Are these A level choices ok?

[GCSE123]

I'm a bit concerned that dds A level choices might close doors in future. Can anyone advise?

She was interested in working in the medical field for a few years and picked Geography, Biology and Chemistry. This was granted by her school.

She then decided she didn't want to do Chemistry and wanted to do Government and Politics after a taster session instead. I asked her several times if the school had agreed to this swap and she said they had. She's usually quite switched on so I accepted that. She said she no longer wanted to work in a medical/scientific field.

After she got her GCSE results this week
(4 x 7 Chemistry, Geography, Physics, Eng lit
6 x 8 Biology, Maths, Eng lang, French, RE, Sociology)
she went to enrol online and found she couldn't add the subjects she wanted and contacted a teacher and was told because of the blocks, she can choose Biology or Politics, but not both. She was upset but really wants to do politics and said she was having doubts about Biology. So she's now picked Sociology, Politics, Geography.

She doesn't know what she wants to study or work as after 6th form. My question is, are these subjects too narrow and might they close doors or are they OK? Another thing to add is that she has good people skills which might be relevant to career. She can get on with a wide range of people.

She's hoping to go to a good uni.

I don't necessarily think it too narrow as long she has definitely ruled out science in future. However Geography may be a risk if she achieved a 7 and needs an A/A* especially as Politics is a new subject,

Thanks. She was achieving 8 in mocks for geog so might be ok. Would good unis favour a wider range of A levels when making offers? Dd1 did Maths, French and Biol and got offers from all the unis she applied to. She got into her firm Warwick with AAB, so dd2 might be ok dropping to a B in 1 or 2 subjects.

Ideally she needs her best possible grades. Range is secondary.

Thanks that's useful to know and reassuring.

They will close some science doors. Swapping one of Chem Bio OK, swapping both? Not sure. Some unis may not favour sociology / politics. I would suggest having a look at some example unis and various courses just to see.

Excellent, complementary choice of subjects. Unless a specific degree requires specific subjects ( eg to do physio) any subject is fine and it's the grades that matter. Sociology goes brilliantly with geography and vice versa and sociology and politics are happy bedfellows.

She has closed off most science degrees but she says she doesn't want to do that, so I can't see why that matters.

Tool here to explore options
https://www.theuniguide.co.uk/a-level-explorer

I can guarantee that you will be looking for a long time before you find a university which actually excludes either Sociology or Politics, assuming that any subject requirements are met.

The A levels commonly not included as one of the (usually 3) subjects required, number-wise, are General Studies and Critical Thinking, plus some of the 'Applied X' type A levels.

Thank you

Generally you are better off pursuing your actual passions, but she should be able to talk to you about career options that follow from her choices. How much does she know about that?

Is it an option to go to a different place to study where she can at least do her first choice of subjects?

If she doesn't know what she wants to do, she would probably be better off doing more science as it keeps her options open.

Yes that's what I meant. Nothing wrong with them as A levels but some subject requirements may want a science. Is that the case with Geography? Might some geog degrees want a science as well?

Wanna play MN Bingo ?

No. Geography is counted as a science subject in fact by many universities who require one for specific degrees.

I have never understood on MN why doing more science keeps options open and no one ever says 'do more arts, 'do more hums', 'do a social science' when a DC chooses maths physics and chemistry, for example. The choices here included three essay subjects, one with a mathematical and scientific content, and two which included data and research methods .

Personally, I don't see huge value in just doing one science subject, especially biology by itself. The level of chemistry in A level biology does hold back some students who don't do it. There's no extra brownie points for having one science A level.

I think dd might be interested in working in business.

It'll be fine. Only on mumsnet is 8+ needed at gcse. At my dds college those with 7s got an A or more in A Level subjects.

That is rather general! However even for many financial careers you don't even need maths or economics at A level.

Yes I suppose it is. Maybe if she did a business degree she'd be able to refine what area she wants to get into. If she decides to do that.

Lol - should have guessed that you were the author of the 'new post', the notification of which popped up as I hit 'preview'

DS2 has just changed his A level choices and is now doing Maths, Physics and Film Studies, having swapped Chemistry for Film Studies.

He doesn’t yet know what he wants to do for a degree.
Doing something he is going to enjoy for next 2 years is important.

Anyone with that combo, I always alert them to this:

https://www.surrey.ac.uk/undergraduate/film-production-and-broadcast-engineering

Dd said she has a year to decide what to do before applying to uni. She did want to work in the medical field for a while and did relevant work experience. Hopefully I can help her explore options now that has changed

Has she considered Psychology? Does her school offer it? It's part science and part humanities. Quite popular.

She said it's not what she's interested in.