thread

I did a degree in Drama at a respected (Russell Group) university and have had all kinds of jobs, both theatrical and not (currently work in IT). Drama is not so very different from studying English, though I would say to pick a university that is considered to be academic as this will give her more leeway. Drama and English or Drama and History would also be good options and broaden her studies a bit. Friends from my course are doing everything from acting or set design or stage management all the way through to working at the BBC as a producer, radio, psychiatric nursing, sales, PR, academic at v good university, law, journalism and teaching.

I too have a DD in Y10 who seems to be a good all-rounder. She doesn't know what she wants to do for A'levels, never mind university! We will encourage her to keep her options as open as possible with A'level choices. And not be put off by any teachers because she doesn't like them and the way they teach the subject.

If she loves drama, maybe something like stage management? One of my nephews is just about to start his degree in that (on a course with a 100% employment rate) - he loves acting/dancing/singing, but isn't good enough to do it professionally and SM is something he's been doing for am dram groups for a while now

DH went to school (total underachiever town) with a guy who wanted to become a professional dancer. He succeeded, became a choreographer for West End shows. And then immigrated to Australia with his dancer wife. You know, that country Australia that has famously tough entry requirements point systems only desirable skillsets only wanted and all? So they must have had something that Australia saw great value in to let them in. Performing arts may not be such a bad bet. More internationally transferable than being expert in English law, I'll bet!

Drama could be good for all kinds of things, coupled with English. Writing of many kinds (plays, journalism, scripts, presentations, teaching material) and working in radio, public speaking, lecturing, teaching at many levels.

For law it helps to have a very good memory.

My dd is doing A-level drama and the BTEC in acting and it's the BTEC that's actually practical/vocational. In A-level drama she is doing things like studying Greek theatre and writing essays on How would you produce the Caucasian Chalk Circle?

Dd does hope to be an actress, but I reckon her A-level choices of English, Modern History and Drama should still get her into university if stage school falls through.

Hi , I work for the careers service . As others , I'd suggest that she chooses subjects she enjoys , better chance of doing something well if she enjoys DVD subject . The other thing would be do
Keep her A level choices as broad as possible unless she is thinking of a science /engineering type career . In terms of choice of A level , the more traditional ones tend to go down better with Universities or a combination of new and old for example English and History go well and show a flair for research and analytical skills though critical evaluaton which are skills needed in Law . She could combine that with a new A level eg sociology . Good luck