I need help with my A level choices

Hello, so I have just started year 12 (im two weeks in) and I am doing maths, chemistry and biology.
However, I love french with my whole heart and ACED it in my gcses, so it's something i'd really love to take for a levels
So the problem is, I have no idea if it is a wise decision to add french or not, reason being that 4 a levels may be a lot to handle and I don't want any of my grades to drop because of the quantity of work in each subject. Even though i know doing french will give me a lovely break from all those science/maths subjects. I don't know if my question sounds ridiculous or not but please help. I was also considering perhaps dropping maths to replace it with french but then maths is such a good subject to have (for the future yk?)

Anyway please help, should i add french as a 4th? or drop maths instead?

Reply 1

wh1zzer

Maybe you could try out doing French as a fourth subject for a month or so? If the workload gets too much or you notice you're slacking, then you'd know it isn't the best choice, but if not then you know to keep it! It's always worth giving it a go, especially as it's the beginning of the year now. No better time!

Reply 2

hicweondksc

Original post

by elyonl0001

Hello, so I have just started year 12 (im two weeks in) and I am doing maths, chemistry and biology.
However, I love french with my whole heart and ACED it in my gcses, so it's something i'd really love to take for a levels
So the problem is, I have no idea if it is a wise decision to add french or not, reason being that 4 a levels may be a lot to handle and I don't want any of my grades to drop because of the quantity of work in each subject. Even though i know doing french will give me a lovely break from all those science/maths subjects. I don't know if my question sounds ridiculous or not but please help. I was also considering perhaps dropping maths to replace it with french but then maths is such a good subject to have (for the future yk?)
Anyway please help, should i add french as a 4th? or drop maths instead?

Try French for a few weeks and see how you feel, you can always drop it. However, I will warn you there is a big difficulty gap between GCSE and A-level so you might find it challenging.

Reply 3

harikrishsomu

Original post

by elyonl0001

Hello, so I have just started year 12 (im two weeks in) and I am doing maths, chemistry and biology.
However, I love french with my whole heart and ACED it in my gcses, so it's something i'd really love to take for a levels
So the problem is, I have no idea if it is a wise decision to add french or not, reason being that 4 a levels may be a lot to handle and I don't want any of my grades to drop because of the quantity of work in each subject. Even though i know doing french will give me a lovely break from all those science/maths subjects. I don't know if my question sounds ridiculous or not but please help. I was also considering perhaps dropping maths to replace it with french but then maths is such a good subject to have (for the future yk?)
Anyway please help, should i add french as a 4th? or drop maths instead?

Depends on two things: where you want to go for university and your ability to manage the subjects. Biology and chemistry are very time-consuming subjects and require a good bit of effort compared to most A-Levels. If you could study French in half the time compared to the class, perhaps you will be able to juggle four subjects and it may not be too big of an issue.

But, its important to consider your university course decision. If you are looking for something like medicine, engineering or any science-based course, taking French isn't wise as 1) they don't really care about a language; 2) you can better use the time to prepare for entrances and other examinations; 3) any science-based course will be incredibly competitive and require the highest of grades.

Then again, you could try studying French for a couple of months, see how it goes. Get your university choices clear, and then you can make a more informed decision.

Reply 4

Scotney

What do you want to do in the future?You can do a Biology or Chemistry degree without Mathe.

Reply 5

CAE22

Original post

by elyonl0001

Hello, so I have just started year 12 (im two weeks in) and I am doing maths, chemistry and biology.
However, I love french with my whole heart and ACED it in my gcses, so it's something i'd really love to take for a levels
So the problem is, I have no idea if it is a wise decision to add french or not, reason being that 4 a levels may be a lot to handle and I don't want any of my grades to drop because of the quantity of work in each subject. Even though i know doing french will give me a lovely break from all those science/maths subjects. I don't know if my question sounds ridiculous or not but please help. I was also considering perhaps dropping maths to replace it with french but then maths is such a good subject to have (for the future yk?)
Anyway please help, should i add french as a 4th? or drop maths instead?

