Opposing views on A-Level choices

[lyraa]

My DS is making his A-Level choices and has provisionally picked Business, Geography and Psychology.

He doesn't have a strong interest in any of his GCSE subjects and doesn't work hard. He also has mild ADHD and has difficulty focusing and applying himself.

His school have given him target grades of 8/9 across the board, but he says they're unachievable and he'd be happy with 7/8s. He does want to go to uni and likes the idea of a degree apprenticeship, but doesn't have much idea about what he'd like to study. In the nicest possible way, he's quite immature.

My DH thinks his chosen subjects are too soft and won't be respected by unis or potential, future employers. He thinks the "pick what you're good at and will enjoy" advice from schools is intended to boost the schools results, rather than being in the interest of the student's long term outcomes.

I've bought into the school advice, and think pushing DS down a more difficult path that he's not interested in will result in an unhappy 6th form experience (for us all!) and poor grades. I'm not convinced that they will limit his future opportunities, but I'm not sure on this

DH and I need to align our views before we speak to DS. Any thoughts or advice from anyone who's been in a similar situation??

There are still a lot of psychology courses at decent universities that don’t require maths, though, so it’s not a dealbreaker even if he wanted to go down that route.

Many don't. Often psychology on its own is fine, and geography is often accepted as a science. Occasionally a higher offer may be given if there is no science. But there are certainly options available - Birmingham, Nottingham and Exeter for example

In my opinion, you are right, your DH is wrong.
nothing wrong with those A level choices.
Do NOT suggest a science A level to anyone who isn't fully keen and committed to it and getting top GCSE grades because it won't work out well.
Another recommendation for Core Maths if you can find it - my son did this alongside A levels (including Psychology) - he found it helpful and also got a good grade which reduced his university offer.

If he likes history just not the options at his school he should consider other schools/sixth forms. There’s a lot of choice in the history syllabi and he might find areas he us interested in.

likewise English language is an a level even if his current school does not offer it.

he should be looking at other options for sixth forms anyway in case he doesn’t make the grades for his current school.

he needs a plan A, B and C.

Your husband is letting his own prejudices on what he thinks are worthy or not academically affect his reasoning. There will always be people who only think maths, the sciences, maybe English literature and history are “strong” subjects. Unless a child has a specific uni course or career in mind where there are non-negotiable A Level subject requirements, you should absolutely allow them to take what they are going to enjoy.
Your husband needs to reflect on why he thinks like he does, then drag himself into 2025!

That’s interesting. I think many people choose psychology because they think it sounds interesting, but without really understanding what it involves, especially as few of them will have studied it for GCSE. Once they start the course they realise that there is lot of content to learn and there is more science in it that they had expected. That puts some of them off.

Psychology is nevertheless an extremely popular subject. It’s the second most commonly taken A level (after maths).

I disagree. I think they’re a reasonably complimentary group of subjects on the intersection of the humanities and social sciences. Particularly if it’s the human geography side he prefers - alongside Psy and Bus that looks ideal for town/urban planning, environment type degrees. Would this be of interest, or at least allay your dh’s fears? https://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/undergraduate/degrees/urban-planning-design-and-management-bsc-2025

You are right. Psychology and Geography can be very complementary.

Exam boards have actually updated the spec and reduced the content for 2026 onwards in recognition of this.

That's interesting. DD started 6th form in 2016 and started with biology, chemistry, geography and psychology. She found psychology boring, unchallenging and extremely content heavy, and dropped it after AS levels.

I agree with @clary that as it is an untried subject, and too many 16 year olds find the volume of content and memorising all the case studies of horrible experiments carried out by people with difficult to spell names (et al) just want to give up.

It was also the most dropped subject at DD's school. It didn't help that many of the 16 year olds chose psychology because they didn't get the right grades at GCSE to pursue other, more "tradional" subjects. I wonder if this is why it is viewed as a soft option?

Neither geography, nor psychology are soft subjects IMO. Geography includes an NEA (non examined assessment) which was good preparation for DD for writing her dissertation at university.

Why do you and DH need to be aligned? It is your son's choice. Back off and leave him alone.

So then he drops out and finds something he does like and is good at. He's young, this is what this time is for. He doesnt need to rush off to uni at 18 to do a subject he will regret. Let him chop and change as many times as it takes to find his niche.

Thinking some more about this thread @lyraa, if your DS doesn't like biology and finds maths hard, psychology may not be a good idea, as it is closely related to both. Has he looked into the subject in detail?

