Disappointed with DS A level choices

[Bagamoyo1]

I know I’m being unreasonable, and I know this is a first world problem, but I can’t help it. I wanted to post to see if others can share experiences and stop me feeling so down about it.

DS has just started year 12. Since year 7 he’s been good at French and really enjoyed it. From the start he knew he wanted to do French A level. He’s just started his courses (day 8 today) - French, history and geography.

He’s moved schools for 6th form (his original high school don’t have a 6th form), and he’s just announced that he’s hating French, and wants to give it up. He says it’s harder than GCSE, and he’s just not enjoying it, and can’t face 2 years of it. He wants to switch to sociology.

I can’t help thinking he wants to change because lots of his friends are doing sociology, and it’s basically way easier than French.

I’m worried he’ll regret it. Rightly or wrongly, sociology is seen by many as an easy (and therefore less valuable) option, and I honestly think that once he’s settled in his new school, he’ll find the French more manageable. But obviously he doesn’t have that luxury - if he’s going to switch he has to do it asap.

I haven’t let on how I feel. I’ve just said he needs to think carefully, talk to the teachers, and do whatever he feels most comfortable with.

But how can I stop myself feeling so disappointed? He got a distinction in French some GCSE work, and was a shining star for the whole course. He’s been naturally gifted at it since day 1.

I just need to find a way to feel positive about all this.

Are you on glue ? Sociology is not easy ! It's a fascinating subject . I let my dd choose her own A levels !

I'm not so sure about facilitating subjects unless DC has a clear idea about a career path.
DS1 just got into a RG uni needing A A B and made it very hard for himself choosing maths A level, it was touch and go at the end as he struggled massively at times throughout the two years. Did get the B but could have gone either way.
His friend who performed much more poorly at GCSE practically walked into the same course at the same uni as he choose BTec PE, Business (arguably one of the 'easier' A levels and Geog (his mums a Geog teacher). This is her third child. Wise to the game by this point.
Unless he knows he wants to do medicine, dentistry, maths degree etc, choose subjects he enjoys and will get the best grades in. Most top unis don't even work on UCAS points.

I loved sociology a level and it definitely wasn't easy. I also agree it goes well with history and geography.

What's his plan for uni and does he need a language? If not, I really don't see what the issue is.
He might grow to love French a level but if he doesn't he's going to be resentful and possibly lose motivation if you stop him from changing.
Could he do 4 until Christmas and then decide?

My son did the same, he was a really good French student too. Dropped French and picked a history because he knew he would enjoy it more. Gained a high distinction in history and will be teaching it soon ( just finished teaching post grad on top of undergrad degree).
No regrets. His choice.

My mum is a French teacher and always said how ridiculously difficult A-level is. I wanted to do sociology but my parents didn't want me to as I was also doing psychology. I had to do history instead (also did English) which I found really difficult and did really badly, meaning I didn't get into my first choice uni, whereas I know I would have done well in sociology x please let him do what he wants. I'm still annoyed with my parents when I think about it to this day! X

It's a massive leap from GCSE to A level French but it's so much more interesting when you get into the course. I loved it (and only ended up doing it due to an admin error that I was too nervous to ask them to correct ).
You're not just learning phrases that have minimal relevance in real life. You learn about a wide range of topics in French and read interesting articles, write essays and debate topics. We covered things like environmental issues, the homeless, AIDS and so on.
I would suggest that he should talk to his teachers / tutors and possibly even try and do 4 A levels until Christmas at least, to give him a chance to really get into it.

DD is good at languages (2 x 9 at GCSE) and really enjoys them. It is very hard to get the top grades at A level so in the end she has gone with Maths and Sciences. Her plan is to study science at uni with a year abroad to immerse herself in the language then.

op MFL is my subject and it's great that he did so well at GCSE. I do think it's a big leap, though there are some ideas in this thread that may be out of date.

He will study one book and one film, counting for a fifth of his marks.
He won't be writing essays about French government, but he will study political and social themes and need to speak about them and answer questions in a reading and listening paper.

If he is going to change it needs to be now. Can you unpick in a bit more detail why sociology? Or is it simply "not French"? Does he dislike the French teacher perhaps? An MFL A level is usually a small group so that may count.

I sympathise - my dd switched after a few days from music to (funnily enough) French, but she has done worse in GCSE music than expected and the A level was focusing on the bits she found tough, so it made sense. An MFL A level is always good, but sociology is also a very strong choice and by no means easy. Facilitating subjects mentioned by a pp are no longer a factor.

Sociology history and geography is a good set of a levels.

I don’t think sociology is “easy” nor seen that way.

I think you need to ask yourself why you feel so invested in French vs Sociology.

