How do you pick A levels when you don't enjoy any of the subjects

[UglyJumper]

I am trying to support Y11 DD to select A Levels. French is a given, not because she enjoys it, but because she's good at it and her predicted grade is a 9. She doesn't like anything else, including creative subjects (which are in short supply in her school anyway), but particularly hates maths and sciences. She's got a low predicted grade in English Lit and she hates it, so won't do that either. I am trying to encourage her to just pick the 2 she hates the least because she has to pick something. She has no idea what she wants to do when she's older. She's under the impression that she's the only one in her whole year who's struggling like this and that everyone's got it sorted.

College instead? Something applied?

Look for alternatives, apprenticeship, college course in brick laying, job.

don’t make her do something she doesn’t want to. Bonkers to fit a square peg in a round hole

Does she have to do a levels? Dd is looking into apprenticeships as she isn't sure she wants to stay on at school.

What about having a look at subjects that may not have been offered at gcse such as sociology, politics, philosophy so that they are fresh subjects and therefore potentially interesting because she isn't bored of them yet.

Alternatively if she finds academics boring what about an apprenticeship route instead?

Or instead of A levels a vocational course at a tech college?

Do T make her do A levels then! Are there BTEC courses or diplomas she might want to do instead?

Are there any subjects offered that she has not yet had a chance to study , such as sociology, politics, psychology, and which might appeal. Or is a more vocational course, btec level 3, or apprenticeship of more interest.

What's her opinion on humanities like history/geography?
Has she considered looking into new subjects? Our school offers subjects like sociology, psychology and business.
I would also get her to look at college courses. A-levels aren't the only way to get to uni (if that's what she wants)

Or if she is academically sound across the board look at IB schools.

We're having some of the same problems with DD, who is rapidly losing any love for studying. Fortunately round here it is all 6th form/technical colleges, so not only is it going to be a change of scene but they also offer a far wider range of subjects than an individual school can. So apart from geography, which she finds fairly agreeable, she can pick things she has not studied before - like psychology, criminology, social care etc. She really wanted to do animal care, but that college was just too far away.
I'm am just keeping my fingers crossed that college life will be more engaging and she doesn't baulk at the intensive study!

Is there a Sixth form college with more choices? Or does it have to be a school with limited A levels?

If she hates everything, then maybe it’s studying she hates, not the subjects. Find an alternative.

Honestly, I wouldn't be encouraging her to do A levels in subjects she doesn't like. There are so many other options available to her, Btecs and advanced diplomas, or apprenticeships. My DD did an advanced diploma as A levels really weren't for her. It is equivalent to 3 A levels in terms of UCAS points, and she's now at university.

What doesn't she like about them? Often ita the teacher rather than the subject. Or the way it's taught at GCSE (boring and teaching to the test). Or maybe it's too easy, or irrelevant. Until she can say what she doesn't like about her current subjects, she won't be able to decide what she does want.

I’d be sure she meant it and have a discussion about career aspirations. She’ll not do well if she genuinely doesn’t want to study and isn’t excited by her subjects or at least, what they might bring her. There are other routes to degrees and other routes to university entrance. Look at those.
Consider apprenticeships (some end up with masters), consider armed forces (they don’t go to conflict zones under 18), consider local colleges, BTech etc.

Lots of things that offer chance for academic success that aren’t as levels. Our son did battle through A levels but chose not to go to university, settling on armed forces at 18. He had his degree paid for, has masters, other vocational and leadership qualifications, played high level sport most of his working time and travelled the world doing exciting things. It was absolutely the right thing for him, but we took some persuading initially.

If she knows what career path she wants to follow then she should choose the appropriate degree or apprenticeships etc. So if she then knows what degree she would like to do that will guide her A level choices.

A mix of A Levels and BTEC? BTECs available in different subject areas. Can be equivalent of 1, 2or 3 ALevels. My son was the same. Only keen on ALevel PE so chose Extended Diploma in Sport (3 ALevel equivalent) Some of his friends do the 1 ALevel equivalent, others the 2 combined with Alevels.

I am trying to encourage her to just pick the 2 she hates the least because she has to pick something

Why does she have to pick something? It doesnt sound like she wants to do A levelss so why are you forcing her?

Typically at A level you choose what’s required by the degree you intend to go on to. If she wants to go to university, it’s worth getting some ideas! Browse the university websites, look at people who’ve done those degrees on LinkedIn to see what they’ve done with it, watch stuff with characters who are accountants/nurses/computer scientists/French majors.
I’m not sure there’s any merit in taking A levels if you’ve nothing to use them for, particularly if you don’t even enjoy it. Maybe a vocational calling at college will be more fitting?

My DD changed schools because hers wasn't offering the subjects she was interested in taking at A Level.

Have you looked around at courses on offer at other schools and colleges? Why does it have to be the more limited choice at her school? Can she not apply to others?

Or maybe an apprenticeship would work better if she doesn't like academia and doesn't want to study.

University isn't the only route to consider, and students do generally emerge with around £60 - £70k of debt hanging round their necks.

French was a ‘given’ for me too, got A grade at GCSE and won French prize. It is VERY different and much harder at A Level. I’d maybe look at BTEC/NVQ as pp have said.

And don't worry about her closing off her future, my sil quit school at 26 to work in a clothing shop, after a year she found an apprenticeship in engineering, now has a PhD and never paid a penny in fees for university as her company funded everything whilst paying her a salary,

And a 9 at French means nothing, a level languages are very hard, dd got almost full marks at gcse and c at a level

I would recommend going to a college open day that offers a much wider range of courses.

There are lots of other subjects which aren't offered at school, like law, psychology, etc, but if she really doesn't like any of the current subjects maybe she has had enough of school-type learning and would prefer something more practical or vocational? Or she might have just had enough of her current school and would prefer to go somewhere else.
I agree you should take her to look round colleges to see what else is available, it might give her some ideas or she might realise that she would rather stay at school after all.

How depressing that she is so utterly unenthused by any subject

what’s the teaching like?

A levels are hard going and if she hates her subjects it’ll be even worse.

would she prefer something more vocational? T levels look like a good option.