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Original poster

A-Level Economics - any views?

62 replies

grumiosmum · 06/09/2018 17:42

DS was supposed to do Maths A level, but didn't do well in his Further Maths GCSE. So he's thinking of doing Economics instead.

Anyone got any views on it? Other subjects are History, English & German AS.

I did an Economics degree a gazillion years ago & thought it was quite boring, but hoping the A-level syllabus is better?

DS is bright but lazy.

OP posts:
jeanne16 · 06/09/2018 17:51

There is no point doing Economics without Maths A level. He will struggle with the course and won’t be able to do it at a decent university without Maths. Also lots of schools are now doing just 3 A levels plus the EPQ. Is that a possibility?

Original poster
grumiosmum · 06/09/2018 17:57

He's doing German AS Level in lieu of the EPQ.

He probably wants to read History at Uni, not Economics - but want to keep the possibility open for PPE, for example.

I didn't know Maths A level was essential for that?

OP posts:
hertsandessex · 06/09/2018 18:05

If you mean PPE at Oxford it now very hard to get in without maths. Something like 80-90% of successful applicants have done maths. It used to be much lower.

noblegiraffe · 06/09/2018 18:06

How did he do in his maths GCSE? I wouldn’t suggest that a student not take maths A-level just based on further maths GCSE.

Original poster
grumiosmum · 06/09/2018 18:12

He scraped an A* in normal maths a year ago. But the school thinks he would struggle to get an A in Maths A-Level, and I think an A in Economics is likely to be better than a B in Maths for a good Uni.

OP posts:
ShalomJackie · 06/09/2018 18:54

If you want to keep PPE as an option ( which for many unis it won't be without Maths a level but some do) what about Politics as his replacement?

Original poster
grumiosmum · 06/09/2018 18:56

Don't think his school does Politics as an A Level option.

OP posts:
noblegiraffe · 06/09/2018 18:57

Why do you assume he’d get an A in Economics but not maths? If he’s lazy then it’s not a given in any subject.

What did he get in further maths?

Original poster
grumiosmum · 06/09/2018 19:05

I'm not assuming anything noblegiraffe I just think it's more likely to engage him as a subject therefore he'll do better. And he does not have a natural aptitude for Maths, which obviously helps.

He could crash & burn and get Ds in everything for all I know, just trying to help him to decide on the options which he stands the greatest chance of success in.

He got a C in Further Maths, he says it was because he did not start revising until too late. A*s & As in everything else.

OP posts:
hertsandessex · 06/09/2018 19:12

If he got an A in maths then he would be fine with the maths in A level Economics so go for it. If he ends up studying say history at university then Economics is complementary and he would still have the PPE option (harder without maths but not out of the question especially as he has the A to show he is capable)

Thesearepearls · 06/09/2018 19:17

This might not be a particularly helpful post but here's some views

You don't need A level maths to do A level economics, from the experience of DS's cohorts. You can even do very well without doing A level maths. But you do need A level maths to do degree level economics.

So if your DS wants to do A level economics then he should be fine. But I do worry about kids that do well at GCSE because they're bright and they kind of can't help it, but are lazy. A levels are a whole different ball game - more like further maths IME - the kids who don't work get quickly found out.

Original poster
grumiosmum · 06/09/2018 19:21

Thanks hertsandessex you've pretty much summarised my own views on it - good to hear them from another person 9and I'm far from an expert).

Thesearepearls good to know - and yes, I think DS is going to find he needs to work hard for A-levels. I think he can do it, but we will see.

OP posts:
noblegiraffe · 06/09/2018 19:35

And he does not have a natural aptitude for Maths

He got an A* in Y10 and apparently slacked off and still passed Further Maths GCSE. He’s most likely perfectly capable of Maths A-level.

Original poster
grumiosmum · 06/09/2018 19:37

noblegiraffe He is capable of passing it, yes, but the school does not think he would get an A grade or above. It's the school's view, not ours.

I asked them.

OP posts:
noblegiraffe · 06/09/2018 19:44

I understand that you don’t want to close doors by potentially not getting an A at A-level, but you’ll definitely be closing doors by not having Maths A-level.

I’m surprised at a school putting a kid off who got an A* in Y10.

titchy · 06/09/2018 19:50

An A in Economics is only better than a B in Maths if a) he gets an A in Economics, b) he doesn't need Maths A Level, and c) he isn't capable of an A in Maths A level.

None of those apply here and imo he'd be an idiot to do Eco instead of Maths.

Thesearepearls · 06/09/2018 19:50

It's a good idea to have a view about what is achievable at A level - because of course A levels determine the degree course that is possible

So far so realistic - sounds promising! There's no shame in not being able to get an A or A* at A level maths - it sounds like your DS's thing is essay writing subjects. It's important to find the thing that motivates them and that they enjoy and that plays to their skillset.

DS couldn't have got an A at A level in an essay writing subject if you'd have paid him. He was computational and got 4A* for maths/further maths/physics/chem. Equally DD could not have got an A at A level in a computational subject - her mind just didnt work like that.

Find their strengths and encourage them to take subjects they enjoy and encourage them to work hard. Get them to enjoy their learning rather than think of it as work IYSWIM.

Thesearepearls · 06/09/2018 19:55

I don't agree titchy. Someone wanting to do a degree in history does not need A level maths. They need A levels where they are going to get good/great grades. It's perfectly possibly to get an A/A* in Econ without maths A level.

Original poster
grumiosmum · 06/09/2018 20:09

DS got the lowest mark in his set in his GCSE Maths & only just scraped the A*. The school does NOT think he can get an A in Maths - unless he works extremely hard, which is against all his previous form.

OP posts:
Original poster
grumiosmum · 06/09/2018 20:11

DS's sibling is exceptionally good at Maths, reading it at Uni, so I do know the difference.

OP posts:
noblegiraffe · 06/09/2018 20:12

Well it sounds like he is capable of an A in maths, but needs to pull his finger out.

He’s not going to do brilliantly in A-levels if he doesn’t work hard, you can’t slack your way to top grades like is possible at GCSE.

titchy · 06/09/2018 20:15

Someone wanting to do a degree in history does not need A level maths.

He's considering PPE...

Original poster
grumiosmum · 06/09/2018 20:15

To be honest, I was surprised that the school said he'd find it hard to do well at Maths, because I was a good all rounder and did well at Maths (did Science/Maths A-levels). But I have to go on what they say, they are in a better position to know than I am.

OP posts:
Aragog · 06/09/2018 20:17

He doesn't need A level Maths to cope with Economics. He'd manage with it no problem, in my experience, and especially with a A* at GCSE level.

I did A level economics years ago and loved it. I didn't do Maths at a higher level, and most of the people doing the subject didn't either. There is, and was, far more essay writing required than maths skills in general so English skills are also very useful. I got an A in A level Economics, and had a B at GCSE maths.

The maths requirement needed for a level Economics at the local sixth forms here say a grade 5/6, and a 5 for English.

MissMarplesKnitting · 06/09/2018 20:17

I have A grade Economics A level. Got an A* in maths GCSE and no way on god's earth would I have done A level. Bloody hated maths. Loved economics though. It made far more sense to me than maths ever did.

So yes, it's entirely feasible to get A in economics without maths a level.