The Student Room Group

5th A-Level Choice?

Not sure if this should be in the Angst thread - if so please move it there :smile:

I'm currently in year 11, and am trying to decide upon A-Level options. I'm fairly (~90%) sure that I want to pursue a medical career, after extended work exp. placements, obsessive research, and personal experience as a chronic patient. However, I'm also aware that a lot can change in 2-3 years, so I'm trying to leave my options open. I could possibly imagine doing a modern languages degree - about the only other course I could summon anywhere near the requisite enthusiasm for. I achieved 7 A*'s and 4 A's in my mocks, and my predicted grades are straight A*'s.

My definite choices are:
- Biology (:biggrin:)
-Chemistry (:biggrin:)
-French (:biggrin:)
- English Lit. (:shifty: )

However I'm struggling to choose between these 3 for a potential 5th:

- Physics; I haven't enjoyed the GCSE, and I think my maths (was only an A in my mock) could hold me back. However, if this could give me an advantage in medical applications, and not make me seem too biased towards arts, I'd be willing to put the work in.
- Spanish; I'm a very strong linguist (arrogant as that may sound), and I think this would be a RELATIVELY easy pick. However, it's relevance and potential to make me seem too skewed towards languages concerns me a bit, although it is the subject I'd most enjoy.
-Latin; done well during the GCSE, course looks interesting, more unusual/acadmic pick (?) and nice small teaching group! Again, same concerns as with Spanish.

So basically, what I'm asking in a hugely roundabout and pontificated way is, which choice would be best? Does not picking physics put me at an UNOFFICIAL disadvantage for any medical schools (I know its only a requirement for a veryh small number). Finally, will taking 3 arts but only 2 sciences undermine my application for medicine?

Thankyou so much for reading such a massive post and in advance for your help!

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1
Physics would be difficult without A Level maths...
hows grade A in maths mocks bad??
Reply 3
You seem to have a bigger passion for languages, than medicine. Think about a career in those :nod:
Sorry for the irrelevant post :P:
Reply 4
Try maths.
I'd pick latin. The latin may help you with your sciences in terms of the names and such like.
Reply 5
For her, she probably has higher standards, that's all!
Reply 6
Spanish.
I say keep the four and do really well in them as it's better to get AAAA than ABBBC, but in a way you should know that it'll be hard to do Physics A-Level without maths - though it is still possible. With the science v arts thing, the only thing that I know of is that Cambridge asks for 3 sciences/maths and that's about it...
You are evidently quite bright. Don't be afraid to go for Maths and/or Physics. It is certainly an advantage in some medical schools to be applying with 3 Maths/Science A-levels. You can afford to drop English Literature if you want to. Furthermore, don't feel as though you have to do 5 - only a small minority of people do.

If your passion is for the Languages, however, go for those instead. You will be more likely to get better marks.
Reply 9
AlphabetABC
Physics would be difficult without A Level maths...

very true

OP: For some reason and for the justifications you have given i would opt for spanish. IMO that's the first instinct I had for you.

If it helps people who applied for med in my year, - this year-, did these subjects and (some have gotten interviews/offers):

Maths
Geog
Chem
Bio
-> A2

Chem
Bio
Geog
French
-> A2

Chem
Bio
History
-> A2
Physics
-> AS

x 2


lol i don't stalk btw
chloemo14
Not sure if this should be in the Angst thread - if so please move it there :smile:

I'm currently in year 11, and am trying to decide upon A-Level options. I'm fairly (~90%) sure that I want to pursue a medical career, after extended work exp. placements, obsessive research, and personal experience as a chronic patient. However, I'm also aware that a lot can change in 2-3 years, so I'm trying to leave my options open. I could possibly imagine doing a modern languages degree - about the only other course I could summon anywhere near the requisite enthusiasm for. I achieved 7 A*'s and 4 A's in my mocks, and my predicted grades are straight A*'s.

