Choice of A Level subjects any advice please?

[hollytom]

My dd is struggling with choosing her A levels and is getting quite worried about it as she has to enrol on Monday at her new school. I have been trying to help her decide but would welcome views from any one with experience of this.
The problem is that she doesn't really know what she wants to do as a career or at University if she goes. She really enjoys History and got an A in this and also got Art A. She also enjoys science and was originally going to do Biology and Chemistry A levels (with history) but she is concerned she won't enjoy Chemistry and it's meant to be hard. Also to complicate matters for Chemistry she had to get a B in science which she has but a also a 6 in maths and she only got a 5. Not sure if they will let her do Chemistry now due to the maths grade and will she find it too difficult? Her grades in science were A, B, B.
Her other option is to do English Lit with History and Biology instead as she got 8s in both of the English exams.
Ideally I think she wants to choose A levels which doesn't limit her choice in degree courses whilst she is unsure what she wants to do.
I have said don't worry choose what you enjoy but I know that things have changed a bit now from when I did A levels and it's probably a lot more competitive.
I don't know how Art is viewed as an a level choice by Universities if she does that. She really likes Art but is it not seen as academic?
Is it best to pick the subjects she got the highest grades in or is it better to pick the subjects such as biology and chemistry so she keeps her options open? Does anyone have a similar experience?
It all seems a lot more complicated then when I picked my A levels!

Thank you everyone this has been really helpful I think it seems a lot clearer.

Regarding Biology; I tutor A-level Biology and the new specification has really upped the maths content. As others have said, it is not an 'easy' Science!

Tell her not to do biology it's fucking impossible! Dd got a B and failed AS completely.

Do the ones she got the best grades in.

Yes, Dumbledore, I agree with that view. Equally, I don't agree with the shoehorning into STEM of girls , nor with the view ,adopted by many, that the science subjects are too difficult , even if you are perfectly bright enough and the arts subjects , conversely, are easier. That's not a new battle , though. I've been struggling against Heads of Sixth piling weak students into my A level subjects for twenty years!

English, history, Art - brilliant combination imo!

I would not consider chemistry with a 5 in maths & would think very carefully about doing biology (my dd is currently working through a maths for biology A level book - there is an awful lot of maths in there).

Placemarking for future reference. Some very good advice on here.

History, English and Art sound like a fabulous combination to me if those are her fave subjects and highest GCSEs. The Russel Group 'options' booklet talks about 'facilitating' subjects which both history and English are. Art is also a good solid traditional subject. She'll have lots of options with these subjects if attains good grades, which are more likely given gcse results and enjoyment.

My Ds is doing history, English and art and I think it's a fab combination with lots of future options. Two written subjects and then one hands on one will make for an interesting and varied week and they go together well in terms of showing what kind of person you are (interested in the world!)

We have had a chat and I think this is where she is heading now. Thank you this has been so helpful

I have A levels in English, History and Biology and my uni liked the fact I had three strong subjects. I think your DD should choose what she enjoys and is good at. A few of my friends with good science GCSEs failed A level chemistry. I think it's super hard and prob not a good one unless your DD is intent on a science degree

English Lit and Biology (and maybe history) are facilitating subjects, so unis will view these highly. Biology and Chemistry are hard to do together and I know a lot of people who were predicted top grades have failed one of the other. Unless shes looking at a uni course (eg medicine) that requires both subjects I'd step away from that as it could mean she does worse in her other subjects. Biology is difficult but chemistry does require a fair amount of maths. Art is good and because some of it is practical she will have a portfolio of work if she does decide to go in that direction.

Maybe history!!???

Definitely : it is considered top rung facilitating.

History is definitely a facilitating subject. No 'maybe' about it! FWIW, I also did English Literature, History and Art at A Level (albeit many, many moons ago) and went on to study Lit at a great university. I'd say your DD should play to her strengths and do subjects that she enjoys and engage her. They're 3 great subjects.

Hollytom
I think everybody's advice here is really good. She should go for her strengths and what she is naturally drawn to not what she thinks she ought to do. My only doubt in what you say is for the art. It is a great third subject with English and History but can take a lot of time. It does not suffice to be talented, she should also want to devote her time to it.
It does sound as though biology is not a natural fit for her so best avoided unless she is really keen.

That's a good point about art. It can be all consuming and the teachers can be very demanding!

English Lit and Biology (and maybe history) are facilitating subjects, so unis will view these highly

MAYBE History?

Oh sorry, I can see everyone has the "maybe History!?!" spluttering covered.

But, nevertheless .

You may be interested to know that the University of Bristol weights applicant academic profile for Law undergrad as follows: 20% GCSE, 40% A level and 40% LNAT. Typical offer for A levels is AAA or AA*B. That would be fairly typical of a top
10 Law School. Obviously the personal statement is in the mix too.

That's interesting re Bristol.
Hopefully she will have enough interesting things to put on her personal statement she will be starting gold duke of Edinburgh award soon. There is a lot to think about

The offers universities make have become pretty meaningless now though. I've seen kids this year who were made A*AA offers accepted with as low as ABB. one of those was for medicine and her Bs were biology and chemistry with the A in History. Another with an AAB offer got in with BCC. We also had a huge number of unconditional offers this year. I don't know if Unis are just desperate for money or had no faith that the results for the new A Levels would be reliable. Possibly both! Either way it makes the whole typical offer stuff they publish meaningless and puts off less confident students.

I agree with others that English, History and Art are a fab combination of A Levels.

Bear in mind re. the personal statement that universities basically want it to be about the subject she wants to study at degree level - so wider reading, relevant work experience and so on is the way to go for that.

The only caution I'd add here is art is a heavy subject with a lot of work. My daughters friend did a level art, and I'd say she had to work a lot more during holidays etc than those who weren't doing it.

My daughter is studying law at one of the higher ranked rg universities and she did English, history and government and politics, if it helps.

thank you everyone I have learnt a lot. She has spent the afternoon working on a history task they were set so I think she feels settled on what she's doing now.