A level choices- further maths as one of 3?

[JumperandJacket]

DS currently choosing A-levels and fancies maths, further maths, Spanish and philosophy. At his school they all take 4 in y12 and about half the kids drop one for y13.

I think his choices are great and am sure he will love the maths and Spanish. The philosophy is new but no reason why he won’t like it.

My worry is what happens if he wants to drop one- will he only be able to drop the further maths? I suspect the most likely thing, if he wants to drop one, is that he’ll drop philosophy. But will maths, further maths and Spanish be seen by universities and employers as three full A-levels? What degree could he do with that?

Any advice gratefully received!

If he keeps the further maths and drops Phil or Spanish, it will really limit his Univ subject choices.
Basically he's limiting himself to doing Maths at Univ.

That's complete nonsense. This is what kinds college say
"Maths and Further Maths are two of the Russell Group universities' 'facilitating' subjects — so-called because choosing them at A-level allows a wide range of options for degree study. "

I don’t think it will limit is choices. Maybe if he wants to do an arts subject at uni. But if he can show he has a maths brain he will surely be welcome on most BSC courses. Many people on uni courses aren’t studying a subject they did at A-level.

Sorry - King College say!

I would check entry requirements but think could do a degree in maths, computing, economics with that or a joint one with Spanish. Look up what he might want to do and see if it meets requirements.

Check if he would be able to drop further maths, some schools teach the two A levels together so dropping it isn't an option.

Maths, Further Maths and Spanish would lead well into Maths, computer science type degrees, as well as any that don't specify Alevel subject- business, accounting etc etc.

Maths plus Further Maths is perfectly fine as two of three A levels for university entry. There's no reason why FM should be the one to go if he likes it.

Yet again, as there have been other threads on this topic of Further Maths. It is its own subject. But specialised. It is an odd combo - M, FM & Sp - what does your Ds want to do at uni? Can he do the Maths at end of Year 12?

If he ends up with Maths, FM and Spanish, that doesn't really limit his university options any more than most three A levels would.

He could do maths, a maths-related subject (such as economics or many other subjects), Spanish, Spanish and another language ab initio, many arts subjects not always studied at A level (such as philosophy, psychology, politics).

Yes, he wouldn't be able to do a biology degree or an English lit degree. But by their nature A level choices are limiting. DS2 did maths, biology and PE. A maths degree really needs FM so he was "limiting" himself to biology or PE really (or related subjects). It was fine.

A level MFL is always going to be good OP.

By the time he's dropping one he should have some idea what he wants to do at university and whether keeping philosophy would be better. There are quite a lot of university subjects which don't require much in the way of specific A-levels, which might be quite happy with M, FM and one of the others - try economics, international relations, PPE, ...

Computer science or anything IT related would also be very possible as a future option.

@dootball

That's complete nonsense. This is what kinds college say "Maths and Further Maths are two of the Russell Group universities' 'facilitating' subjects — so-called because choosing them at A-level allows a wide range of options for degree study. "

A few places see further maths as one of only 3 A levels as being too narrow and will only accept FM as a 4th A level. There are of course many universities that will accept it but it does limit choices

LSE is one of the places that won't accept Further Maths as a 3rd A level for many of it's courses.

Thank you, everyone.

DD is at Durham having done computer studies, maths and further maths at A-levels, one of her friends who did the same options is at Oxford.

My one worry would be is that what does he want to do for university. Both of them are doing maths. It may limit him in what he can do next.

DD has just arrived at Oxford with A levels in maths, further maths and physics. She isn't doing any of those subjects for her degree, though clearly her aptitude for maths was an important factor in obtaining an offer.

Basically he's limiting himself to doing Maths at Univ.

Rubbish. Firstly, he could do Spanish, and secondly, there are many degrees that need maths, but which aren't maths, for example, anything to do with Data Science or Computing.

Make sure there is a competent teacher for further maths. They are in very short supply and most pupils give up doing it because of this.

At my dc's school they are strongly discouraged from doing 4 A levels. The exception is students who are doing FM where it is always offered as a 4th subject and not allowed as a 3rd. But I have seen on many other posts on here that that is not universal and some students do it as a 3rd. In terms of degrees I wouldn't have thought it limits much more than those subjects plus philosophy so history or geography or biology would be out but lots of subjects would be fine. Dc2 is looking at Politics or IR and many of those all for an essay subject so that's just something to be aware of.