Best A level subjects?

What are the best subjects to take at Alevel?? Best implying most impressive on a university application and most employable.

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Reply 1

ObaMartins9

Depends which way you want to go.

If you want to study science,

Maths
Chemistry
Physics
Biology (if you want to do biology!)

If you're artsy

English Lit
History
Languages

All of those are highly regarded i think- and things like Geography, Economics and Eng. Language are quite good.

Just pick traditional subjects, none of these psycology/sociology- unless you really want to study them at university

Traditional subjects just look better.

Reply 2

Prince Rhyus

The general rule is to avoid studying something that has the words "Studies" in its title.

Cambridge has guidance on this but if you're looking to go to any of the top UK universities, please see http://www.cam.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/requirements/#course

It depends what you want to go to university to study and as to which institution. Many universities allow you to choose modules outside of your courses, so there's no need to do any of them at A-Level unless you are particularly passionate about them.

If you are looking for a job in media or journalism, please AVOID media studies unless the course has a significant vocational element to it and can provide you with contacts in the field that you need.

For journalism, it's best to find a specialist subject you are interested in, do that to degree level and then do a conversion course. (Any budding environment correspondents out there are best advised to do a geography degree to learn about the subject they will be reporting on.)

Unless your heart is set on either a science/humanities/art/drama route, you are best advised to pick a group of subjects that can complement each other yet provide you with a wide-enough breadth of skills to give you the choice come university. Geography-Economics-Maths is always a strong one because it teaches you both how to write essays and how to interpret data. WHat you learn in maths can be really handy for Geography and Economics. History and English, Law and Politics, Chemistry and Physics are good ones too.

Reply 3

Bedshaped

Simple.

Maths
Economics
Politics
History

They all link. Maths --> Economics --> Politics --> History

Just take these subjects and if you get 4 A's at AS level and 3 A's at A2 your sorted.

Reply 4

Lou_

Pick the subjects that you enjoy or think you'll enjoy.
And also if you're planning on going to uni pick the ones which will be best for what you want to study.
Do you prefer science or arts?

Reply 5

tc123

Prince Rhyus

Geography-Economics-Maths is always a strong one because it teaches you both how to write essays and how to interpret data. WHat you learn in maths can be really handy for Geography and Economics. History and English, Law and Politics, Chemistry and Physics are good ones too.

That's good to hear. Purely because I enjoy them and are good at them I have chosen Maths, Economics and Geography. Do you have any recommendations for a fourth subject? Any advise would be great. :smile:

Reply 6

calcium878

Maths, Further Maths, Chemistry, Physics, Biology
MFLs, History, English Lit.

Reply 7

Don John

Again, it all depends on what ya wanna do. Ideally you should do Maths A-level AND at least English Lit. AS-level as this makes you look well-rounded.

Reply 8

calcium878

And had I done English Lit that would really aid my university application for Maths? :rolleyes:

Reply 9

Don John

it certainly wouldn't have made it worse :cool:

Reply 10

calcium878

So someone with Maths, Further Maths, Additional Further Maths and Physics (not be by the way :p:

) is worse off than someone with Maths, Physics, French and English Lit? :s:

I think not...

Reply 11

mrsmann

Definitely not Biology. Avoid doing that unless you're one of those people that enjoys that kinda stuff. Go with Further Maths, because it'd be very fun, Physics cause it's easy and highly respected, Chemistry (it's moderately difficult but very highly respected and gives you a lot of options), and do something daring like Economics or Philosophy, etc.

Reply 12

Glutamic Acid

What's additional further maths?

Reply 13

Don John

when did i once say or even imply that?

EDIT: Bah arguments are baaad, we're meant to be helping this girl choose AS-level options

Reply 14

calcium878

Glutamic Acid

What's additional further maths?

Doing 18 Maths modules will give you three A-levels in Maths.

Reply 15

Mathemagician. Funny?

I think this is stupid because everyone is going to say something different. Do the subjects that you are particularly interested in and don't do subjects that you know you won't like but only did those subjects because everybody else said it was good.

Me and the calcium guy have got a pretty handy set of subjects. Maths and Further Maths with a language in my case German, an arts subject Economics and a science both of us having Chemistry :biggrin:

. If you want to do an Arts course at university do arts subjects at a-level. If you want to do a science course at university do science subjects.

Reply 16

Don John

lol true. it's difficult to choose if you don't know what career you want to do.
my advice: do the traditional subjects you'll get A's in :smile:

Reply 17

Don John

That's some pretty good advice Mathemagician... Which ones of the Arts/ Languages/ Sciences are you doing for AS or full A2 (or are all for A2?)

Reply 18

crankycaz

I took a bit of everything really, and it was quite fun!

Reply 19

Mathemagician. Funny?

Don John

That's some pretty good advice Mathemagician... Which ones of the Arts/ Languages/ Sciences are you doing for AS or full A2 (or are all for A2?)

I've just finished my GCSEs lol. If I get all As then I will carry them all to A2 because I really liked those subjects at GCSE and have considered taking all of them alongside Maths at uni but have come to a decision of just maths at uni. I obviously can't do chemistry with maths so i considered it as a subject on its own.