What is the best subject to take as a fifth AS level?

Hi everyone,

I am hoping to study either Medicine or Veterinary Medicine at Uni (hopefully Oxford or Cambridge!!) so I have chosen Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Maths to take for A levels. However, I want to take a fifth subject just to AS level, but I'm not sure what to take.

I have considered Psychology but didn't like the taster sessions and some people say it's not regarded highly at Uni. Another option would be Philosophy, but I do not like speaking in front of the class, and I think there's a lot of this??!! The final option would be Religious Studies, which I'm quite keen to do, but not sure if it would be useful and look good, or just look odd among my sciences.

So, what do you think I should take? Any suggestions would be helpful and please correct me if I'm wrong about anything!!

Thanks!! :smile:

History (Y)

Stickybubbles

Hi everyone,

I am hoping to study either Medicine or Veterinary Medicine at Uni (hopefully Oxford or Cambridge!!) so I have chosen Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Maths to take for A levels. However, I want to take a fifth subject just to AS level, but I'm not sure what to take.

I have considered Psychology but didn't like the taster sessions and some people say it's not regarded highly at Uni. Another option would be Philosophy, but I do not like speaking in front of the class, and I think there's a lot of this??!! The final option would be Religious Studies, which I'm quite keen to do, but not sure if it would be useful and look good, or just look odd among my sciences.

So, what do you think I should take? Any suggestions would be helpful and please correct me if I'm wrong about anything!!

Thanks!! :smile:

you wanna do medicine and someone tells you that knowing human psyche is not important?-psychology is very interesting and fun..AS is easy-come like a breez..and my brother had a shot at oxford with psychology as 5 th subject..so its proved wrong that its not reputed subject in uni's.

apart from it for you i would say study sociology if not psychology.

Reply 3

Atrozius Faatz

9

Take Philosophy to be honest. If it was an option for me I'd have chosen it, it's a highly interesting subject and shows you're well rounded educationally.

It's not offered at every Sixth Form so I say appreciate how lucky you are and give it a go. :yep:

PS: Yes, I'm still as bitter as hell that none of my prospective Sixth Forms offered it. :laugh:

Reply 4

RoadWarrior

15

Stickybubbles

Hi everyone,

I am hoping to study either Medicine or Veterinary Medicine at Uni (hopefully Oxford or Cambridge!!) so I have chosen Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Maths to take for A levels. However, I want to take a fifth subject just to AS level, but I'm not sure what to take.

I have considered Psychology but didn't like the taster sessions and some people say it's not regarded highly at Uni. Another option would be Philosophy, but I do not like speaking in front of the class, and I think there's a lot of this??!! The final option would be Religious Studies, which I'm quite keen to do, but not sure if it would be useful and look good, or just look odd among my sciences.

So, what do you think I should take? Any suggestions would be helpful and please correct me if I'm wrong about anything!!

Thanks!! :smile:

I'd say any of those 3 would be fine. Do one you enjoy and are good at. Why are you taking a fifth AS btw?

EDIT: I didn't really like talking in front of people before A levels, but I did quite a lot of it in Geog and I think it's a really important thing to learn.. you'll have to do it at some time later in life, and it's better to learn now than later :smile:

RS wouldn't look odd either.

Reply 5

RoadWarrior

15

greenforce

you wanna do medicine and someone tells you that knowing human psyche is not important?

They said it's not highly regarded at uni.. learn to read.

Reply 6

deathbeforeimmortality

16

Wow... your subjects are just... mind boggling.

Pick psychology because it is fairly easy if you're good at essay writing. Also if you're with AQA you don't have a lot of workload. I think religious studies or history would be too extreme because of the workload.

Reply 7

xCBRx

9

RoadWarrior

Why are you taking a fifth AS btw?

Is this really not normal in England/Wales to take 5 subjects in the 5th year?

Reply 8

un-besito

11

I'd choose a subject like english literature/a language/history - basically an essay based subject to create a nice contrast with your other choices and give you a wider breadth of knowledge, making you a more 'well rounded' candidate :smile:

Reply 9

greenforce

15

RoadWarrior

They said it's not highly regarded at uni.. learn to read.

wtf? you fail to read what i wrote.
and you learn to be practical rather being a scum bag.

Reply 10

KatieY :)

Maybe further maths if you're really good at maths but if not maybe an essay subject as others have said to show you're a well-rounded candidate.

Reply 11

The Mole

Psychology may not be one of the hardest, but if you're taking it as a fifth, then I'm sure you're other four make up for that! Plus, psychology's well easy. Just a load of remembering little things like "learning is a relatively permanent change in behaviour which is due to experience" and the likes.

Reply 12

RoadWarrior

15

xCBRx

Is this really not normal in England/Wales to take 5 subjects in the 5th year?

At AS, most people take 4, and those that do take 5 usually take Further Maths, so nope :no:

Reply 13

RoadWarrior

15

What's with the obsession with showing you're "well rounded".. that's what your ECs, hobbies, and PS is for. For Medicine, only UCL and PMS indicate that a non-science subject is preferential, and how much of an advantage that gives is debatable, because plenty of people get in without a non-science.. Do a subject which you enjoy and are good at (and is reasonably well respected by uni's).

Reply 14

username381250

16

A language or perhaps English literature? The combination that you've opted for is very good and picking something such as French would show diversity.

Reply 15

Woody.

12

Firstly I'd say a fifth isn't totally necessary, but if you want to then it's not exactly going to do any harm.

Secondly as a doctor you're going to need to speak incredibly sincerely to patients and families - if you're having trouble speaking in front of the class now would be a good time to try to get over that

Thirdly I had PE as my 4th AS (or 5th AS if you include General Studies) and I bulk emailed all of the colleges and none of them said having PE would be a problem or disadvantage.

What is the best subject to take as a fifth AS level?

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