Confused about A Lvl options now?

(edited 6 years ago)

i wanted to take originally..
maths, graphics, ICT and economics.

now today, i think its all because of receiving GCSE results.. i just think its a bad idea :frown:

I already enrolled with those options though!
Like 1) i don't know a thing about economics?
2) is ICT a bad subject to take?
3) Graphics doesn't even fit..

Online, I've seen a lot of "economics with maths/further maths/history/english go together" options. I actually don't even enjoy English though, despite getting A* in Lit. I am just wondering, should I replace Graphics with History (got an A and i did enjoy it.)

Graphics.. I don't know. I enjoyed it in GCSE (A*) but i feel like I could be wasting my time in A Level. I don't know what i want to do in the rest of my life either.. The only things i enjoy are music (violin) really, and I liked graphics because you could be creative in different areas. My parents suggested economics and maths tbh, I don't even know if I want to do that. Same reason I did Business GCSE as well... I actually hate maths so much. i had to retake it to get an A :frown:

Seeing as A Levels is obviously more serious, should I change it? I am so confused, and it literally hit me today that I think Ive gone the wrong route..

Sorry for the essay..

Maths I recommend definitely, but do subjects you enjoy so I would advise switching graphics for history as its regarded better too :h:

And ICT isn't a bad subject to take as it can keep a few options open for you :h:

Reply 2

Davelittle

Don't do maths if you had to resit to get an A at GCSE.

That's not me being harsh, people in my school who got comfortable A*'s dropped out in year 12, maybe consider business?

Reply 3

SoftMusk

I think definitely keep maths and ICT because maths obviously is linked to many different courses and ICT because nowadays technology has really boosted and is used in nearly every career (I took it up for the same reason)

p.s just saw you had to resit to get an A - a level maths is a huge step up and even my friend who got an A* in GCSE just managed to get a B in a level

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 4

razia

Original post by aimandignite

i wanted to take originally..
maths, graphics, ICT and economics.

now today, i think its all because of receiving GCSE results.. i just think its a bad idea :frown:

Seeing as A Levels is obviously more serious, should I change it? I am so confused, and it literally hit me today that I think Ive gone the wrong route..

Sorry for the essay..

I think you should do graphics if you enjoy it. You should also do Ict if you enjoy it because graphics and ICT do go together quite well. You could use ICT to get into computer science at uni if that's something you wanna do. You also sound like a determined student so you might want to consider architecture at uni so graphics will come in handy (as well as Ict). Take economics too so you have the finance field to go into. But I don't think you should take English lit as you said you didn't enjoy it. Gcse and a level is very different. So if you don't enjoy it at alevel then, you might mot do so well.

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Reply 5

Davelittle

Original post by aimandignite

but that would be doing economics and business? is that a good idea?

That's a good combination imo

Reply 6

Davelittle

Original post by aimandignite

oh. well.. I am just wondering about that annoying graphics. what do i do there sigh. thanks about maths, I mean my parents are like "you'll cope" yet my brother ended up failing it completely and he got a B in maths GCSE.

No worries, maths is challenging there isn't any easy way to dress it up.

I'm sure an A in business would aid you better than an E/D in maths! :smile:

Reply 7

TheDboyAi

For me ICT,it was ok but personally,I only got a pass and I didn't really like it basically its just learning how to do spreadsheets and that's about it, ict is a bit too basic,if you don't want to do Ict, try taking on computing if you can

Reply 8

pepperthecat

For goodness sake don't do maths and/or economics just because your parents think it's a good idea! It's your future NOT theirs.

Reply 9

razia

The fact that you said you "hate" maths you should definitely not take it. Maths is one of those things that you kind of have to find interesting in order to get a good grade. I got an A for maths gcse as well and I did maths for alevels too. I actually liked it. I managed to get A overall for maths after retaking so many exams. It's hard, I'm not gonna lie. I'm not those people who can just sit there, do few questions and tadah I get an A. I had to put HOURS of work to get that A. Just thinking about it brings tears to my eyes :')

You should do economics, history, Ict and maybe graphics. It sounds like you don't wanna do graphics because of your parents? Firstly, would you say you're a creative person? I have a friend who did graphics and she is really creative. She is planning to do architecture at uni so graphics helped her for that.

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(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 10

razia

Original post by aimandignite

It sounds better that way. Idk, I wanted to take graphics this whole time. I have, but today I just thought - is it in any way going to help me in the future? I am, even my mum says so. I don't think id end up doing architecture tbh. Gosh, i know most say "don't do maths bc its so much harder" but is it going to disadvantage me in the way i havent got it?!

