3 AS levels or 4?

[GetOrfMoiiLand]

DD is attending sixth form in September, she is studying 3 AS levels - History, Geography, Media Studies. Her head of sixth form wants her to study an additional subject at AS (and going on to do 3 at A2) - this will be either Biology, ICT, Photography or Business Studies.

DD and I really want her to concentrate on the 3 AS and not take an extra one. She is not interested at all in any of those subjects, and I think the jump from GCSE workload to a level will be a significant one. I would rather she concentrates on 3 subjects she really wants to study. She is dyslexic and therefore essays etc take her longer than anyone else - she works very well but I don'y want her to be demoralised by the workload if it proves too much.

Are 3 AS levels enough?

LeanderBear's advice to research carefully is good, of course. But a word of caution re her focus on requirements: the gap between minimum requirements and what admitted students have actually achieved can be large. So a given RG History may not require a fourth AS - but may find it can easily fill all its places from those applicants in possession of one. Satisfying the requirements is only one aspect of putting yourself in a good position to secure a place.

Ggrr.I Must learn to spell. Fourth not forth. Repeat after me.

GetOrf, I'm studying History and Heritage at Bath Spa as a mature student. I've spent the past 2 years doing a Foundation degree in Heritage Management, and have been accepted (along with ALL my other Foundation Degree students! ) onto the final year of the honours degree course.

Most of the school leavers I've been studying with for the last 2 years didn't do very well in their A levels, and none of the other mature students even had any! Many people don't realise that 2 year Foundation Degrees are eligible for exactly the same loans and grants as full honours degrees but have much lower entrance requirements. They are usually more practical and vocationally slanted with a big emphasis on work placements/experience, but the big secret is - they offer a backdoor route route onto full honours degree courses.

One of my young fellow students is severely dyslexic, but has still managed to get a 2.1 equivalent in his FdA, and although he is just 21, has actually managed to get a permanent weekend job in a museum in London and will be commuting to Bath next year to complete his degree.

It might be worth your while having a look at Foundation Degrees on the UCAS website with your DD. I've been doing this with DS - hell will freeze over before he gets into an RG uni he isn't an academic high-flyer either, although he will be doing 4 AS levels in 6th form, and he is a bit despondent about his imminent GCSE results. So many kids at his school are straight A* students, and DS is just hoping for mostly Bs with a couple of As if he is really lucky. I wanted to reassure him that there ARE options out there and different routes into higher education!

Totally agree Campers - that is something we saw an increased amount of this year - students who had grades above the published requirements, but were rejected because "other applicants were more qualified" (or words to that effect). I saw that in a few students ranging from St Andrews down to UWE. Most still got offers elsewhere, but they just didn't get their first choices.

I would question whether your daughter could start the 4th AS and drop down if it becomes too much? Schools hate it because it affects their success rates (and therefore funding) so if you asked outright, you would probably be strongly discouraged from taking this line (as we would say to our students) - but if it were my daughter, I would consider this. Just make sure she doesn't drop anything after sitting exams (as it would then appear on UCAS application).

You may also have the option of taking a 4th AS alongside her A2s. I would also ask your school whether it is possible. Some of our students need a bit more time to settle into their A levels and find they're better off doing the 4th AS as a second year. But that very much depends on the student and the subjects studied.

If she is absolutely adamant she does not want to do a 4th, then I would recommend the AQA extended project (as recommended by Landers). This can be done over a summer holiday and marking rewards the process more than the finished outcome. This would certainly be better than nothing.

Finally, has she checked out the student room website - look at old threads on there, as that will give you a pretty good idea as to what offers students have been given in the past.

From personal experience, whatever is decided: make sure your DD thinks of the choices as hers, not yours. DS couldn't make his mind up and did 5 AS levels in 'traditional' subjects, and when he didn't get A grades on 2 of them he convinced himself he'd been 'made' to do those ones. And we thought we were being so hands-off and laid back about it.

BreconBeBuggered. That is such an important point. Same goes for choosing Uni courses and actual Uni's.

My DS knows two girls who are applying to do medicine but have admitted that it is only because their parents want them to do it.

How about doing a full alevel in biology/business and the 4th AS in media? I did my undergrad degree at Reading which is pretty well regarded and my postgrad at Kingston (an ex poly) and both unis seemed to snub a-level media.

Thank you everyone. That is worth thinking about re foundation degrees.

Brecon I have got to be careful because DD complained that I pressured her when she had her GCSE options. I dissuaded her from taking photography and art (I thought photography was a waste of time and I knew that the porfolio element of art would take up too much time) in favour of triple science. She resented that because she didn't have any 'doss' subjects. I was a bit dictatorial I think, probably because of my personal science bias. Her real strength is in humanities. But I think they need a bit of guidance at 14.

Anyway I will back off a bit for a level choices.

That is a good point re media AS (another subject I really wince at).

A level business sounds as dull as bricks, so hopefully she will choose biology. I am keeping my mouth shut!

God I sound like an awful mother and someone who likes to slag off the arts.

I am not really.

I'm an A2 tutor, so I help students write their UCAS personal statements and I write their references.

Redbrick + universities will ask for three grades, eg AAB.

The sort of universities your daughter is applying to will ask for UCAS points but will usually state that at least two of the subjects should be taken through to A2 (ie they wouldn't accept 1 full A level and 4 AS's - you'd be surprised how many students think that would be a good idea!) and that the points should be taken from 3 A levels, IYSWIM. So that extra AS is pointless.

I was interested to see UCL wanted a fourth A level but hadn't made it part of their offer. How could they revoke an offer based on that? I don't understand.

I've just looked up English at Oxford and even they only want 3 A levels.

Most universities would prefer three good grades, indicating a deeper level of study, than four weaker grades.

I would advise her to choose three and to do the best she can in them, particularly as she has no interest in the fourth subjects. I'd also tell her that when the others who are taking four are in their lessons, she should be working on her A levels. It's not playtime!

Oh OK MrsLetch, are you saying that someone applying with four A levels has more chance of an offer than someone with three? I don't think that will apply to the universities the OP's child will apply to.

I think it's hard to say. The Admissions Tutors I've spoken to have said they go a lot on the personal statement and what they have to say about the course they want to take. Work experience of some kind would be really useful, OP as will a real interest in what she wants to study, evidenced by some things she's actually done.