Please help! Dropping maths or economics??

Hi all,

So I got my AS results last week, ABCC in ICT, business studies, maths and economics respectively, so I plan on dropping one of my C subjects but I'm unsure as to which. I plan on doing business management with Japanese studies at uni, so which will be more preferable - maths or economics??

To break it down, I got:
AQA Maths:
C1 - C
C2 - D
D1 - A
Overall - C
If I carry on with maths, I will retake the C1 and C2 papers.

OCR Economics:
National economy paper - C
International economy paper - B
Overall - C
Will be retaking both papers if I go on with economics.

Economics is easier than maths, but next year there will be a new economics syllabus so I will have to learn some new content on top of revisiting some old stuff. Also, AS math papers should apparently be easier after going through A2 content though I am not confident about obtaining at least a grade B by the end of it. Just thinking about the workload gives me a headache! So which should I drop, maths or economics? And which is more preferable for business management?

Any advice or opinions are greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Reply 1

koolkarazy

2

I think Maths would be the most favourable in all types of aspects especially Business Management. However, in your own words you said "I am not confident about obtaining at least a grade B" so with that I see that you would be more comfortable with carrying on with economics. Carry on with what you're mostly good at, comfortable at and what you would realistically think you would be able to go through the year and result in an A/B grade. Even with the new syllabus I think you would make it. Drop maths!

Reply 2

rashnag

I would speak to your careers adviser and find out what your chosen universities prefer as some don't like Business and Economics together. Also, don't forget that, although there is a syllabus change this year, it won't affect your courses, so any resits you do will be on the same topics as you covered last year.

Hope this helps!

Reply 3

1zxdbrownzx1

I would choose maths University like that more on application but Economics can be useful for the course at University

Reply 4

lucymellor

17

It is true that AS maths becomes incredibly easy once you start A2. Honestly I think maths would be more favourable to universities, I would drop economics as maths can open more doors if you happen to change your mind.

Reply 5

Raiden10

17

Original post by xYuki

Hi all,

So I got my AS results last week, ABCC in ICT, business studies, maths and economics respectively, so I plan on dropping one of my C subjects but I'm unsure as to which. I plan on doing business management with Japanese studies at uni, so which will be more preferable - maths or economics??

To break it down, I got:
AQA Maths:
C1 - C
C2 - D
D1 - A
Overall - C
If I carry on with maths, I will retake the C1 and C2 papers.

OCR Economics:
National economy paper - C
International economy paper - B
Overall - C
Will be retaking both papers if I go on with economics.

Economics is easier than maths, but next year there will be a new economics syllabus so I will have to learn some new content on top of revisiting some old stuff. Also, AS math papers should apparently be easier after going through A2 content though I am not confident about obtaining at least a grade B by the end of it. Just thinking about the workload gives me a headache! So which should I drop, maths or economics? And which is more preferable for business management?

Any advice or opinions are greatly appreciated. Thanks!

My contempt for economics is well known haha, so naturally I prefer maths. It has been a subject for longer and is far more useful actually.

Firstly, do not despair. Secondly, C1 and C2 are fairly "contiguous". They have a lot of overlap.

http://www.examsolutions.net/maths-revision/syllabuses/Edexcel/period-1/C1/module.php

And I'm sure you can find something similar for C2.

I'm not sure a more pedantic, abstract, technical "university style" approach is always appreciated, but I enjoy how the number systems are created (starting from 0, 1, 2,...). Natural numbers --> Integers/Fractions --> Fractions/Integers --> Real Numbers. I always tell my students: "Never underestimate the power of pedantry". The toughest trees grow slowly, and mathematical knowledge is especially like this. Rush in at your peril.

It's actually quite simple, you start with whole numbers, addition and multiplication. Addition and multiplication are functions, so you can look at their inverses. These are called subtraction, and division, respectively. These are functions too.

One reason these functions are useful is because they satisfy nice properties. The most basic is that which is most ignored: associativity: (axb)xc=ax(bxc), and (a+b)+c=a+(b+c). This may be construed as "don't worry about bracket position". Personally I see this as a bad view because once you get to exponentiation, which is wildly non-associative, you're gonna need em (brackets). For example 2^3^4 could be 4096 or over a billion, billion, billion, billion depending on where you put the brackets.

Reply 6

BrownieLover

2

To everyone who's saying c1 and c2 will be very easy at A2: Sure, compared to A2 material it might be easy but don't forget that xYuki will actually have to take A2 Math modules too, which are very difficult if you didn't do well in AS.

Economics is always seen as a good subject, even engineering degrees at Imperial would recommend it as an A level!

BUT some unis don't like Economics taken with Business Studies as they overlap at times so you should check out what unis you want to apply to, and see if they have any A level subject preferences. If they dont say so on their website then email the admissions team and ask them if economics and business together would put you at a disadvantage or if its okay.

Reply 7

username1118458

21

Original post by xYuki

Hi all,

So I got my AS results last week, ABCC in ICT, business studies, maths and economics respectively, so I plan on dropping one of my C subjects but I'm unsure as to which. I plan on doing business management with Japanese studies at uni, so which will be more preferable - maths or economics??

To break it down, I got:
AQA Maths:
C1 - C
C2 - D
D1 - A
Overall - C
If I carry on with maths, I will retake the C1 and C2 papers.

OCR Economics:
National economy paper - C
International economy paper - B
Overall - C
Will be retaking both papers if I go on with economics.

Economics is easier than maths, but next year there will be a new economics syllabus so I will have to learn some new content on top of revisiting some old stuff. Also, AS math papers should apparently be easier after going through A2 content though I am not confident about obtaining at least a grade B by the end of it. Just thinking about the workload gives me a headache! So which should I drop, maths or economics? And which is more preferable for business management?

Any advice or opinions are greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Honestly for business management you can have either and it won't really make a difference. Since you want to do Japanese Studies with it I assume you plan to go to SOAS. Though most would say maths is advantageous to have, that is true, SOAS is an Arts uni so they'd be more in favour of you getting an A in Economics than a B in Maths.

With more scientific courses the general rule of thumb is Maths > other subjects. But for Business courses at SOAS I'd say better grades > Maths.

So if you find Economics easier, resit the AS units and get an A overall. It would be better than a B, not forgetting you may still be at risk of getting a C/D in your second try too. Economics seems safer, and wiser.

If you are resitting all the AS units, you will do the old units. The new syllabus won't affect you unless you are resitting the year, not if you're only resitting the exams.

Reply 8

Ramil Ahmadov

7

Hey guys
I got my AS results, but i am really confused whether it is worth to apply to Cambridge or Imperial college London for engineering and could dropping any of the subjects in A2 affect my application?
I studied Maths, Further maths, Physics, Business studies and Economics and got AAAAB respectively( unfortunately 1 mark of an A in economics, ECO 1 80/100 and ECO 2 79/100).
So, would you recommend applying to either of these universities and do i have a chance to get conditional offer from them? Also, i decided to drop Business studies, but not sure if i would be in disadvantage from dropping Economics as well.
PS i got gold certificate from uk senior maths challenge, but don't know if this would benefit my application.
Could someone give an advice? Thanks in advance!

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 9

xYuki

OP

4

Thank you for all your replies! After talking to my careers adviser and taking into consideration of your opinions, I have decided to continue on with economics after all. I did go to one A2 maths lesson where I realised that I really couldn't see myself doing maths for another year!

Thanks all for your help!

Please help! Dropping maths or economics??

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