How To Choose The Right A-Levels
If you already know what you want to study at university, then the process of choosing your A-level subjects is easy. Just search for the degree you want to study and find out what the entry requirements are. It really is that simple.
If you aren’t quite sure, and let’s be honest, that is probably why you are here reading this in the first place, you’ve got a bit more of a challenge ahead. Not a challenge like climbing Mount Everest or passing the Duke of Edinburgh without cheating, more of a consideration. Never fear, Coursefindr is here, and we’ve got all the information you’re going to need to make an informed decision when it comes to choosing the right subjects at A-level.
If you’re not sure what you want to study at university, the best route to take is the one that keeps your options open the most. You may know that you’re not the Maths-type, or perhaps the Arts and Humanities were never your forte; keep this in mind when you pick your A-level subjects as there is no point choosing to take a Science when you think you’ll probably end up studying a Humanities subject at university.
Try to pick at least two ‘facilitating subjects’. What the heck are they you cry? Well, the facilitating subjects that we are aware of (and be aware this list isn’t exhaustive) are; Maths, English Literature, Physics, Biology, Chemistry, Geography, History, and Languages. These subjects are, generally speaking, broad enough to get you on to most degrees, but also specific and focussed enough to show the universities you’re not in it for a jolly.
Whilst the idea of PE, Media Studies, and Drama might sound like a great mix for your final year at A-level, you’ll soon realise that this mixture doesn’t look too good in the eyes of the university admissions team for Civil Engineering. It isn’t the end of the world if you don’t pick two facilitating subjects, but having them in your locker will keep more degree subjects open to you.
“Do you play the banjo? Take music. Do you enjoy reading Shakespeare? Take drama. Do you like sitting on Facebook all day? Go home, there is no helping you.”
Once you’ve had a think about which facilitating subjects you will opt for, you’ll be in the position of filling up the slots in your timetable. Most people study four subjects at AS-level, then drop one subject to focus on the other three for the final A-levels. The remaining subjects should offer a bit of a balance; they should reflect your capabilities, academic abilities and your other interests. Do you play the banjo? Take music. Do you enjoy reading Shakespeare? Take drama. Do you like sitting on Facebook all day? Go home, there is no helping you.
Ultimately, there are no wrong choices, as long as you know why you’ve taken them. If you’re planning on choosing a subject you haven’t studied before, make sure you’ve got a valid reason for doing so. If you get asked in two years time by a university admissions tutor why you chose to study Politics, saying you want to be the next Prime Minister is not going to cut it. The following answers are not reason enough to choose a particular subject; ‘It’s fun’, ‘There is no coursework’, ‘It means I get Friday off’.
Choosing the right subjects to study at A-level is tricky, especially when you start to get opinions from others. With this in mind, here are our suggestions for taking advice from certain individuals.
Parents
You should take subject advice from your parents in a similar manner to the way you take their advice on fashion. They probably don’t know best. But let’s not be too harsh on them, they’ve had their finger off the pulse for a while now – sometimes you can get some golden nuggets of information from them.
They are also great to bounce ideas off. Sometimes when you get drawn in to one particular thought pattern, it’s hard to see the bigger picture. Going back to the example of Politics, they would probably be the first to tell you that your plans for world domination won’t rest on which subject you choose at A-level. They can be great like that.
Friends
If they told you to jump off a cliff, would you? Whilst that sounds like something your parents may say, it does ring true in this situation. Your friends are really just going to offer a very similar view to your own, so there isn’t much point asking their advice. All it will really do is to ‘confirm’ your original thoughts, rather than offering you an alternative. Silly friends.
Teachers
Don’t choose a subject just because it is taught by your favourite teacher. What happens if they leave, get sacked, or otherwise disappear. You could be left with a real pain of a teacher instead. What you want to do, is pick the subject that appeals to you because of the subject, not the teacher. Whilst a great teacher can bring a dull subject to life, it is better to study a great subject taught by a dull teacher than the other way round.