Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

A Level Choices

12 replies

Airbrush24 · 03/09/2024 18:36

If all things academically are equal, and dc has no idea of future career yet, what 3 A Levels are the best combination out of these 4?

Business Studies
Geography
German
Psychology

Advice gratefully received! Thank you

OP posts:
NanFlanders · 03/09/2024 18:41

I'd say Geography, German and Psychology - keeps a wide range of degree options (including business studies) open.

Bunnyannesummers · 03/09/2024 19:04

I agree with @NanFlanders

Clearinguptheclutter · 03/09/2024 19:07

I’d say German, Geography and one of the others which are a bit more specialised

Clearinguptheclutter · 03/09/2024 19:09

Clearinguptheclutter · 03/09/2024 19:07

I’d say German, Geography and one of the others which are a bit more specialised

Oh and you’d need German and geography a level to do it at uni. You can do BS or Psy at uni without. So keeps options open.

I did BS a level and admittedly it was years ago but at the time it def wasn’t anywhere near as challenging academically as other arts subjects I did. That could be a good thing of course but I regret doing it and should have done geography instead.

Airbrush24 · 03/09/2024 21:16

Thanks everyone, so far!

OP posts:
clary · 03/09/2024 22:47

Hey @Airbrush24 I agree with others - German and geography will keep open options to take German and geography at uni. You don't need psych for psych at uni (but obvs it may be of interest and help to see if you like it!) and you don't need business (not business studies btw) to do business at uni.

How was their GCSE maths? There's quite a bit of maths in A level psych – not so much that you need to take A level maths, but (say) a 4 at maths GCSE would not be a good start.

MFL is my subject so if you want any further info about German A level (it's a great course! assuming AQA but they are all similar) then let me know. What did they get at GCSE in German?

Airbrush24 · 04/09/2024 12:49

6 in Maths
8 in German

OP posts:
clary · 04/09/2024 13:43

Great stuff @Airbrush24 that maths result is fine I would say and an 8 in German is a great prep for A level.

lanthanum · 04/09/2024 15:10

Although psychology at university doesn't need psychology A-level, some universities want one or even two sciences (including maths and psychology as sciences). Others don't mind which subjects, but it's something to check out if they might want to go in that direction.

WaitingandWaiting4 · 04/09/2024 17:11

Agree with German, Geo and Psych - allows them to go into both humanities and STEM fields, as many universities class both the latter as sciences in particular courses. High language fluency is also very admirable.
My DC is currently studying French, Geo and Psych (so not too dissimilar) and plans to study a MSci in environmental geoscience!

Airbrush24 · 05/09/2024 20:14

Thank you, it's just a big dilemma!

OP posts:
clary · 05/09/2024 21:16

That's a good point about psychology needing a science subject at a lot of unis. I just checked Birmingham (not totally at random as I know a student who took psych there) and they prefer a science (lower offer) - and they count psychology.

Whereas same uni for business has no requirement of any specific A level subject - even business.

So if those and only those are the four possible options, then business is the one to drop, as studying psych will make a psych degree possible (I mean studying maths or biology or any science also would make it possible, but those are not on your list).

New posts on this thread. Refresh page