The Student Room Group
Competition - post a photo you've taken of nature >>
Competition - post a photo you've taken of nature >>
Competition - post a photo you've taken of nature >>

Best combination of A Levels?

My GCSE results were 9 A*, 1 A and 2 B grades. The A was in Maths.

Having said that, there are many A Levels that interest me yet I'm not sure what I want to do at university. So I have a shortlist of A Levels, what is the best combination of 4 out of the following:

- Law
- History
- English Literature
- Maths
- Physics
- Chemistry
- Geography
- Philosophy and Ethics

A penny for your thoughts?

Scroll to see replies

You could do a mixture of sciences and more essay based subjects, I guess it really depends on what you want to do when you leave. I've heard that if you want to do a Law degree they don't like you to take A level Law though, but I'm not entirely sure. Did you have any preferences at GCSE?
Reply 2
Avatar for Atomix330
Atomix330
OP
2
Original post by Student232
You could do a mixture of sciences and more essay based subjects, I guess it really depends on what you want to do when you leave. I've heard that if you want to do a Law degree they don't like you to take A level Law though, but I'm not entirely sure. Did you have any preferences at GCSE?


I really enjoyed History at GCSE as well as RE. But then all of the subjects on the shortlist I enjoyed
Original post by Atomix330
I really enjoyed History at GCSE as well as RE. But then all of the subjects on the shortlist I enjoyed


Ok they are good subjects to do, if you wanted something similar maybe English and/or Geography or you could consider doing Maths or a Science so you have a mixture of subjects. Maths looks good on your CV but is meant to get really hard at A level, so you need to be confident in it.
Out of those, I'd probably take Maths, Chemistry, History and Philosophy and Ethics.
If you don't know what you want to do at uni yet then a mixture would probably be a good idea. Maths, Physics, English Lit and History would be one of the stronger subject combinations, and obviously Maths and Physics go together and so do History and English. But you might want to take an arguably 'easier' fourth subject (although with 9 A*s you're certainly capable of taking very difficult subjects!).
Reply 6
Avatar for tinasaf4
tinasaf4
If you're not sure then it's best to keep your options open Maths would be appreciated by any course as long as you think you could get a good grade in it, as would History then I'd take a science and another humanity. That would be good for a lot of courses are there any in particular you have in mind to do? Well done on your GCSE's btw that will be a definite advantage when applying for universities.
Original post by Atomix330
My GCSE results were 9 A*, 1 A and 2 B grades. The A was in Maths.

Having said that, there are many A Levels that interest me yet I'm not sure what I want to do at university. So I have a shortlist of A Levels, what is the best combination of 4 out of the following:

- Law
- History
- English Literature
- Maths
- Physics
- Chemistry
- Geography
- Philosophy and Ethics

A penny for your thoughts?


WOAH! Great GCSEs!

If I were you, I'd do History, Chemistry, and Phil and Eth.

As for your final one, it depends what you want to do at university. If you're hoping to do science, do Physics. Otherwise, it doesn't really matter what your last is, whether English, Geography or Physics. You probably wouldn't need Chemistry either.

So, if not science, do History, Phil and Eth and whatever 2 you'll enjoy and get the best grades in out of English Lit, Geography, Physics and Chemistry.
Reply 8
Avatar for Atomix330
Atomix330
OP
2
How important is doing Maths in combination with a science?
Original post by Atomix330
My GCSE results were 9 A*, 1 A and 2 B grades. The A was in Maths.

Having said that, there are many A Levels that interest me yet I'm not sure what I want to do at university. So I have a shortlist of A Levels, what is the best combination of 4 out of the following:

- Law
- History
- English Literature
- Maths
- Physics
- Chemistry
- Geography
- Philosophy and Ethics

A penny for your thoughts?


History, English, Maths and philosophy.
Original post by Atomix330
How important is doing Maths in combination with a science?


Depends on the science. With physics, arguably you need AS maths to do A2 physics. With the other sciences it's much less important. (And I do know people who got good grades in A2 physics without maths).
Original post by Student232
Ok they are good subjects to do, if you wanted something similar maybe English and/or Geography or you could consider doing Maths or a Science so you have a mixture of subjects. Maths looks good on your CV but is meant to get really hard at A level, so you need to be confident in it.


You seem like you know what you are talking about :smile:and I really need help on deciding my A levels.
At the moment I want to do sociology,geography,business studies and government and politics but im really confused and wondering if I should take English literature instead of sociology because people keep saying that its soft but I really want to take it because I feel like I will learn something new which English cannot offer me, I guess im quite good at English because I got an A in lit and lang but I don't want to end up regretting picking English lit over sociology or vice versa. Btw I am considering a degree in law or business management, I just don't know what I should do!? I also know that top universities think business studies is a soft subject but I don't think I will be allowed to do economics because I got a C in maths and not a B,:frown: ideally I would want to take economics, government and politics,sociology and geography,but im really stuck on choosing between sociology and English lit help pls??!!
Reply 12
Avatar for Atomix330
Atomix330
OP
2
Original post by missyconfuzzled
You seem like you know what you are talking about :smile:and I really need help on deciding my A levels.
At the moment I want to do sociology,geography,business studies and government and politics but im really confused and wondering if I should take English literature instead of sociology because people keep saying that its soft but I really want to take it because I feel like I will learn something new which English cannot offer me, I guess im quite good at English because I got an A in lit and lang but I don't want to end up regretting picking English lit over sociology or vice versa. Btw I am considering a degree in law or business management, I just don't know what I should do!? I also know that top universities think business studies is a soft subject but I don't think I will be allowed to do economics because I got a C in maths and not a B,:frown: ideally I would want to take economics, government and politics,sociology and geography,but im really stuck on choosing between sociology and English lit help pls??!!


