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What subject to drop with these predictions?

I will be applying for university courses for September 2011 entry. I'm looking to apply for Economics with German/ Business with German/ International Management with German.

I am currently still studying 4 A Levels and my predictions for these are:
Maths (Statistics): B
Economics: B (could possibly be an A)
Psychology: A
German: A

All the universities I would like to apply for want 3 A levels, apart from one. The entry requirements for my 5 choices are: AAA or AABB, AAB, AAB, AAB, ABB.

So I think I want to drop 1 A Level and carry on with 3, but I'm unsure which one to drop. I don't know whether maths will benefit me more with economics, or I will be seen as a better applicant if I have A Level Economics. My other problem is, I think psychology is a less important subject to have but it is easier to get a higher grade so I don't know if I should continue it so I have an almost guaranteed A grade.

Grateful for any help!
From what I tend to see with economists, they find the course difficult regardless of whether they are good at maths or not. As a closed-minded language student, I actually have some respect for budding economists because of how bloody-impossible the subject is. (Not to put you off, of course)

When it comes to dropping a subject, you're looking at it the right way - do you keep the one that will possibly benefit you in the long run, or one that will get you through the exams with a better outcome?

I carried through four A-levels, so I don't exactly have first-hand knowledge of dropping subjects. However, if I were you, I'd be leaning more towards dropping Psychology. It might be an easy subject, but, is it really going to help you in the long run? When you get to Uni and have to start looking at economics, are you really going to be aided by Freud? I doubt it.

Honestly, though, it's your choice at the end of the day. If you think you'd prefer to have the possibility of 'easy grades' stick to Psychology. If you want to keep at your maths so that you're not rusty when you get to Uni, keep that. After all, only one of your Unis is asking for AAA, and if you could bump Economics up to an A you'd be sorted. :smile:

Good luck with your decision.
CatatonicStupor
From what I tend to see with economists, they find the course difficult regardless of whether they are good at maths or not. As a closed-minded language student, I actually have some respect for budding economists because of how bloody-impossible the subject is. (Not to put you off, of course)

When it comes to dropping a subject, you're looking at it the right way - do you keep the one that will possibly benefit you in the long run, or one that will get you through the exams with a better outcome?

I carried through four A-levels, so I don't exactly have first-hand knowledge of dropping subjects. However, if I were you, I'd be leaning more towards dropping Psychology. It might be an easy subject, but, is it really going to help you in the long run? When you get to Uni and have to start looking at economics, are you really going to be aided by Freud? I doubt it.

Honestly, though, it's your choice at the end of the day. If you think you'd prefer to have the possibility of 'easy grades' stick to Psychology. If you want to keep at your maths so that you're not rusty when you get to Uni, keep that. After all, only one of your Unis is asking for AAA, and if you could bump Economics up to an A you'd be sorted. :smile:

Good luck with your decision.


Thank you for your advice - it was really helpful. I think my main concern is guaranteeing an A grade in economics, as if I drop psychology, my predicted grades will only be good enough to apply to 1 of my chosen universities. Do you think maths or economics is more important in terms of the economics part of my degree? Would it ever happen that if my predicted grades were slightly lower that their requirements, a university may give an offer if the course is under subscribed?
ballerina girl
Thank you for your advice - it was really helpful. I think my main concern is guaranteeing an A grade in economics, as if I drop psychology, my predicted grades will only be good enough to apply to 1 of my chosen universities. Do you think maths or economics is more important in terms of the economics part of my degree? Would it ever happen that if my predicted grades were slightly lower that their requirements, a university may give an offer if the course is under subscribed?


The thing is, you're not getting in on predicted grades. You're getting in on final grades. Also, unless those grades you quoted are the offers you've been given by Unis already, it's unlikely that they will all match those. When I applied to Swansea, I was allowed to pick my grades at interview - I went AAB "to relieve the pressure" though in the end I knew it was just to make sure if Cardiff's BBB was my first choice, I wouldn't be able to get into Swansea if I failed the exams. You might get offered AAA by all, or ABB, or even BBB.

In terms of your course, I think Maths would be more important. I don't quite know, not being an economics student, but I had a lot of friends doing economics and they all say how difficult the maths is when put with the concepts. Sometimes, courses prefer you to be 'fresh' without any prior knowledge, like Law discourages you from studying Law at school because it is totally different in Uni. Maybe that's something to consider?

As for not making the grades: it is possible to get onto a course if you don't make the grades. I had a friend who just missed his offer to study in Bath, and he didn't seem too keen on Southampton, so he phoned Bath and put himself through the stress of waiting two weeks to see if the course was open to him. Really, if you're dead set on a Uni, you should at least attempt to fight the system, however if you get BBB and the offer is AAB, don't bother. If you get ABB for that AAB offer, and you're a few marks off an A, by all means try.

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