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i have no idea what alevels to pick (im cooked)

so its about 3 days until gcse results day and my enrollment day, however i still have no idea what a levels to pick/change to. currently ive applied for economics, eng lit and law as i previously was thinking about studying law. however, now after hearing how my aunts friend is a lawyer and essentially gets no free time, im not sure i want to go into that anymore.

main problem is, i hate every subject, i hate learning etc, so i dont think me studying law would be too good of an idea, as it takes a lot of time spent in education.
im more of a creative person, but i think creativity doesnt really get u too far in life. i feel like i could do okay in computer science as i have been interested in computers for my whole life, but i doubt im going to get the maths grade i need (a 7). and i also kinda suck at maths but i found myself getting better at it towards the end of year 11.

i suck at speaking to people too so i havent got that to save me. (which is another reason i shouldnt take law)

i also enjoy graphic design, music etc, but ive heard that graphic design in particular is a pretty hard field to get into and ive seen people be unemployed after finishing uni, so thats also scared me off. i enjoy creating things too.

also, i HATE science, it is god awful, physics is the only one i can stand.

i tend to only really try in things i like, and if i hate the subject i can barely get myself to revise it. but then again the main issue is i hate most subjects.
i enjoyed gcse english, but hate reading things im not interested in, yet again, and alevel english takes a lot of reading.

how cooked am i lmfaoaooao
If the idea that you may have to spend more time than anticipated at your job puts you off, you shouldn't pursue it! A- levels are notoriously difficult, and as someone who has just finished mine, you have to be at least a little interested in what you're studying in order to enjoy your experience. A- levels are already hard to get through for many, and hating your subjects makes them even worse. From your post, you don't sound like a very academic person, which there is nothing wrong with, but it doesn't really sound like A- levels would be for you. There are many other alternatives such as btecs and apprenticheships. If you do decide to do A- levels, ask your school if there is a period of time where you will be allowed to switch. I had a couple of friends change subjects a few times in the first couple of weeks into September until they figured out what they wanted to study. Good luck!
Reply 2
When choosing your A levels, you could consider taking two academic subjects and one creative subject. Many universities don't have specific subject requirements for non-STEM courses, but it's best to check their website to be sure. Most university websites provide a list of preferred A levels, usually traditional A levels but it varies depending on the university. I recommend choosing subjects that interest you and that you perform well in, as you may change your mind in the future. You could also pursue a BA course in a subject you enjoy and then switch to a different subject for your master's degree if you want to.
Reply 3
Original post by foreshockes
so its about 3 days until gcse results day and my enrollment day, however i still have no idea what a levels to pick/change to. currently ive applied for economics, eng lit and law as i previously was thinking about studying law. however, now after hearing how my aunts friend is a lawyer and essentially gets no free time, im not sure i want to go into that anymore.
main problem is, i hate every subject, i hate learning etc, so i dont think me studying law would be too good of an idea, as it takes a lot of time spent in education.
im more of a creative person, but i think creativity doesnt really get u too far in life. i feel like i could do okay in computer science as i have been interested in computers for my whole life, but i doubt im going to get the maths grade i need (a 7). and i also kinda suck at maths but i found myself getting better at it towards the end of year 11.
i suck at speaking to people too so i havent got that to save me. (which is another reason i shouldnt take law)
i also enjoy graphic design, music etc, but ive heard that graphic design in particular is a pretty hard field to get into and ive seen people be unemployed after finishing uni, so thats also scared me off. i enjoy creating things too.
also, i HATE science, it is god awful, physics is the only one i can stand.
i tend to only really try in things i like, and if i hate the subject i can barely get myself to revise it. but then again the main issue is i hate most subjects.
i enjoyed gcse english, but hate reading things im not interested in, yet again, and alevel english takes a lot of reading.
how cooked am i lmfaoaooao

Hey! I'm currently studying English Literature, Economics and Politics so I thought maybe my input could help.

English I have a similar situation to you - I actually don't read that much. I just sat my mocks and got an A in English with very minimal reading done. You do have to do more reading in Y13 however, but it isn't as bad as you think as each time you read you look for new things and its really quite enjoyable.

Economics I have absolutely fallen in love with. It's really weirdly fun because you actually learn why stuff happens in the world and what happens and what can and will happen globally. I have no desire to go into any law or similar area, but just taking these subjects really makes me want to do something in these lines.

Don't try think what career pays well or what you should do - think about stuff you enjoyed - English provides minimal practicality for my career, so it is my fun subject.