As PPs have said, Sociology actually works very well with his other choices and a subject is only ‘easy’ if you don’t put the effort in and coast to an average grade. Who are the people you’re worried will see it as “easy”? Do they matter? It’s definitely not employers in the future and universities care about grades above all as long as it’s not a course requirement to have the particular A level - he’d be shooting himself in the foot if he wanted to do a French degree but other than that I think not an issue. So who does it matter to?

There’s nothing particularly special about French or another language at A level unless you have plans to use that language extensively in your further academic career or a job.

A lot of students who found GCSE subjects came naturally to them struggle with them at A level as they’ve never had to work hard at them so aren’t used to putting the effort in. Can he do both for half a term?

It seems a bit premature to give up a subject he had previously enjoyed after about a week.

I have a Year 12 form this year and I told them yesterday that modern languages and maths are the biggest step up from GCSE. It will take a while for him to get used to the change, especially if he has always found French easy. I got an A* easily at GCSE but had to work VERY hard for my top grade at A-Level.

I would feel the same as you in all honesty, Sociology is simply not as well regarded. Be careful he doesn't resent you. I was made to take two languages at GCSE instead of Art and I am still a pissed off about it nearly 30 years later.

FFS sociology isn't an easy A Level and it's snobs like you perpetuating that nonsense!! Aren't you proud your son is doing A Levels?! That's a huge achievement. He needs to follow his own path. Surely better a higher grade in Sociology than a lower or fail in French.

I hate academic snobbery.

I can't imagine my parents trying to get involved with what a levels i picked, or being disappointed with me for picking the "wrong" ones. Education should be enjoyable. If he wants to do sociology it's really none of your business.

Agree with others about the leap from French GCSE to A-level. But, you do have 2 years to reach the required standard!

Does your DS do much in the way of extra curricular stuff? If he has time in his 6th form timetable I’d be suggesting that he tries sociology lessons alongside French for at least half a term (probably a whole term) to see if he really prefers it. Yes, French feels like a big step up, but I’d argue he hasn’t given himself a chance to experience it properly yet. He would be making his decision rashly. Then again, I loved A-level French so I’m biased! I also had a brilliant teacher, which is so important. A bad teacher can ruin everything - I wonder what his is like?

Sociology/history/geography are three humanities. Lots of essay writing. I personally wouldn’t pick those three because of their similarities (I remember our sixth form college 20 years ago not recommending it) but there may be no problem with this combination. Check with the school/college and ask their advice.

My dd did french a level. She's off to university this year. Having another language is a massive thing and the general world view is how far behind we are with this,(monolingual is the new illiteracy). Therefore having another language is a massive boon. She's not doing a French degree and is doing extra French at uni. In the course of her A level she did her French exchange and has made what will ge a life long friend.
Yes it's a massive jump and the first term is hard. It then kind of clicks. It's still tough but does get much better, particularly if he has a supportive language department.

The only thing I would say is that I ran a course for kids not in education, training or employment. Almost all had chosen the wrong a levels, either themselves or had chosen what their parents wanted them to do.
Let him get on with it. Better a good grade in sociology than a poor one in French.

I did sociology at AS level and it was harder than I expected it to be. Don't pressure him to do a subject he doesn't have any passion for. It's better that he gets good A levels overall than having a bad french grade which drags them down. There will other opportunities to learn language. I've done language classes as an adult and really enjoyed them.

French is not a really essential skill for most career paths. He will have to compete with people who are bilingual and very few English speakers have an impeccable French accent - that pure u sound is so hard to get. One of my friends did the French degree I longed to do but had real employment issues. She told me that she wished she'd done a vocational degree like mine. My son dropped Spanish and accounting at high school and said when he hit something difficult in class he didn't mind because nothing was as bad as Spanish and accounting.

@Bagamoyo1 and @Etinox are you still thinking about the god-awful BT ad from the 1980's with Maureen Lipman? There is absolutely nothing academically unsound about sociology A level. If he has a desire to do MFL's at university then yes of course French is better. But no "top" uni is going to look down its nose at sociology a level if the grade is good. It fits perfectly with his other a levels.
Academic snobbery (and poor understanding) is glaring here!

Unless he had a career mapped out that required French I really can't see what the issue is here. I'd understand more if he was dropping a STEM subject but they're all humanities and I fail to see what French offers for variety over Sociology. Why not go for the easier option and enjoy the next 2 years?

I think sociology will be more useful to him than french by a long way! Unless he wants to study french in some great depth or live in france. He can also learn french later if he likes; sociology is more niche. And very interesting! I’d say it gives him many more career options than french. Xo

I understand op, but you don't have to do the work. Just check that it doesn't rule out uni options he is interested in like joint honours courses with a year abroad. I also wouldn't judge taking the path of least resistance, its a successful strategy for life! Better indeed than a stressed workaholic. He's got two strong subjects and Sociology is really interesting.

Is he doing general studies? If you do a language a level it makes that bit of the course much easier.