[gideongaspard]

I know 3 of my a level subjects already: Chemistry Physics and maths
I am clueless into what the last subject I should do is. I am looking to become an chemical or mechanical or aeronautical engineer.
I don't want to do languages or English and DT.
I have been considering Further maths and Biology.
Could you list the pros and cons for either of these?
Any other suggestions would be helpful.
I try to avoid long pieces writing I am more of a memory/factual/theory type learner.

[Hazza616]

I found biology to be extremely easy in the first year, and considerably harder in the second year (which i am 2 days off finishing). In A2 Biology you have to write a 25 mark essay which probably goes against your "Long pieces of writing" so perhaps it isn't for you. However if you are intending to drop a subject for A2, perhaps Biology would be a good choice, as i think it's fairly straight forward to get a decent grade in the first year.

I didn't do further maths, so you'll have to get someone else's opinion!

That's AQA Biology btw...

[myfriendSQRT(-1)]

Further maths would be useful for mechanical or aeronautical engineering, and would also improve your fluency in maths for physics and single maths. If you enjoy maths it's also a very interesting subject to take. However, many people do struggle in further maths as they find it harder than single maths. If you don't really enjoy maths, and half your lessons are maths (plus some in physics) it's going to be a gruelling two years.
Biology is quite interesting, and chemistry would compliment it well. Not sure it would be directly relevant to any of your degree courses however. There are essays to write in Biology, but they are essentially regurgitation of facts in a relevant context.
I would say, looking at what you want to do, if you enjoy maths take Further Maths. Good luck!

[22DubDub]

hellooo, i have just finished A2 biology, and i loved it! Unlike the guy above, my course (OCR) didn't involve a 25 mark essay... or any essays at all, we did practical coursework assessments. I also found it very interesting! (:

[britchick]

I am neither on the AQA or OCR board for Biology like the others above, I'm on Edexcel
Similarly to what the first person said, AS biology isn't that hard compared to the A2 year. The coursework (first year a huge long research report, second year a huge long practical investigation and report) is long and tedious, but if you nail it you can get great marks to carry into the exam. A2 has so much more depth and so much more content it becomes very challenging, but still very enjoyable. We don't have a 25 mark essay but in our last paper 1/3 of the questions are synoptic, which means we can get asked on anything over the AS/A2 course. But overall, out of Biology, Physics and Psychology, Biology has been the most interesting and enjoyable. I hope to start a Biology-based degree in September and go on to pursue a Biology-based career when I'm older. Such a wonderful subject!

[imaginative name]

just an FYI, many schools make further mathematic ians take the whole single math course in one year, then continue of to do the actual further stuff.

I took the same subjects that you are certain that you want. I took a 4th subject that I thought looked interesting ( not for any future aspirations, just cause i wanted to do it) that I always intended to drop in A2, but now im dropping chemistry and keeping my 4th, (computing) and am hoping to move on to do cybernetics, so just chose a 4th subject that looks like you might enjoy.

[EllieJoONM]

It would be helpful if you could let us know what exam boards you would be doing those subjects under, as the specifications and exams themselves can vary quite markedly between exam boards. I haven't done Further Maths myself, but it sounds like it would fit in quite well with your other A-Level options and be relevant towards a degree in Aeronautical Engineering. However, it isn't absolutely necessary for your course, so it is entirely up to you whether you do that or do something else that perhaps offers a bit of light relief from what are regarded as quite work-intensive, difficult subjects. In regards to Biology, I did OCR Biology at A-Level and found it pretty enjoyable. The course itself was interesting, and compared to Chemistry it wasn't difficult. One thing to mention would be that there is a lot of learning by rote to be done, and also that the exams were pretty much based on technique and plugging in key words rather than on knowledge. Therefore it might be a good idea to consider the quality of Biology teachers at your school/college and see whether they are able to provide that kind of teaching. Obviously that it is just my experience of one particular exam board, however, so I wouldn't take it as set in stone. I hope this has helped! Good luck with your A-levels

[Hazza616]

Another point. I do Physics and Maths and last year did English Language, im going to do Physics next year so a similar field to what you are looking into, and i find Biology really boring, my least favourite subject, i'd have dropped it if it hadn't been more beneficial for unis than English language.

