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Secondary education

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Original poster

What do you think of these A'level subject choices

92 replies

AgeofInformation · 21/01/2017 16:29

This is what DS might be heading for:

Maths
Economics
Computing.

My worry being that he has chosen two non facilitating subjects.

OP posts:
Original poster
AgeofInformation · 21/01/2017 18:05

Yes Pre U is instead of A'level. Its a different qualification but quite highly regarded and more stretching than the standard A'level. He needs an A* at GCSE to do it, and at the moment he is predicted just an 'A'.

OP posts:
ErrolTheDragon · 21/01/2017 18:09

Oh, I see. Thats tough. If you don't mind me asking, as a reality check, what are his predictions for maths and computing?

FantasyAndHope · 21/01/2017 18:09

DD's school only allowed them to do 3 alevel subjects as 4 aren't necessary it makes the choosing process harder but with how the new alevels work and the difference in content it is wise doing 3. Quite a few of dds friends swapped economics after finding it hard.
DD's teacher started her on a pre-u for Religious studies but it was proving hard to source books etc so they swapped to an alevel. They are tougher than alevels and more like a degree their often seen as the bridge between alevels and degrees.

ErrolTheDragon · 21/01/2017 18:12

Tbh there's no point in doing 4 and dropping 1 as 9 times out of 10 the dropped AS counts for fuck all.

Meant to comment - the point is that if someone starts 3 and then finds one too much of a step up from gcse or doesn't like it if its a new subject to them, they're a bit stuffed. And AS Further maths definitely does 'count' for quite a lot of numerate courses.

Original poster
AgeofInformation · 21/01/2017 18:14

Maths and Computing Both A's, although he is confident he'll get an A*in Maths.

OP posts:
scardeyy · 21/01/2017 18:22

We had it drilled into us we must do 4 at AS, all dutifully did, no one used that fourth AS. Waste of time & energy.

bojorojo · 21/01/2017 18:29

I believe what I said is correct in that the the Pre U is instead of A level but is more challenging, hence the requirement for the A at GCSE. I assume the school has enough children getting the A to run the course! Otherwise they would not run it. Universities are more than happy with it but it sounds like a real shame if he cannot do Physics at all unless he gets an A*. Most academic schools would want an A for A level the PreU is more demanding.

I also think not having Physics would put him on the back foot for Civil Engineeing and Structural Engineering. Design Technology is not really a substitute when applying for a competitive academic MEng course. There are building technology courses that would be better with this qualification.

It is not worth changing schools. If he is settled and has friends, stay put!

KatherinaMinola · 21/01/2017 18:30

Economics would have more sway than computing with more traditional universities - but without knowing what he wants to do it's hard to comment.

I think because he's currently unsure what he wants, it makes sense to keep his options open by doing two facilitating subjects.

ErrolTheDragon · 21/01/2017 18:37

Scaredyy - depends which subjects and what uni courses you're interested in. But if you don't know what you want to do, then starting 3 may close off choices.

Op - if its likely he'll be interested in software eng, I'm pretty sure the only essential subject in many places is maths - comp sci and economics would be fine with it for most I would think (though 'top unis' require high grades). Someone mentioned electronics... kind of my specialist subject this year Grinand the best places would want maths and physics.

ErrolTheDragon · 21/01/2017 18:46

OP - you might find it useful to play with this website university.which.co.uk/courses to get some idea of entry requirements for different uni courses. Its pretty easy to find entry requirements for specific uni courses but at this stage you probably need something a bit wider like this.

Original poster
AgeofInformation · 21/01/2017 18:53

I think you've all made valid points, and have confirmed my initial thoughts. We'll just have to wait and see what results he actually gets. If he gets an A* in Physics then he'll do the pre u, if not probably stick to what he's currently proposing. I can't understand why they're not offering both qualifications in Physics myself as they are offering it in the other two sciences, very odd.

OP posts:
Original poster
AgeofInformation · 21/01/2017 18:56

Errol thanks for the link.

Is there actually a database of all the courses Universities offer somewhere as i think part of the problem for DS is just not knowing what courses are on offer/ what the possibilities are.

OP posts:
Bobbybobbins · 21/01/2017 19:04

The UCAS website allows you to do some searches for different courses including joint honours I think! Otherwise individual uni websites are useful. Warwick does very well regarded range of maths related courses.

KittyVonCatsington · 21/01/2017 19:16

Economics would have more sway than computing with more traditional universities - but without knowing what he wants to do it's hard to comment.

