Unsure about A-Level options!

Hi guys.

I picked my a-levels a while back and chose Biology, Geography, and Photography. I was hoping to get into a local college but I wasn't successful.. so it looks like i'm going to my sixth form. But there is an issue - I absolutely despise my art teacher (who would teach me photography if i were to stay). So now I have no idea what to do! My physics teacher wants me to take physics (but i'm not great at maths) so i am completely stuck...

I want to do environmental science at Uni, but Photography will always be a huge passion of mine, so i'd love to combine the two, perhaps working for a magazine etc..

So do I stick with photography but have a terrible 2 years, or change to another subject but probably not do so well? I could move to different college that I got a place at instead of my sixth form, but the science department wasn't great - and science is my main priority...

Hi guys.

I picked my a-levels a while back and chose Biology, Geography, and Photography. I was hoping to get into a local college but I wasn't successful.. so it looks like i'm going to my sixth form. But there is an issue - I absolutely despise my art teacher (who would teach me photography if i were to stay). So now I have no idea what to do! My physics teacher wants me to take physics (but i'm not great at maths) so i am completely stuck...

I want to do environmental science at Uni, but Photography will always be a huge passion of mine, so i'd love to combine the two, perhaps working for a magazine etc..

So do I stick with photography but have a terrible 2 years, or change to another subject but probably not do so well? I could move to different college that I got a place at instead of my sixth form, but the science department wasn't great - and science is my main priority...

Thank you both! I think it's likely I'll drop photography as I agree, there really isn't much point in doing it and i'd much rather spend the two years creating a portfolio of my own. I'm considering perhaps taking English Lit or Lang instead, i'll talk to my teachers and see what they think. Thank you )

Hi guys.

I picked my a-levels a while back and chose Biology, Geography, and Photography. I was hoping to get into a local college but I wasn't successful.. so it looks like i'm going to my sixth form. But there is an issue - I absolutely despise my art teacher (who would teach me photography if i were to stay). So now I have no idea what to do! My physics teacher wants me to take physics (but i'm not great at maths) so i am completely stuck...

I want to do environmental science at Uni, but Photography will always be a huge passion of mine, so i'd love to combine the two, perhaps working for a magazine etc..

So do I stick with photography but have a terrible 2 years, or change to another subject but probably not do so well? I could move to different college that I got a place at instead of my sixth form, but the science department wasn't great - and science is my main priority...

Honestly, to be a photographer you do not need an a level in it. If you really think that your teacher would hinder your enjoyment and success in the course to such a large extent, I would recommend taking something else as a third option (if you were to do physics you should probably do maths also- but don't make that decision light heartedly it's a difficult subject- so really consider your options) and then do a photography course(s) outside of school, maybe join a club- get work experience etc, once you have some sort of certificate maybe you could even look around for people who need a photographer, you could work voluntarily or have a fixed fee if the client is willing. For something like photography, a portfolio and experience are really important.
This would allow you to avoid being stressed by your teacher (I completely understand how difficult it can be), and keep your options slightly more open.

Overall I'd say don't rush everything, consider all your options carefully and at the end of the day, choose whatever you enjoy most, are most capable at and what will allow you to pursue what you want in the future.

Good luck with it all!

I get low low A's, high B's in maths currently, do you think this is too weak for Physics? I totally get it's a tough A-level and definitely don't wanna get caught out (I think my physics teacher is probably over estimating my ability if i'm honest hahah )

Thank you for your help

I get low low A's, high B's in maths currently, do you think this is too weak for Physics? I totally get it's a tough A-level and definitely don't wanna get caught out (I think my physics teacher is probably over estimating my ability if i'm honest hahah )

Thank you for your help

I think your choices are great and offer so much in terms of versatility and bredth to your career path - usually photography is part of media studies but if you wanted to photograph animals and landscapes then its fantastic and why not. I understand there is the more academic subjects like biology, economics and mathematics and the more applied / vocational courses like media, business studies and photography but there is a lot to learn so if you are passionate about photography then this is a great first step into the real world as you won't gel with everyone and yet have to make a living and so you can show your art teacher your passion and enthusiasm for the subject and you only have to be around them for so much a week and all in all with working part-time and studying time and leisure time and sleeping time, the time with your art teacher is like 3% of your working week!

You can walk out of the door and re-focus on geography and biology. It would be really unprofessional for a teacher to make you feel uncomfortable to learn so maybe you could take a minute to find out more about them - the aspects of art they really enjoy and what their views on photography and the possibilities they know of, of photographing nature and animals and you might find some common ground for a better relationship of teacher and pupil as that is what they are there for, to know something that you want to know, so find out!

You might have felt left out that the teacher seemed to get on better with other people in your classroom but in sixth-form you will have smaller more focused groups and more 1-on-1 contact time.

When you are graduation from your degree and you remember thinking about your a-levels and starting to learnt to drive and choosing what uni to go to, just remember what happened in art - that you were mature and sensible and you made the best of a bad situation and you learnt and made some fantastic from it as you are now going travelling round the world after graduation and photographing rhinos in Africa!

I was on a similar level to you in maths, but with hard work I've managed to do really well, I'm taking it for a level but that was after lots of careful consideration. Actually I was considering physics last year, but almost everyone I talked to said I'd have to do maths as well otherwise it's really difficult, so it's really up to you and whether you feel confident enough, I'd advise you talk to you're teacher a bit more about it all and see what they think. Physics is hard too yes, but if it's something that genuinley interests you, and you'll have a supportive teacher (assuming the teacher you're referring to will have you in sixth form) then do it if you're willing to work hard.
And no problem