Physics or Biology alongside Maths and English A levels?

[loveyouradvice]

Hi all....love to tap into your experience....

My y11 DD's natural choice for A levels would have been English Maths and Physics.... although she's been enjoying Physics less than before...

She's now saying she wants to study Human Biology instead (having actively disliked Biology until y10, though this may be changing), because it would be better for Psychology at Uni.... which she thinks she wants to study... and may well...

1. Is this really true?
2. If she really does enjoy Biology and Physics equally, would it not be wiser to do Physics as a more highly-regarded subject and keeping her options open?

Love any thoughts... She's an academic child but with slow-processing issues which are only just now beginning to be evaluated... And lucky enough to be both creative and scientific....

A year ago she would have wanted to choose any of English, Drama, Physics, History, Maths and Art for A level and actively adored all of these... now with the challenges of whatever educational-needs she has, she has stopped "enjoying" any subjects apart from English and Art.....She's finding it tough no longer being "Physics Girl" as she was known in years 7/8/9 ... though deeply relieved that there is a reason, whatever it is for her "brain fog".

If she's doing maths anyway, then physics would be less work - there's some overlap between the courses, and if she's good at maths, the physics will be pretty straightforward. But if she enjoys biology more, then she should go for it!

No idea what A levels a psychology degree requires - she could look at a few university websites to get a feel.

Ideally your daughter needs to work backwards from her desired degree and select A levels which keep all options open. Most psychology degree pathways do not state specific subjects are required at A level but some do require a science. If she decides she does want to do physics A level then she really must do maths as well, in order to "future proof" her potential degree route.

It doesn't really matter if she does Bio, Maths and English or Physics, Maths and English. Both pathways will keep psychology open to her at degree level.

I'd agree with her that Biology slightly more relevant for a Psychology, although I don't think it's a deal breaker. Why not Psychology A level? And why English? That doesn't seem to fit with either a Psychology or Physics degree? (I wouldn't say Physics is better regarded than Biology btw!)

What does she want to do after A-levels?

I would say basically go for what she enjoys more but:
How good is her maths? If she's good at it then Physics will be easier because a certain amount is just applied maths. If she's going to struggle with it, then she may also struggle with Physics so biology would be better.

Sorry, missed the bit where you said she wanted to do Psychology. I don't think it ultimately matters, but worth phoning a few admission departments of unis (leave it a week so as they'll be busy) and seeing their opinion.

Biology not human biology though because the later might limit choices at university as it is too narrow a subject.

Thanks all... yup, English doesn't "fit" but has consistently been the subject she excels in and seems to have a huge talent for, as well as enjoying... And at the moment she wants to be an interior designer!

I've always thought with her talents, she is ideally suited to something around communicating science further down the line.... But who knows? She's 15 and could go in any direction, so I want to help her keep options open while encouraging her to find out more about her enthusiasms....

So although Psychology fascinates her, it's not what she wants to do longer term... though she sees it as a useful entree into many things...and she's probably right....

I don't think it matters if she chooses physics or biology to go with maths and English - given she fancies psychology as a degree subject.

They are both good combinations.

She could compare the two A level specifications and see which she prefers.

This does n't answer your question but with her mixture of abilities has she considered an architecture degree? She would n't necessarily need to continue to qualifying as an architect, the degree itself contains all sorts of transferable skills including communication of projects and working with interior spaces. She sounds as though she might enjoy it.

Is she about to go into y11 or waiting for GCSE results?

I have a feeling that you can't do Human Biology any more, that it's one that got scrapped in the rejigging.

Physics isn't better regarded than Biology. There is some overlap between maths and physics (whatever mechanics is in each syllabus) but I don't think it's so significant as to make physics preferable.

Basically, if she has a idea what degree she'd like, make sure she's keeping options open for that. If she's not sure, keep as many options open as possible - and maths, English and a science would do that. And do subjects you enjoy!

I did English Lit, maths with statistics and biology at A-level. I did Biology (well it was called Natural Sciences) at university with an additional side module of psychology. She sounds like me!!!!!

The statistics side of maths came in incredibly useful in both subjects at university. The biology less so for the psychology bit but there were elements that were useful. I can't remember any aspect of physics being used.

