How important is it to be "well-rounded"?

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Important. Not just for getting into university (to be honest with purely mathematical/science subjects you'll be a good candidate for that style of degree), but also for career opportunities in the future. If you can't write a coherent report, interact with people and be articulate, you may get pigeon-holed into a highly technical job with few career options.

Reply 21

teachercol

Things have changed over the last ten years.

Ten years, it was important to be 'well-rounded'. Students were encouraged to take a subject that broadened their course and contrasted to their other subjects.

These days, all that has gone out of the window and that advice is very much out of date. Students have to focus very strongly on their chosen discipline. Broadening subjects are generally ignored by universities although some say they encourage them; the hard facts are that they dont take them into account much if at all.

Anyone doing physical sciences, engineering or maths at university level will find things so much easier if they have done Further maths.

Of course, writing and other communication skills are important - but there are other ways of getting/demonstrating those skills.

Reply 22

sil3nt_cha0s

Original post by tadzingoo

My A-level choices are Maths, Further maths, Physics, and i need to choose a 4th subject. Lots of people tell me it is important to be a "well-rounded" candidate, so i may choose an essay subject: history or english lit.
How important, in your opinion, is it to be a well rounded candidate when getting into top universities?
Hence, should i go for chemistry or one of the essay subjects?
I wanna do a physics/engineering/economics degree btw

CHEERS!

Top universities (parcticlarly Oxbridge) want you to be amazing at and show a huge passion for your subject. They're not going to care much for well-rounded A Levels and, contrary to popular belief, extra-curriculars.

They don't want you to be a jack of all trades and a master of none. They want you to be a master of one trade.

Reply 23

Rahmeh.

Original post by tadzingoo

Go for chemistry :smile:

Reply 24

tadzingoo

if uni's were to give me an offer, would it contain neither chemistry or english lit?

very

do you think i should do english lit, a language or chemistry as my fourth choice?

Reply 27

Llewellyn

Original post by tadzingoo

do you think i should do english lit, a language or chemistry as my fourth choice?

If you want to do a science degree at uni, then do chemistry. Chemistry will not disadvantage you, but a non-science subject might.

Reply 28

TheOneQuestionGuy

Original post by tadzingoo

Feck you chemistry!!!!!

I don't know how you become a well rounded person other than eating but, if you are thinking about economics in the future, wouldn't economics A-Level be better for you than an A-level in chemistry???

Reply 29

Llewellyn

Original post by TheOneQuestionGuy

I don't know how you become a well rounded person other than eating but, if you are thinking about economics in the future, wouldn't economics A-Level be better for you than an A-level in chemistry???

This is probably true if your heart is set on economics. However, a lot of economics courses don't require economics (they prefer but do not require). So don't feel obliged to take up economics if you think you'd rather do another subject.

Reply 30

tadzingoo

would i be discredited if i applied for natural sciences (physical) with 3 sciences: maths, physics and chemistry, or do i need further maths as well?

Reply 31

somethingbeautiful

You can show that you're well rounded with extra currics/outside interests. Not much point in taking a subject purely because you think it will make you seem a better candidate - plus it will be obviously insincere if you get A's in your science subjects and drop your humanities subject after AS or continue it and get mediocre grades. Choose what you enjoy and what you're good at, don't make life harder for yourself.

Reply 32

Unkempt_One

Original post by tadzingoo

Sounds like a complete myth to me.

Reply 33

abc:)

Original post by tadzingoo

It's not going to cost you a uni place if you're not well rounded, but in terms of you as a person yes I think it's very important. After all A-levels are about personal development as well as getting into uni. Also your other subjects are all linked, which is good for your chosen uni course, so yes, I would choose an essay subject, even if it's just to broaden your horizons a little

Reply 34

abc:)

Original post by student.uk

is it true that even if you take like 6 alevels the universities only look at 3 (presumably your 3 best grades)??

Yeah, my sister went to a vet science open day where they told her that because they only specify certain subjects that candidates need to have, and certain grades, [bio, chem and maths, A*AA for example] it would be unfair for them to give an advantage to someone who has bio, chem, maths, further maths A*AAA. You just need the 3 grades the uni asks for, with the relevant subjects, and after that it's all about what else you've done such as experience in the subject area.

Reply 35

najinaji

My advice is to choose a 'fun' subject. Doing the same sort of thing all the time, even if that thing is interesting, can get a little bit dull. Though that's just what works for me. It really depends what A Levels you feel like doing.

Good luck!

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 36

tadzingoo

hmm.. maybe i should do maths, physics, chemistry & english lit and self teach further maths AS...

Reply 37

Ree69

Original post by tadzingoo

It depends what you enjoy, I'd go for Chemistry or Economics. Although I've heard several stories of people claiming Chemistry to be the hardest A-Level of all time. :cool:

I walked into Year 13 going to do Maths, FM, Economics, and Physics and really wanted to drop one (Physics) - I got told by several teachers that it would be frowned upon by universities and could dent my UCAS application because of the 'lack of diversity and breadth' in my A-Level choices.

In my school it was frowned upon to do Maths, FM, and only one other A2. I'm not sure why. Anyway I listened and decided to stick it out doing 4 A-Levels. Probably the biggest mistake I made.

Long story short - I missed my univeristy offers, A*AA at Warwick (firm) and AAA at Nottingham (insurance) having achieved A*A*BB. This was for Maths and Economics btw (MORSE at Warwick).

So I've sort of gone off a tangent here, but what I'm trying to say is don't do (or think you have to) 4 A2s in year 13 because of the further maths. Universities really don't care that you're doing 4 instead of 3.

Although I've heard the odd rumour that LSE don't consider Maths and FM as seperate subjects. I'm not sure how true this is. :rolleyes: