Are these A Level options ok?

Hello.

I'm going to have to choose my A Levels soon and I was thinking about choosing the following:

- Maths
- Physics
- Chemistry
- Biology

Are these reasonable choices?

Good Luck.

That's a pretty sound set of A-levels for most careers, you mainly see people who want to study Medicine take those A-levels.

Reply 3

r0xs

10

Original post by adesola15

Good Luck.

lol i agree
those are crazy choices, i would drop a science for something else less, well, sciency :tongue:

unless you are way above an a* in all of them at the moment and love those subjects
what do you want to do later in life?

Reply 4

Joshua-P

OP

4

Original post by adesola15

Good Luck.

Is this sarcasm? :tongue:

Original post by asphyxiax

lol i agree
those are crazy choices, i would drop a science for something else less, well, sciency :tongue:

unless you are way above an a* in all of them at the moment and love those subjects
what do you want to do later in life?

Why would you drop a science? Because of the work load or because my options aren't broad enough? In Biology and Chemistry I am well on my way to achieving an A*. Physics and Mathematics I'm working at a grade A but I'm wanting an A* for both. :smile:

Reply 5

Notions

8

Original post by Joshua-P

Hello.

I'm going to have to choose my A Levels soon and I was thinking about choosing the following:

- Maths
- Physics
- Chemistry
- Biology

Are these reasonable choices?

I've finished my a-levels recently (in gap year)

I chose maths further maths chemistry biology originally but then swapped biology for physics because I didn't want to write any essays! So over the whole two years I didn't have to write a single essay in maths further maths chemistry physics. So that's something to take into account.....

It's definitely manageable! You will have to work hard for two years, you would not be able to slack in AS year because the jump is significant and you'd fall behind going into A2

In terms of careers, you'll find that this kind of combination is extremely versatile but constrains you only really in that you might find it hard to get onto a course like Law (although there's probs a lot of people who'd argue you could get into law somehow -.-)

Without further maths you are a little more disadvantaged if you wanted to go into engineering, but with biology you stand a better chance at doing medicine. (two very good degrees!)

You could also do a pure science or maths degree :smile:

Conclusion - Very good/versatile choices, if you're capable, but be aware that a slight change in subjects (e.g. swapping biology for further maths) could change your options in the future.

Reply 6

r0xs

10

Original post by Joshua-P

Is this sarcasm? :tongue:

Why would you drop a science? Because of the work load or because my options aren't broad enough? In Biology and Chemistry I am well on my way to achieving an A*. Physics and Mathematics I'm working at a grade A but I'm wanting an A* for both. :smile:

well, im aspiring to do medicine and im going to take chemistry, biology, maths and spanish so my options arent that different to yours but i know from my older sister and friends how hard a levels are in comparison to gcses. i wanted to take further maths but having something like a language appeals more to a uni because it shows youre more diverse; but it depends on what you want to do at uni and where you go. if you feel confident in all those subjects then go ahead but i know id certainly be drowning by the end of the first half term :tongue:

Reply 7

G-Sci

17

It depends on what you want to go on to study at university, I'm assuming something along the lines of medicine, pharmacology etc.
I done the same, but I done psychology in place of physics and also done accounts at AS.

Reply 8

Notions

8

Original post by Joshua-P

Hello.

I'm going to have to choose my A Levels soon and I was thinking about choosing the following:

- Maths
- Physics
- Chemistry
- Biology

Are these reasonable choices?

P.S

From experience, I can tell you Biology and Maths are easier to get A*s in at A-level than Chemistry and Physics.

Reply 9

TheYearNiner

21

Original post by Joshua-P

Hello.

I'm going to have to choose my A Levels soon and I was thinking about choosing the following:

- Maths
- Physics
- Chemistry
- Biology

Are these reasonable choices?

Nice, I was thinking of the same but replace physics with buisness studies :biggrin:

Goodluck my main man Joshua P

Reply 10

kkboyk

21

Original post by Joshua-P

Hello.

I'm going to have to choose my A Levels soon and I was thinking about choosing the following:

- Maths
- Physics
- Chemistry
- Biology

Are these reasonable choices?

If you like them and willing to work hard, yes.

Don't blindly choose them just because they are well respected. It will be hard.

Reply 11

The Warsmith

18

Ugh, three sciences and maths. Original much?

Reply 12

Joshua-P

OP

4

Original post by georgem93

It depends on what you want to go on to study at university, I'm assuming something along the lines of medicine, pharmacology etc.
I done the same, but I done psychology in place of physics and also done accounts at AS.

I was considering Medicine, Engineering or Computer Science (more edging towards the last two), but I'm not 100% sure but I enjoy science and maths the most. The only other consideration I would probably make would to swap Chemistry out for Further Mathematics, but I know Further Mathematics is extremely difficult and I feel I might be putting too much work on my shoulders if I go down that route.

Original post by TheYearNiner

Nice, I was thinking of the same but replace physics with buisness studies :biggrin:

Goodluck my main man Joshua P

You too!

Original post by kkboyk

If you like them and willing to work hard, yes.

