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How to choose your A-levels

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We've got some tips to help you make the right A-level choices

The subjects you take at A-level can impact the courses you'll be able to apply for at university – so it's worth putting some time into assessing your options.

Even if you don't know what you want to do in the future, you can still choose subjects that will set you up nicely for when you finish college.

Here are some things to think about when you're deciding what to study, including advice from the TSR community.

Take subjects you enjoy

If you aren't considering a particular career yet, you could just pick subjects that you enjoy – this could naturally lead you in the right direction.

TSR member S.carter agrees that it’s important to pick subjects you like, as you’re going to be studying them for two years.

School is about revision and putting the work it, so you shouldn’t choose subjects based on difficulty but if you’ll enjoy them – if you like them you’ll be motivated to do well.

S.carter

Take subjects you’re good at

Usually, choosing subjects you enjoy also means you'll probably be studying something you're good at.

You're more likely to get good grades if you're dedicated and passionate about the subject, and it's easier to enjoy something that comes naturally to you.

Remember to choose subjects that interest you, but also ones that you find naturally easier and don’t have problems with. This will enable you to excel in your chosen subjects as you’ll be more invested in them.

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Think about your future, but not too much

If you have an idea of a career or a subject at uni, have a look at entry requirements for that course at different universities – especially if you're considering medicine, dentistry or veterinary medicine. 

Some courses (like economics and law) don't require specific A-level subjects, but you could still decide to choose something similar to the degree you're considering.

It's a good idea to keep your options as open as you can though – you may change your mind about what you want to do in the future.

You don't need to be 100% set on a degree and career at this point, but having an idea of what areas interest you and what skills you might need to pursue degrees or jobs in these areas will help.

Many university courses will list recommended A-levels on their requirements pages, so it might be useful to browse through course catalogues on university websites and check which A-levels are required.

Equally, most jobs do not require specific degree subjects, so don't feel obliged to choose A-level economics just because you think you might want to go into finance, for example.

Quirky Object

Don't forget to have a look through degree entry requirements

If you know what you'd like to study at university, it's worth taking a look at what the entry requirements are. 

If you're planning to go to uni, check the subject requirements for the program you want to go for, or if you aren't sure about your major, then select 'flexible' A-levels (maths, English literature etc). If you want to enter a professional stream directly, pick A-levels related to it.

Also, if you'd like to study something like law at uni where you don't necessarily need law at A-level, it's a good idea to have subjects that allow you to apply for other courses, so if you change your mind you have something to fall back on.

W_sohail

Unis are very transparent about their entry requirements. It's not a guessing game, you can just look on their websites. If in doubt, contact the uni admissions directly by email and ask them.

Harrysbar

And finally, some general advice from criticalem:

If you've got a really good idea of what you want to do at uni, look at the entry requirement for the courses at different unis.

A-levels aren't everything when it comes to career choices so just do what you enjoy because you need the motivation and enjoyment in order to complete the workload.

criticalem

Watch Manisha's story for advice on picking your A-levels

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Article by Pete Langley on Tuesday 11 April 2017
Last edited by Nik Taylor on Friday 08 December 2023