Which subject should I take as my fifth A-Level?

Hi, I'm going to start my A-Levels in September (Distance Learning) and I want to take five subjects.

I'm sure about:
1. History - Linear
2. Economics - Linear
3. Philosophy - AS+A2
4. Government & Politics - AS+A2

But I'm having trouble deciding my fifth subject :frown:

which one should I take between:

English Lit - Linear
Classical Civilisation - AS+A2
Geography - AS+A2

Reply 1

josh_v

Original post by ElisaR

which one should I take between:

English Lit - Linear
Classical Civilisation - AS+A2
Geography - AS+A2

What do you intend to do afterwards?

Reply 2

vela1

Would suggest Geography but it depends how good your colouring-in skills are.

Reply 3

ElisaR

Original post by josh_v

What do you intend to do afterwards?

Law

Reply 4

ElisaR

Original post by vela1

Would suggest Geography but it depends how good your colouring-in skills are.

OMG...You're so funny!

Reply 5

josh_v

Original post by ElisaR

Law

I guess by your 5th A level it doesn't make too much difference. Just go with whatever interests you. Why do you think its better to take a 5th rather than putting 25% more time in to the original 4 you have already chosen.

Reply 6

ElisaR

Original post by josh_v

Because I only did five subjects (fast-track) at iGCSE (I don't live in England and I had many reasons for doing so) so I was trying to compensate the lack of iGCSEs subjects through A-Levels.

Reply 7

hockham jaynsaw

Original post by josh_v

You mean 20 percent extra time.

time spent over 5 subjects per subject = 100/5 = 20%.
by dropping 1 subject, you gain an extra 5% to give to each subject (20/4), meaning you now spend 25% of your time on each subject, but the increase is 1/5 (or 20%).

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 8

josh_v

Original post by hockham jaynsaw

You mean 20 percent extra time.

time spent over 5 subjects per subject = 100/5 = 20%.
by dropping 1 subject, you an extra 5% to give to each subject (20/4), meaning you now spend 25% of your time on each subject, but the increase is 1/5 (or 20%).

For simplicity, imagine you study 5 hours a day. If you study 5 subjects, you have 1 hour per subject per day. Now remove one of those subjects and redistribute that hour to the other 4 subjects. Thats an additional 15 minutes per subject. The time spent per subject has increased from 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. Thats a 25% increase.

Reply 9

hockham jaynsaw

Original post by josh_v

5 hours / 5 subject = 1 hour per subject
5 hours / 4 subjects = 1.25 hours.
25% increase.

5 hours / 5 subjects = 1 hour per subject
1 hour to spread over the remaining 4.
1/5 = 20% increase.

So per subject it's a 25% increase but your net time increases by 20%? Is that correct? maths at 1:41 not good!

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 10

josh_v

Original post by hockham jaynsaw

5 hours / 5 subject = 1 hour per subject
5 hours / 4 hours a day = 1.25 hours.
25% increase.

5 hours / 5 subjects = 1 hour per subject
1 hour to spread over the remaining 4.
1/5 = 20% increase.

So per subject it's a 25% increase but your net time increases by 20%? Is that correct? maths at 1:41 not good!

Net time remains constant at 5 hours. I don't really understand your confusion if I'm honest.

Reply 11

hockham jaynsaw

Original post by josh_v

Net time remains constant at 5 hours. I don't really understand your confusion if I'm honest.

Well lets say you study english, maths, physics, chemistry and history. 1 hour each during AS per subject
You flunk the english exam and so drop it at a2 but use the same amount of your time to study for the remaining 4 subjects. you have an extra hour out of the 5 to play around with. Why isn't this a 20% increase in time to revise for the other 4 subjects? That seems intuitively correct to me.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 12

josh_v

Original post by hockham jaynsaw

Your time to revise remains constant. Whatever way you look at it, you revise for 5 hours. There is no increase in total available time, only in time you can spend on each subject.

Reply 13

hockham jaynsaw

Original post by josh_v

Your time to revise remains constant. Whatever way you look at it, you revise for 5 hours. There is no increase in total available time, only in time you can spend on each subject.

No, you're correct that the time is still 5 hours. That's not my confusion.

If your maximum capacity for revision is 5 hours a day, then for 5 subjects you have 1 hour x 5, right? for 4 subjects, you have 1 hour x 4 + 1 hour left over.
Now, that 1 extra hour out of the 5 is 20%. An extra 20% to spend on 4 subjects that you wouldn't have had if you'd studied 5. Doesn't that mean that if you decide to study 4 over 5 subjects, you have an extra 20% of revision time?

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 14

josh_v

Original post by hockham jaynsaw

Yes. You free up 20% of your time (1hour) and divide that by 4 other topics (which you already study for 1 hour each) hence you can study each topic for an additional 25% of the time. 1 hour + (1hour/4) = 1 hour 15 minutes. Thats an increase of 25% per subject.

Reply 15

hockham jaynsaw

Original post by josh_v

Yes. So as I tried to say before. You have a overall gain of 20% revision time over the 4 subjects, but 25% per subject. That was what I was trying to say. :biggrin:

Reply 16

josh_v

Original post by hockham jaynsaw

Yes. So as I tried to say before. You have a overall gain of 20% revision time over the 4 subjects, but 25% per subject. That was what I was trying to say. :biggrin:

No. Originally I said you increase your time on each subject by 25%. You said I was incorrect and that you increase your time by 20%.

Reply 17

hockham jaynsaw

Original post by josh_v

No. Originally I said you increase your time on each subject by 25%. You said I was incorrect and that you increase your time by 20%.

'Why do you think its better to take a 5th rather than putting 25% more time in to the original 4 you have already chosen.'

To me, that doesn't read like 'per subject', which is why I disputed it. Just an error in communication.