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Economics or further maths

For my fourth AS I need to choose between economics and further maths, but I am not sure which one would benefit me more, I enjoy both subjects and have done both at GCSE level. I am also doing Biology, chemistry and maths.
Further maths would be useful for either a maths degree or engineering.
Economics would make my options more open possibly and is less difficult.
(edited 2 years ago)

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What is your intended degree subject?
Original post by CloverBoo
For my fourth AS I need to choose between economics and further maths, but I am not sure which one would benefit me more, I enjoy both subjects and have done both at GCSE level. I am also doing Biology, chemistry and maths.
Further maths would be useful for either a maths degree or engineering.
Economics would make my options more open possibly and is less difficult.

The only choice for 4 would be F Maths - I wouldn't advise 4 otherwise.
Reply 3
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Original post by Muttley79
The only choice for 4 would be F Maths - I wouldn't advise 4 otherwise.

we have to do 4
I don't think Economics would open more options than further maths. (I don't think it'd be especially useful unless you wanted to do economics or something closely related) It might be easier than FM for you depending on how good you are at maths.

You wouldn't really be able to do an engineering degree without physics. FM may be worthwhile if you wanted to do a chemistry degree at a top university, and you would make your life more difficult for a maths degree by not taking FM.
(edited 2 years ago)
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Original post by McGinger
What is your intended degree subject?

I am not sure but possibly maths or medicine
Original post by CloverBoo
I am not sure but possibly maths or medicine

If you are considering a maths degree and have the opportunity to take FM, (and would realistically do well) you should take FM.
(edited 2 years ago)
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Original post by _gcx
I don't think Economics would open more options than further maths. (I don't think it'd be especially useful unless you wanted to do economics or something closely related) It might be easier than FM for you depending on how good you are at maths.

You wouldn't really be able to do an engineering degree without physics. FM may be worthwhile if you wanted to do a chemistry degree at a top university.

That is why I wanted to do further maths because it would be useful for a maths degree if I did one
Original post by CloverBoo
That is why I wanted to do further maths because it would be useful for a maths degree if I did one

Definitely. Between that and economics I'd definitely do FM. If you decide to go into medicine instead and went off maths, you could drop FM and just go forward with maths/chemistry/biology.
Reply 9
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Original post by _gcx
Definitely. Between that and economics I'd definitely do FM. If you decide to go into medicine instead and went off maths, you could drop FM and just go forward with maths/chemistry/biology.

okay thanks for the help I really appreciate it
Do the subject where a) you think you will get the highest grade, and b) that you will enjoy the most.

But remember - no Uni wants more than 3 A levels, and unless you need FM specifically, all the advice is don't do 4 subjects.
Taking 4, you risk getting weak grades in all subjects - and AAA will always look better than ABBB.
I did Economics A-Level, and I'm studying Economics at University atm. If I had the choice, I would've picked further maths instead of Economics. Alas, my GCSEs weren't high enough for the school rip :frown:
Reply 12
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Original post by McGinger
Do the subject where a) you think you will get the highest grade, and b) that you will enjoy the most.

But remember - no Uni wants more than 3 A levels, and unless you need FM specifically, all the advice is don't do 4 subjects.
Taking 4, you risk getting weak grades in all subjects - and AAA will always look better than ABBB.

I would like to do 3 but our school makes us do 4 I enjoy both economics and further maths so it is really hard to make a decision, because if I did further maths I would have to go through with it because in order to do further maths A level in our school you do the whole A level maths in yr 12 and then the further maths A level in yr 13, which is why I have to make a choice now.
Reply 13
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Original post by econhelp525
I did Economics A-Level, and I'm studying Economics at University atm. If I had the choice, I would've picked further maths instead of Economics. Alas, my GCSEs weren't high enough for the school rip :frown:

Why would you have picked further maths instead of economics?
Do you not like economics?
Original post by _gcx
Definitely. Between that and economics I'd definitely do FM. If you decide to go into medicine instead and went off maths, you could drop FM and just go forward with maths/chemistry/biology.

Since you're doing it consecutively instead of parallel, I'd add that this might be a bit more difficult. Universities can be funny if you are only sitting 2 A-levels in year 13, so if you were to drop down to 3 you'd have to be careful as to when you did it.
Original post by _gcx
Since you're doing it consecutively instead of parallel, I'd add that this might be a bit more difficult. Universities can be funny if you are only sitting 2 A-levels in year 13, so if you were to drop down to 3 you'd have to be careful as to when you did it.

Usually this is totally okay if its school practice - and this is explained in the reference.
Original post by pxrx_dx
Why would you have picked further maths instead of economics?
Do you not like economics?


Further maths would've been so much more useful than Economics. I haven't used my Economics A-Level at all at University. It literally wasn't helpful. Especially Macroeconomics, that was probably the least helpful, and like almost nothing like how it is at University.

I do Economics and Econometrics at York, btw.
since you are already doing biology, chemistry, maths - what career sector are you thinking of doing?

As you've mentioned economics will definitely give you a better career path as it opens many doors.

Maths and economics compliment each other very well so if you do end up doing economics at degree level it will look fantastic on your application although you may want to be cautious about the content and how to manage your time efficiently.

What exam board is your economics a level?
Original post by dingdongbtches
since you are already doing biology, chemistry, maths - what career sector are you thinking of doing?

As you've mentioned economics will definitely give you a better career path as it opens many doors.

Maths and economics compliment each other very well so if you do end up doing economics at degree level it will look fantastic on your application although you may want to be cautious about the content and how to manage your time efficiently.

What exam board is your economics a level?

at top universities, maths opens more (lucrative) doors than an economics degree.
Would recommend doing further maths, no good university requires A-level economics for an economics degree, some top ones (LSE, Cambridge, UCL) will softly required you to do further maths.
Reply 19
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Original post by pxrx_dx
Why would you have picked further maths instead of economics?
Do you not like economics?


Original post by dingdongbtches
since you are already doing biology, chemistry, maths - what career sector are you thinking of doing?

As you've mentioned economics will definitely give you a better career path as it opens many doors.

Maths and economics compliment each other very well so if you do end up doing economics at degree level it will look fantastic on your application although you may want to be cautious about the content and how to manage your time efficiently.

What exam board is your economics a level?

I think Edexcel

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