Advice for DS15 A level choices please.....

[BaconAndAvocado]

DS is in Year 11 and already the Sixth form is beckoning. The school he attends only offers the IB which, having received advice on MN and attending a parent’s meeting, I feel would be too intense for him.
So we’re probably looking at A levels at the other local grammar. (Obviously if he gets the requisite GCSE grades 🤨)
Would love some advice on which 3 might work for him and not limit him if he suddenly decides what he wants to do!

Like most of his peers, he doesn’t know what he wants to do!
He once made a reference to a job in Computing but what that was I don’t know and he hasn’t mentioned it since.
He’s good at Maths, the Sciences, Computer Science. He opted for History and he seems to enjoy talking about it with his Grandad.
Which A levels do you think would suit him?
I’ve told him they need to be the ones he enjoys.....not sure he overly enjoys any subject at school! And ones he’s good at now??

When I ask him which ones he’d like to do he always mumbles, I don’t know and then won’t discuss it further.
He’s generally monosyllabic at the moment.

Any advice welcomed.
tia

Best advice assuming no specific A level required for possible Uni course is to do the A levels he is likely to get the best grades in. This opens more doors in terms of Uni choices.

Thanks VanCleefArpels
That definitely makes sense.
He hasn’t actually expressed a strong desire to go to Uni but I’m hoping he will.

Maths and History then. Plus one or two others. But he needs to get his skates on. In many areas sixth form applications have to be made by October of year 11.

@BaconAndAvocado
I know the attached is from Trinity College, Cambridge, and DS might not be aiming that high, but the subject combination advice is good. So look at what I’m attaching and then think what applies to DS. Overall, two subjects should be aimed at your subject choice.

I have a DN who liked chatting about History but has found to his cost that the A level didn’t have much relevance to the chats! Hard work and other skills were required and DN got a D.

I would start looking at courses and don’t discount sideways ones such as Management, Business and Finance ones. Computing doesn’t suit everyone at degree level. It’s also too easy just to look at school subjects and not much further. There are decent alternatives from high class universities that widen choices.

He really should pick the subjects he likes the most because these are two years of his life. He us of course likely to do better in those subjects too.
Some people really overthink A level choices IMO. Not saying you do OP but I'd really try and avoid getting dragged into that. Let him pick.

@onlyconnect
That is rarely helpful. Subjects you like might be totally unmatched and lead to very much reduced degree choices. Lots of stem degrees want maths and a science. Not just a science. Or not just maths. The degree might be economics but you are better advised to have maths and economics A level. Engineering is accessed with maths and physics in most cases. So don’t limit options. In effect, it’s back to facilitating subjects. You need two and then a third that complements.

My friends son is doing maths, further maths, physics and history.

My eldest did Maths, Further Maths, Physics and Chemistry but he knew at that stage that he wanted to do Chemical Engineering.
Its so much easier when they know what they want to do!!!

Based on your post, history and then maths, a science* and computer science.

*physics would work well with this combination

titchy Not to worry, 6th Form applications here are due in February 2023.

Why do students opt to 4 rather than 3 A levels.

DS1 had looked into what he needed to study Engineering and he was very motivated and focussed on his studies.
DS2 ( although I might be doing him a huge disservice here) doesn’t seem as invested in his education!
This is why I’m thinking 3 instead of 4??

TierorFizz the OP's son likes numbers but doesn't know what he wants to do after A levels. If he picks subjects that involve numbers he'll have plenty of choice of degrees.
Yes, there are some courses that want particular A levels ( ie in a subject other than the one you're applying for a degree in) but I wound still say that if for example you want to apply for economics and haven't done maths because you liked other subjects more than you like maths, then probably that was the right decision.
There's usually a way round it anyway- there certainly is with economics.

If he doesn't particularly enjoy any subjects at school are A levels the right route for him?

My 15yo is also considering a computer science degree. The most common entry requirement is maths. A very few want an additional science, and another few further maths. She really doesn't want to take a science (and her preferred courses don't demand it) so is going for maths, further maths, plus two from history/re/Spanish/music.

There is a fair degree of variation though, so if he has a particular course or institution in mind it's worth checking the details.

