Economics A level?

[Whoremoan]

Has anyone got a child studying for Economics A level? If so, how are they finding it? Is it really interesting? Is it fairly easy, as a levels go - or really rigorous?

DD is thinking about this for the 6th Form but isn't sure if it's going to be very mathematical. She's an arts/humanities person really rather than maths/sciences but thinks it might compliment her other possible options.

Another subject she's considering is Psychology (Pre-U) but she says it's looked on as a 'soft' option - very interesting but not taken seriously by many universities. She thinks she'd find it easier than Economics but is already looking towards best choice of subjects to open various career paths later on.

She's got no idea yet of a career and is only vaguely thinking at this stage about possibly doing Geography at university.

Please share any experiences with Economics as an A level, as she needs to decide pretty soon on her options. TIA

My son is doing Economics A2- he's doing ok, on target for a B. He's not massively good at Maths, he struggled at GCSE though ended up coming out with an A and a B, better than expected.

He said it's not terribly Hard Maths.

He's also applied to do Geography at Uni for 2017. No idea on a career here either. We've done the open days though and Geography is quite an agile degree in terms of future career choices.

Hi I teach Economics A level so slightly biased! But I'd say strong literacy skills are more important than maths although they do need to be confident with data manipulation. However Economics at university is very mathematical. It's an interesting A level if your daughter is interested in the world and current events...I liken the subject to Marmite; either one you find really interesting or not at all. It's a well regarded A level by the unis/careers.

I would read this with her, all about keeping your options open:
www.russellgroup.ac.uk/media/5321/informedchoices-print.pdf

It depends what her other choices will be. Neither Economics or Psychology are seen as facilitating subjects but are listed as "useful advanced" subjects for a number of degrees. They would be a good supplement to one or two facilitating subjects.

By the way, it says for a Geography degree:

Essential advanced level qualifications
Most degrees require Geography.

Useful advanced level qualifications
Some Geography BSc (science) degrees prefer one from Biology,
Chemistry, Mathematics or Physics.

I'm doing it and I would definitely encourage your daughter to. It's very interesting and though has mathematical elements isn't overly so, but it'll be useful for your daughter to have that experience and a respected subject which is in a different area of study to her others. As has been said, though, she needs to think about what she wants to study at university when it comes to choices so a bit of research on that would be useful, or ask her teachers for guidance too. She may decide she wants to study Economics!

This is really helpful. Thanks everyone. DD is planning to do English Lit and Geog and RS A levels and this would be the 4th option for Lower 6th - ie either Economics or Psychology.

She'd potentially only do one year of one of those 2 final options and just stick with 3 A levels in the end but if one of her other 3 doesn't work out so well, she'd keep on with the fourth option.

Myusername2015, she's got pretty good literacy skills - hence the Eng Lit A level (probably her best subject) but I'm not sure what she's like at data manipulation. She's doing this kind of thing I think in Geography GCSE and the three sciences too but I'm not clear enough myself about what Economics would involve to guide her about the content of the A level course.

She's interested in some aspects of current affairs but hasn't really shown a massive intrigue in the financial and business sectors. She wouldn't do Economic at university as she's not going to do maths A level.

Any thoughts on Psychology Pre-U BTW? Is it considered a soft subject or would it be worth considering just because she might find it interesting and easier - especially if she'd be dropping it after one year? Her school insist on 4 subjects for Lower 6th.

You don't always have to do maths A level to do an economics degree. I'm pretty sure Manchester University offers a BA and a BSc route. Their BA route doesn't stipulate maths - entry requirements. I guess other places are the same.

It can be a theoretical subject as well with lighter touch maths.

I did an Economics degree which supposedly didn't need much Maths. I found it very, very difficult by the third year as it had - unexpectedly to me - become very maths-based in all the modelling sections. I would coach anyone thinking of Economics who is not keen on Maths to ask lots of questions at their prospective universities.