Don't blindly choose them just because they are well respected. It will be hard.

I really enjoy Mathematics, Biology and Chemistry at GCSE - they're probably my favourite subjects. Physics is another story - I enjoy the topics but my teacher is very bad so it's hard to decide if I don't enjoy it at GCSE because of the content or because of my teacher.

Original post by Ser Alex Toyne

Ugh, three sciences and maths. Original much?

Well what would you recommend?

Reply 13

username2165807

14

Original post by Joshua-P

I was considering Medicine, Engineering or Computer Science (more edging towards the last two), but I'm not 100% sure but I enjoy science and maths the most. The only other consideration I would probably make would to swap Chemistry out for Further Mathematics, but I know Further Mathematics is extremely difficult and I feel I might be putting too much work on my shoulders if I go down that route.

As someone who has done a lot of research for Computer Science courses, to go to a top university like Oxbridge, Imperial, etc, Further Mathematics is basically a requirement. They say it's "highly recommended" mostly because they can't say it's required as that'd be admitting that those who can't take Further Maths are disadvantaged. :wink:

Now here's the thing. If you want medicine so badly, the main requirements are Chemistry & Biology with a lean towards Mathematics too. You won't really be advantaged by further maths vs physics, so taking further maths here will open your options up more. You need to make a decision and narrow it down a bit more really. Be careful about what you do though as some places consider maths/further maths as a single A-level (I mean, some medicine schools).

If you're leaning towards engineering and computer science and you're sure you don't want to do medicine, take something like Maths, Further Maths, Physics and another subject of your choice. Computing is useful for both compsci and engineering, though it's not required. And although Physics is useful for Computing, I've been told by an admissions tutor at oxford that taking physics vs biology vs economics would confer no advantage either way.

Reply 14

Findlay6

19

It depends where/what you're thinking of going/doing after A-Levels.

EG, Will those A-Levels help you get into your degree? Are they relevant?

Reply 15

hoping4Astars

3

Original post by Joshua-P

I was considering Medicine, Engineering or Computer Science (more edging towards the last two), but I'm not 100% sure but I enjoy science and maths the most. The only other consideration I would probably make would to swap Chemistry out for Further Mathematics, but I know Further Mathematics is extremely difficult and I feel I might be putting too much work on my shoulders if I go down that route.

Further maths is not unbelievably difficult or anything. I wouldn't say that it is more difficult in terms of brainpower required (except for two topics called FP1/FP2) but it just requires a lot of commitment and hard work. However, I know friends who do three science subjects and double maths who complain a lot about the work required for science but never about the work required for further maths. Perhaps drop physics (not needed for computer science but needed for engineering) or biology (needed for medicine but you can get into some medicine courses with just chemistry and some self studied biology AS) and choose further maths. However if you can't get A* in maths at GCSE then don't do further maths,

As of now, just work on your GCSE maths and sciences to secure A*s in all of them.

Reply 16

Joshua-P

OP

4

Original post by CloakedSpartan

As someone who has done a lot of research for Computer Science courses, to go to a top university like Oxbridge, Imperial, etc, Further Mathematics is basically a requirement. They say it's "highly recommended" mostly because they can't say it's required as that'd be admitting that those who can't take Further Maths are disadvantaged. :wink:

Now here's the thing. If you want medicine so badly, the main requirements are Chemistry & Biology with a lean towards Mathematics too. You won't really be advantaged by further maths vs physics, so taking further maths here will open your options up more. You need to make a decision and narrow it down a bit more really. Be careful about what you do though as some places consider maths/further maths as a single A-level (I mean, some medicine schools).

If you're leaning towards engineering and computer science and you're sure you don't want to do medicine, take something like Maths, Further Maths, Physics and another subject of your choice. Computing is useful for both compsci and engineering, though it's not required. And although Physics is useful for Computing, I've been told by an admissions tutor at oxford that taking physics vs biology vs economics would confer no advantage either way.

Thanks for the advice! I've had a read up on it and Further Mathematics is highly recommended for Computer Science courses, which is a bit of a bummer. I think I'd probably drop Biology out of all 3 sciences - I think Chemistry and Physics are better.

Original post by hoping4Astars

Further maths is not unbelievably difficult or anything. I wouldn't say that it is more difficult in terms of brainpower required (except for two topics called FP1/FP2) but it just requires a lot of commitment and hard work. However, I know friends who do three science subjects and double maths who complain a lot about the work required for science but never about the work required for further maths. Perhaps drop physics (not needed for computer science but needed for engineering) or biology (needed for medicine but you can get into some medicine courses with just chemistry and some self studied biology AS) and choose further maths. However if you can't get A* in maths at GCSE then don't do further maths,

As of now, just work on your GCSE maths and sciences to secure A*s in all of them.

Thanks for the advice! :smile:

Reply 17

username1560589

20

Original post by Joshua-P

Hello.

I'm going to have to choose my A Levels soon and I was thinking about choosing the following:

- Maths
- Physics
- Chemistry
- Biology

Are these reasonable choices?