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.

I think he will stand out more by having done the French when it comes to uni and so on. He'd get different knowledge from sociology, but will he get different skills?
Some people are really rude and and unnecessary comments like "are you on glue" and "pecking his head out", you are horrible, take a hard look at yourselves and feel ashamed.

Sociology was definitely seen as a soft subject when I was at school. There was even that BT advert with Maureen Lipman where her grandson failed everything except pottery and sociology. That was 30 years ago though so things may have changed a lot since then. Sociology goes well with history and geography - although economics might be seen in higher regard if that's an option and he's interested - but French is probably not the subject to do if you're not going to enjoy it. What does he want to do at uni?

I think it's better to pursue that at university.

Is there a back story op? Why are you so emotionally invested in him doing french? What counts is what he wants to do with his a levels. As well as doing what he wishes to do. What does he wish to do after school?

He should be able to do 4 til half term and then drop one.

The only french fluent teen I know just spent a gap year there (didn’t take the a level) so it’s not over don’t worry

Another vote here for letting him do sociology.

What are the other subjects? Dd did French and German and found the literature and cultural elements dry and harder than GCSE.

I was talented in French and did a level but never used it again. Sociology, on the other hand, I have used more than any other subject.

[quote bocodilloconqueso]**@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! [/quote]
Absolutely not. I made no criticism of Sociology. Only focussed on the advantages of A Level Languages.

People did try to talk me out of sociology as it was seen as a soft subject. I was the only person from the top academic stream to take it. I’m glad I did.

I enjoyed Religious Studies at GCSE and did exceptionally well. It was my only A*.
As a result I studied it at A level and it was by far my worst subject. It didn't meet my expectations and wasn't what I thought and expected. I continued with the course whilst feeling the pressure from parent who expected me to have it in the bag basically due to my A* GCSE.
It was my worst grade. Think I got a D.

I studied Sociology A-level too ( no experience of it at GCSE level). It was fresh, different, really interesting and it got me into my University of choice.
It was not an 'easy' subject and required tons of research and critical thinking which I know prepared me for my Uni course.

DS did MFL and found it the most work as have stay on top workload eg learn alot vocab weekly etc he got 9’s in everything at GCSE. About half MFL students dropped out in first two weeks when realised how big a leap it was. He stuck with it and got A which he was happy with. He’s thinking he may do year abroad in that country at uni. It’s very hard to get A in MFL as native speakers who take it push up the grade boundary so DS felt a A in MFL was same as A in other subjects. Most in class got B’s. It is easier to get top grades in other subjects DS did it as 4th subject so that wasn’t an issue for him but it may be if your ds wants to apply to unis with high offers.

My dd is also doing sociology instead of French, but in her case, it's because her school isn't even offering French A Level - not enough interest, apparently 😡

I'm annoyed, yes, because she wanted to do it, but she won't consider going somewhere else as wants to stay with her friend group.

The school were really restrictive with what you could choose (one from column A, one from column B, one from column C deal) so she's ended up with a not-very-good selection of A Levels, IMO.

I'd have preferred her to do English Lit rather than Sociology, but my own dad pressured me horribly to do his choice of A Levels, so I wasn't about to do that.

Blooming annoyed, though. French was my subject. I don't remember it being hard at A Level. At university, it was a rich and fascinating course that covered hundreds of years of history and literature. I've never "used it" inasmuch as got a job because I can speak French, but it's enriched me as a person. Fucks me off a bit when people say languages (or arts subjects in general) are pointless.

A level languages are so much harder than GCSEs
Also, they really need to do A levels they love whatever we might think about their choices.
DD got a 9 in Spanish at GCSE but chose not to do the Alevel and joined Spanish club instead as she just really wants to be able to speak and understand Spanish rather than study Spanish Lit and Grammar.
Is that an option for your son?

I agree with you leonard. I find it so utilitarian and short-sighted. Languages develop pathways in your brain that no other subjects do. It’s about so much more than learning vocab and having a few phrases.

@Bagamoyo1 I can understand you being disappointed - my view too (perhaps biased) that if you have a particular talent (as it sounds for your DS) you should pursue that. I also think that French is much better regarded - not necessarily by Unis if they're just grade driven - but by employers, particularly if you've spent time abroad independently. The fact that you have listening and oral components (as well as written papers) is completely different from other exams and recognised as a different skill set.

I would just try to talk to him - ask him the reasons for the jump to sociology and how that might open up / limit his choices going forward - be open to his reasons and objective. It is his decision at the end of the day, but at 16, there may be consequences of the choice that he'd not considered (e.g. he's talked about a degree with a year abroad etc).

@adeleh absolutely but there's nothing stopping anyone continuing with language learning as an adult. Going to live abroad in another country and learning that way will be a much richer experience than doing it at A level. You can also chose to do this outside of a degree course. Language learning really doesn't stop after school.

Blooming annoyed, though. French was my subject. I don't remember it being hard at A Level. At university, it was a rich and fascinating course that covered hundreds of years of history and literature. I've never "used it" inasmuch as got a job because I can speak French, but it's enriched me as a person. Fucks me off a bit when people say languages (or arts subjects in general) are pointless.

Who is to say the op's son won't find that sociology is very enriching etc etc.

In my experience (in a humanities context as opposed to STEM based careers) if you go to uni no one gives a flying fuck what you did at A Level post uni, do what you need to do to get to the uni and course you want to do but the degree will trump A levels, May as well spend the last 2 years doing something you want to do.

Another one here who got an A* in French at GCSE but a C at A-Level. I was really, really lucky to still get into my first choice uni as I actually missed my offer as a result. The jump is massive. If he’s not enjoying then he’s absolutely doing the right thing by switching whilst he still can. Oh and everyone in my friendship group that did Sociology got into Oxford 🤷‍♀️

To add to this my husband is bilingual - as are many of my friends - as has lived in two different countries and he says he's was average at English at school. The joy of language is really being able to speak it and to immerse yourself in another culture properly so you can communicate at depth with native speakers. If it's just viewed in terms of academic esteem the joy of it is lost completely. Maybe he can do a gap year in France? Then he can get three good grades at A level and have a good grasp of the language.

Could he do sociology and french for a few weeks while he decides?

I was like your DS 25 years ago. I excelled at French at school, it was my only GCSE A grade (don’t think they had A* then). I started it at A level and hated it, it was such a big leap and I really struggled.

The daft thing is, I spent some time on holiday in France between school and college and was having full on conversations every day with a girl who didn’t speak any English. Her brothers spoke English quite well and told me that, although I was technically speaking correctly, the way I had been taught was far more formal than French people actually spoke. I spoke in class the way I spoke to them and was told it was incorrect. As pp said, MFL isn’t taught the most effective way in schools.

I stuck with an A level I hated and I was also no good at (did well at GCSE). It was hell and I think I got a D. Limited options in my small school to switch.