One word of advice - my biology teacher always used to tell me my work was written too much like an English student and my English teacher that I wrote too much like a scientist!!!! Came in useful when I did my dissertation though on how complex scientific information was being presented in the British media (and often wrongly).

The biology would be more of a good fit I would say based on my experience but as the a-level is quite broad it's not going to be a deal breaker. Let her choose the one she thinks she'll get the better grade in.

How firm is she on studying psychology?

If very, then doing biology (not human biology) wouid support it well.

If less so, and she wants a science as her other subject, would she consider chemistry? It's required/desired for a greater range of subjects than biology.

So, it was 28 years ago (OMG!!!) but I had a similar Physics/Biology A level quandary. I got the better O level (OMG!!!!) grade for Biology, but preferred Physics. My school let me do both A Levels for half a term, and I soon realised that my heart really was not in Biology. I dropped biology and then went on to do Physics at university.

IME Chemistry is the natural companion to A levels in Maths and Physics.

loveyouradvice your DD might find this link useful around A level choices:

russellgroup.ac.uk/for-students/school-and-college-in-the-uk/subject-choices-at-school-and-college/

At this stage for your DD it is important to keep her post 18 choices open.

The step from GCSE to A level is a big one. A levels require that students really understand the subjects to a degree that is not required at GCSE.

(I wouldn't say Physics is better regarded than Biology btw!)

I don't think this is factually correct.

Many more degree courses require maths and physics, than those requiring maths and biology - check the Russell Group informed choices brochure. Not doing physics shuts off many more careers than not doing A level biology. And as a country we are producing less students than we need with physics A level but enough with biology A level. Biology may be useful for psychology but I don't think any university would require biology over physics for psychology.

None of these reasons should over-ride personal preference, but taking physics would actually keep many more options open than biology, so it's worth taking this into account.

Many more degree courses require maths and physics, than those requiring maths and biology - check the Russell Group informed choices brochure.

Incorrect. Physics degrees and some engineering require physics A level. Biology degrees, neuroscience, biomed require Biology.

And medicine usually want Chemistry!

Informed choices doesn't say Physics opens more doors than Biology.

Count the number of courses that want/desire physics. Count the number that need biology.

Biology teacher here. Wait until results day. Do not do A level biology if she gets anything less than an A or 7 in Biology, Chemistry and Maths. Also you have to love Biology really...

Count the number of courses that want/desire physics (I'd dispute your assertion there too..)

How is that useful? OP's dc will only be doing one course. Shes not expressed a desire to do engineering so the fact that there are hundreds and hundreds of engineering places she could apply for if she did physics is entirely irrelevant.

There are more even courses that ask for an MFL so maybe she should do French instead?

Friend's dd just sat the new biology A level and it was so much harder. I think before it was seen as a massive memory challenge but the new applied questions were way beyond her comfort zone, despite her being an A/A student getting an A at GCSE biology. So any suggestion that it isn't as challenging if it was the case before it isn't anymore!

Can't comment on Psychology per se but science degrees often require A-level chemistry in order to allow a wider range of courses and specialisms.

As another poster has said, it's no longer possible to take human biology as an A level due to A level reforms. So she would have to do ordinary Biology.
For a Psychology degree they would accept any Science A level usually biology but another Science subject would be fine.
A level maths will help as Psychology often involves lots of statistics. It also involves essay writing so that's where A level English fits as it demonstrates ability in an essay writing subject.

At this stage, I think she should go for whichever she enjoys or wants to do most.

By the way, my daughter's new Sixth Form required an A in Maths to do any science subject, including biology!

DS is doing English, Maths and Physics at A level and has no fixed ideas of his future plans, but this combination seems to keep the most options open. Plus a creative EPQ, to even things out further.

Either Biology or Physics will be fine for Psychology at University. Neither one is better than the other . Certainly there are some similarities between Maths and Physics so as you have to learn Maths as you go along technically that makes for less work doing M and P if you're good at them . However do the subject she likes / think she likes best as enjoyment of a subject or most of it anyway always makes studying less of a chore . Personally as a bit of a traditionalist if she's going to study Psych at Uni I wouldn't do it at A level .