do you NEED facilitating subjects?

Hi, so my dad is really strict about my school stuff and wants me to take 2 facilitating subjects for a levels. so i've chosen maths, psychology and english language, but maths is one of, if not the, hardest subject and I'm only getting 6's at GCSE and I'm not that good at it and I think I'm going to find it so hard and fail. I want to do sociology instead but my dad says I have to do 2 facilitating subjects and I can't do any others. I think I'm okay with english language and psychology it's just maths I think I'm going to do so bad and don't really know what to do because he thinks I'm great at it and it's the thing I'm best at but I'm not. anyone have any advice on what I could do?
UPDATE: i spoke to my dad and now i'm doing business, psychology and law. thank you so much everyone for all your help! :smile:

(edited 2 years ago)

Reply 1

SyedN

What do you want to do at university?

Also I’m sure it’s not the same for everyone but I achieved an A* in maths at GCSEs but I really struggled with A Levels maths until my friend started teaching me it where it started to click.

My advice to anyone is if you’re bad at a subject at GCSEs do not do it at A Levels as it’ll only get harder.

Also if you’re doing Edexcel maths at A Levels then you will need to do statistics and mechanics as well.

Let me know if you have more questions.

Hope this helped, good luck!

Reply 2

McGinger

1) The whole concept of Facilitating Subjects was dumped by the Russell Group several years ago : https://www.theguardian.com/education/2019/may/23/russell-group-scraps-preferred-a-levels-list-after-arts-subjects-hit

2) As a result of new marketing legislation, all Universities now have to be totally honest and upfront about what subjects they want and what is essential or 'preferred'. No more 'secret info that only some people know'. So what you see on course pages on Uni websites, IS what is required.

English Lang, Psych and Sociology are good academic subjects that would leave many doors open for you and many different possible degrees. If you wanted to do Psychology as a degree, you do need Maths but only GCSE and grade 6 is fine.

Could you ask a relevant teacher or Head of Sixth to phone your Dad and explain this to him? - ie. these are not 'doss' subjects and are all solid academic subjects that are totally respected by top Universities. Or just show him the course pages for a top Uni with all the subject requirements - Bristol : https://www.bristol.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/search or Manchester https://www.manchester.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/ as just two examples.

Reply 3

rubyfweston

Original post by SyedN

I'm not too sure what I want to do yet because I change my mind all the time but I think psychology.

and this is the thing, I'm only getting 6's at A level and find it hard so A level I think I'm going to fail because it's going to be so much harder but I just don't know how to convince my dad to not do it.

Reply 4

rubyfweston

Original post by McGinger

thank you so much!! I'm going to explain/show this to him and see what he says, but if he still doesn't think this is right then I'll ask my head of year to phone him.

thank you so much though! this is so helpful and hopefully will change his mind!

Reply 5

Compost

If you aren't that strong at Maths and don't want to take it then don't. Maths is by no means the hardest A level but it is hard if you're neither that good at it nor that interested. The idea of facilitating subjects was that they were good general subjects that left a lot of doors open to you - but there's no point getting a poor grade in a subject you don't like on the off chance it keeps your options open for a degree.

(Just as an aside, Maths is the only facilitating subject you've mentioned. English Literature was defined as facilitating but English Language was not. Don't tell your Dad!)

Reply 6

Admit-One

Universities Forum Helper

As above, for the purposes of admission, facilitating subjects are now irrelevant. Subjects will be clearly listed as either ‘essential’ or ‘recommended’.

That said, related subjects can be useful for understanding whether you would actually like to take a subject in HE and also give you a base level understanding to build on. It’ll also likely be easier to write a half decent personal statement about a subject that you have some familiarity with.

Unless Maths is essential, (and it can be for many degrees), there’s not much point in taking it if it’s going to be a weaker subject. Better to get a decent grade in something you enjoy.

Reply 7

Nautilus

Original post by McGinger

Please read this ^^
While there is no such thing as "facilitating subjects" any more, some subjects are still perceived as being more heavyweight. For example English literature is more highly regarded than English language. Having said that, you should do the subjects that you enjoy and think you will get the best grades in. Achieving AAA in English language, sociology and psychology will open more doors than AAC in English language, psychology and maths. The advice usually given is don't do maths unless you get an 8 or a 9 at GCSE because the grade you get at GCSE (unless there are extenuating circumstances) will be reflected at A level.

Reply 8

rubyfweston

Original post by Nautilus

yeah that makes a lot of sense and I'm going to try explain it all to my dad.

thank you so much!

Reply 9

McGinger

Original post by Nautilus

English literature is more highly regarded than English language.

Total nonsense.
Please provide a reliable source for this claim.

Reply 10

Admit-One

Universities Forum Helper

Yeah, the only subject that isn’t universally well regarded is General Studies, and that’s been the case for decades.

Reply 11

SyedN

Original post by McGinger

Total nonsense.
Please provide a reliable source for this claim.

Yeah I thought it was the other way around, since most med schools need you to get a 6 in English Language and don’t mind what you get on English Literature.

Reply 12

McGinger

Original post by SyedN

Yeah I thought it was the other way around, since most med schools need you to get a 6 in English Language and don’t mind what you get on English Literature

All A level subjects are considered as 'equal' where a subject is not specified.
If a course prefers A level English Language over English Literature then they must state this in the entry requirements.

Reply 13

Compost

Original post by Admit-One

Yeah, the only subject that isn’t universally well regarded is General Studies, and that’s been the case for decades.

And General Studies was abolished some years ago because of this The last chance to take exams was in 2019.

Reply 14

Compost

Original post by SyedN

Yeah I thought it was the other way around, since most med schools need you to get a 6 in English Language and don’t mind what you get on English Literature.