A level decisions

Hi, I am currently finishing my GCSE's and choosing my A level options. I have chosen A level French, A level English language and A level English literature, and I am very undecided with what to pick for my fourth A level. I know this has to be my own decision and no one can choose for me but I would like an insight and some opinions of what are good A levels to choose or what works well with the A levels I have already chosen. I was maybe thinking about A level philosophy & ethics but I don't really know a lot about the subject.
I am grateful for any opinions/suggestions as I am really confused with what to choose haha :s-smilie:

Thank you

(edited 8 years ago)

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Reply 1

Arcai

Any idea what you wanna do for a career?

Reply 2

existential

Original post by Arcai

Any idea what you wanna do for a career?

I would like to be a secondary school teacher, and I think I'd like to teach English or possibly French :smile:

Reply 3

hollyxjay

Even though I didn't stick out my AS levels the first time I did choose philosophy & ethics and I found the lessons to be quite fun and insightful, despite some bits being really confusing and having to get it explained to me a few times so I could get my head around it. The exam was what put me off a little bit, it was explained to be ridiculous long, but it comes with the advantage of you get into the exam and pick questions out of the choice, like an RE exam. At least then if a question you know more about than another comes up you can go for that one.

I don;t know how this would go with your other choices, since I didn't do any of them, but I would day only pick philosophy & ethics is you are prepared for the essays and confusion on top of your other subjects. :smile:

Reply 4

RevisionNad

think about what syllabus appeals to you in the prospectus. Maybe think about the subjects that have great career prospects or previous students have enjoyed, What subjects suit your revision styles. I personally would recommend a science subject- maybe chemistry or maybe Maths -it can lead to great careers. HOWEVER, This is my opinion, you seem like science is not for you.. do what you're doing and get more advice via here. Good luck

Reply 5

existential

Original post by holly1798

Thank you

do you think it's a well respected A level by universities? It seems like a really interesting A level to do if you put the work in!

Reply 6

hollyxjay

Original post by existential

Thank you

do you think it's a well respected A level by universities? It seems like a really interesting A level to do if you put the work in!

I would like to think that it is well respected by Uni's considering the amount of time and effort you need to put in, and the fact that most people jump straight into it at AS level because its not a GCSE option. I think they can diffidently appreciate it, all depending on what you will be applying for at uni as well I guess !

Reply 7

existential

Original post by holly1798

I was thinking about doing English at uni, but I guess that idea could change depending on my A levels :smile:

Reply 8

hollyxjay

Original post by existential

I was thinking about doing English at uni, but I guess that idea could change depending on my A levels :smile:

I would say uni's would still think it would be a good choice, even if you were doing English. You could always just drop it at AS if you find that it isn't for you, you don't have to continue it at A2!

Reply 9

Arcai

Just go for something you enjoy really, and feel you're capable of, as for philosophy and ethics being respected, some of the top unis prefer traditional subjects but I don't think you'd be disadvantaged really, it actually seems like a really interesting subject from what my friends have said and involves quite a few essays so considering the a levels you're already interested in (involve many essays) i'd say it'd suit you

Reply 10

r-t

I'd say go for something like history, it fits well with English in terms of essays and analysing and can be applied to many other fields. But review the subjects you have studied at GCSE and see what you enjoy the most.

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Reply 11

existential

Original post by r-t

I do history at GCSE and I'm expected to get an A grade, I do enjoy history at GCSE however everyone I have spoken to who has done A level history says its a lot different from GCSE and it involves a lot of content, they also said the exam is extremely difficult. I was originally going to choose A level history as my fourth A level choice but I thought I wouldn't be capable of doing it.

Reply 12

existential

I think I will enjoy philosophy & ethics as it sounds interesting, I was just put off a bit because it doesn't really link with my other subjects :s-smilie:

Reply 13

r-t

Original post by existential

Oh alright. If you really enjoy philosophy and ethics then you should chose that then. It doesn't matter if it doesn't fit in with your other subjects. My subjects didn't match either.

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Reply 14

existential

Original post by r-t

I've never tried it before so I guess I'll just have to see :s-smilie:

and okay, thanks :smile:

Reply 15

r-t

Original post by existential

I've never tried it before so I guess I'll just have to see :s-smilie:

and okay, thanks :smile:

Look through past papers during the summer to get a feel for the type of questions they ask and how much you have to write. This is what I did anyway. Then if you don't like it you can change when you go back in September. Make sure you're looking at the right exam board. Also try going to a local library and looking through revision books to see the type and depth of information you have to learn.

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Reply 16

r-t

Psychology isn't actually too difficult. It depends on the exam board though. I do edexcel and I think this is the easiest exam board out of AQA and OCR.

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Reply 17

The Empire Odyssey

Original post by existential

Thank you

I did both English A-levels (now studying it at uni!) and I also did RS: Philosophy and Ethics too!

I never studied RS at GCSE so I was like you! In fact, I replaced it from Sociology as I hated it. Ph/E was my TOUGHEST subject but most rewarding to be honest. I often had many fall outs with this subject, but miss it dearly. It is definitely insightful, hardwork and confusing 99.9% of the time, but it's so worth it! I miss it so much, I am transfering uni to pick up Philosophy (alongside English, obvs).

I think you should go for it. It goes very well it both your A-levels. And if you're every interested in study Philosophy or reading it at a higher level, there's a lot of French philosophers out there that you could read in original language - not Old French of course, but you know what I mean!

I say go for it!

Reply 18

existential

Original post by The Empire Odyssey

Thank you for your advice! Philosophy & ethics sounds a really interesting and intriguing subject to study so I'm looking forward to it :smile:

How did you find A level English Lang & Lit? Are they really difficult or not? I'm looking forward to my English A levels too :smile:

Reply 19

The Empire Odyssey

Original post by existential

Thank you for your advice! Philosophy & ethics sounds a really interesting and intriguing subject to study so I'm looking forward to it :smile:

How did you find A level English Lang & Lit? Are they really difficult or not? I'm looking forward to my English A levels too :smile:

Erm, I'm naturally better at language analysis than I am at literary, so for me Language was naturally easier for me. But it was harder than language because you HAD to learn so many terminology and apply it and you also have to apply linguistic theory which was hard!

Lit was hard in terms of the exam, because it was so unseen and you had to apply your wider reading which was hard!
I think exams that have a set text is far easier!

I did prefer Lit to Lang though. Lang at A-level is too sciency and it's the nuts and bolts of Language! I like studying it at uni though, it's really complicated and technical, which I like.