[azzi282]

Hi
I would really like to do economics (or human geography) in a good uni, but i dont know if the subjects i have will give me a chance?

Here a list of the subjects i do and the grade im likely to get in them (predicted) by the end of my A2 year.

Biology A*(I highly doubt ill be able to pull this off)
Chemistry C (I will most likely drop this and pick up either economics or FM AS next year for A2)
Geography A*
Maths (with stats) A/B (AS exams were a disaster though)

I guess what im trying to ask is if ill be able to get into a uni like LSE with grades like these, or should i pick up Economics next year and finish it during a gap year or something to make my chance better?

EDIT: I do have a pretty strong knowledge about macro economics in my opinion. I knwo quite a bit about markets, stocks etc, and the importance of brendt and crude oil etc and stuff like trade deficits and reforms etc, which can be portrayed onto a personal statement.

Thanks to anybody who helps me out here... Im really stuck with this

Cheers

[azzi282]

Hellooo? Anybody home?

I would really like any advice on this whatsoever???

Would it help if i said i got 3 A*'s, 4 A's and 5 B's in my GCSEs?
And a good uni means in the top 20 rankings aswell?

[HeyyImRyan]

I'd say unis would prefer you to take FM than Econ at A Level A lot of top uni courses for Econ are maths-heavy, so it'd show you're capable of it!


(Don't take this for gospel though, other people would be more qualified with their opinions)

[azzi282]

^^ Thanks for the advice. Its better than what the teachers at my college have to offer me anyway, so i dont really mind any advice lol...

Would you say a BSc is better than a BA? I know oxford only offers BA right? Whats the main difference? I guess its not as much maths?

[Taurus]

Your subjects are good for LSE, you have a chance, although the C in chemistry could hold you back. The people I know who go into LSE did 4 A levels btw. Also LSE don't accpect Economics A level for an Economics degree. However, if you are applying for UCL they demand economics A level.

I'd say it may be a good idea to do AS Economics next year to show you're interested in it, as when I went to the LSE open day last year, they said despite not demanding economics they do like it as a 4th subject, as it shows an early interest in it.

[azzi282]

^^ Thanks

Yeah i was going to go to this years open day for LSE, but unfortunstely my parents decided to go on holiday on that day itself Never thought i would be dissapointed about going on holiday...

[Sternumator]

Tbh I would shocked if you got into LSE because of that C in chemistry, I wouldn't bother applying. You should still be able to get into a good uni for economics though. I think it is a good idea to drop chemistry and pick up either fm or economics.

Edit: Your maths is a problem for the top unis too.

[Loserrr]

(Original post by azzi282)
Hi
I would really like to do economics (or human geography) in a good uni, but i dont know if the subjects i have will give me a chance?

Here a list of the subjects i do and the grade im likely to get in them (predicted) by the end of my A2 year.

Biology A*(I highly doubt ill be able to pull this off)
Chemistry C (I will most likely drop this and pick up either economics or FM AS next year for A2)
Geography A*
Maths (with stats) A/B (AS exams were a disaster though)

I guess what im trying to ask is if ill be able to get into a uni like LSE with grades like these, or should i pick up Economics next year and finish it during a gap year or something to make my chance better?

EDIT: I do have a pretty strong knowledge about macro economics in my opinion. I knwo quite a bit about markets, stocks etc, and the importance of brendt and crude oil etc and stuff like trade deficits and reforms etc, which can be portrayed onto a personal statement.

Thanks to anybody who helps me out here... Im really stuck with this

Cheers

For LSE the minimum requirements for pure economics are A*AA with the A* being in maths. Hmm, maybe ask your teacher how you can get the prediction up (you probably have to repeat C1 and C2).

Also, for LSE I think you need to get an A for AS further maths, I am not 100% sure so dont take my word for it. But for other universities such as Cambridge, UCL, Warwick you dont need further maths.

I think you should take up AS economics next and maybe consider retaking chemistry AS?

[jamiepango]

The maths might be a problem if you do get a B, especially for the top universities. Try and get predicted as high as possible, although I think your chances will be better if you retake a couple of maths modules to get an A/A* and apply post A Level with obtained grades. Wisest thing to do next year would be to drop chemistry and take up AS further maths in my opinion.

Also these are just predictions, so wait until the summer before fully committing to anything, you may have done better than you think!

[MancStudent098]

(Original post by Taurus)
Also LSE don't accpect Economics A level for an Economics degree. However, if you are applying for UCL they demand economics A level.

Neither of these are true. LSE do prefer FM to econ though, UCL simply require you to get an A if you take A-level econ.

(Original post by azzi282)
x

OP your subject combo is fine, FM might be a help but it's not a major problem and your grades, if achieved, should be fine for fairly competitive unis (you may struggle a bit at the really competitive ones, I would recommend that you stick one 'stretch' uni e.g LSE on Ucas, and then use the other 4 slots on safer options, e.g. redbricks). Ba vs Bsc will depend entirely on the university in question, there is no hard and fast rule and Ba Econ at university x may well be more empirical and mathsy than Bsc Econ at university y. Read course prospectuses online if you really want to know what'll be in it rather than trying to guess from the degree awarded. In most cases you'll have a certain amount of scope to pick and choose modules as you go anyway.

[HeyyImRyan]

(Original post by azzi282)
^^ Thanks for the advice. Its better than what the teachers at my college have to offer me anyway, so i dont really mind any advice lol...

Would you say a BSc is better than a BA? I know oxford only offers BA right? Whats the main difference? I guess its not as much maths?