Hope this helps.
Reply 4
Original post by foreshockes
so its about 3 days until gcse results day and my enrollment day, however i still have no idea what a levels to pick/change to. currently ive applied for economics, eng lit and law as i previously was thinking about studying law. however, now after hearing how my aunts friend is a lawyer and essentially gets no free time, im not sure i want to go into that anymore.
main problem is, i hate every subject, i hate learning etc, so i dont think me studying law would be too good of an idea, as it takes a lot of time spent in education.
im more of a creative person, but i think creativity doesnt really get u too far in life. i feel like i could do okay in computer science as i have been interested in computers for my whole life, but i doubt im going to get the maths grade i need (a 7). and i also kinda suck at maths but i found myself getting better at it towards the end of year 11.
i suck at speaking to people too so i havent got that to save me. (which is another reason i shouldnt take law)
i also enjoy graphic design, music etc, but ive heard that graphic design in particular is a pretty hard field to get into and ive seen people be unemployed after finishing uni, so thats also scared me off. i enjoy creating things too.
also, i HATE science, it is god awful, physics is the only one i can stand.
i tend to only really try in things i like, and if i hate the subject i can barely get myself to revise it. but then again the main issue is i hate most subjects.
i enjoyed gcse english, but hate reading things im not interested in, yet again, and alevel english takes a lot of reading.
how cooked am i lmfaoaooao


Have you considered doing btec /t-level instead or maybe even a level 3 apprenticeship something more engaging aswell as learning.

Digital design and production or something like that, I think t levels/ level 3 apprenticeships have lower maths grade boundaries or lower requirements I'm not too sure it depends on the school your going to
Reply 5
Original post by foreshockes
so its about 3 days until gcse results day and my enrollment day, however i still have no idea what a levels to pick/change to. currently ive applied for economics, eng lit and law as i previously was thinking about studying law. however, now after hearing how my aunts friend is a lawyer and essentially gets no free time, im not sure i want to go into that anymore.
main problem is, i hate every subject, i hate learning etc, so i dont think me studying law would be too good of an idea, as it takes a lot of time spent in education.
im more of a creative person, but i think creativity doesnt really get u too far in life. i feel like i could do okay in computer science as i have been interested in computers for my whole life, but i doubt im going to get the maths grade i need (a 7). and i also kinda suck at maths but i found myself getting better at it towards the end of year 11.
i suck at speaking to people too so i havent got that to save me. (which is another reason i shouldnt take law)
i also enjoy graphic design, music etc, but ive heard that graphic design in particular is a pretty hard field to get into and ive seen people be unemployed after finishing uni, so thats also scared me off. i enjoy creating things too.
also, i HATE science, it is god awful, physics is the only one i can stand.
i tend to only really try in things i like, and if i hate the subject i can barely get myself to revise it. but then again the main issue is i hate most subjects.
i enjoyed gcse english, but hate reading things im not interested in, yet again, and alevel english takes a lot of reading.
how cooked am i lmfaoaooao

okay you're probably pretty cooked BUT heres my advice:

don't take psychology: lots of content, too much to remember and not as interesting as i thought - as someone who got eight 9's at gcse and is very much struggling with the amount of content.. take this seriously (i wish someone told me this a year ago help!)

english is a slay subject most of the reading is interesting and if it isn't, the teachers make it interesting through their enthusiasm for the subject. only caveat: grade boundaries are super high (187/200 for an a* based on this years a-level results) so you've gotta put in the work if you want a good grade

law is straightforward in terms of following a structure and memorising information. pretty easy a-level (if you stay on top of it) but i have a feeling its not gonna set me up too well for degree level law, so if you end up back wanting to study law at university in a few years you'd probably be better off NOT choosing law now

you can always change early in the year or retake a year, so whatever you pick now isn't final. research the subjects your college offers and go with what you think you can see yourself sticking with when it gets tough (aka year 13 when you've gotta put in the most work). if you make the wrong decision, try change it within the first few weeks or resit a year


good luck!
I’ve just finished my a-levels this year, and my biggest piece of advice would be pick subjects you enjoy! A-levels are so rigorous and hard that if you pick subjects you aren’t fully invested in then you lose interest and don’t do as well in exams/coursework. In terms of the subjects you’ve picked, don’t worry too much about what subjects lead to what job (unless you have a certain career in mind) as most unis just need specific grades rather than subjects, unless it is a stem degree. At the beginning of college you’ll find that lots of people will change subjects in the first few weeks as they realise it isn’t for them (I changed from biology to english). For english, I would say that there is quite a bit of reading. I did 3 books, an anthology and a poetry book. But if you like the subject then it’s actually quite enjoyable and the books that seem boring at first, when they are analysed they are really interesting. I didn’t do law myself, but have friends that did and I would say that it isn’t worth it if you don’t have any interest in studying it at A-levels if you don’t want to pursue it as it is quite difficult. Ultimately, don’t worry too much about what you have picked as you’ll find that lots of people will have doubts about the courses and colleges usually give up to about a month to allow students to swap courses. Hope everything works out!
Reply 7
maybe you should look into a level 4 apprenticeship if the idea of doing A-levels does not appeal to you at all?
(edited 6 months ago)
Reply 8
got 7 in maths yall i can do comp sci
Original post by foreshockes
got 7 in maths yall i can do comp sci

What did you end up picking out of interest?
I read this and thought of someone I know in year 10 rn so im curious :smile:
Reply 10
Original post by DerDracologe
What did you end up picking out of interest?
I read this and thought of someone I know in year 10 rn so im curious :smile:

college didnt let me change subjects so i have to do what i originally picked which is english lit, law and economics. im not mad about it tho
Original post by foreshockes
college didnt let me change subjects so i have to do what i originally picked which is english lit, law and economics. im not mad about it tho

Ok thank you!

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