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Another A-Levels clash :/

I originally chose to do Physics, Maths Mechanics, Further Maths, Russian and Latin but have now been told that Further Maths and Latin clash. As someone who wants to go into physics (astrophysics), this was not good. I absolutely adore Latin and the only subject I would have willingly changed was Russian. At the moment, my Latin teacher is pushing to get the blocks changed but I'm doubtful that will work.

I have been told that I have many options:
1) Choose either Latin or FM
2) Do Latin and hope against hope that I can do AS FM in year 13 (apparantly they 'can't reserve places' *grumbles*)
3) Do Latin and then change Russian to Chemistry
4) Do Physics, Maths Mechanics, Russian, Latin and Chemistry (would this be an extreme workload?)
5) I think she said something about self-teaching FM.

I simply have no idea what to do. I really really love Latin and do not want to drop it. Chemistry is a subject I am good at but don't particularly enjoy (though it is easy to revise for) and Russian is a subject that I enjoy and am quite good at except for the oral, which is my weakest part.

Any advice? Thanks in advance.
My advice:
- Don't bother with the chemistry.
- Do FM, either in school or self taught. Especially if you want to do astrophysics because it will help you a lot. Latin will not be that important for what you want to do, and it is easier to learn Latin later, than try to learn the FM.
- If you're doing more than 3 A levels, don't self teach FM because you will not have enough time. Unless, of course, you start teaching yourself before you start school.

I'm currently doing Physics, Maths, FM and History. Just so you know.
Reply 2
I would advise against doing chemistry if you don't enjoy it, it does get harder at A-Level and while I enjoyed it at GCSE and AS Level, I've hated it this year (and to be honest wasn't overly keen on it last year but it was better then). It requires a lot more work than at GCSE and it does require motivation.

I've known a few people at my school who have self-taught FM and it is possible though if you're already doing 4 subjects it is a push. However, maybe speak to a few maths teachers asking them if they would mentor you if you had joint frees? Then you can self-teach yourself but still keep a check up with a teacher to make sure that you're doing the right things. In A2 FM at my school (I started A2 and then decided to drop it) we all self-teach two modules as we all do different and for the couple of months that I did do, I found that it was possible.

I can understand not wanting to drop Latin, I wanted to do it at A-Level but didn't have enough options and to this day I regret not taking it.

If you're taking the same exam boards that my school do for Physics and Maths Mechanics (both AQA I think - I'm sure on maths as I do that, and I'm pretty sure it's the same for physics), there's a lot of cross over in the maths side so that will help as well.
Reply 3
Original post by ForgottenFaith_15
I originally chose to do Physics, Maths Mechanics, Further Maths, Russian and Latin but have now been told that Further Maths and Latin clash. As someone who wants to go into physics (astrophysics), this was not good. I absolutely adore Latin and the only subject I would have willingly changed was Russian. At the moment, my Latin teacher is pushing to get the blocks changed but I'm doubtful that will work.

I have been told that I have many options:
1) Choose either Latin or FM
2) Do Latin and hope against hope that I can do AS FM in year 13 (apparantly they 'can't reserve places' *grumbles*)
3) Do Latin and then change Russian to Chemistry
4) Do Physics, Maths Mechanics, Russian, Latin and Chemistry (would this be an extreme workload?)
5) I think she said something about self-teaching FM.

I simply have no idea what to do. I really really love Latin and do not want to drop it. Chemistry is a subject I am good at but don't particularly enjoy (though it is easy to revise for) and Russian is a subject that I enjoy and am quite good at except for the oral, which is my weakest part.

Any advice? Thanks in advance.


Maybe now... not next year.
I would look at what the uni's you are applying to say about FM. You can self teach it, I know quite a few people who have, but its not the easiest subject. The content you learn in FM is of very little relevance to your under grad physics degree, even more so for astro physics, you will learn it all within a term and plenty of people won't have done FM or been taught Maths to the same standard. All the uni's I know will blitz your entire Maths and FM maths subjects within the first two terms, usually within three modules. That said Russian and Latin are of very very little relevance, and my personal advice as someone who also did 5 subjects would be don't bother, it doesn't count for much and adds a lot more onto your workload.

I think realistically you will probably have to drop Latin. Trying to explain why you chose Latin over FM would be awkward.
You may love latin but FM is needed for your kind of degree unless your sixth form doesn't actually teach it, so the unis will wonder why you picked such an irrelevant subject when you could have done FM.

I think you'd be better off foing FM and then trying to do AS latin in year 13 if the pools work out than the other way round and risking not being able to do FM at all.

At gcse, I took art because I enjoyed it, but at a-level you can't usually afford to just do an irrelevant subject just because you like it, you need to do the subjects that will get you onto the uni course you need to do for your future career.
(edited 12 years ago)
Reply 6
I would self teach FM, or do it through the FM network? I know people who do it that way.

I would advise against dropping something that you really love simply because I think you'll come to regret it.
Reply 7
You do Russian right? Tell me if is hard.. cuz I am Bulgarian which has kind of similarity with Russian.. but not a lot..
Anything you can sayy..?!
Original post by lidiya
You do Russian right? Tell me if is hard.. cuz I am Bulgarian which has kind of similarity with Russian.. but not a lot..
Anything you can sayy..?!


I find it quite easy - It is SO MUCH EASIER than French. It's actually quite simple to be honest. I'm not sure if being Bulgarian would confuse you if soem words look similar but mean completely different things but it's the same type of alphabet, right? Usually, on bottles/insturctions etc I can read some of the cyrillic languages because I know the Russian alphabet. If you have any other questions feel free to ask.


Thanks for everyone's inputs!
I self teach futher maths and it can be a pain in the arse now im in A2 and have loads of work to do for my other subjects ( i do 4 a levels + furhter maths). So I'm not sure I'd reccomend doing that many.

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