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Will a weaker 4th A level damage career prospects?

My son is taking his A levels in a couple of weeks.

He's got some great uni offers for Maths and has desperate to make his offer:

Firm choice wants A*A*A
Insurance want A*AA

He is currently taking Maths, Further Maths, Physics and Chemistry

He is considering withdrawing from Chem (he is in order to reduce his workload and stress. We are aware that we would need to inform both his uni offers.

His main concern comes to future careers.

He is worried that if he ends up with a "C" in chem (his worst case guess) that this will impact on the more competitive career prospects.

We've told him that once he has a degree - the uni and degree class will mean his a level results really won't matter and that he doesn't need to worry about a "C" in chem standing out. Even if he lists all 4, the A*A*A will outweigh any suspicions around the B/C in chem.

A teacher at school who he really respects has said that one weaker grade will say "I'm lazy" regardless of degree class or uni. I really can't see that as being true!

Any advice or opinions?

(edited 8 months ago)

Reply 1

RM-UK

Original post

by Hodders68

My son is taking his A levels in a couple of weeks.
He's got some great uni offers for Maths and has desperate to make his offer:
Firm choice wants A*A*A
Insurance want A*AA
He is currently taking Maths, Further Maths, Physics and Chemistry
He is considering withdrawing from Chem (he is in order to reduce his workload and stress. We are aware that we would need to inform both his uni offers.
His main concern comes to future careers.
He is worried that if he ends up with a "C" in chem (his worst case guess) that this will impact on the more competitive career prospects.
We've told him that once he has a degree - the uni and degree class will mean his a level results really won't matter and that he doesn't need to worry about a "C" in chem standing out. Even if he lists all 4, the A*A*A will outweigh any suspicions around the B/C in chem.
A teacher at school who he really respects has said that one weaker grade will say "I'm lazy" regardless of degree class or uni. I really can't see that as being true!
Any advice or opinions?

Universities only look at 3 A levels so the additional one is superfluous, is one way of looking at it.

If it was my child, I would encourage him to focus on getting the best grades he can from 3. I would be concerned that the stress of getting the 4th impacts the grades of the other 3.

However, if he does take the 4th and he's not happy with the grade he does not have to put it on his CV. The only profession where you have to declare your A level and GCSE grades is teaching,despite having postgraduate qualifications (which all qualified teachers have!) or Masters/PhD.