help A-level subjects

hey. i really need help with my AS subjects. Im currently in year 11 and will get my gcse results in 2 weeks time. i want to study medicine when im older and im choosing the subjects biology, chemistry and psychology. i chose maths but i will probably change it to another subject because i am really insecure about maths. im predicted an A at gcse but i dont think i will get it cause i did really bad. i even came out crying out of it. i dont know what fourth subject i should do. i want a strong subject tat is still dun. i was thinking about German cause its my first language but my sixth form doesnt offer it but i will be taking the exam. so i need help for the fourth subject. i dont want to do English or lit cause my current teacher spoiled it for me and im good in history (predicted A*) but i dont think that i want too much stress in remembering all the dates and names again. so do you guys have any suggestions .Thanks.

Reply 1

riddleofrevenge

1

without maths its possible you'll be at a disadvantage because chemistry expecially relies on differentials, which is maths you learn in as level maths. however students can do well if they put the extra work in. these courses differ widely from GCSEs as content is more intense. if you're willing to put in the work there's no reason why you shouldn't get a chance to study medicine.
one thing i will say is though, it's easier to drop a subject than pick it up. so you can go for maths and see where it goes; what your personal tutor advises when you're there.
medicine looks at your predicted grades. even if you get A*s at A level, if you got Cs in AS level, for example, you'll most probably not get accepted. just to aware you
as a third subject, maybe go for something that will highlight skills that medicine look for. research, for example, is a big part of any science. History helps improve your research and general communication skills a lot. English is great but perhaps doesn't show your skills as much. i recomend, since the history a level course doesn't differ as much from GCSE, and from your predicted grades, that history would be a good choice. i enjoy history at a level anyway.

Reply 2

Emma:-)

Entertainment Forum Helper

19

Id definately try and do a-level maths.
Otherwise id do something like history or geography.

Reply 3

bukola98

OP

Original post by riddleofrevenge

without maths its possible you'll be at a disadvantage because chemistry expecially relies on differentials, which is maths you learn in as level maths. however students can do well if they put the extra work in. these courses differ widely from GCSEs as content is more intense. if you're willing to put in the work there's no reason why you shouldn't get a chance to study medicine.
one thing i will say is though, it's easier to drop a subject than pick it up. so you can go for maths and see where it goes; what your personal tutor advises when you're there.
medicine looks at your predicted grades. even if you get A*s at A level, if you got Cs in AS level, for example, you'll most probably not get accepted. just to aware you
as a third subject, maybe go for something that will highlight skills that medicine look for. research, for example, is a big part of any science. History helps improve your research and general communication skills a lot. English is great but perhaps doesn't show your skills as much. i recomend, since the history a level course doesn't differ as much from GCSE, and from your predicted grades, that history would be a good choice. i enjoy history at a level anyway.

thanks for answering

Reply 4

Gettingthere

1

I'd go for maths if you want to do medicine. Most medical schools require at least AS maths (I think. I looked at medicine a lot because my best friend applied - successfully!). Look around on the prospectuses though and you'll find out if you need it or not. A level maths is pretty alright anyway. Most of us scientists at my sixth form found it easier than our sciences because there's no room for ambiguity in your written answers... As there are no written answers.

Good luck! :smile:

Reply 5

SFarooq

5

Original post by bukola98

hey. i really need help with my AS subjects. Im currently in year 11 and will get my gcse results in 2 weeks time. i want to study medicine when im older and im choosing the subjects biology, chemistry and psychology. i chose maths but i will probably change it to another subject because i am really insecure about maths. im predicted an A at gcse but i dont think i will get it cause i did really bad. i even came out crying out of it. i dont know what fourth subject i should do. i want a strong subject tat is still dun. i was thinking about German cause its my first language but my sixth form doesnt offer it but i will be taking the exam. so i need help for the fourth subject. i dont want to do English or lit cause my current teacher spoiled it for me and im good in history (predicted A*) but i dont think that i want too much stress in remembering all the dates and names again. so do you guys have any suggestions .Thanks.

