Which A-levels have the best employment opportunities?
I'm really struggling to decide on what AS-levels I should choose. Nothing particularly stands out to me so I suppose I'll go for the A-levels that'll give me the best employment opportunities.
What are they? Also, Is it true that arts A-levels don't have many employment opportunities because I wanted to do English Literature but would that be of any use once to me I've finished sixth form?
Thank you,
Edit: Yes I definitely intend to go to university because I decided long ago I'd choose exams any day over coursework. I'm lost as to what I'd want to do in university at the moment unfortunately because I always mess up decisions like this like I did with my GCSE options. I suppose I just want to pick the 'perfect' ones for me which is providing to be quite difficult.
What are they? Also, Is it true that arts A-levels don't have many employment opportunities because I wanted to do English Literature but would that be of any use once to me I've finished sixth form?
Thank you,
Edit: Yes I definitely intend to go to university because I decided long ago I'd choose exams any day over coursework. I'm lost as to what I'd want to do in university at the moment unfortunately because I always mess up decisions like this like I did with my GCSE options. I suppose I just want to pick the 'perfect' ones for me which is providing to be quite difficult.
(edited 11 years ago)
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So do you not want to go to uni for anything in particular? You must have some idea of what you want to do? I think the a-levels that would give to best employment opportunites - may be the kind of jobs that you need to go to uni for. I think most jobs either require a few gcses or a degree. I'm not sure if there's much in the middle.
If you don't want to go to uni, then you could do a wide range of a-levels to show your different skills and interestests. But if you later decide you want to go to uni, you might struggle to get on some courses that require 2/3 similar/relevant subjects.
So go for 4 subjects that you enjoy and are interested in, as long as they're respected. So eng lit over eng lang + perhaps history. Maybe a maths/sciences subject as well. And then maybe something creative or ICT if you havent got an ICT qualification. Lots of jobs depend on ICT skills these days.
If you don't want to go to uni, then you could do a wide range of a-levels to show your different skills and interestests. But if you later decide you want to go to uni, you might struggle to get on some courses that require 2/3 similar/relevant subjects.
So go for 4 subjects that you enjoy and are interested in, as long as they're respected. So eng lit over eng lang + perhaps history. Maybe a maths/sciences subject as well. And then maybe something creative or ICT if you havent got an ICT qualification. Lots of jobs depend on ICT skills these days.
(edited 11 years ago)
Probably Maths, English, a science and maybe a more practical subject like product design or PE.
If you don't want to go to uni though it would probably be more worthwhile going to college and doing a BTEC in something more specialized like engineering, IT or sports.
If you don't want to go to uni though it would probably be more worthwhile going to college and doing a BTEC in something more specialized like engineering, IT or sports.
Honestly? Don't think about which subjects are better than others. There is no such thing! Everybody is different.
Say for Law. Some people would really enjoy this kind of A Level, but others - like myself - would find it insufferable. Another one of these 'hardcore' subjects is Maths. I actually dropped this to do Psychology in my first term of A Levels and I have never looked back. Now I am taking part in a Psychology BSc degree and I love every minute of it. My friend who does Law (seen as a harder subject than Psychology) loves her course too. Therefore, both of us are excelling in our studies. I hope you pick subjects you truly enjoy and end up in a line of work your happy with.
Do you believe in love at first sight? It's an illusion, I don't care.
Say for Law. Some people would really enjoy this kind of A Level, but others - like myself - would find it insufferable. Another one of these 'hardcore' subjects is Maths. I actually dropped this to do Psychology in my first term of A Levels and I have never looked back. Now I am taking part in a Psychology BSc degree and I love every minute of it. My friend who does Law (seen as a harder subject than Psychology) loves her course too. Therefore, both of us are excelling in our studies. I hope you pick subjects you truly enjoy and end up in a line of work your happy with.
Do you believe in love at first sight? It's an illusion, I don't care.
It really depends on what you want to go into and what sort of jobs you want to go for.
If you don't want to go to university are you sure you even want to do A-levels? Maybe a practical Btec could work. I'm not saying that A-levels are only for university though!
If you like a particular area try and focus around that.
It all depends really though, there are some more respected A-levels but it depends on what you want to go into and what areas you like.
If you want to go into working in a financial institution having history, politics and English probably isn't as impressive as accounting, maths and chemistry. However if you're going to go into say a legal secretary job or anything similar then the firstg set are probably better.
Alternatively you could just pick a very vague, rounded set to appeal to everytihng.
If you don't want to go to university are you sure you even want to do A-levels? Maybe a practical Btec could work. I'm not saying that A-levels are only for university though!
If you like a particular area try and focus around that.
It all depends really though, there are some more respected A-levels but it depends on what you want to go into and what areas you like.
If you want to go into working in a financial institution having history, politics and English probably isn't as impressive as accounting, maths and chemistry. However if you're going to go into say a legal secretary job or anything similar then the firstg set are probably better.
Alternatively you could just pick a very vague, rounded set to appeal to everytihng.