My definite choices are:
- Biology (:biggrin:)
-Chemistry (:biggrin:)
-French (:biggrin:)
- English Lit. (:shifty: )

However I'm struggling to choose between these 3 for a potential 5th:

- Physics; I haven't enjoyed the GCSE, and I think my maths (was only an A in my mock) could hold me back. However, if this could give me an advantage in medical applications, and not make me seem too biased towards arts, I'd be willing to put the work in.
- Spanish; I'm a very strong linguist (arrogant as that may sound), and I think this would be a RELATIVELY easy pick. However, it's relevance and potential to make me seem too skewed towards languages concerns me a bit, although it is the subject I'd most enjoy.
-Latin; done well during the GCSE, course looks interesting, more unusual/acadmic pick (?) and nice small teaching group! Again, same concerns as with Spanish.

So basically, what I'm asking in a hugely roundabout and pontificated way is, which choice would be best? Does not picking physics put me at an UNOFFICIAL disadvantage for any medical schools (I know its only a requirement for a veryh small number). Finally, will taking 3 arts but only 2 sciences undermine my application for medicine?

Thankyou so much for reading such a massive post and in advance for your help!



Umm, you got A in your maths mock and you think thats bad? I got a C and I ended up top in my year for the real thing. Don't pay any attention to mocks :smile: Anywho, physics. Although, consider maths if you do well in the real exam because it'd serve you well when applying to uni
I'll say what I said to the other girl picking her A-Levels. Taking 4 and getting AAAA is alot better than taking 5 and ending up with BBCDD. You'll appreciate the jump from GCSE to A-level when you make it.

For medicine, take your pick from the following subjects-
(In order of how important/relevant they are for medicine.)
Chemistry
Biology
Maths
Physics
Psychology
Clements-
Umm, you got A in your maths mock and you think thats bad? I got a C and I ended up top in my year for the real thing. Don't pay any attention to mocks :smile: Anywho, physics. Although, consider maths if you do well in the real exam because it'd serve you well when applying to uni


Thanks for saying that it makes me feel x100 better about my mocks :smile:
Reply 13
oh and just to point those who did phys to AS w/o maths needed extra lessons -they are very bright. So you may add little pressure and need to consider if you have the time to spare. :smile:
Reply 14
Whatever makes you happy, especially if that's doing 4 A-Levels.
jamessimth5
Thanks for saying that it makes me feel x100 better about my mocks :smile:


I got 9 Cs in my mocks and I came out with 6A*, 2As and a B. I really wouldn't worry about them at all. No one works to their full potential for mocks but not only that but teachers generally mark them very harshly so that you work even harder for the real thing. At my old school, the general rule was that you would go up two grades at least in the real thing :smile: Good luck.
Reply 16
I ALWAYS discourage anyone from doing 5AS/4A levels, seriously, not good,
I only did 4 AS's and 3 A levels and i've got an offer from oxford for medicine, doing a 5th AS or 4th A level means zilch, seriously, focus on getting your GCSE's done to your best standard (which is pretty damn good, as it seems), and don't make it unnecessarily difficult for yourself. :smile:

edit: and as mentioned above, mocks mean nothing, i got mainly Bs and Cs in my GCSE mocks :biggrin:
Clements-
I got 9 Cs in my mocks and I came out with 6A*, 2As and a B. I really wouldn't worry about them at all. No one works to their full potential for mocks but not only that but teachers generally mark them very harshly so that you work even harder for the real thing. At my old school, the general rule was that you would go up two grades at least in the real thing :smile: Good luck.


Cheers, I have them when I get back and i really cba revising for pretend exams with Christmas and holidays to enjoy.
Saro_656
I ALWAYS discourage anyone from doing 5AS/4A levels, seriously, not good,
I only did 4 AS's and 3 A levels and i've got an offer from oxford for medicine, doing a 5th AS or 4th A level means zilch, seriously, focus on getting your GCSE's done to your best standard (which is pretty damn good, as it seems), and don't make it unnecessarily difficult for yourself. :smile:

edit: and as mentioned above, mocks mean nothing, i got mainly Bs and Cs in my GCSE mocks :biggrin:


congratulations on your offer :top:
Reply 19
you are going to take bio and chem but a few medical schools prefer 3 sciences (so 3 of bio, chem, maths and physics)

i would encourage you to take maths (at least to AS) as physics would be difficult without maths i'd imagine and it is a very useful qualification (says the scot who doesnt know much about A-level courses :p:)

EDIT: just to add IMHO the most useful are

bio, chem, maths and an extra (language, english lit, history or geography but not psychology, art, media etc.)

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