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Help with A2 choices - study FM independently?

OK, here's the situation - I currently study:
Maths
Physics
Chemistry
Economics
and an AS in Further maths.

With maths, I am taking 5 modules this year (C1, C2, C3, S1, M1) and 4 next year (C4, M2, FP1, FP2)

I wish to study Natural Sciences at Cambridge (physical sciences).

Basically, we've just been asked to choose our options for next year, and I'm having real trouble deciding what to do. I'm debating between either keeping my current options (and therefore ending up with 4 A levels in Maths, Phys, Chem and Eco, and an AS in FM)
OR
dropping Economics after AS, and teaching myself further maths in the subsequent free periods which I would get by doing this.

I feel that doing the FM would probably be more beneficial to my university application, but there are positives and negatives to this plan:

Positives
Good for uni/CV/in general, as I want to ultimately specialise into physics
I enjoy maths, and I am good at it.
More suitable for my course than economics.

Negatives
Might be a lot of hard work - not sure if I'll be motivated enough to do it.
I am also very good at economics and not sure if I want to give that up.
Makes all my A levels science subjects (yes, I know Economics is a social science, but it isn't a typical science subject, and it also shows that I have essay writing skills).
Would end up doing 7 maths modules next year :eek3:

So yes - I'm really stuck at the moment, and don't have a clue what I want to do. Should I stick with my current options or drop eco and take up further maths?

Also, I forgot to mention that there is always the option of just doing one or two extra modules, and not the whole A2 FM, but that seems like a bit of a cop-out to me :tongue:

Thanks very much for bothering to read this! Help much appreciated ^^

Reply 1

pow!

economics is a great subject, but further maths is probably more important for your application. if you wanted you could always do both... stay with economics but self study the less-demanding modules for further maths ie. D1, D2, S2 instead of FP3, FP4, X.

Reply 2

Sockpirate

Oh god, I think I'd rather scoop out my eyeballs with rusty spoons than do any more stats XD S1 is bad enough. Give me real maths! XD (no offence to anyone doing stats, I just much prefer core / mechanics ^^ :wink:

But yeah, I see your point ^^ that would be an option, but I'm 90% sure that my school won't let me do it :l they don't like people taking more than 4 A2s D: also then the motivation problem really kicks in. I guess I could continue with both, take a module home to do over the summer, do that exam in January. That'd take a bit of pressure off. -dances around- I don't have a cluueeee

Reply 3

Zygroth

You've just described me...almost exactly! :tongue:

I planned to take economics to A2/uni, but I found it boring beyond belief and dropped it xD Ah well, not missing it, from what I'm hearing about what it's like now.

I don't think you'll have any problems studying FM by yourself - for all the work I do in lessons I might as well be doing it by myself :tongue:

There's not that many difficult topics, and if you're ever behind there's always TSR :biggrin:

Reply 4

Sockpirate

Zygroth

You've just described me...almost exactly! :tongue:

There's not that many difficult topics, and if you're ever behind there's always TSR :biggrin:

Haha, I was originally planning to take economics to uni level as well, but figured that I'd be better off doing something that I know I'd definitely enjoy for 3/4 years, rather than something which I find mildly interesting and am in fact finding rather boring this year, due to the AS syllabus being a souped-up version of the GCSE one.

and really on the FM front? That's encouraging ^^ considering that I'll be doing FP1, FP2 and M2 in class (having done S1 and M1 this year) what modules would you suggest that I take as A2 modules for FM?

Also, on an entirely unrelated topic (well, not entiiirely unrelated but hey) I know someone who's going to study physical NatSci at Selwyn next year too! :biggrin:

she's called Vicky and she's lovely ^^ you'll almost certainly meet her (since I'm guessing you made that your firm?) Was Selwyn your first choice, or did you get pooled into it? I still need to decide what college I want to apply to :/ thinking Caius ^^ anyway, I'll stop rambling :woo:

Reply 5

Zygroth

Sockpirate

Lol, economics for the money as well? xD I decided against it when I realised how boring sitting in an office all day was at a work experience thing :s-smilie:

I'm doing FP1/2/3, S1 (Cause I got 100 in it :tongue:

) and M3/4 for my further maths. I'd advise taking M1-4; M4 is easier than M3 and I'd take them for physical NatSci anyway. Stats is useless and boring.