I'm in exactly the same position as you. I am choosing the subjects biology, chemistry, psychology and history. But I was researching maths a level is recommended. However like you I also think I did bad in maths. I have also read that physics a level is also good but then again you'd have to study maths along with that. I will see what my results are for maths and if I get a B or above I might do it instead of psychology.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 6

kkboyk

21

A Lot of unis prefer you to do maths than psychology.

A couple a months of ago when I went to Medicine open day at Keele and Nottingham, their statistics shows that there are more successful applicants that do maths A-level than others (excluding chemistry and biology).

Reply 7

ItsJJ

5

Original post by bukola98

hey. i really need help with my AS subjects. Im currently in year 11 and will get my gcse results in 2 weeks time. i want to study medicine when im older and im choosing the subjects biology, chemistry and psychology. i chose maths but i will probably change it to another subject because i am really insecure about maths. im predicted an A at gcse but i dont think i will get it cause i did really bad. i even came out crying out of it. i dont know what fourth subject i should do. i want a strong subject tat is still dun. i was thinking about German cause its my first language but my sixth form doesnt offer it but i will be taking the exam. so i need help for the fourth subject. i dont want to do English or lit cause my current teacher spoiled it for me and im good in history (predicted A*) but i dont think that i want too much stress in remembering all the dates and names again. so do you guys have any suggestions .Thanks.

If you don't manage to get to do Maths at A level I think you should really consider History as you clearly are good at it. Of course you will have to revise, at A level its very difficult to get away with not revising and do well for any subject.

Reply 8

Erica_dss

Computer science a level or English a level as my fourth subject . I want to do medicine in university.

My first 3 subjects are : chemistry , biology and maths , what should my fourth subject be as in what would look better for a med student

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 9

GoldStarStickers

1

You don't need to do maths to do medicine! (unless you wanna go to Cambridge I think)

I've just done AS Biology, Chemistry, Maths, and Geography, probably planning on dropping Maths for A2 (I just didn't enjoy it AT ALL) and I'm applying for medicine.

I would say doing AS maths is pretty useful in some ways, I wasn't confident at all about my year 11 maths exam, but ended up doing really well! It gives you lots of options in case you decide not to do medicine later.

Just make sure you choose 2 sciences, one of which is Chemistry, and you'll be fine :smile:

Reply 10

JayJay-C19

Original post by bukola98

hey. i really need help with my AS subjects. Im currently in year 11 and will get my gcse results in 2 weeks time. i want to study medicine when im older and im choosing the subjects biology, chemistry and psychology. i chose maths but i will probably change it to another subject because i am really insecure about maths. im predicted an A at gcse but i dont think i will get it cause i did really bad. i even came out crying out of it. i dont know what fourth subject i should do. i want a strong subject tat is still dun. i was thinking about German cause its my first language but my sixth form doesnt offer it but i will be taking the exam. so i need help for the fourth subject. i dont want to do English or lit cause my current teacher spoiled it for me and im good in history (predicted A*) but i dont think that i want too much stress in remembering all the dates and names again. so do you guys have any suggestions .Thanks.

You're fine with Biology and Chemistry so if you really didn't want to do Mathematics, don't. There's no point in taking it for Medicine and failing it or getting a low grade in it because then you won't be competitive and it could let you down. Also, if you don't like it, it's silly to take it. I would suggest either taking Physics and then you are still very strong because maths is NOT compulsory for Medicine unlike Chemistry and you can get the Mathematics element from Physics, or another subject you really love that's strong such as History. Try and take 3 facilitating A-levels to give yourself a real good shot. Those are:

Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Further Mathematics, Mathematics, Geography, History, English Literature and Modern Foreign Languages or Ancient Languages. I may have missed one out or so but they're the top ones they like to see.

Good luck man!

Reply 11

JayJay-C19

Original post by GoldStarStickers

You don't need to do maths to do medicine! (unless you wanna go to Cambridge I think)