A- Level choices - maths, further maths and physics

I am currently in year 11 and am wanting to study physics, maths and further maths at A-level. The 6th form are saying this won’t be enough to get into a Russell group university, they say I’ll need a 4th as I am studying further maths. Another school in the area and a career advisor say differently. I would prefer to study for 3 to get the best possible results, I am wanting to study maths or engineering at uni. I would appreciate any advice?

Reply 1

BCU Student Rep

Official Rep

17

Original post by ZakTom

I am currently in year 11 and am wanting to study physics, maths and further maths at A-level. The 6th form are saying this won’t be enough to get into a Russell group university, they say I’ll need a 4th as I am studying further maths. Another school in the area and a career advisor say differently. I would prefer to study for 3 to get the best possible results, I am wanting to study maths or engineering at uni. I would appreciate any advice?

Hi @ZakTom

Those 3 A Levels are definitely enough; have a look at the entry requirements for different universities.

Many people think having 4 A levels will get you ahead, but the grades usually suffer due to not putting enough time into each subject. A Levels are challenging, and they're a big jump from GCSEs. If there isn't an A Level you particularly want to study as well as the first 3, then it is best to just focus on those 3 that matter.

Good luck🙂

Anastasia,
BCU Student Rep.

Reply 2

ZakTom

OP

2

Thankyou for your reply. That’s good to know. I’ve looked at entry requirements so thought it would be okay, it’s just school that are saying it won’t get me in to a Russell group university

Reply 3

user67281919

6

Original post by ZakTom

I am currently in year 11 and am wanting to study physics, maths and further maths at A-level. The 6th form are saying this won’t be enough to get into a Russell group university, they say I’ll need a 4th as I am studying further maths. Another school in the area and a career advisor say differently. I would prefer to study for 3 to get the best possible results, I am wanting to study maths or engineering at uni. I would appreciate any advice?

3 A levels are definitely enough to get into a Russell group
I'm not even sure of many unis that require 4 a levels if there are any lol
LSE, KCL and more of the top unis for maths only need A*AA including maths and fm
Hope this helps!! :smile:

Reply 4

ZakTom

OP

2

Original post by user67281919

3 A levels are definitely enough to get into a Russell group
I'm not even sure of many unis that require 4 a levels if there are any lol
LSE, KCL and more of the top unis for maths only need A*AA including maths and fm
Hope this helps!! :smile:

Thankyou for your reply. Do you think that also applies for engineering applications? As I haven’t decided between that and maths yet. My teacher thinks that maths and further maths are to similar to count as two A-levels .

Reply 5

ajj2000

20

Original post by ZakTom

Thankyou for your reply. Do you think that also applies for engineering applications? As I haven’t decided between that and maths yet. My teacher thinks that maths and further maths are to similar to count as two A-levels .

I'm concerned about your teachers advice. The three A levels you are considering would be fine for pretty much any maths/ physics engineering (poss excluding chemical) in England.

However - might they have a concern that FM might not be such a great choice for you? What grade are you working to at GCSE?

Reply 6

ismaelishere

13

Original post by ajj2000

I'm concerned about your teachers advice. The three A levels you are considering would be fine for pretty much any maths/ physics engineering (poss excluding chemical) in England.
However - might they have a concern that FM might not be such a great choice for you? What grade are you working to at GCSE?

i think his teachers want him to take ANOTHER a level on top of further maths so they probably think hes quite smart

Reply 7

ajj2000

20

Original post by ismaelishere

i think his teachers want him to take ANOTHER a level on top of further maths so they probably think hes quite smart

Hopefully thats the case. Depends if the school is happy for students to drop a subject. Lots of people struggle with further maths.

Reply 8

user67281919

6

Original post by ZakTom

Thankyou for your reply. Do you think that also applies for engineering applications? As I haven’t decided between that and maths yet. My teacher thinks that maths and further maths are to similar to count as two A-levels .

Yes 100%
I was torn between applying for mechanical engineering and maths too
They're usually the same sort of grade requirements except mech eng doesn't require fm

For context tho I got offers from University of Birmingham- AAA, University of Manchester- A*AB University of Liverpool- ABB for maths, all of which are Russell groups so dw at all!!!