Hi did you end up trying 4 a levels of bio chem maths French? how did you find it? :smile:

Reply 6

Jffjdb

It depends on what u want to do in the future, if what u want to do doesn’t require maths then switch it to french

Original post

by elyonl0001

Hello, so I have just started year 12 (im two weeks in) and I am doing maths, chemistry and biology.
However, I love french with my whole heart and ACED it in my gcses, so it's something i'd really love to take for a levels
So the problem is, I have no idea if it is a wise decision to add french or not, reason being that 4 a levels may be a lot to handle and I don't want any of my grades to drop because of the quantity of work in each subject. Even though i know doing french will give me a lovely break from all those science/maths subjects. I don't know if my question sounds ridiculous or not but please help. I was also considering perhaps dropping maths to replace it with french but then maths is such a good subject to have (for the future yk?)
Anyway please help, should i add french as a 4th? or drop maths instead?

Reply 7

LSBU

Official Rep

Original post

by elyonl0001

Hello, so I have just started year 12 (im two weeks in) and I am doing maths, chemistry and biology.
However, I love french with my whole heart and ACED it in my gcses, so it's something i'd really love to take for a levels
So the problem is, I have no idea if it is a wise decision to add french or not, reason being that 4 a levels may be a lot to handle and I don't want any of my grades to drop because of the quantity of work in each subject. Even though i know doing french will give me a lovely break from all those science/maths subjects. I don't know if my question sounds ridiculous or not but please help. I was also considering perhaps dropping maths to replace it with french but then maths is such a good subject to have (for the future yk?)
Anyway please help, should i add french as a 4th? or drop maths instead?

Hi there, thanks for your question it’s not ridiculous at all, and it’s actually great that you’re thinking so carefully about your choices so early in Year 12.

At London South Bank University, your current subjects would support progression into a wide range of courses. Biology and Chemistry are particularly relevant for degrees such as Biomedical Science, Psychology, Nursing, Physiotherapy, and other Health and Social Care programmes. Maths is valuable for courses like Data Analytics, Business Management, Accounting and Finance, and Engineering-related degrees. If you do continue with French, it can also complement courses in International Business, Psychology, or other degrees with a global or communication focus, enhancing your employability and future career prospects. LSBU places strong emphasis on academic support, practical learning, and preparing students for real-world careers, helping students build confidence and clear progression pathways.

You are always welcome to explore LSBU and get a real feel for what student life is like here. We have a Southwark open day: Saturday 7th February 2026 where you can hear more about our courses and support. If you would prefer to see the campus in person you can book a tour https://www.lsbu.ac.uk/study/study-at-lsbu/open-days on a day that suits you and get a sense of the spaces you would be studying in. You can also chat to our current students https://www.lsbu.ac.uk/student-life/chat to hear honest experiences and get answers to any course questions you might have.

LSBU Admissions Ambassador

Reply 8

EssexOfficialRep

Official Rep

Original post

by elyonl0001

Hello, so I have just started year 12 (im two weeks in) and I am doing maths, chemistry and biology.
However, I love french with my whole heart and ACED it in my gcses, so it's something i'd really love to take for a levels
So the problem is, I have no idea if it is a wise decision to add french or not, reason being that 4 a levels may be a lot to handle and I don't want any of my grades to drop because of the quantity of work in each subject. Even though i know doing french will give me a lovely break from all those science/maths subjects. I don't know if my question sounds ridiculous or not but please help. I was also considering perhaps dropping maths to replace it with french but then maths is such a good subject to have (for the future yk?)
Anyway please help, should i add french as a 4th? or drop maths instead?

Hi @elyonl0001 😊

The three things I would advise is:

Ask your school for advice for example, ask your French teacher what content they would be teaching and the work load of this. It is important to understand how you can balance it.

If you are thinking about going to University, you could think about the course you would like to study. Some Universities will have entry requirements needing a specific A Level to apply.