Are Maths, Physics and Chemistry good subjects for A-Levels?

I'm currently in my final year of GCSEs, and I have to pick my A-Levels soon. Honestly speaking I want to be a pilot, but if you know anything about that it's that the training for it is very expensive, about £100,000. Being a pilot without a backup degree is pretty risky too since the aviation industry is unpredictable.

My parents wanted me to do medicine but I heavily dislike that (and Biology), so we made a compromise. I decided that I'd put Optometry down as my first choice, though I'm not really sure if my A-Levels would be helpful for it. I did look through some university entry requirements and most said you don't need Biology, just two science subjects. I'm just a bit scared though that I won't get into Optometry and I can't think of any other course that's not directly in the medicine factor that would accept people who didn't do Biology.

For some background, Physics and Chemistry are my strongest subjects (As and A*s), and I'm alright at Maths too. Biology is a bit of a struggle for me right now. I can and do get an A in all my Biology mocks, but I definitely have to put in work and none of the content comes to me easily, which is why I don't wanna do it for A-Levels. But I feel like that narrows down the courses I can do, unless there's something else I haven't heard of yet. I know there's Pharmacy, but Pharmacy doesn't seem all that appealing to me. Any advice/feedback would be great!

I'm currently in my final year of GCSEs, and I have to pick my A-Levels soon. Honestly speaking I want to be a pilot, but if you know anything about that it's that the training for it is very expensive, about £100,000. Being a pilot without a backup degree is pretty risky too since the aviation industry is unpredictable.

My parents wanted me to do medicine but I heavily dislike that (and Biology), so we made a compromise. I decided that I'd put Optometry down as my first choice, though I'm not really sure if my A-Levels would be helpful for it. I did look through some university entry requirements and most said you don't need Biology, just two science subjects. I'm just a bit scared though that I won't get into Optometry and I can't think of any other course that's not directly in the medicine factor that would accept people who didn't do Biology.

For some background, Physics and Chemistry are my strongest subjects (As and A*s), and I'm alright at Maths too. Biology is a bit of a struggle for me right now. I can and do get an A in all my Biology mocks, but I definitely have to put in work and none of the content comes to me easily, which is why I don't wanna do it for A-Levels. But I feel like that narrows down the courses I can do, unless there's something else I haven't heard of yet. I know there's Pharmacy, but Pharmacy doesn't seem all that appealing to me. Any advice/feedback would be great!

I want to be a pilot, but if you know anything about that it's that the training for it is very expensive, about £100,000
There are 4 degrees in the country that offer a degree alongside a pilot licence. See:
https://www.kingston.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/aviation-operations-with-commercial-pilot-training/
https://www.bucks.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/aviation-management-pilot-training-C23
https://www.uwl.ac.uk/course/undergraduate/aviation-management-commercial-pilot-training
https://www.uclan.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/aviation-bsc
As far as I know, it cost about £10k to get a commercial pilot licence outside of uni, not £100k.

If you really wanted to, you can join airlines and sign up for their cadet schemes e.g. easyJet, Virgin, BA, etc. They usually just ask for half decent GCSEs. See:
https://www.flightdeckfriend.com/airline-pilot-jobs/cadet-airline-pilot-programs/ (search engine)
https://careers.tuigroup.com/uk/pilot-cadet-programme/
https://careersuk.virgin-atlantic.com/future-flyers-pilot-training-programme
https://careers.ba.com/future-pilots
https://aircraft.airbus.com/en/services/train/airbus-flight-academy/become-a-pilot-cadet
https://www.cae.com/civil-aviation/become-a-pilot/our-pilot-training-programmes/cityjet-climb-high-mentored-cadet-programme/
https://careers.ryanair.com/cadets/
https://careers.wizzair.com/go/Pilot-Academy/5382601/
etc. There are a number of them, and I am not going to look for all of them on Google.

If you're saying you want to be an RAF pilot, then you would need to join the RAF with decent A Levels. See: https://recruitment.raf.mod.uk/roles/roles-finder/aircrew/pilot

I decided that I'd put Optometry down as my first choice, though I'm not really sure if my A-Levels would be helpful for it. I did look through some university entry requirements and most said you don't need Biology, just two science subjects.
Correct. Either physics+ chemistry + 3rd subject, physics+maths+3rd subject, or chemistry+maths+3rd subject would get you into Optometry if you have high enough grades.

