The Student Room Group

A level options help

I'm in year 11 and predicted mostly A*s and nothing less than an A in my GCSEs and I really don't know what I want to do with my life, which really doesn't help me because I need to choose my A level subjects. At the moment I either want to go into medicine or engineering. I definitely want a career in either Chemistry, Biology, Maths or French or some combination of these. These are the A level options that I want to take but I don't know whether or not to take further maths instead of French. I could also try and persuade my school to let me take all 5, but would this be too much work? I know there is a jump from GCSEs to A level but I am very committed to all of these subjects and really enjoy doing further research about them. I already learn about 20-30 extra words a week for French and have a really good memory when it comes to vocabulary. I think that French A level would be quite easy for me as I find languages in general really fun and easy. I have self taught myself basic Italian and also study mandarin outside of school.
You will need to take A-level physics if you want to study any kind of engineering at any university. Don't take French.
I was exactly like you. I'm not bragging when I say I'm pretty much good at everything so that didn't help when trying to make a decision for which A levels to pick. I ended up choosing Chemistry, Physics, English Lit and Maths because I felt like they gave me a wide range of choices if I found something I liked in the future. The only one I regret choosing is probably Physics but even then it's doable.
you definitely need chemistry and bilogy for medicine, and engineering maths or physics but ideally both.Go chemistry, biology, maths and french
Reply 4
Original post by wannabe_lawyer
I was exactly like you. I'm not bragging when I say I'm pretty much good at everything so that didn't help when trying to make a decision for which A levels to pick. I ended up choosing Chemistry, Physics, English Lit and Maths because I felt like they gave me a wide range of choices if I found something I liked in the future. The only one I regret choosing is probably Physics but even then it's doable.


I know, it's not that I'm trying to show off, but there aren't any subjects that I struggle with. The only way I narrowed it down this much was by getting rid of subjects I know I definitely don't want a career in. I also wish I could study German for A levels but I think 2 languages would limit my options later on. Has anyone got experience taking further maths and would you say it was worthwhile? Most people tell me that it's pretty much the same topics as normal maths, just more difficult. If that's so, do you think universities would prefer French?
Reply 5
Original post by eviebrizzle
you definitely need chemistry and bilogy for medicine, and engineering maths or physics but ideally both.Go chemistry, biology, maths and french


If I were to go into engineering, it would be the more chemical or biological side, so I don't think I'm going to take physics a level. Do you not think that taking further maths would be worth it?
Original post by Arcticwater
I know, it's not that I'm trying to show off, but there aren't any subjects that I struggle with. The only way I narrowed it down this much was by getting rid of subjects I know I definitely don't want a career in. I also wish I could study German for A levels but I think 2 languages would limit my options later on. Has anyone got experience taking further maths and would you say it was worthwhile? Most people tell me that it's pretty much the same topics as normal maths, just more difficult. If that's so, do you think universities would prefer French?


I have a few friends who do further maths and all I can say that do it if you genuinely love maths, otherwise core maths is good enough. Have a look at a few of the specs online if you know what exam board you'll be doing. I'd choose a language over further maths but that's just me.
I would suggest physics, chemistry, maths and either French or further maths. If you're wanting to do further maths they may let you take 5 but I wouldn't recommend it. It's too much pressure and regardless of how smart you are it will be unnecessary stress. I would suggest 3/4. Being very good at GCSE doesn't mean you will have an aptitude for a levels automatically, so to swamp yourself with such a workload could hinder your understanding and doesn't make much sense. Chemistry and Physics means that you have doors open for both medicine and engineering. Physics shouldn't really be taken without maths and you may need this for physics related degrees. If you're an excellent mathematician I would recommend further maths, but if you don't enjoy maths that much I would recommend French as it opens a lot of doors.
However, the most important thing is to take things you enjoy!!
Original post by Arcticwater
If I were to go into engineering, it would be the more chemical or biological side, so I don't think I'm going to take physics a level. Do you not think that taking further maths would be worth it?


Have you browsed university requirements? Are the engineering courses you'd want to do definitely ok with you not having physics?

