Dd hasn't chosen any facilitating subjects for A Levels. Should I worry?

[PossumInAPearTree]

She's chosen product design, photography and religious studies.

She wants to do a graphic design degree and either wants to be a graphic designer or maybe a graphic design teacher. She currently is doing a graphic design gcse and is predicted an A*, teacher says her work is degree level work.

So she has a talent and for her future choices I know her a levels are ok but I worry a bit what if in year 13 she decides she's had enough of graphic design and doesn't want to carry on with that degree path/career path?

She loves photography and I don't think will entertain any idea of not doing it either.

Excellent. It sounds like she's got a passion for it.

All sounds good to me! Most art type courses will do interview and then base offer on that, which is nice. If she's used to juggling portfolios and she has a realistic idea of workload then I think she'll do great.

And yes - if she has a complete change of heart she'll figure out what she needs to do and work from there. It makes sense for her to follow her dream now.

Well she just got her mock results back and got a C for graphics so God knows what happened. She says she was feeling unwell and had forgotten to take any crayons and sat there for most of the exam not doing anything. Agghhhh.

Teenagers.

Possum to be hard - headed about her future drection would it be worth showing her work to another graphics designer teacher or even somebody working as a graphics designer (doubles up as some careers advice). It is great to have the very good opinion from one teacher but since appreciation is subjective for arts a second and even third opinion would be reassuring to her and you before excluding other possibilities by her A level choices.

Will have to see if I can do that, thanks. She's failed her English mock as well so I'm really panicking! She was meant to get a 7 for that!

If it's really going badly, have a look as BTECs as an alternative. I have no idea about visual arts other than second-hand but a lot of teachers/students seem to prefer the vocational approach.

Sadly the nearest btec art type subjects are twenty miles away.

Oh. Well that rules that out.

Don't panic yet. This is partly what mocks are designed for, to highlight issues and deliver a toe to the posterior.

Could she do a more academic subject instead of the photography at 6th form, and then do the photography A level at night school the year after before going to uni, alongside a job? Would be a good use of a year and might give her the edge over other graduates when she comes to look for work?

Many students post A level go to college or uni to do a foundation art course. This incorporates many art subjects and prepares a portfolio for uni admission. My daughter did this and most of her cohort went on to top art related degrees. It is a 12 month course and free, this is what art subjects will want. Good luck to her.

I can't advise on the A-level choice, but where I live there is only one secondary school. I think it offers a number of choices for A-levels but is quite limited. So many students end up going to the Sixth Form College in the next town which offers a much wider choice including vocational courses, which is 20 miles away.

Sadly the nearest btec art type subjects are twenty miles away.

Quite a lot of kids go that far to secondary school, surely many must to get to a sixth form college? Depends on whether there's reasonable public transport of course.

Anyway ... while thinking about these issues at this stage is a good idea, probably best she puts it on the back burner till summer and focuses on those gcses! Going to one or two uni open days before finalising a level options can be informative.

Lots of young people travel that distance to college. They do around me anyway. Do not rule anything out.

Some courses want a foundation, some do not. It really depends on the course and the A levels you have. When you get an offer they can be low because it is the portfolio they are judging and potential. However, doing a portfolio at school ramps up the work and not everyone is up to this, or the standard required. You can get onto a Photography degree without a foundation for example - if you have aced the A level and done a first class portfolio!

I think she does need to concentrate on her GCSEs and be very sure how she can improve. Why was the graphics so poor? At least there is time to put it right.

And lots of Unis do Art Foundation too. No fees (if you are under 19) but obviously you have your living costs., or you can live at home.

It's the lack of transport rather than the distance which is the issue.

She says the graphics results was poor because she had fallen out with the teacher and she messed up on purpose to piss the teacher off. God save me!

Lordy. Bit of a character is she?

She's not normally this bad!

They all go a bit funny one way or another at some point between Y9 and Y13

If she changes her mind she could easily do an access course before going to Uni for the changed subject.
They are offered in all sorts of subjects. A friends dd decided on medicine from arts related subjects.
Did an access in biology and went to Uni and is now a doctor.
I really wouldn't worry.

I think growing up may be an immediate goal, possum.