If you are looking for the top of top universities, FM is of better value only if you can get an A. If not take Econ, but perhaps avoid applying to LSE and choose Warwick/Oxbridge/UCL instead - LSE put a lot of emphasis on having further maths and they require an A at AS!

Oxford and Cambridge do not offer BSc in any degree (not even chemistry, physics etc.), it's some weird tradition thing or something. Their BA Econ & Management is just as sciencey as other universities that have BSc Econ, it's just some strange tradition/requirement that Oxbridge have

[Taurus]

(Original post by MancStudent098)
Neither of these are true. LSE do prefer FM to econ though, UCL simply require you to get an A if you take A-level econ.

But everyone I know taking econ who got into LSE, told me it says in their offer A*AA excluding Economics.
As for UCL I don't know anyone who got in who didn't take economics....

[Tateco]

(Original post by HeyyImRyan)
If you are looking for the top of top universities, FM is of better value only if you can get an A. If not take Econ, but perhaps avoid applying to LSE and choose Warwick/Oxbridge/UCL instead - LSE put a lot of emphasis on having further maths and they require an A at AS!

Oxford and Cambridge do not offer BSc in any degree (not even chemistry, physics etc.), it's some weird tradition thing or something. Their BA Econ & Management is just as sciencey as other universities that have BSc Econ, it's just some strange tradition/requirement that Oxbridge have

It is just tradition but Oxfords course does actually have less maths in than the other top 5 economics courses.

[azzi282]

Thanks for all the tips

I guess i will have to wait untill the results are out to make any concrete decissions...

About my maths, i know i can get an A* easily if i actually put some effort into it. Its just that during my AS year i did absolutely no maths revision at all as i did my maths GCSE in year 10 and got almost fullmarks in it (with, lets be honest, very limited work and revision) and i hadnt done maths since then so i had a huge lack of motivation and stuff...

EDIT:
Also, should i do my Extended project qualification on something related to economics to just up my knowledge of it, and prove my commitemnt and motivation etc to the field?

[alex_hk90]

(Original post by azzi282)
Also, should i do my Extended project qualification on something related to economics to just up my knowledge of it, and prove my commitemnt and motivation etc to the field?

You could do, but if you have that much time you might as well try to do both Further Maths and Economics, so you would end up having (at A2):
Maths, Further Maths, Economics, Geography, Biology.
With that set at at least As (and at least A* for Maths), your grades shouldn't be too much of an issue anywhere (it'd be down to personal statement and/or interviews). Good luck.

[Taurus]

(Original post by alex_hk90)
You could do, but if you have that much time you might as well try to do both Further Maths and Economics, so you would end up having (at A2):
Maths, Further Maths, Economics, Geography, Biology.
With that set at at least As (and at least A* for Maths), your grades shouldn't be too much of an issue anywhere (it'd be down to personal statement and/or interviews). Good luck.

Five subjects is too much, and it will be too much work. I find doing 4 A levels is too much work as it is. Also Economics AS isn't hard but for A2 the final two modules require a LOT of work, especially Economics of work and Leisure. Further Maths A2 along side Core maths will be a lot of work considering how big FP2 is.

[alex_hk90]

(Original post by Taurus)
Five subjects is too much, and it will be too much work. I find doing 4 A levels is too much work as it is. Also Economics AS isn't hard but for A2 the final two modules require a LOT of work, especially Economics of work and Leisure. Further Maths A2 along side Core maths will be a lot of work considering how big FP2 is.

If you're aiming for one of the top unis for Economics (Cambridge, LSE, UCL, etc.) then 5 A-levels (including Further Maths and Economics) should not be too much work. Obviously I only have experience of Economics at Cambridge, but the first year of that made 5 A2s look easy by comparison.

[Taurus]

(Original post by alex_hk90)
If you're aiming for one of the top unis for Economics (Cambridge, LSE, UCL, etc.) then 5 A-levels (including Further Maths and Economics) should not be too much work. Obviously I only have experience of Economics at Cambridge, but the first year of that made 5 A2s look easy by comparison.

But to do the whole of Economics and Further Maths in ONE YEAR while doing the other A levels is not easy?
Also I wouldn't say further maths is a must do for economics. It looks good, but I know people who will be on my course next year who didn't do it and one person who got into LSE for Economics with Maths who didn't do it...

[HeyyImRyan]

(Original post by Taurus)
But to do the whole of Economics and Further Maths in ONE YEAR while doing the other A levels is not easy?
Also I wouldn't say further maths is a must do for economics. It looks good, but I know people who will be on my course next year who didn't do it and one person who got into LSE for Economics with Maths who didn't do it...

"A level Economics is not essential. Further Mathematics taken at A level is strongly preferred and is seen as an additional or fourth subject."

Direct from LSE Admissions; If you go against what they've said then you're not exactly helping your chances are you?

[alex_hk90]

(Original post by Taurus)
But to do the whole of Economics and Further Maths in ONE YEAR while doing the other A levels is not easy?

Doing economics at a top university is not easy, hence why admission is so tough.

(Original post by Taurus)
Also I wouldn't say further maths is a must do for economics. It looks good, but I know people who will be on my course next year who didn't do it and one person who got into LSE for Economics with Maths who didn't do it...

No, it's not a must, but it makes it much harder to get an offer if you don't have it.

My suggestion was meant as a best case scenario - if you could do that (and on top of that show you did all that in one year on your UCAS form), it would maximise the chance of gaining an offer from one of the top universities. Of course it is neither necessary nor sufficient to do so.