Original post by DannyJC
Honestly? Don't think about which subjects are better than others. There is no such thing! Everybody is different.
Say for Law. Some people would really enjoy this kind of A Level, but others - like myself - would find it insufferable. Another one of these 'hardcore' subjects is Maths. I actually dropped this to do Psychology in my first term of A Levels and I have never looked back. Now I am taking part in a Psychology BSc degree and I love every minute of it. My friend who does Law (seen as a harder subject than Psychology) loves her course too. Therefore, both of us are excelling in our studies. I hope you pick subjects you truly enjoy and end up in a line of work your happy with.
Do you believe in love at first sight? It's an illusion, I don't care.
Say for Law. Some people would really enjoy this kind of A Level, but others - like myself - would find it insufferable. Another one of these 'hardcore' subjects is Maths. I actually dropped this to do Psychology in my first term of A Levels and I have never looked back. Now I am taking part in a Psychology BSc degree and I love every minute of it. My friend who does Law (seen as a harder subject than Psychology) loves her course too. Therefore, both of us are excelling in our studies. I hope you pick subjects you truly enjoy and end up in a line of work your happy with.
Do you believe in love at first sight? It's an illusion, I don't care.
Follow this persons advice, because honestly do subjects you enjoy. If you follow career prospects, yes you may be rich and successful, but that does not neccessarily mean you'll be happy. x
I dropped maths for psychology!! WHAT A SMALL WORLD HAHA
Original post by Fitter
I think everyone should do maths at A-Level, its a great one to have at a grade B or above.
Not everyones capable of that though. I did AS maths and got an E despite getting an A at gcse. I just couldn't understand it.
Original post by Fitter
I think everyone should do maths at A-Level, its a great one to have at a grade B or above.
If everyone started getting a B or above in Maths, it wouldn't really be a useful qualification anymore. The only 'stand out' students would be the A* students. Besides, their's a reason it's compulsory at GCSE and not A level...
This is actually awful, noone has mentioned languages!!!!
Employers love languages, they really do, there's nothing more rounded than someone who has, say, Maths, English, a language and then something more creative or that a shows personal interest.
If I had my time again OP that's what I'd be doing.
Employers love languages, they really do, there's nothing more rounded than someone who has, say, Maths, English, a language and then something more creative or that a shows personal interest.
If I had my time again OP that's what I'd be doing.
Original post by nash_4_lyf
Follow this persons advice, because honestly do subjects you enjoy. If you follow career prospects, yes you may be rich and successful, but that does not neccessarily mean you'll be happy. x
I dropped maths for psychology!! WHAT A SMALL WORLD HAHA
I dropped maths for psychology!! WHAT A SMALL WORLD HAHA
Great minds think alike.
Do you believe in love at first sight? It's an illusion, I don't care.
Original post by Magenta96
I'm really struggling to decide on what AS-levels I should choose. Nothing particularly stands out to me so I suppose I'll go for the A-levels that'll give me the best employment opportunities.
What are they? Also, Is it true that arts A-levels have don't have many employment opportunities because I wanted to do English Literature but would that be of any use once to me I've finished sixth form?
Thank you,
What are they? Also, Is it true that arts A-levels have don't have many employment opportunities because I wanted to do English Literature but would that be of any use once to me I've finished sixth form?
Thank you,
Traditional ones. If you merely want employment prospects, the main thing would be breadth of subjects. English literature, geography, maths and physics, for example, or history, chemistry, maths and a language. I think maths will end up in there somewhere whatever combination I recommend.
If you're planning on going to uni, the employability of your A-levels is going to be fairly insignificant once you complete a degree. Though similar criteria apply for getting into highly employable university degrees, they tend to favour specialisation over breadth.
I'd say one out of Bio and Chem, Chem and Maths, or Maths and Physics, plus English Lit or History, plus a language.
I say this through gritted teeth, as i'm an arts student, but if you can do maths you're basically set for life. My friend does mathematics at Bath University, and has just snagged a position working for Morgan Stanley with a starting salary of £27,000 per year, which is pretty good for a student.
Are you thinking of taking A levels and not studying for a degree after? If so, then a language would be a good start and depending on what you would like to do after wards: Something Maths based would be good (like economics or accounting) and possibly something that is quite heavy research like law or psychology that way your skills would be well rounded and you could go on to do a lot of things
If you don't know what career you want to aim for then take a range of subjects that leaves you with lots of open doors. You should also take subjects that you are interested in and are good at because this will help you get the best grades. I am taking physics, biology, English lit and art. But this could change before september
Well if you want to keep your options open, I would advise that you take Maths and a science (whichever of the three that you prefer?) then English Literature/History to show that you can write essays, and then a fourth subject that you enjoy - another arts subject, a social science, or a language.
Just remember to pick what you enjoy, and pick a variety of traditional subjects to keep lots of options open to you
Just remember to pick what you enjoy, and pick a variety of traditional subjects to keep lots of options open to you
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