Dropping 4th A'level - stress!

[ActingTheMaggot]

DS is in lower 6th studying for 4 A levels. I did express concern over this and thought it was a bit much, as he has a lot of other things going on in his life. Up until a week ago, he was fine with it.

Now he is saying he wants to drop one as it is too much. He spoke to the school and they said it is too late to pick up the EPQ.

I am now concerned that he is going to go from 4 A'levels to 3 and no EPQ and come up against other students with 3 and an EPQ which is going to put him at a disadvantage for Uni.

Any suggestions as to what to do? He is pretty stressed out now.

That is nonsense. I have no idea where you got that from.

EPQs aren't necessary that is true.

However there are quite a number of unis even RG that do offer a reduced grade offer for a high scoring EPQ which can make them valuable offers especially as insurance choices. But it is derailing the thread as OP says he can't do one.

That said if he is dropping a 4th OP it is better to do so now before having put it on a UCAS Application in y13 and having to notify admissions to say you are withdrawing.

Do you mind saying OP which A levels and which he is dropping? It may make a difference. If engineering is a possibility it may be best for example to not drop FM.

How are his 4 A levels related to what he wants to study? The only reason I'd suggest taking 4 (or 5) A levels would be if in order to get accepted (which is always on the basis of 3 A levels), you'd also need to ace an admission test and an additional A level would help you with that, or the A levels overlap so that to get A in one you do need the other, or at least it helps a lot. E.g. taking maths, further maths, Chemistry, biology and chemistry is imo the best way to pass the BMAT and to get A in physics. But others disagree and say you wouldn't need maths and/or physics at all.

My DS is is 1st year of med school. He went to super selective grammar (to put in context of their raison d’être is getting y13s into med school or oxbridge) and they start off doing 4 subjects.

They drop 1 subject at end of y12, take it as AS level. So just 3 A levels in y13.

Most unis looking at 3 best A levels. So might as well take 3, and get the best grades you can with those 3.

Hard if you cannot choose - I took IB, so grateful.

Yea they offer a slightly reduced offer based on you getting a A in the EPQ. So for example, you either take 3 a-levels, really focus on them and work towards an offer of AAB or lumber yourself with the stress of the EPQ for the fantastic reduction of the offer to ABB but only if you get an A in the EPQ as well. It actually doesn’t sound like a great trade off to me.

My son had an AAA offer dropped to ABB by Exeter and an AAA dropped to ABB by Manchester so in his case not slighlty lower. He was predicted 3 x A and he didn't firm either but it made a super comfortable insurance place at a place some others would love to have a shot at and without an EPQ reduction may not have the chance to apply to. There are also other reasons why anEPQ is beneficial too (as in research and development of an interest).

agh AstarAA dropped to ABB

predicted 3 x Astar

Although not all universities require an A in EPQ to get the grade reduction. Some only require a B.

And the lower ranking universities which offer on points total rather than A Level grades will often accept EPQ and that helps enormously.

My DS also has accumulated UCAS points from extracurricular activities. Do Uni's take these into account when making offers or are these no longer relevant?

Not the ones he will be (or should be) aiming for!

Not the ones he will be (or should be) aiming for!

Sorry, I don't quite get that.

OP my youngest DC also went to a superselective grammar (for context, as with sydenhamhiller) where she was almost the only person taking three A levels as opposed to four or three plus the EPQ. She simply didn't want to do the EPQ - too much of a tick box exercise in her view, which was based on the views of six of her older siblings who did it and said it was a waste of time - so she said no thanks when it was suggested. She got into her first choice college at Oxford on the first attempt. The point being that it doesn't matter what type of uni a DC is aiming for, three/ four is not a big deal.

That said, which subject does your DS intend to drop, and which two subjects will he continue with apart from Chemistry?

I think he'd be better off dropping the job at this stage if you can afford that! Seriously, this depends on the university he's aiming at... and on the subject. Maths and further maths often seem to count as a unit for universities. Our successful Oxbridge candidates we notice often have four A levels but it's no longer an expectation at all, perhaps more that those who can cope tend also to be high flying. Hence also the EPQs being useful. But I'm worried that one bad result makes him think he has to scale back. Where will he go if the next test does badly? He knows what he did wrong, I think he should perhaps wait and see how he gets on. It's early to drop a subject you're good at!

