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A Level choices - Chemistry vs French with maths/physics

Hi,
So I know I'm definitely taking maths, further maths, and physics, since I want (I think) to go into physics or computing, but I don't know which out of chemistry, computing, and French to choose for my fourth A level.
Chemistry is something I'm good at, and it'd be good to have another science subject, but my GCSE teacher's really put me off it, and it all seems to be memorising answers and advantages/disadvantages of processes, rather than learning actual /chemistry/, which is the only bit I'm really enjoying doing.
Computing is something I enjoy at GCSE, but no university says it actually needs it for a degree, and it's not a "facilitating subject". However, universities want to see that you really like your subject, so not taking it when I could have done might look a bit odd.
And French is something I'm good at and I really like, but it's not really directly relevant to anything I want to do - it wouldn't really help with an application to do physics, unlike the other two.
Help, please? :smile:
Reply 1
If you want an interesting, contrasting, and facilitating subject (and I'm being slightly biased here), French is a great way to go. If you're enjoying it now, it should get better at AS and it definitely gets more interesting at A2.

Otherwise, I would say to not let your opinions of teachers at GCSE influence your A-Level decisions, but if you're not enjoying it as much as you enjoy other subjects, chances are that will continue - don't take a subject just because it looks good, you'll probably do better if you go for something you enjoy, especially if you can explain your choices.
Reply 2
Original post by TIF141
Hi,
So I know I'm definitely taking maths, further maths, and physics, since I want (I think) to go into physics or computing, but I don't know which out of chemistry, computing, and French to choose for my fourth A level.
Chemistry is something I'm good at, and it'd be good to have another science subject, but my GCSE teacher's really put me off it, and it all seems to be memorising answers and advantages/disadvantages of processes, rather than learning actual /chemistry/, which is the only bit I'm really enjoying doing.
Computing is something I enjoy at GCSE, but no university says it actually needs it for a degree, and it's not a "facilitating subject". However, universities want to see that you really like your subject, so not taking it when I could have done might look a bit odd.
And French is something I'm good at and I really like, but it's not really directly relevant to anything I want to do - it wouldn't really help with an application to do physics, unlike the other two.
Help, please? :smile:


If you're dropping the subject after AS, pick anything. Unis don't care what subject your AS is in generally.

Chemistry A level is considerably more actual Chemistry than GCSE level - I really enjoy it, you learn mechanisms and stuff which sounds more up your street. It is, in general, the science people find the hardest, and one of the biggest steps up from GCSE, but if you think you can/want to do it then go for it!
Everyone I know who does computing A level finds it exceptionally boring/useless (to the extent that a straight A/A* student just dropped it halfway through the year for no other reason). However their teacher is pretty awful and you say you enjoy the GCSE - it might be worth having a look at the specification or something to see what you'll be learning and whether it will actually still be enjoyable for you?
Take French if you want to. Your other 3 subjects fill the requirements easily - for Physics, they want Physics and Maths and Further Maths is a great bonus so you've already got a strong set there, and I'm guessing Computing want Maths?

Basically though, even if you're not dropping it after AS, pick your fourth subject based on enjoyment. It is highly unlikely to impact your application at all, and you'll find college a lot better with subjects you like :smile:
the three sciences are very hard at alevel, im only doing biology and it impossible and i have friends doing chem and physics and they are struggling. do what you get an A in, the jump from GCSE to Alevel is bigger than you think
Reply 4
Ok, thanks for the responses. I think I'm definitely not doing computing, then. There doesn't really seem to be much point if it doesn't help you get onto a degree (which I might not even want to do).
The thing is, I'm not really enjoying French or chemistry in the way that I am the other subjects I'm taking, so that makes the decision harder. Some parts of chemistry I really like - as I said, the bits about how stuff actually works - but then some of it just seems like memorisation of stuff for no real reason, like what happens with (in)soluble salts and metals and solutions and whateverdoesitevenreallymatter
French is something I'm moderately enjoying at the minute, but sometimes it just feels so 'shallow', for want of a better word. Like, we're doing our final writing assessment at the minute, and it's "describe your favourite subjects", "what was your work experience like", and it's just so dull! I like reading and listening to actual French articles/YouTubers, etc., but the little paragraphs we get of why Pierre likes his school just feel a bit pointless :s-smilie:
How much of this remains the same for A level?

And I'm intending to do 4 full A levels - my sixth form isn't going to do ASs with the new system
(edited 9 years ago)
I know this thread is probably dead by now but if you look at this I was wondering what subject you ended up deciding to because I'm in the same situation as you, Chemistry or French. I want to do physics with a year abroad course and then onto a physics PHD but I don't know wether to do Chemistry or French. I love French so much and Chemistry as you said is rather boring for the most part but still interesting? If that makes sense. Help?
Original post by PuppyDog5832
I know this thread is probably dead by now but if you look at this I was wondering what subject you ended up deciding to because I'm in the same situation as you, Chemistry or French. I want to do physics with a year abroad course and then onto a physics PHD but I don't know wether to do Chemistry or French. I love French so much and Chemistry as you said is rather boring for the most part but still interesting? If that makes sense. Help?