That's changing with the new Linear Computer Science A Level. A third of the RG unis were saying to my students this year that they would offer one grade lower if one of the subjects taken was Computer Science (on CS related degrees of course) when they didn't used to. This is set to increase according to BCS and CAS.

ErrolTheDragon · 21/01/2017 19:58

UCAS link www.ucas.com/ucas/undergraduate/choosing-undergraduate-course

Russell group 'informed choices', if you've not already seen it russellgroup.ac.uk/for-students/school-and-college-in-the-uk/subject-choices-at-school-and-college/

Just found sacu-student.com/?page_id=5203 which might be handy - if you enter the proposed a level subjects you can see what courses people went onto with them in previous years. Huge amount of info.

KatherinaMinola · 21/01/2017 20:22

That's interesting Kitty. It's probably about time things changed really - computer science is a useful and rigorous subject, after all. I guess it's just taken the unis 30 years to catch up!

bojorojo · 21/01/2017 22:17

I think, Kitty, that is the whole point of the debate. Computer Science is good for (drum roll) Computer Science. Physics opens up a lot more doors - that is why it is facilitating. It does not mean Computer Science is not rigorous. There are lots of rigorous subjects that are not facilitating! Economics for example.

Mary21 · 21/01/2017 22:51

Ds is doing economics and not enjoying it. Says it's not what he thought it would be so definitely get your ds to check out the spec.

BackforGood · 21/01/2017 23:44

We had it drilled into us we must do 4 at AS, all dutifully did, no one used that fourth AS. Waste of time & energy

They have (used the 4th choice) in dd's school (she's Yr13). dd started 6th form convinced she was going to do a certain degree - took the 2 subjects she needed for that and 2 other subjects she just enjoyed (standard at her school to do 4). Turns out the 2 she had loved up to GCSE just didn't do it for her at A-level.... don't know how much struggling with the work made the subject unappealing or if it was the subject now being unappealing that made her struggle with the work. However, on looking round universities and talking to students at end of Yr12, her passion has now become one of the "other 2" subjects. She was able to drop one of the (previously thought as) certs, and still have 3 A-levels.
She is by no means the only one.

AtiaoftheJulii · 22/01/2017 00:04

But most younger kids aren't going to have that choice. My y11 ds's school are encouraging three A levels plus some sort of enrichment, but are being clear that whatever you start in September, that's what they expect you to do for two years. Some will still do 4, and a few will do 5 I'm sure, but those numbers will be way down on what they've been in previous years.

ErrolTheDragon · 22/01/2017 00:13

I reckon that will result in quite a few having to redo yr 12 with different subjects. Or end up not being able to do the university course they want.

I'd definitely suggest people encourage their kids to go to a couple of uni open days after gcses to help them get an idea of courses they might be interested in and the requirements.

sendsummer · 22/01/2017 08:15

When there is the option of doing 4 though as in the case of OP's DS then I would strongly encourage DCs to start with 4 if only as an extended taster of the subjects at A level / preU standard with the aim of dropping the least liked at the end of the first term (or even first halferm). The scenario that BackforGood describes does not seem uncommon.

OP your DS could look at a listing of undergraduate courses such as those here at Sheffield www.sheffield.ac.uk/prospectus/subjectList.do?prospectusYear=2017
I notice that for degree subjects like artificial intelligence and computing or systems engineering there only maths is obligatory and Computer Science can substitute for physics.

If he does n't get the A* in physics and economics is not really his thing, would he consider starting a fourth A level in something like DT / Electronics that would give him a useful component of physics and engineering type skills?

Otherwise if he is very keen on physics and prepared to work a bit harder to do it, my tactic with the school would be to ask the school if he could start with the preU as a fourth subject even if he gets an A to drop it after first term if it is too tough.

Original poster
AgeofInformation · 22/01/2017 08:16

Errol that second link you gave //sacu- student.com is absolutely brilliant! Just the kind of thing we need.

OP posts:
Rickandmorty · 22/01/2017 08:19

Advice about number of A levels is slightly outdated. The majority of schools for the new A Levels are expecting students to just take 3 from September. It will no longer be the norm to take 4 and drop 1.

sendsummer · 22/01/2017 08:24

Rickandmorty in the case of OP's DS his school does allow four A levels.

Age I just wanted to add that even if he can't do physics a Further Maths AS level as a fourth subject would be of use for any of the directions his other subjects lead to.