The main thing is will you like maths. Will you like it enough so when you're suppose to do hundreds of questions, you will not give up after the first hard question you stumble across. Are you the type who will keep trying untill you get the answer or just move onto the next question. Do you have enough interest to find out how to get the answer in this maths question or just give up?
Also you have to remember that you won't have January exams. So it will be even harder. So you will have 3 exams of maths to do in June. You won't be able to retake in year 13 as it will be too much pressure as you will have another 3 more of maths exam to do. You haven't got that January exam to do retakes to improve your grades.
If you think you have the patience to do maths then go for it! You never know you might be good.

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Reply 11

pepperthecat

Original post by aimandignite

but do you not see? i have no direction to go in because i don't even know what i want to do with my life. i see no reason why not, tbh.

Sorry if that was unhelpful. I simply meant that it's a bad idea to do a subject you hate just because of someone else's view of how 'useful' it'll be. Perhaps your best bet would be to phone the school/college and ask if you can come in for some advice. There may be other subject options - and possible degree/career pathways - that you have overlooked so far.

Reply 12

SoftMusk

Original post by aimandignite

if i don't do maths, then i'm left with economics and ICT.. is graphics a no? That is the main point here, tbh. Maths I think, yes i would struggle with. But I wouldn't know what to replace it with..

Hmm, well then maths would be your best bet because when I did ICT there was a module on graphics aswell as the other stuff which go nicely with maths such as formulas in spreadsheets and then the normal ict stuff and software creation

Maths ICT and economics would go nicely but it depends on what you want to do in university

Switch ICT.

Original post by aimandignite

i wanted to take originally..
maths, graphics, ICT and economics.

now today, i think its all because of receiving GCSE results.. i just think its a bad idea :frown:

Seeing as A Levels is obviously more serious, should I change it? I am so confused, and it literally hit me today that I think Ive gone the wrong route..

Sorry for the essay..

Do what you enjoy that what I did! For AS I did Geography, History, RS and DT! :smile:

Reply 15

pepperthecat

There are really only three reasons for studying something: 1) you are good at it; 2) you really enjoy it; and 3) it's a prerequisite for something you really want to do in the future (assuming you know what that is). If possible you should choose subjects which each tick at least 2 of these boxes. Doing something simply because you need to, if you are not good at and/or enjoy it, is pointless (with exceptions such as Maths/English GCSE of course...). You will probably not enjoy the thing it leads to either! Bad reasons for choosing a subject include doing what other people think you ought to do (unless they are prepared to sit the exam for you?!) or choosing something because your friends are doing it, or because you can't think what else to do.

Reply 16

CSBV

Just going to say...

•

I was 4 UMS marks off an A* at Maths GCSE.

•

I worked my socks of at AS-Level maths.

•

I have just came out with a U :s-smilie:

•

It is in no way easy and nothing like GCSE maths!!

•

I knew it would be hard but the topics are ridiculous! We did stuff that we would never ever use EVER!

•

Hehe, if you think you can hack it, have a crack at it but I shall warn you now...

HARD AS A ROCK.

Reply 17

CSBV

Original post by aimandignite

got it, maths at a level is hard.
as a rock.

no really, a lot of people have stressed this to me too.

If you think you can do it and are willing to work 110% your best, then do it! Only you know if you can do it! But, do not be under any illusion that it is easy or that you can fly through it like GCSE Maths :P Glad to help :biggrin:

Reply 18

jasminglynne

Original post by BTAnonymous

IMO, maths is the best A level choice you can choose( very biased i know) It applies to so many subjects, not just maths.

Economics, ICT, Physics, Computing, Artificial intelligence LOADS MORE

However, because you hate maths, you will have hell at A level so I strongly suggest not taking it unless you really need it to get where you want to be.

Compile a list of subjects you think will get you to a position you want to be in 10 years.

Say you want to be a stockbroker.

You should take (IMO)
- Maths
- Further maths
- Economics

These A-levels are a lot more focused on that you want to do.

But what if you're not sure what you want to do?

Then out of this list, choose a variety. So don't choose maths and physics together. Maybe do maths, music and graphics.

Mind you maths and music are actually kind of related.

Here's some more combinations I think are good for you:

Graphics, History, Music
Graphics, English literature, Music
Graphics, History, ICT

I suggest giving economics a try but I think from what I can interpret you'll find it boring.

Ask yourself where you want to be in 10 years and how you will get there? Serious question.