I personally can't relate to enjoying French, however I did choose maths, chemistry and physics at a level so might be able to help a bit there :smile: there's a lot more maths in chem at a level, which I personally enjoy. I struggle with the organic (more-learning based) side of chemistry - it is more interesting than GCSE, however there is quite a bit so it gets more confusing - of you start early that would be easier though :h:

What grades are you predicted to get at GCSE in each of those subjects? It sounds to me like you prefer French to chemistry - if this is the case I definitely recommend French :smile:
Reply 7
Original post by PuppyDog5832
I know this thread is probably dead by now but if you look at this I was wondering what subject you ended up deciding to because I'm in the same situation as you, Chemistry or French. I want to do physics with a year abroad course and then onto a physics PHD but I don't know wether to do Chemistry or French. I love French so much and Chemistry as you said is rather boring for the most part but still interesting? If that makes sense. Help?


Hey, sorry it took me like 5 months to reply to you, it's probably not relevant now!

But in the end I chose chemistry, and I have to say I think for me it was definitely the right choice.

I quite enjoyed most of chemistry and it definitely completemented some parts of physics, including making me familiar with some things in my first year uni course that weren't really mentioned in A level physics (noteably lots of moles stuff and entropy). But of course everything's taught from scratch anyway so it's not a massive advantage. I found it really interesting for the most part and very different (in a good way) from GCSE (way more 'sciencey':wink:. I found it probably the most difficult of my 4 subjects but if you like maths and physics it's less intimidating :smile:

I was able to keep up my French via self-study in my spare time though during sixth form, and this year I've taken an elective French module alongside my physics, so overall it's worked out quite well I would say! I'm not doing a year abroad course but I'm got some summer work in France this year and I'm going to try and do a project/work experience/internship/something like that in France next summer.

Looking back, I would say that languages are something you can pick up as you go along if you want to whereas that's much harder with a science subject if you're interested in it. But of course you don't want to be studying something you'll dislike for 2 years. If you're really interested in French but still not sure whether to take it I'd recommend looking at language requirements for studying abroad and whether any unis you're interested in offer language options.

Hope that helps at all, feel free to ask any questions if you like :smile:
Reply 8
Original post by TIF141
Hi,
So I know I'm definitely taking maths, further maths, and physics, since I want (I think) to go into physics or computing, but I don't know which out of chemistry, computing, and French to choose for my fourth A level.
Chemistry is something I'm good at, and it'd be good to have another science subject, but my GCSE teacher's really put me off it, and it all seems to be memorising answers and advantages/disadvantages of processes, rather than learning actual /chemistry/, which is the only bit I'm really enjoying doing.
Computing is something I enjoy at GCSE, but no university says it actually needs it for a degree, and it's not a "facilitating subject". However, universities want to see that you really like your subject, so not taking it when I could have done might look a bit odd.
And French is something I'm good at and I really like, but it's not really directly relevant to anything I want to do - it wouldn't really help with an application to do physics, unlike the other two.
Help, please? :smile:


If you wanted to do a career in physics or computing then it would be more useful to do chemistry as it's a good combination. Be careful with four subjects too as it's a lot of content to learn! You could always do french in your spare time, maybe downloading an app to help you revive your skills?
Original post by TIF141
Hey, sorry it took me like 5 months to reply to you, it's probably not relevant now!

But in the end I chose chemistry, and I have to say I think for me it was definitely the right choice.

I quite enjoyed most of chemistry and it definitely completemented some parts of physics, including making me familiar with some things in my first year uni course that weren't really mentioned in A level physics (noteably lots of moles stuff and entropy). But of course everything's taught from scratch anyway so it's not a massive advantage. I found it really interesting for the most part and very different (in a good way) from GCSE (way more 'sciencey':wink:. I found it probably the most difficult of my 4 subjects but if you like maths and physics it's less intimidating :smile:

I was able to keep up my French via self-study in my spare time though during sixth form, and this year I've taken an elective French module alongside my physics, so overall it's worked out quite well I would say! I'm not doing a year abroad course but I'm got some summer work in France this year and I'm going to try and do a project/work experience/internship/something like that in France next summer.

Looking back, I would say that languages are something you can pick up as you go along if you want to whereas that's much harder with a science subject if you're interested in it. But of course you don't want to be studying something you'll dislike for 2 years. If you're really interested in French but still not sure whether to take it I'd recommend looking at language requirements for studying abroad and whether any unis you're interested in offer language options.

Hope that helps at all, feel free to ask any questions if you like :smile:

Hi could you share your a level results with us if you don't mind. Thx!

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