The Student Room Group

Picking Alevels

I'm going to apply to college in September so I'm thinking about A-levels now,
I'm thinking of studying medicine as I really like helping people and making lives better etc
To keep my options open I'm going to pick Biology, Chemistry,English language and probably one from the following: Psychology,Law, Philosophy and ethics.

Btw, im doing AS Level English lang and lit in yr 11 so should i do lang and lit combined or just do it but pick English language at a level when i go to college?
Is English language A level seen as not preferred or soft by uni's?
Are my choices good for medicine and for keeping my options opened?
Reply 1
Original post by Loyale
I'm going to apply to college in September so I'm thinking about A-levels now,
I'm thinking of studying medicine as I really like helping people and making lives better etc
To keep my options open I'm going to pick Biology, Chemistry,English language and probably one from the following: Psychology,Law, Philosophy and ethics.

Btw, im doing AS Level English lang and lit in yr 11 so should i do lang and lit combined or just do it but pick English language at a level when i go to college?
Is English language A level seen as not preferred or soft by uni's?
Are my choices good for medicine and for keeping my options opened?


English literature is more preferred by universities than English language so it is better to take lit than lang but if you do both as one a level combined its in between I guess but English lit is a faucilating subject where as English lang isn't a faucilating subject. Out of those four law is seen as a faucilating subject so it is better to choose that as well. Doing biology chem and English lit will improve your chances in proceeding medicine and dropping law at AS but if you don't really take a faucilating subject as your third A2 then universities will prefer people with all three sciences inc maths but that's higher unis but its alright to have eng lit and lang I guess.

I look to going into Oxbridge for medicine/dentistry and I'm taking bio, Chen and maths deffinately and continuing to A2 and my probably fourth subject is going to be history and is the subject I'm most likely to drop after AS.
Reply 2
Original post by Gunni098
English literature is more preferred by universities than English language so it is better to take lit than lang but if you do both as one a level combined its in between I guess but English lit is a faucilating subject where as English lang isn't a faucilating subject. Out of those four law is seen as a faucilating subject so it is better to choose that as well. Doing biology chem and English lit will improve your chances in proceeding medicine and dropping law at AS but if you don't really take a faucilating subject as your third A2 then universities will prefer people with all three sciences inc maths but that's higher unis but its alright to have eng lit and lang I guess.

I look to going into Oxbridge for medicine/dentistry and I'm taking bio, Chen and maths deffinately and continuing to A2 and my probably fourth subject is going to be history and is the subject I'm most likely to drop after AS.
Ok but i dont prefer english lit but im sure i'll like it at Alevel and im doing law gcse so i'll have a headstart. Are you sure law is a facilitating subject?
Reply 3
Language isn't as strong as lit but that is irrelevant if you dislike literature / would struggle to get a good grade in (since every med school pretty much asks for AAA)

I only studied psychology from your potential subjects, and I will warn you about the sheer content you need to memorise! Other than that, the exam paper will not be as 'surprising' as other subjects like sciences / maths and the exam technique isn't too

One of my friends sister I believe is at UCL doing medicine with Eng language, bio and chemistry at A*AA - apparently got all of her offers too! Subjects are fairly small portion of the application process anyways.

(FYI you will find TSR will act like non facilitating subjects = Insta rejection. Obviously not the case)
(edited 9 years ago)
Reply 4
Original post by Loyale
Ok but i dont prefer english lit but im sure i'll like it at Alevel and im doing law gcse so i'll have a headstart. Are you sure law is a facilitating subject?




A1 list

Biology
Chemistry
Physics
Maths
Further maths

A2 list

Art history
Economics
English literature
French
Geography
History
RE
Music

B list

Archaeology
Art and design
Business studies
DT
Drama\Theatre studies
English language
Film studies
Government and politics
Law
Media studies
Psychology
Sociology

C list

Accountancy
Communication skills
Dance
General studies
Health social care
Bla bla bla......

You want something from the A lists mainly as units prefer it
(edited 9 years ago)
Reply 5
I'm currently thinking of Medicine, although currently my interest is sliding usually it comes back. I chose Biology, Chemistry, Maths and Business Studies for AS probably dropping Business Studies for A2 (provided my GCSEs come out well enough).

However I don't know anything about the Literature/Language thing but I suppose it makes sense although English Language would seem more useful.
Reply 6
Original post by Ozzin
I'm currently thinking of Medicine, although currently my interest is sliding usually it comes back. I chose Biology, Chemistry, Maths and Business Studies for AS probably dropping Business Studies for A2 (provided my GCSEs come out well enough).

However I don't know anything about the Literature/Language thing but I suppose it makes sense although English Language would seem more useful.


Shamefully literature is far much more respected than language which is much more hated,
Original post by Loyale
Ok but i dont prefer english lit but im sure i'll like it at Alevel and im doing law gcse so i'll have a headstart. Are you sure law is a facilitating subject?


Law is not a facilitating subject, no. The facilitating subjects are maths, further maths, biology, chemistry, physics geography, history, languages and english lit.


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