[onesoulfortwo]

Most, if not all, of my friends know what subjects they want to study for A levels. I've decided on history, psychology and biology (as I want to study psychology at one of the top ten unis - fingers crossed!). However I'm losing sleep over my 4th subject (sounds ridiculous I know!) but it's because I can't find any way of deciding! These are the subjects that I have thought about...

Chemistry - only because it goes well with biology and psychology. But I'm worried about how hard it will be and if I lose interest in it incase I have a crap teacher.

English literature - I enjoyed it at GCSE but A level looks like so much reading. I don't think constant reading and analyzing really appeals to me..

English language - seems much more fun on the prospectus as well as the syllabus. But people keep telling me it's not respected and it's risky taking it with a subject like psychology.

also

Economics - I want to do it but it doesn't really tie in with my subjects?




HELP?

[usycool1]

It doesn't really matter what subjects you take for psychology, just as long as they are academic, it's fine. The top uni's do tend like seeing you with the sciences, though.

Chemistry is challenging but I think it's very interesting. If you have an interest in chemistry, then it may be worth taking chemistry, seeing as it is held in high regard by the top uni's.

If you don't find English lit appealing, then don't take it. You are more likely to do well in something that you enjoy, so don't do it if you don't think you'll enjoy it.

English language is a 'softer' subject (doesn't mean it is easy, though) than English Lit but it is certainly not "not respected" by uni's. Most universities would prefer you to have English Lit rather than English Language, though.

So I guess you should pick the subject that you think you'll enjoy the most and have the greatest interest in. The grades are far more important than the subjects you pick for psychology, so do what you enjoy the most/have an interest in the most to maximise your chances of scoring good grades.

[onesoulfortwo]

(Original post by usycool1)
It doesn't really matter what subjects you take for psychology, just as long as they are academic, it's fine. The top uni's do tend like seeing you with the sciences, though.

Chemistry is challenging but I think it's very interesting. If you have an interest in chemistry, then it may be worth taking chemistry, seeing as it is held in high regard by the top uni's.

If you don't find English lit appealing, then don't take it. You are more likely to do well in something that you enjoy, so don't do it if you don't think you'll enjoy it.

English language is a 'softer' subject (doesn't mean it is easy, though) than English Lit but it is certainly not "not respected" by uni's. Most universities would prefer you to have English Lit rather than English Language, though.

So I guess you should pick the subject that you think you'll enjoy the most and have the greatest interest in. The grades are far more important than the subjects you pick for psychology, so do what you enjoy to maximise your chances of scoring good grades.

Do you do A level chemistry? Okay I think I've narrowed it down to chem, english lang and economics. Thank you!

Would +rep you but it doesn't let me cos I've repped you somewhere recently!

[usycool1]

(Original post by onesoulfortwo)
Do you do A level chemistry? Okay I think I've narrowed it down to chem, english lang and economics. Thank you!

Would +rep you but it doesn't let me cos I've repped you somewhere recently!

Yes, I do (and tutor it in school up to AS level) That's no problem.

Don't worry about rep, I appreciate the gratitude

[16dan2life]

(Original post by usycool1)
Yes, I do (and tutor it in school up to AS level) That's no problem.

Don't worry about rep, I appreciate the gratitude

Fellow Pakistani, I thought you were in yr11? Teaching AS chemistry while studying Gcses o.O

[gagaslilmonsteruk]

Throwing in one MFL would impress universities if you could do one.

[usycool1]

(Original post by 16dan2life)
Fellow Pakistani, I thought you were in yr11? Teaching AS chemistry while studying Gcses o.O

I am year 11, I tutor (well, did anyway during term time) up to AS in maths and chemistry (it was part of my volunteering for DofE) I did the AS early for those two

[MathematicsKiller]

I'd choose chemistry or economics.

Although, I don't know how you came up with those options. I would have recommended Mathematics or Sociology.

Chemistry will probably be quite hard. So, if you are looking for a subject to beef up your application with an extra 'A' grade, this is not your easy 'A'.

[onesoulfortwo]

(Original post by usycool1)
I am year 11, I tutor (well, did anyway during term time) up to AS in maths and chemistry (it was part of my volunteering for DofE) I did the AS early for those two

That's so cool! Brainbox

[onesoulfortwo]

(Original post by MathematicsKiller)
I'd choose chemistry or economics.