[Chief Wiggum]

I'd have thought Further Maths would be more relevant and beneficial, as you want to do engineering.

[gideongaspard]

(Original post by EllieJoONM)
It would be helpful if you could let us know what exam boards you would be doing those subjects under, as the specifications and exams themselves can vary quite markedly between exam boards. I haven't done Further Maths myself, but it sounds like it would fit in quite well with your other A-Level options and be relevant towards a degree in Aeronautical Engineering. However, it isn't absolutely necessary for your course, so it is entirely up to you whether you do that or do something else that perhaps offers a bit of light relief from what are regarded as quite work-intensive, difficult subjects. In regards to Biology, I did OCR Biology at A-Level and found it pretty enjoyable. The course itself was interesting, and compared to Chemistry it wasn't difficult. One thing to mention would be that there is a lot of learning by rote to be done, and also that the exams were pretty much based on technique and plugging in key words rather than on knowledge. Therefore it might be a good idea to consider the quality of Biology teachers at your school/college and see whether they are able to provide that kind of teaching. Obviously that it is just my experience of one particular exam board, however, so I wouldn't take it as set in stone. I hope this has helped! Good luck with your A-levels

I'm doing ocr for science a lot of people complain about the exam board, I am wondering if Cambridge engineering candidates need f maths in order to be a probable candidate if not id rather not do f maths as I like maths but my Passion is within science probably because I understand it better than.maths

This was posted from The Student Room's Android App on my HTC Desire

[qiaoyu.he]

(Original post by gideongaspard)
I know 3 of my a level subjects already: Chemistry Physics and maths
I am clueless into what the last subject I should do is. I am looking to become an chemical or mechanical or aeronautical engineer.
I don't want to do languages or English and DT.
I have been considering Further maths and Biology.
Could you list the pros and cons for either of these?
Any other suggestions would be helpful.
I try to avoid long pieces writing I am more of a memory/factual/theory type learner.

For a strong foundation in engineering, Physics, Maths and Further maths is probably the best 3 A-Levels you can do. Adding Chemistry and Biology (these 5 are very popular, possibly the most popular single A Level combination) makes it an ideal 'pure science' A-Level set, which is good if you want to focus on science and engineering only. The Biology essay in A2, though is an essay, doesn't require good essay technique, like in English or History. Its more about synoptic knowledge and is probably the least essay writing you can do after maths, physics and chemistry.

[pop101]

(Original post by gideongaspard)
I know 3 of my a level subjects already: Chemistry Physics and maths
I am clueless into what the last subject I should do is. I am looking to become an chemical or mechanical or aeronautical engineer.
I don't want to do languages or English and DT.
I have been considering Further maths and Biology.
Could you list the pros and cons for either of these?

DO FM. Degrees like Aeronautical Engineering are very mathematical and FM would be highly desirable by Uni's. Pro's of doing FM: Bonus for engineering degrees.
I don't really think Biology will play any significance for Engineering degrees - they may see it as a slight contrast I guess?

[gideongaspard]

(Original post by imaginative name)
just an FYI, many schools make further mathematic ians take the whole single math course in one year, then continue of to do the actual further stuff.

I took the same subjects that you are certain that you want. I took a 4th subject that I thought looked interesting ( not for any future aspirations, just cause i wanted to do it) that I always intended to drop in A2, but now im dropping chemistry and keeping my 4th, (computing) and am hoping to move on to do cybernetics, so just chose a 4th subject that looks like you might enjoy.

yeah I like computing as well if I went to my second choice college I would like to get an B or C minimum, and did you take maths in a whole year because my colleges says that's what I have to do that seems quite a task tbh, C1/C2/M1 in January and C3/C4/S1 in June while I have 2 physics papers and 2 chemistry papers so 7 exams in January (OCR Science). Is that difficult do some people have harder tasks?