English lit or RS for a level?

[SoPassRemarkable]

Dd has got an A for RS and also a 7 for english. She was going to do rs but now tempted to english.

She enjoys both equally. I got the impression she found english a bit harder. However the teaching in her school has been tough for english with many changes of teachers which hasnt helped. Both subject teachers say more than capable.

She wants to do Architecture degree so i don't think it matters.

Also doing product design and geography

RS

RS teacher here so completely biased

If she want to do architecture then it might help her - lots of modern places of worship being built and also lots of old ones needing architects to help with restoration. It's probably not as much as a left field choice as you think.

Is her 7 in lit?

Both good subjects- Eng lit a "facilitating" subject and RS isn't but both respected. Does she love to read? I'd go with her gut instinct of preferred subject.

7 in lit and langage.

She's now thinking about biology as well, maybe instead of geography. Got an A for science and a high B for geography.

She does like reading but i wouldnt say she's a bookworm.

I think they mainly ask for maths, physics and art.

No they don't anymore. We've been to uni open days. She needs BBC in any subjects plus a portfolio. The thing about maths and art for architecture is apparantly old advice. Head of the course at her favourite uni said it really doesn't matter what subjects she takes, it's more about the portfolio and then overall grades.

Do you know what possible combinations she can do based on the timetable at her (new?) school? No point deliberating between different subjects if some aren't possible, e.g. a clash with her definite subject/s...

English Lit, I loved it.

No don't know about timetables......have emailed the school and asked them. She's now decided on neither and biology instead!

Ha! She changes her mind easily! Let's hope that's a) a good choice for her and b) a possible combo!

I had the bright idea of looking at a level papers of the three possibilities and she freaked out at 30 mark questions on RS, remembered the stress of having to structure English answers in a certain way and proclaimed the biology a level paper looked quite easy!

It sounds as though RS might suit her better. You have to love reading to do English Lit and be willing to go through the texts over and over and over, annotating as you go.

That said, doesn't she need art/maths/physics (two if not three of those) for architecture?

Sorry SoPass, I didn't see your post about the head at uni saying it didn't matter.

Even so, I'm inclined to think that taking physics/math/art can only help a portfolio. RS might too, depending on the type of building. Geography doesn't sound all that helpful and product design sounds like the kind of course that might get axed. I'd encourage her to focus on mainstream subjects - geography, RS, maths?

There's no way she could do maths or art. Scraped a C for art and got a 5 for maths.

Product design should be really useful for architecture as she will focus on the graphics side of things. She got an A* for her graphic design gcse and it will help to have a portfolio subject when it comes to uni applications. The head of the architecture course said it was a really good A level to,do.

I did RS A Level, it was piss easy so I'd recommend it on that basis!

I did RS A level too, I also did well in it so I would also recommend it on that basis!

I didn't consider English Lit as I liked reading books but I didn't enjoy dissecting them.

Sixth form is a bit different these days. You used to stay on because you wanted to; now you stay on because you are not allowed to be a NEET. Some subjects tend to fill up with don't-really-want-to-be-here pupils and this was an especial problem in the days when you took four subjects in Y12.
Check out how rigorous the department's entry filter is. Will her cohort be keen and apply themselves, or not?

I would worry about an Architecture course only wanting BBC and doesn't want Maths A level. This is a six year professional course and plenty don't get to practice as Architects. How high is this course ranked and how many alumni get graduate Architecture posts?

Quite frankly I'm not sure your DD is a natural architect. Is she interested in buildings at all, or structures (maths) or the built environment (geography)? RS is not taken by most Architects and I assume the comment about religious buildings was a joke. Best A levels are Physics and Maths. Geography can be ok as can Art. English and RS are not usually considered as good prep for an Architecture degree at anywhere decent.

I did notice that plenty of universities do still ask for maths or physics or both for architecture when Ds was idly looking at courses earlier in the year. Also, said they looked favourably on art. But these were AAA type courses, one was Manchester I remember.

School have come back and said there's currently no space in biology, though that may change between now and the start of term.

The head of sixth form also seemed to gently warn her off it anyway.....said that many students find biology gcse interesting so think they might do it for A level but unless they're committed to a science subject find it a struggle. He suggested unless Dd has future plans for science she should rethink biology.

She's now very unsure what to do. I keep telling her she got a great RS result, and that she shouldn't let the scariness of 30 mark a level questions put her off because she will spend two years learning how to answer 30 mark questions.