It does make me wonder, as he is not keen on any of his GCSEs beyond geog and Eng lang, if he might be better suited to a different post-16 setting which would offer Eng lang A level (tho tbf it is nothing like the GCSE) or even a T-level focusing on a geog-related subject? He can hold multiple post-16 offers and tbh it's a good idea to have a second option.

Check board syllabus for A levels. Check combinations in potential universities and variety of degrees. The current A levels subjects would have changed a lot since your husband days. All universities degree courses will state entry requirements and types of must have A levels and not recognised A levels.

Well, yes, but he's a young 15 year old and we want to help him - we are his parents after all.

If he'd a clear idea about what he wanted, had researched the subjects he's interested in and had even a vague idea about where that would take him then fair enough.

As it is, he's not even glanced at curriculums, past papers or prospectuses. I asked him this morning what interested him about geography and he said 'it's easy'.

So some parental guidance and support is well warranted in my opinion.

I don't think he needs to do all that. Just choose a course, see what it is like, and then either stick or leave and find another. You don't want to help him find what he wants to do, you want to make sure he does what you think he should do.

He's chosen his courses, let him take them and leave him alone.

In my day, we applied for our college courses at school there and then. Our parents had absolutely no say at all. We went home and told them what we had done.

Crikey yes! So he has chosen two totally new subjects and not looked at any detail about them to see what they are like?

Like I and others say, nothing wrong with those subjects as such, despite what your DH says, and there is no point him keeping going with maths if he dislikes it, but he needs to want to do his A levels and not just bc he dislikes all other subjects he has tried. Despite what a PP says, he cannot chop and change post 16. He gets funding till he is 19 so he can start again once – but much better to make an informed and helpful choice first time.

Has he been to any other 6th form open evenings? Schools or college?
Just to see what else is on offer - both in terms of the subjects and other types of level 3 qualifications?

Thanks everyone one for some really interesting perspectives and opinions. We have open evenings at two other local schools next week so will definitely explore some alternate settings with him as plan B, and encourage him to take a deeper look into the subjects he's considering.

You can absolutely chop and change all your life if you want to. If you do have to pay for a level 3 course, you often get the money back for that on completion of a degree.

@DEAROP which level 3 qualifications can you get money back on? Through what process?

https://www.gov.uk/advanced-learner-loan

They repay you for any access course once you compete a degree. If OP's son did flip between courses past the age of 19, he could just do an access to Uni in whatever field over a year and then get a degree in that subject.

"Student Finance England will ‘write off’ any outstanding Advanced Learner Loan balances you owe for an Access to HE course once you complete a higher education course. This means you do not have to repay it.
The higher education course must be eligible for student finance."

But it is so much easier to start the right courses while still at school/college where the young person will get plenty of support.

The "when I was that age" posts aren't particularly relevant or helpful. The landscape has changes so much even in recent years.

Yes but sometimes you just don't know at 16 and so choosing and changing is part of your process. Forcing him to read through curriculum isn't going to propel him forward to a time where he actually does know for sure what he wants to do. It is a process that you cannot rush.

My twins have started A levels this year. They were both v unsure. My learning has been:

1. Start with 4 A Levels as he will figure out what he dislikes quite quickly (prob by this half term) and can drop it - your DS may be surprised!
2. Apply to sixth forms that are fairly flexible on changing options.

I would say it's early doors and not to get too worried about it now. My DD decided her subjects on results day! She changed from wanting Chem, Bio, Maths in Jan (she applied to get into sixth form with these) to History, English Lit, Psych and Politics on the day she signed up to sixth form! She dropped Politics after a couple of weeks as didn't really like it. I think it was the mock exams and revision which changed her mind, she just enjoyed the other subjects more. Psych was a late wildcard but she discovered she loves it as it's a great combination of science and humanities.

DS (her twin) chose Maths, Chem, Geog and Spanish. He only chose Chem you have to choose 4 at his school then drop one in April. He has discovered he really enjoys Chem and is actually hating Geog with a passion, can't wait to dump it, very unexpected! He actually got his lowest GCSE grade in Chemistry but he's really, really enjoying it.

So, I would let your DS go with his choices for application but would recommend he starts on 4 as he might start the history course and love it, or get a 9 in something which really boosts his confidence in that subject. For kids who aren't sure, it's really hard to narrow down so quickly, especially when there are 'new' choices like psychology or politicd or economics.