@onlyconnect
Im interested in the certainty that Cambridge are wrong. Economics options are severely limited by no maths A level. There’s also the issue of aiming high. Taking the wrong subject combinations limits options. Usually means a better university is not an option. Bright DC from poorer areas suffer from the advice of “choose what you are best at” without ever looking at whether certain subjects are needed. The fact remains that some are. This DC is at a grammar school so he should have decent advice available.

Of course some Dc should do alternatives to A levels. Again look at several courses at decent universities and see what they want. Grammars rarely teach BTec though. If DS doesn’t know what he wants, the old facilitating subjects keep options open! That’s why they had that label!

For History do encourage him to read the syllabus. DD1 considered it then discovered that a big chunk was going to be on The Russian Revolution in which she had no interest.

Both my DDs studied maths and sciences. Both said the step up from GCSE to A level is huge. Both went onto uni tostudy sciences. Eldest is now a research scientist. Youngest is in her Masters year.

Is uni where he should be heading? There are other options. DSIL took a degree apprenticeship in a branch of engineering.

Is he interested in the armed forces? Plenty of skilled trades there.

Four with the view to dropping one once he's had a bit more of a chance to see what they're all like.

@TheTurn0fTheScrew if your son is considering computer science then absolutely yes to further maths. Universities don't specify it because not every sixth form offers it but it massively disadvantages applicants if they don't have it. A lot of applicants do and you can usually find this information out by digging very deep into successful applicant data. On the same theme, he needs to ace out his maths GCSE to do well with maths at A level. A brilliant thread from noblegiraffe who teaches it explains the difficulty in getting high grades in it if they come in on lower levels.

www.mumsnet.com/talk/secondary/4007205-How-maths-GCSE-result-predicts-A-level-maths-result-important-for-grade-6-7

@onlyconnect I completely agree with tizer Bright DC from poorer areas suffer from the advice of “choose what you are best at” without ever looking at whether certain subjects are needed RG universities used to have a reverse engineering tool where you put in the degree you want and it would tell you the best A levels and possibly GCSEs too. There have been times on MN where a child has not taken a subject only to realise they need it for their degree course. Then end up with a 3 year A level situation where they continue 2 but start a new 3rd one in year 13.

When the net is wide in what they may do at university then the best thing to do is look at a wide range of those courses to see if they are specifying particular A levels. Not all sixth forms are brilliant at giving advice.

4 A levels gives them more choice but it is a heavy workload which is why a lot of schools allow them to drop one after year 12. Play to strengths, high grades and subjects they enjoy but with a mind to what that could stop them doing at degree level.

Maths is a great option and keeps lots of different future careers open.

History is good if he likes the syllabus.

Don't worry too much about university choices. Unless you are applying for medicine, most places look for good grades in ANY 2 facilitating subjects that are vaguely relevant to the course + a third which can be anything. e.g. economics and psychology Degree course do NOT need econ / psych at A level.

Don't stress too much about the application dates, most college deadlines are around Feb (it's medical post grad courses that close in October, uni applications early January). Get him to speak to his careers advisor in school about 1st of all which style of course (vocational or academic), then what kind of career is he likely to end up in on general terms, is he a dooer? a people person? An extrovert? What are his interests? Etc From this you can usually get an understanding of the direction he will head and tailor his course choices to that. However, always ensure their course choices are something they are good at and will enjoy otherwise they are in danger of setting themselves up to fail. Look at several college provisions so you have a basis for comparison. (Yes, my previous job was a careers advisor for this age range!)

From an AL maths teacher:

For a maths/science/engineering/computing biased person I would always recommend maths.
Unless you want a maths degree then I would suggest further maths.
As for the others, look into university courses/degrees your DC might be interested in and see what subjects are required. Look to see whether there are any general subjects which are always recommended. If not, choose the ones they are interested in/likely to get the best mark's

History, maths and economics might be a combination that suits him.

If he potentially wants to do CS at degree level then FM as well would be good.

Just to correct myself.

Unless you want to do a maths degree (or a university specifically asks for it) I wouldn’t recommend further maths

Maths
History
Computer Science

I think Maths, History and Computer Science sounds good.
Would they be a good choice regarding Uni applications, i.e. could this choice potentially limit him in any way as he doesn’t know what he wants to do?