If you want to do Law, drop Business and Government and Politics and do History and English Literature.
Original post by missyconfuzzled
You seem like you know what you are talking about :smile:and I really need help on deciding my A levels.
At the moment I want to do sociology,geography,business studies and government and politics but im really confused and wondering if I should take English literature instead of sociology because people keep saying that its soft but I really want to take it because I feel like I will learn something new which English cannot offer me, I guess im quite good at English because I got an A in lit and lang but I don't want to end up regretting picking English lit over sociology or vice versa. Btw I am considering a degree in law or business management, I just don't know what I should do!? I also know that top universities think business studies is a soft subject but I don't think I will be allowed to do economics because I got a C in maths and not a B,:frown: ideally I would want to take economics, government and politics,sociology and geography,but im really stuck on choosing between sociology and English lit help pls??!!


Thanks, personally I don't like english but I have heard it is looked at as a good subject by universities, as it is a facilitating subject. I don't really know much about sociology other than my friend was going to take it but then decided not to. It might be worth going on to a few university websites and looking at courses you would want to do. Then you can see the entry requirements that should give you a good idea of what you need to take to get on to the courses.
Original post by Atomix330
If you want to do Law, drop Business and Government and Politics and do History and English Literature.


I forgot to mention that I didn't take history at gcse so my 6th form wont allow me to take it at A level,i also really want to do geography because I got an A* at GCSE and find that I really enjoy it,also because it is a humanity universities like it? Ive always been interested in politics so it would hurt me to drop it,the thing is the reason why I chose business is because I wanted to do economics but my maths grade wouldn't allow me so I felt that business was the closest thing? So based on that you think is it advisable for me to drop sociology for English lit even though I may not enjoy it?:frown: so lost
Reply 15
Avatar for Atomix330
Atomix330
OP
2
Original post by missyconfuzzled
I forgot to mention that I didn't take history at gcse so my 6th form wont allow me to take it at A level,i also really want to do geography because I got an A* at GCSE and find that I really enjoy it,also because it is a humanity universities like it? Ive always been interested in politics so it would hurt me to drop it,the thing is the reason why I chose business is because I wanted to do economics but my maths grade wouldn't allow me so I felt that business was the closest thing? So based on that you think is it advisable for me to drop sociology for English lit even though I may not enjoy it?:frown: so lost



Arguably for economics, you would need at the very least a maths grade, if not a further maths grade at A Level on top of that.
Original post by missyconfuzzled
You seem like you know what you are talking about :smile:and I really need help on deciding my A levels.
At the moment I want to do sociology,geography,business studies and government and politics but im really confused and wondering if I should take English literature instead of sociology because people keep saying that its soft but I really want to take it because I feel like I will learn something new which English cannot offer me, I guess im quite good at English because I got an A in lit and lang but I don't want to end up regretting picking English lit over sociology or vice versa. Btw I am considering a degree in law or business management, I just don't know what I should do!? I also know that top universities think business studies is a soft subject but I don't think I will be allowed to do economics because I got a C in maths and not a B,:frown: ideally I would want to take economics, government and politics,sociology and geography,but im really stuck on choosing between sociology and English lit help pls??!!


If you prefer sociology, take sociology, because you tend to get better grades in subjects you enjoy and at the end of the day unis are more fussed about grades. Plus, sociology may not be rated as highly as English lit, but it's still considered a good subject!

Business Studies, however, is considered a very soft subject - perhaps take English lit instead of it?
A Level Law is really interesting, it's what has made me want to study Law at Degree level.
It won't prevent you from doing it at degree level as most unis don't really care.
I have done Sutton Summer School for Law at Durham University from which I get a guaranteed offer, and a lot of others who have done it also study A Level Law so it's obviously not something that they look down upon.
Original post by EastGuava
She's talking about A-level economics rather than degree level.

I have to decide by tomorrow seeing as im enrolling tomorrow so do I take English,Government& politics,Geography and business studies seeing as I cant do A level economics,or do I take Sociology,Government&politcs,Geography and Business studies if I want to do a law degree,and ive looked on some uni websites and they aren't being clear on the subjects when I click entry requirements they mostly say the grade requirements AAB OR AAA.
:s-smilie:
Original post by LeFailFish
If you prefer sociology, take sociology, because you tend to get better grades in subjects you enjoy and at the end of the day unis are more fussed about grades. Plus, sociology may not be rated as highly as English lit, but it's still considered a good subject!

Business Studies, however, is considered a very soft subject - perhaps take English lit instead of it?


so to get into a russel group uni I should drop business and take English instead?

Quick Reply

Related discussions

Latest

Trending

Trending

Articles for you