Although, I don't know how you came up with those options. I would have recommended Mathematics or Sociology.

I'm not good at algebra! And my sixth form doesn't do sociology I'm afraid!

(Original post by MathematicsKiller)
Chemistry will probably be quite hard. So, if you are looking for a subject to beef up your application with an extra 'A' grade, this is not your easy 'A'.

Do you think economics would be an easy/easier A? More so than chemistry?
Thanks!

[onesoulfortwo]

(Original post by gagaslilmonsteruk)
Throwing in one MFL would impress universities if you could do one.

Aha I wish! I (and nearly everyone in my year group) dropped German after year 9.

[CosmicVengeance]

I do chemistry on OCR a board, the first 1/2 weeks is a recap of gcse the. It suddenly just goes up a gear (you might find it hard at first) but gradually it all makes sense, i love chemistry anyway so i enjoy it, only thing i hate about it is the ISA practical omg...


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[onesoulfortwo]

(Original post by CosmicVengeance)
I do chemistry on OCR a board, the first 1/2 weeks is a recap of gcse the. It suddenly just goes up a gear (you might find it hard at first) but gradually it all makes sense, i love chemistry anyway so i enjoy it, only thing i hate about it is the ISA practical omg...


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Ah ok my board's OCR too. What's the ISA practical? Why do you hate it?

Cheers

[CosmicVengeance]

(Original post by onesoulfortwo)
Ah ok my board's OCR too. What's the ISA practical? Why do you hate it?

Cheers

Isas like you have in gcse, its 20% of your AS and its a bit dodgy because you can cheat in it (a lot if people do) as different classes have it in different times and days so you can ask for questions/answers, i hate it because i did good in the exams and got like an E in the practical (a lot of people got E/D) not many get A. Its so annoying plus your supposed to be aloud 3 attempts some sixth forms might only let you do it once or if your lucky 3 times and best one goes through


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[onesoulfortwo]

(Original post by CosmicVengeance)
Isas like you have in gcse, its 20% of your AS and its a bit dodgy because you can cheat in it (a lot if people do) as different classes have it in different times and days so you can ask for questions/answers, i hate it because i did good in the exams and got like an E in the practical (a lot of people got E/D) not many get A. Its so annoying plus your supposed to be aloud 3 attempts some sixth forms might only let you do it once or if your lucky 3 times and best one goes through


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

Oh! That sounds bad! My friend said she did crap in the practical too which might bring her grade down. Would you recommend chemistry then?

[CosmicVengeance]

(Original post by onesoulfortwo)
Oh! That sounds bad! My friend said she did crap in the practical too which might bring her grade down. Would you recommend chemistry then?

If you enjoy it at gcse then yes because you'll only do good in subjects you enjoy, My subjects are almost similar to yours (Bio/Chem/Psychology/Economics) im dropping economics as the second year it gets ridiculously hard and although i enjoyed it near the end i lost my passion for it, so enjoy what you do, advice is don't follow what your friends are doing


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[MathematicsKiller]

(Original post by onesoulfortwo)
Do you think economics would be an easy/easier A? More so than chemistry?
Thanks!

I'd think so...

[Surfing_the_shine]

hello
well i would initailly say so long as you can cut those choices down to two , it will be alright as your college will let you drop a subject in the first couple of months

i dont feel that the combo of chem, bio & psych necessarily complementing of eachother at alevel, but i think that may be good at uni level.

chem i'm told is quite hard, you mentioned you would be concerned about the reading required in literature ..... well every subject is demanding in its own way as for lang, i've never heard that it is not reputable. economics if it will make you happy then go for it teachers can be bad but that can be thea same across all subjects, if this is what you wind up with, you can continue that subject in a different period. hope this helps

[YesYouSir]

There's a lot of statistics involved in pscyhology so it would be good if you considered Maths A Level as well. Chemistry is also quite helpful so if you're into it definitely take it.

[16dan2life]

(Original post by onesoulfortwo)
I'm not good at algebra! And my sixth form doesn't do sociology I'm afraid!



Do you think economics would be an easy/easier A? More so than chemistry?
Thanks!

I study both those subjects, I found economics slightly easier but this was due to me being really interested in economics

In the end, the chemistry paper was easier than the economics paper xD

I'd personally pick economics over chem