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URGENT HELP - alevel choices

I have to pick my alevels for tomorrow and I can’t decide between two possible combinations:
- Maths
-Biology
-Physics
-Further maths
OR
-Maths
-Biology
-Physics
-Chemistry

I prefer the first option because I think I’m better at maths than chemistry and I enjoy it more however I have no idea what degree I’m going to do and chemistry seems much better to keep my options open for uni... any advice needed

Reply 1

Doones

Original post by Nadia 116

chemistry seems much better to keep my options open for uni... any advice needed

Only if you want to study Chemistry or Chemical Engineering or Medicine.

If you want to study anything else your option without Chemistry is fine.

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 2

flabi

Chemistry will definitely keep your options open for degrees like natural sciences and medicine, and is looked highly upon by all universities. Only choose your further maths option if you're happy to rule these out and you want to focus on a more mathsy/physicsy degree.

Reply 3

Radioactivedecay

three sciences is a bit much but opens up more doors than the other options, but it depends what you want to do later.

Reply 4

Nadia 116

Original post by Doonesbury

Only if you want to study Chemistry or Chemical Engineering or Medicine.

If you want to study anything else your option without Chemistry is fine.

Yea that makes sense, I do want to do a sciency degree but a lot of the science subjects need chemistry alevel like biochemistry

Reply 5

Nadia 116

Original post by flabi

Yea I get that but I really don’t enjoy chemistry so I’m worried that I might end up getting a low grade in it anyway
😓

Reply 6

Doones

Original post by Nadia 116

Yea that makes sense, I do want to do a sciency degree but a lot of the science subjects need chemistry alevel like biochemistry

Well if you want to do a course that involves chemistry then yes you will need chemistry :wink:

Original post by Nadia 116

Yea I get that but I really don’t enjoy chemistry so I’m worried that I might end up getting a low grade in it anyway
😓

If you want to study Biology or Physics or Engineering you don't need Chemistry. There's no point taking it if you feel you will not enjoy it or do poorly.

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 7

Panda_Child

I wouldn’t pick further maths unless you reallllllly reallllly want a job in the future that is reliant on maths or you reallllly love maths

Reply 8

charlvioletta

A lot of my friends dropped further maths bc they said it was ****. But in saying that doing 3 sciences and maths is going to near kill you. i do english lit english lang psychology and biology and its killing me so i cant imagine doing your combinations, unless you wanted to do a medical degree id say do 3 of them and pick 1 softer subject to go with them to lessen the work load. A lot of sciency uni degrees tend to ask for 2 science based Alevels that change combinations depending on the degree, so it's probably not a must that you do 3 sciences either.

Reply 9

S.H.Rahman

Original post by Nadia 116

Yea I get that but I really don’t enjoy chemistry so I’m worried that I might end up getting a low grade in it anyway
😓

Those who do best on a subject are those with a genuine interest in it as studying the subject doesn't seem as much of a chore anymore. It's important to do A-Levels you enjoy otherwise you'll be in a situation where your exams are in a few months and you just can't find the motivation to study that subject so unless you think you can keep yourself going throughout the course it may not be the best decision.

Further Maths is a lot harder than your regular A-Level Maths and it has its positives and negatives. Its positives are is that it's a lot more intellectually stimulating than regular maths as you get the chance to learn about all these super cool different concepts that are out there in maths today like complex numbers. As well as this, as you'll be using a lot of the math you learn in regular maths to a higher level it makes regular maths a lot easier to understand and do and so when learning simpler concepts in Math, you find it easier to grasp.

The negatives of studying it I'd say is it's hard of course so you're gonna need a high level of math skill to be able to do well in the course. Those who have a got straight A*'s as GCSE Maths even struggle with it. You can no longer just rely on your math skills to just pull through for you from being 'naturally good at maths' and so you need an actual passion for problem-solving which sometimes gets blurred with someone being good at something. I think this is a key factor differentiating those with high grades and low grades.

Currently being in the second of my A-Levels studying both of these subjects, overall I'd say people do find Chemistry easier than Further Maths especially since half of Chemistry is pretty much applying math to chemistry problems. Also, unless you're applying to a STEM subject, universities see Math and Further Math as pretty much one A-Level as they don't see it adding to your skill base since their degree won't really be Maths related.

Good luck on picking your choices and try and utilise the internal deadlines your school has for changing subject as you may need it as the step you get from GCSE to A-Level is very unexpected to some.

Reply 10

sara1479

I did Edexcel Maths and CIE Physics, Biology and Chemistry at both AS and A2 and got 4A*. Didn't have the choice to take Further Maths since the school didn't offer it. Still, I think FM is much tougher than normal Maths as I have scanned through its syllabus, notes and past papers. You should check it out to see if you're interested in it: http://www.physicsandmathstutor.com/maths-revision/a-level-further-pure-1/

Regarding the difficulty of doing 4 'heavy' A Levels, I'd say that it's tough but definitely doable. Some people have described that taking 4 A Levels means that you have 0 social life and countless late nights of studying. It might be true for some but that wasn't my experience. I worked hard but I still had time to hang out with friends and rarely had to stay up past 12.

Ultimately, do something you love (and have good time management).