Reply 9

user67281919

6

Original post by ZakTom

Thankyou for your reply. Do you think that also applies for engineering applications? As I haven’t decided between that and maths yet. My teacher thinks that maths and further maths are to similar to count as two A-levels .

And also they deffo count as two a levels lol idk what ur teachers on 😭😭

ESP if u want to study maths and engineering, further math and physics are the most advantageous to take

Eg.
UOB for mech eng will want AAB including maths but they specify that taking FM and physics is advantageous

UOM for mech eng will want A*A*A including maths and physics or further maths

(edited 1 year ago)

Reply 10

xbqvz

11

Original post by ZakTom

I am currently in year 11 and am wanting to study physics, maths and further maths at A-level. The 6th form are saying this won’t be enough to get into a Russell group university, they say I’ll need a 4th as I am studying further maths. Another school in the area and a career advisor say differently. I would prefer to study for 3 to get the best possible results, I am wanting to study maths or engineering at uni. I would appreciate any advice?

hello! i’m in yr13 and i do these exact alevels, and i’ve only applied to russel group universities for EEE (electrical and electronic engineering). so far i’ve gotten into 3 (KCL, QMUL and Bath), and i’m waiting on UCL and imperial. so it’s definitely possible to get into russel group universities with only 3 alevels!! focus on them, get the best grades possible. most unis will prefer 3A*s over 4As. especially for engineering, most unis will want an A* in maths. don’t do 4 if you don’t want to! hope this helps :smile:

Reply 11

nutz99

19

Original post by ZakTom

I am currently in year 11 and am wanting to study physics, maths and further maths at A-level. The 6th form are saying this won’t be enough to get into a Russell group university, they say I’ll need a 4th as I am studying further maths. Another school in the area and a career advisor say differently. I would prefer to study for 3 to get the best possible results, I am wanting to study maths or engineering at uni. I would appreciate any advice?

Those are the 3 best A levels you could take if you want to get accepted for either Maths or Engineering. My son took the exact same 3 A levels and was pooled for Cambridge, and got offers from 3 Russell universities. You don't need another A level, concentrate on the 3 to get the best possible grades.

You must have a few donkeys in your 6th form!

Reply 12

ZÃ¼rich

20

Original post by ZakTom

I am currently in year 11 and am wanting to study physics, maths and further maths at A-level. The 6th form are saying this won’t be enough to get into a Russell group university, they say I’ll need a 4th as I am studying further maths. Another school in the area and a career advisor say differently. I would prefer to study for 3 to get the best possible results, I am wanting to study maths or engineering at uni. I would appreciate any advice?

You know the answer already.
Maths, FM and Physics should be enough for most unis but the top top universities like 4.

My advice, take something to AS level and then drop it. You might even enjoy a variety, Maths and Physics is a bit one dimentional. Take a humanity maybe?

Reply 13

ismaelishere

13

Original post by ZÃ¼rich

You know the answer already.
Maths, FM and Physics should be enough for most unis but the top top universities like 4.
My advice, take something to AS level and then drop it. You might even enjoy a variety, Maths and Physics is a bit one dimentional. Take a humanity maybe?

if OP like humanities:
thats a good idea
else:
i feel like computer science would be useful.

Reply 14

mxtt_helm

11

Original post by ZakTom

I am currently in year 11 and am wanting to study physics, maths and further maths at A-level. The 6th form are saying this won’t be enough to get into a Russell group university, they say I’ll need a 4th as I am studying further maths. Another school in the area and a career advisor say differently. I would prefer to study for 3 to get the best possible results, I am wanting to study maths or engineering at uni. I would appreciate any advice?

You will be completely fine, even for Oxbridge, the only exception to this is Cambridge Engineering (where they explicitly say this combination is too narrow). The people saying that you need 4 don't have a clue what they're talking about.
what they're talking about.

Reply 15

mxtt_helm

11

Original post by ZakTom

I am currently in year 11 and am wanting to study physics, maths and further maths at A-level. The 6th form are saying this won’t be enough to get into a Russell group university, they say I’ll need a 4th as I am studying further maths. Another school in the area and a career advisor say differently. I would prefer to study for 3 to get the best possible results, I am wanting to study maths or engineering at uni. I would appreciate any advice?

Also worth mentioning with Cambridge Eng, people have got on this course with those subjects but they just prefer a broader selection

A- Level choices - maths, further maths and physics

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