I can't think of any other course that's not directly in the medicine factor that would accept people who didn't do Biology.
Strictly speaking, you can do medicine with just Chemistry + 2 subjects. Some unis can ask for Chemistry + another science (physics or maths). You are limited to about 19 unis in the country though.

The plethora of degrees that you can do with physics, chemistry, and maths are numerous within life sciences/healthcare alone e.g. Nutrition, Physiotherapy, Psychology, Nursing, Midwifery, Dentistry, Veterinary Medicine, Occupational Therapist, Radiography, Paramedic, Orthoptist, Dietician, Osteopath, Conservationist, Ecologist, Environmental Scientist, Speech and Language Therapist, Biochemist, Neuroscientist, Pharmacologist, Biomedical scientist.

If you want to look outside of life sciences and healthcare, then you get the usual:

You then have the option to pick degrees that accept A Levels in any 3 subjects (other than those previously mentioned):

Do note, the lines of work where you have to get a degree from uni in order to get the job tends to be in life sciences/healthcare, academia, and education. The sectors where getting a degree from uni is useful (i.e. it's recognised for senior roles) but not strictly mandatory due to apprenticeships include: economics, social work, engineering, architecture, social researcher, surveying.

If you want to further check what degrees you can do, consider looking at the A Level Explorer (a TSR site): https://www.theuniguide.co.uk/a-level-explorer

If you want to look through the specific entry requirements for various careers, consider looking at the following:
https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles
https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/explore-careers
https://www.careerpilot.org.uk/job-sectors/sectors
https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles (Health related careers)

By the way, is there a reason why you're not quoting your grades 9-1 as opposed to A*-E? Are you doing iGCSEs or doing GCSEs with Eduqas/WJEC?

You can do medicine with maths/chem/physics, incidentally. Only about 1/3 of medical schools require A-level Biology.

To become a commercial pilot as I understand normally you would train with a company (e.g. easyjet) and they pay for the training. You are then contractually locked to work for that employer until you "pay off" the training costs though (effectively in a form of indentured servitude...you can buy your way out of the contract if you somehow have tons of money lying around though). I don't think anyone pays out of pocket to train as a commercial pilot...

For a private pilots license that's another thing but not a career really anyway.

Hi! Thanks so much for responding. I live in Northern Ireland, hence why our GCSEs follow the A*-E grades rather than the rest of the UK who use numbers. I was actually considering doing aviation operations, but it’s more to do with my parents. They’re fine with me wanting to be a pilot but they don’t like how unstable of a job it is, seeing as aviation is an unpredictable industry (i.e when Covid happened and a lot of flight crew were laid off).

[start]They actually wanted me to be a doctor and do medicine but I just don’t like Biology so they’ve accepted something that’s similar (like Optometry etc.). Although they’re happy with me doing pilot training after I get a degree in whatever course I choose![/start]

[start]Could you send me any links to the pilot trainings which only require £10K? A lot of pilots I’ve spoken to in the UK told me all of the training and exams, simulations etc. costed them £100K as well as any of the airline cadet programmes (which also shocked my parents when I told them that haha, now I see why they’d rather have me going to uni!). I’m definitely wanting to be an airline pilot too, not the RAF. Thank you for all the links though, I’ll definitely check them out.[/start]

[start]I appreciate the list of other courses I could do! My parents are definitely more keen on the healthcare side seeing as there’s quick employment and placements. Neuroscience sounds really interesting, I’ll have a look at that too.[/start]

[start]For Aerospace/Aeronautical Engineering, that was actually going to be my first choice. I changed it though seeing as most unis recommended Further Maths for A-Level and I don’t like maths to that level.[/start]

[start]Thank you so much! I appreciate the response, it really helped.[/start]

I'm currently in my final year of GCSEs, and I have to pick my A-Levels soon. Honestly speaking I want to be a pilot, but if you know anything about that it's that the training for it is very expensive, about £100,000. Being a pilot without a backup degree is pretty risky too since the aviation industry is unpredictable.

My parents wanted me to do medicine but I heavily dislike that (and Biology), so we made a compromise. I decided that I'd put Optometry down as my first choice, though I'm not really sure if my A-Levels would be helpful for it. I did look through some university entry requirements and most said you don't need Biology, just two science subjects. I'm just a bit scared though that I won't get into Optometry and I can't think of any other course that's not directly in the medicine factor that would accept people who didn't do Biology.

