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Are my A-Level choices broad enough?

Right now ive got in mind:

Economics
Biology
Psychology
English Literature

I wish to become a psychologist when I'm older since I know I don't have the grades to be a doctor(I've got 3 B's which shuts the door out for that route in life plus I have a major gripe against chemistry...as in I can't get my head around it and personally I'm not interested in it due to the fact I like science which applies to humans and animals right now,my favourite subject in biology is stem cells by far.)

I like the following subjects:
Business studies
R.S
English
Biology
Psychology-havent done it before but done some brief reading on it and seems interesting
Economics-same as the above except one of my teacher's was explaining supply and demand to me and I got interested.

I dislike:
History
Geography
Maths
Physics
Chemistry

and I won't do:
Drama/Media Studies
Art-i done for gcse and i'm touted to get a B but I don't have the patience for that subject.

What are the best universities interms of job prospects for psychology?
What can i do over the holiday to be better prepared?

Reply 1

girlygiggle

Original post by scrawlx101

Hello,

I think your A-Level options are definitely broad enough. Are they subjects you enjoy? If they are, you are more likely to be interested and motivated in them. And about becoming a doctor. Do you mean you got 3Bs in your gcses? That by no means, stops your original thought to become a doctor. Its your A-Levels that matter.
You don't have to do psychology at A-level to be accepted onto a course at university to do psychology, although of course it will help. And anyway, psychology is a great subject. I've just finished my A levels, psychology being one of them and it was extremely interesting.

Over the holidays I would just suggest reading the specifications for your particular exam boards in the subjects you want to take. Don't worry too much about reading up on the subjects now. There will be plenty of time for that when you start A-levels.

So overall, I think you have chosen some good subjects. Feel free to ask me about A-Level psychology (especially if you are doing AQA A) or anything about A-levels in general and I will try to help :smile:

Reply 2

scrawlx101

I got a B in core,addtional science(waiting on further) and got a B in maths.

Any tips for EPQ? Struggling to think of a topic today...it's compulsory.

Reply 3

scrawlx101

Can you give me an example of a psychology question and how you would answer it? What uni are you hoping to goto and what job are you aiming for?

Reply 4

girlygiggle

Those grades are absolutely fine in those subjects so if you want to be a doctor - go for it!!
I haven't done the EPQ but I know it can help quite a bit in getting into uni - try not to pick something that overlaps with your subjects in what you are studying in them.

As for a psychology question - the specs do vary a lot between the exam boards. But as an example, in AS (AQA A exam board) the questions were more short answer with the longest being an 8 marker (I think). Details of studies are particularly important at AS, but less so at A2 - I will try and find some questions from the exam paper I took and post them here. At A2, the questions are more long answer and can be up to 24 marks. You are marked on AO1 (description) and AO2 (evaluation).
Topics can vary. At AS I studied, memory, attachment, research methods, individual differences and stress. At A2 I studied, Research methods (which goes into more detail than AS), depression, media psychology, eating behaviour, aggression and gender

As for uni, I am hoping to get into Exeter to study Geography and Psychology :smile:

Reply 5

girlygiggle

At AS a short answer question for memory might be explaining the difference between the capacity of short and long-term memory (2 marks).

A long answer question might be outline and evaluate research into the effects of misleading information on eyewitness testimony (8 marks). A key study to use for this question would be Loftus and Palmer.

At A2, the questions are more "predictable" eg: discuss social psychological theories of aggression.

For more questions, take a look on the website of the exam board your school has chosen for psychology. Hope this helps :smile:

Reply 6

scrawlx101

Yep,ot helped fourtanetly my exam board is AQA A like you.Did you do a section on the american marshmalow experiment and something about electric shocks+obdience to do with soilders?

Reply 7

girlygiggle

Original post by scrawlx101

Yep,ot helped fourtanetly my exam board is AQA A like you.Did you do a section on the american marshmalow experiment and something about electric shocks+obdience to do with soilders?

I don't remember the marshmallow experiment, but for the electric shock experiment, I think you might be referring to Milgram's experiment. That is a very interesting study which helps when it comes to revision, as usually interesting pieces of information are the easiest to remember.