I would recommend doing both bio and chem if you're aiming for medicine. Whilst it is technically possible to get into medicine without biology, it severely limits your options which can be fatal to an application.

I actually did bio, chem, phys, maths and FM, and as I had a good natural aptitude for maths in particular found it fine. However, I would not recommend it. Medicine applications in particular require a lot of time to be dedicated to voluntary work, work experience, UKCAT/BMAT preparation and interview preparation, plus any other extracurriculars you take on. The last thing you want to happen is any of these things, or your grades to suffer because you took on too much. Someone with A*A*A is better than someone with AABBB, and someone with A*AA plus great voluntary work and work experience is better than someone with A*A*A*A*A* with nothing. From a medicine perspective.
Reply 9
If you want to do Engineering you'll definitely need to do Physics as it's the basis of the whole subject, I'm not sure a lot of universities will let you on an engineering course without it. Further Maths can be useful especially Mechanics but it's nothing you can't teach yourself in your own time.
A language is a good option, I wish I'd have done it at A Level too, bear in mind though that nearly all uni's offer a university wide language programme so if you don't do it now you can always do it later.
Good Luck!
As someone applying for medicine myself, the only A level required is chemistry, so definitely do that!! They also want either another science or maths, so physics would be fine. As for engineering, I know they wants physics, maths and potentially further maths. My friend who is going into engineering is taking physics, further maths and French (she is also very good at French) so I would say perhaps physics chemistry maths and French?
If you don't mind me asking, what grades did you get in your A levels? If you'd prefer not to say, that's fine. Do you think you would have done better if you had only taken 4 subjects? Also did you manage to fit in extra work experience? If so, how? Thank you.
Original post by charlottem27
As someone applying for medicine myself, the only A level required is chemistry, so definitely do that!! They also want either another science or maths, so physics would be fine. As for engineering, I know they wants physics, maths and potentially further maths. My friend who is going into engineering is taking physics, further maths and French (she is also very good at French) so I would say perhaps physics chemistry maths and French?


I know biology is technically not required for Medicine and Physics may be a better choice in that respect, however none of my teachers recommend not taking biology. Has anyone got experience in doing a medicine degree without biology a level?
Original post by 1c8e2
If you want to do Engineering you'll definitely need to do Physics as it's the basis of the whole subject, I'm not sure a lot of universities will let you on an engineering course without it. Further Maths can be useful especially Mechanics but it's nothing you can't teach yourself in your own time.
A language is a good option, I wish I'd have done it at A Level too, bear in mind though that nearly all uni's offer a university wide language programme so if you don't do it now you can always do it later.
Good Luck!


Thank you!
If I were to go into engineering it would be chemical engineering and while this is still very physics related, there are some places where it's not required. Although it is highly recommended at most places so maybe I should go for Physics instead of French.
Original post by Arcticwater
If you don't mind me asking, what grades did you get in your A levels? If you'd prefer not to say, that's fine. Do you think you would have done better if you had only taken 4 subjects? Also did you manage to fit in extra work experience? If so, how? Thank you.


Are you talking to me? Try the reply button to create a quote.

I got 5As which was the max at the time (This was 8 years ago now :p: ), but I had a friend who also did 5: She got a mix of A*/A at GCSE, but couldn't cope with 5 and ended up getting like ABCDD or something similar - the risks are real (she was taking 5 humanities/arts, which i think is a lot harder and may have contributed).

I fit in some voluntary work by basically having no free periods and never revising for anything because i didn't need to. Don't mean to be arrogant but that's how it was. If you aren't the kind of person that can do that then don't take 5.

Original post by Arcticwater
I know biology is technically not required for Medicine and Physics may be a better choice in that respect, however none of my teachers recommend not taking biology. Has anyone got experience in doing a medicine degree without biology a level?


I know someone who did, but that's not the problem. The problem is whether you'll get in in the first place. There's only a handful of schools left for you to apply to without biology and if you don't meet their GCSE/UKCAT criteria then you're screwed, even assuming you don't mind living in north Scotland/Northern Ireland/central London wherever you consider undesirable.
(edited 7 years ago)

Quick Reply

Latest