He would be studying Maths, Chemistry and Music and dropping a humanity. Keeping music may raise an eyebrow, but he is thinking of doing a gap year music foundation or applying to the Guildhall for a year's course, and then taking up a degree in Chemistry.

Have they only just had their first assessment in Chemistry?

Sorry, I know it's not entirely relevant but it seems a long time to go without a real indication of how you are doing? Does he know when he will next get assessed.

My slight concern is that Chemistry A-level is a big step up from GCSE and the mark schemes are much more specific than at GCSE. If he hasn't quite "got it" then dropping an A-level he is doing well in may be a bit of a risk.

Although equally he may pull the grade up if it was genuinely silly mistakes etc.

Personally, I would ask for an honest chat with his Chemistry teacher before making any final decisions.

I think he'd be better off dropping the job at this stage if you can afford that!

He is teaching music at a school and has his own private students and I don't really want to discourage this as it is an amazing opportunity.

It depends on the university.

Universities can give offers which specify certain grades e.g. AAB, rather than the equivalent UCAS points.

They can also give a points offer. Some unis will state that these points must come from XYZ qualification, and some will be happy to accept everything.

For chemistry, they will also usually specify he must pass the practical endorsement part of his A-level, but that's not usually a concern.

You should probably let him go with his gut and let him make his own decisions.

I don't recall my parents having such a vested interest in my a level choices and it all worked out fine

With high grades he should be aiming for a selective uni that will make him an offer in terms of AL grades. Lower ranked unis can make offers in terms of UCAS points and these can include points from music grades etc.

My sons school were pushing a 4th A level and they compromised that he would take it as an AS over 2 years, which he did with an A grade AS level at the end. Is that still an option these days (I know AS levels are not taken as standard now but not sure if they are still available at all?)

DD (years ago now) started out with 5 A levels and dropped to 4 after AS levels taken in all 5, but all her teachers were pushing her to keep their subject so she had to insist. She then persuaded her brother to start with less and stick at 3 solid ones to avoid the stress she had taking 4.

It's fine. He only needs the best grades he can get in 3 A'levels. The 4th A'level or an EPQ isn't necessary to secure his Uni place.

What's the point of dropping one subject only to take up an EPQ?

My daughter did her epq late year 12 and turned it in first term year 13.
But I think three good grade A levels is better than 4 lower ones, and an EPQ is ALOT of work.

So, the school has now come back to my DS and said it is too late to take up an EPQ, it is too much work and they have said no to some students, so they can't say yes to him.

TBH I am pretty appalled that my DS has been asking for guidance and help for the past few weeks and it has not been forthcoming, and I have to resort to asking people on the internet. There are 5 DC in some of his classes and I am paying 18K a year for sixth form to have the resources and support for him. I am really not impressed.

How hard would it be for the EPQ dept. to spend a bit of time getting him on his way. He already has the idea for the project.

I am annoyed that you can go from doing 4 A'levels to 3 + nothing and no support or direction to get that decision. I am actually quite upset about this on behalf of DS who works his arse off and wants to do well at school.

I agree your school seems to have been very lax given youre paying them ££. But not doing an EPQ is quite a sensible course of action given he needs to increase one of his grades.

Everyone has told you that on here so I'm not sure why you're still wanting him to do an EPQ.

DD's selective ££ school makes all their 6 formers start year 12 doing 4 A levels (sometimes 5 if doing double maths or some iteration of classics). Most are expected to drop their least favourite by year 13. No AS levels.

It puzzled me, but the students end up doing subjects they enjoy (hopefully!). The school takes the view that it is better to have 3 A's rather than 2 A's and 2 B's.

The students have quite a few new subjects to choose from post GCSE and others where the GCSE isn't a pre-requisite so I suppose it gives them the opportunity to try something new with minimal risk.