For some background, Physics and Chemistry are my strongest subjects (As and A*s), and I'm alright at Maths too. Biology is a bit of a struggle for me right now. I can and do get an A in all my Biology mocks, but I definitely have to put in work and none of the content comes to me easily, which is why I don't wanna do it for A-Levels. But I feel like that narrows down the courses I can do, unless there's something else I haven't heard of yet. I know there's Pharmacy, but Pharmacy doesn't seem all that appealing to me. Any advice/feedback would be great!

I was actually considering doing aviation operations, but it’s more to do with my parents. They’re fine with me wanting to be a pilot but they don’t like how unstable of a job it is, seeing as aviation is an unpredictable industry (i.e when Covid happened and a lot of flight crew were laid off).
Well the airline industry is based on demand for travel and shipping. If there isn't any demand, then there's no work.
Having said that, any industry can be unpredictable and nothing is guaranteed. It's the nature of society and economy in general. It's a similar story with other countries and other industries.
They actually wanted me to be a doctor and do medicine but I just don’t like Biology so they’ve accepted something that’s similar (like Optometry etc.). Although they’re happy with me doing pilot training after I get a degree in whatever course I choose!
Well, you're the one doing the degree, so you're the one who makes the choice. If you don't like biology, then you want to avoid medicine and a number of life science degrees.
With your choices, I would have thought you're going into physical sciences and engineering.
You can do a PPL or CPL depending on what you want to do. If you want to fly for an airline, then you would be going for the CPL. If you want to fly your own 4-5 seater plane, then you're looking for the PPL.
Could you send me any links to the pilot trainings which only require £10K? A lot of pilots I’ve spoken to in the UK told me all of the training and exams, simulations etc. costed them £100K as well as any of the airline cadet programmes (which also shocked my parents when I told them that haha, now I see why they’d rather have me going to uni!).
PPL:
https://fly-ga.co.uk/how-much-cost-become-pilot-learn-fly
https://www.goflyuk.com/private-pilots-license-pplnppl/
https://flyer.co.uk/feature/learn-to-fly-how-much-private-pilots-licence-cost/
https://l3harrisairlineacademy.com/en-gb/how-to-become-a-pilot-in-europe/pilot-training-cost-and-funding/
https://www.thepilotcentre.co.uk/price_list.php
https://www.thepilotguys.com/blog/private-pilot-licence-cost
CPL/ATPL - these do cost £100k or so, but they're different:
https://www.airlineprep.co.uk/career-guides/the-cost-to-become-a-pilot/
https://uk.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/how-much-does-it-cost-to-become-a-pilot
If you do intend to do a CPL, it would make more sense to join an airline or air freight company as opposed to funding it all by yourself. There's no point in getting the license if you don't have the job to begin with.
With PPL, you should be fine funding it yourself if you are careful with your finances.
Whilst I am not saying it's impossible to self fund a CPL, it's very very difficult and I would exhaust every and all other options before doing so.
My parents are definitely more keen on the healthcare side seeing as there’s quick employment and placements.
Whilst I would support people getting into the NHS and pursuing a career in healthcare, you should always note there's a very good reason why there's quick employment and you can readily get placements (in case you haven't been watching the news regarding the NHS for the past 10 years or so).
If you want a career in healthcare, make sure you're absolutely sure it's something you really want. Your subjects (and presumably grades as well) don't strictly limit your options to just healthcare (not that you particularly need A Levels to go into most other roles in other sectors).
Also, not all roles in healthcare are easy to get. Some roles are incredibly compeititve, even though the NHS are desperate for people to go into these roles (I don't understand it either). They expect you to be passionate and really want the role.
For Aerospace/Aeronautical Engineering, that was actually going to be my first choice. I changed it though seeing as most unis recommended Further Maths for A-Level and I don’t like maths to that level.
They recommend it, they don't require it. Whilst Further Maths would help in a number of areas in engineering, it's not a requirement. Also, if you're going to do an engineering degree, you're almost guaranteed to spend a lot of your time outside of lectures and seminars in your room or library doing maths problems. It's typically a more difficult subject than others (similar with maths and physics degrees).