:eek:

Is your friend on TSR as well? Wouldn't mind talking to her xD And how insulting to think that I might not get into my first choice college! :tongue:

I almost changed my college choice to Trinity Hall because Selwyn ranked #1 in the Tompkins table and I thought that'd attract more good applicants heh. I took college choice a step too far I think - might've been best to avoid all the worrying and pick one randomly.

Reply 6

Sockpirate

Zygroth

Lol, economics for the money as well? xD I decided against it when I realised how boring sitting in an office all day was at a work experience thing :s-smilie:

I'm doing FP1/2/3, S1 (Cause I got 100 in it :tongue:

) and M3/4 for my further maths. I'd advise taking M1-4; M4 is easier than M3 and I'd take them for physical NatSci anyway. Stats is useless and boring.

:eek:

Is your friend on TSR as well? Wouldn't mind talking to her xD And how insulting to think that I might not get into my first choice college! :tongue:

..I think we're secretly the same person XD

Haha, congrats on the S1! It's not hard, but it just drives me insaaane! Totally agree on it being useless and boring :tongue:

at least it's easy though. ^^
So, if I took M1-4, that would require me to do M3, M4 and one other module (probably FP3) by myself. Do you reckon that's achievable? How have you found those modules, difficulty-wise? I reckon that'd be OK actually. It is sounding more and more manageable as I go along, although that might just be the sleep-deprivation :woo:

aaanndd I'm not sure - you see, I've got to admit that I am a closet-TSR user -hides in shame- so I have never discussed it with her XD
Also, that's really weird, because Vicky applied for Trinity hall, and got Pooled into Selwyn! :shock:

that was the only reason I asked about the pooling ^^ congrats for getting into your first choice :biggrin:

You're right though about worrying about college choices - I've spent so much time randomly browsing through all their websites trying to pick one, only to come to the conclusion that most of them are exceedingly similar XD I think I'm going with Caius purely because it's near the centre, it's old, and it has Steven Hawking 8D -swoons- (well... once or twice a year anyway :tongue:

), I might change my mind when I actually go up to Cambridge to look though.

ANYWAY. I need to get off to bed now, or I'll never manage to get up in the morning. Curse you for distracting me. :tongue:

Thanks for your advice though! Also, do you happen to know the code for that smilie which hides under a cloak? Because I felt the urge to use it on numerous occasions in that post, but didn't know what it was :frown:

-skips off to bed-

Reply 7

Zygroth

Sockpirate

..I think we're secretly the same person XD

Haha, congrats on the S1! It's not hard, but it just drives me insaaane! Totally agree on it being useless and boring :tongue:

that was the only reason I asked about the pooling ^^ congrats for getting into your first choice :biggrin:

-skips off to bed-

I did tell you you just about described me :tongue:

Lol yeah, S1 is... :rolleyes:

You can check just about every answer you get on a calculator as well, so it's basically free marks :yep:

I'd be surprised if you can't do M3 and M4 by yourself - especially if you do physics. Most of M3 is physics unit 4 (for us). Haven't done much in M4 yet, but it's a small book and easier than M3 apparently. I'd probably suggest doing FP3 for your other unit - I dunno what it's like for you guys but I wouldn't assume it to be too difficult. You're worrying too much about exams you'll be taking in more than a years' time! Reminds me of the year 7 form I'm a prefect for - they were asking us about GCSEs and A levels... I don't think I knew what GCSEs were in year 7 xD

Haha, what is there to hide on TSR? Admittedly I don't go around telling everyone my username, but I have no problem sharing this site. Heh, can't believe one of your reasons for choosing Caius is because you have the possibility of seeing a guy who probably wont even talk to you or know who you are :rolleyes: