The Student Room Group

Still don't know what to do in September

Some of you may remember me lol. I've made so many topics about this in the past few months. And I still don't know what to do.
I can't choose between A Levels (psychology sociology english) or BTEC applied science. I'm interested in the A Level subjects but I had a past experience with A Levels that really put me off. I don't think I'm intelligent enough to do A Levels and I don't want to sacrifice my mental health just to get into uni.
Or I could do BTEC applied science. I hate chemistry and just in general I don't really like science, although biology is alright. This is mainly only an option because I did BTEC in the past and I know how goddamn easy they are. So my mental health wouldn't suffer.

I get easily overwhelmed by things so I feel like A Levels wouldn't be good for me. But I also kinda hate science. Please someone help me decide, I've been thinking about it since May and I still haven't come to a conclusion. My college interview is TOMORROW at 9am.
(edited 5 years ago)
Honestly I kind of regret doing English since I was only ever going to achieve a C in it but Ioved the experience of actually doing English.
Original post by YasudaSayo
Some of you may remember me lol. I've made so many topics about this in the past few months. And I still don't know what to do.
I can't choose between A Levels (psychology sociology english) or BTEC applied science. I'm interested in the A Level subjects but I had a past experience with A Levels that really put me off. I don't think I'm intelligent enough to do A Levels and I don't want to sacrifice my mental health just to get into uni.
Or I could do BTEC applied science. I hate chemistry and just in general I don't really like science, although biology is alright. This is mainly only an option because I did BTEC in the past and I know how goddamn easy they are. So my mental health wouldn't suffer.

I get easily overwhelmed by things so I feel like A Levels wouldn't be good for me. But I also kinda hate science. Please someone help me decide, I've been thinking about it since May and I still haven't come to a conclusion. My college interview is TOMORROW at 9am.


It sounds like you would rather do BTec, but you are worried about whether you will get on with science as a subject. Has something about it upset you previously? It might be different when studying it as a BTec - you might not hit the same problem. Try to nail what is was - teacher, who you were studying it with, vocabulary, having to handle chemicals, using maths, homework projects, other people's thoughts on the subject.....

If you have a clear idea of what has left you with the thought that you might not enjoy it, you can focus more clearly on whether there might be ways round it to help you succeed with the BTec.

When I did O-level biology, I really didn't get on with the botany side, probably because I am rubbish at drawing. When I was at home revising in May, Aqualegia were in flower in the garden, and it was really helpful to work out the petals, sepals, stigma, style etc, and I got drawn in. Still didn't do A-level Biology though!

I hope the interview tomorrow goes well - the staff want to see their students do well.

All the best
Reply 3
Original post by YasudaSayo
Some of you may remember me lol. I've made so many topics about this in the past few months. And I still don't know what to do.
I can't choose between A Levels (psychology sociology english) or BTEC applied science. I'm interested in the A Level subjects but I had a past experience with A Levels that really put me off. I don't think I'm intelligent enough to do A Levels and I don't want to sacrifice my mental health just to get into uni.
Or I could do BTEC applied science. I hate chemistry and just in general I don't really like science, although biology is alright. This is mainly only an option because I did BTEC in the past and I know how goddamn easy they are. So my mental health wouldn't suffer.

I get easily overwhelmed by things so I feel like A Levels wouldn't be good for me. But I also kinda hate science. Please someone help me decide, I've been thinking about it since May and I still haven't come to a conclusion. My college interview is TOMORROW at 9am.


tbh, whatever u do, there are going to be difficulties and if youre interested in those alevels, then do them because if u have an interest in them, it will be much easier to do the work than to do work that you absolutely hate. I mean at the end of the day you're not going to do something you're completely okay with, but that's fine because sometimes you have to do things you dont want to do in order to get something you want

so honestly its up to you

i recommend those alevels

also advice about alevels is if you get work set, do the work. so do everything as soon as its set, that will make your life MUCH easier, i know its simple and obvious but majority dont follow that

good luck, whatever you choose
Reply 4
Original post by Volibear
Well I don't think you should do BTEC science if you hate science. You sound marginally more passionate about the A-level subjects you'd take so maybe that's the direction. What happened last time with A-levels? Also, you don't have to go university straight after school (or at all). If you want to take A-levels but feel you may struggle, get yourself help from the start. I know being overwhelmed easily is hard to live with but it's something you really need to get managed if you want to get through life. You can't always pick the easy route.


Last year I did biology psychology and philosophy. Psychology was fine but the other two were just crazy. It wasn't gradual at all, I stepped in and we were already doing crazy ****. Like it was beyond crazy. Also GCSEs are a big factor, I revised like crazy and came out with mostly Bs, only 1 A grade but that was in a subject that had coursework. I did BTEC childcare for the rest of the year but I dropped it because I couldn't do the practical due to anxiety. Now I'm starting year 12 all over again but I have no idea what to do. BTEC seems like the right option for me because I'm a weak willed idiot but I despise chemistry and BTEC still has exams. I am in no way 'passionate' about the A Level subjects like you said, I like psychology (was always an A* student at GCSE but got a B in the real thing) and sociology seems interesting but I barely passed English at GCSE.
Reply 5
Original post by Zeetingman
Honestly I kind of regret doing English since I was only ever going to achieve a C in it but Ioved the experience of actually doing English.


I hated English at GCSE, I'm only wanting to do it at A Level because it seems to be quite different. Is this the case
Reply 6
Original post by Holmstock
It sounds like you would rather do BTec, but you are worried about whether you will get on with science as a subject. Has something about it upset you previously? It might be different when studying it as a BTec - you might not hit the same problem. Try to nail what is was - teacher, who you were studying it with, vocabulary, having to handle chemicals, using maths, homework projects, other people's thoughts on the subject.....

If you have a clear idea of what has left you with the thought that you might not enjoy it, you can focus more clearly on whether there might be ways round it to help you succeed with the BTec.

When I did O-level biology, I really didn't get on with the botany side, probably because I am rubbish at drawing. When I was at home revising in May, Aqualegia were in flower in the garden, and it was really helpful to work out the petals, sepals, stigma, style etc, and I got drawn in. Still didn't do A-level Biology though!

I hope the interview tomorrow goes well - the staff want to see their students do well.

All the best


Science I've never really liked or even found interesting. Human biology is all I like, everything else is boring and hard and I find it to all be quite petty. Just when I read about science practicals and things my heart drops and I just get this huge feeling of 'ugh'... But I need to do a BTEC because they're piss easy. I have this mindset where I need to do whatever I can at college just so I can get into uni. Taking A Levels would be me signing up for failure, I think. Either fail my exams or end up killing myself, no joke or exaggeration.
Reply 7
Original post by Volibear
I think you should really consider getting help for your anxiety first. This isn't so much about what you should do, but how you should do it. It looks like it's holding you back from a lot and this won't get better.


Yeah that would be great but I need to make a decision like literally right now. Have to go to bed soon and my college interview is at 9am.
Reply 8
bump, please someone help me
Original post by YasudaSayo
Yeah that would be great but I need to make a decision like literally right now. Have to go to bed soon and my college interview is at 9am.


One of the best ways to make a snap decision is to toss a coin and see if you can live with the result - if not, choose the other option!

But the poster above is right - life is not a race against others - live it at your own pace and enjoy the scenery

All the best

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