choosing alevel options HELP😭

Im currently in the process of applying to colleges but I’m struggling to decide on the subjects I’m going to take.
Right now I’m thinking of taking psycology and philosophy.
However I can’t decide between business studies and history for my third option.
Predicted grades stand at an 8 for business (although I just got a 9 in my mock) and a 6/7 (that is unintentional😭) for history.

I’d love to take history but I just cannot decide because where I might not get a rlly good grade doing history at alevel, I could (with effort ofc) get a rlly good grade at business alevel.

I enjoy business enough too so I’m just really struggling to decide between the two.
Any advice is welcome
Please take the decision out of my hands.

Reply 1

flowersinmyhair

Volunteer Section Leader, Clearing and Applications Advisor

Original post

by rich-fester

No one can take the decision out of your hands, it is your decision for a reason :smile:

Do you know what you want to do after you have done your A-levels?

Reply 2

rich-fester

Original post

by flowersinmyhair

No one can take the decision out of your hands, it is your decision for a reason :smile:

Do you know what you want to do after you have done your A-levels?

Ideally I think I’d like to go to university, I’m not entirely sure what for yet though. I think career wise I’d like to either go into hospitality, psycology or marketting(maybe)

Reply 3

flowersinmyhair

Volunteer Section Leader, Clearing and Applications Advisor

Original post

by rich-fester

Ideally I think I’d like to go to university, I’m not entirely sure what for yet though. I think career wise I’d like to either go into hospitality, psycology or marketting(maybe)

I will say if you enjoy history more, you are doing pretty well and with enthusiasm I am sure you can do well. Business may be easier for you but if you enjoy it less then you are less likely to give it the time and effort it needs. It is perfectly normal to not know what you want to do, and I'm not sure there is anything I can do to help you make your decision. It will be difficult, but I wish you all the best and you can always change your mind later :smile:

Reply 4

spoken-rind

Im a year 13 student studying History Politics and Maths and I have no regrets with my choices. I got an 8 in maths and a 7 in history.

Pleasee don’t pick your a levels based on your gcse grades i think its the most important thing to choose the subjects you enjoy now. Do you enjoy history and do you spend your free time ever looking at history?

Essay writing is in both business and history so I wouldnt worry now about your grade because you will have so much time to improve that and therefore improve your grade.

But the important thing you need to realise is how much time you have to put into A-levels.

If you like spending time on history now you will like spending time on it next year. If you dont really like business but just find it easy, you’ll find it alot more difficult to put the time in later.

Also history is a better respected subject by unis if you care about that

Im biased because i want to study history further and it IS a big workload but if you enjoy it, take it, dont choose something just because its easy as it might be harder than you expect

Reply 5

saraalegria

Original post

by rich-fester

Im currently in the process of applying to colleges but I’m struggling to decide on the subjects I’m going to take.
Right now I’m thinking of taking psycology and philosophy.
However I can’t decide between business studies and history for my third option.
Predicted grades stand at an 8 for business (although I just got a 9 in my mock) and a 6/7 (that is unintentional😭) for history.
I’d love to take history but I just cannot decide because where I might not get a rlly good grade doing history at alevel, I could (with effort ofc) get a rlly good grade at business alevel.
I enjoy business enough too so I’m just really struggling to decide between the two.
Any advice is welcome
Please take the decision out of my hands.

I do history, and overall I really enjoy it! I find the coursework a bit hard, but still enjoyable once I get the hang of it. History also gives you a lot of great skills; obviously you get the essay-writing as a skill, but it also teaches you to think analytically and evaluate sources and interpretations to see which hold more weight. Of course, it is your decision, so you must do whatever is right for you! Good luck!

Reply 6

LJMUStudentReps

Official Rep

Original post

by rich-fester

Im currently in the process of applying to colleges but I’m struggling to decide on the subjects I’m going to take.
Right now I’m thinking of taking psycology and philosophy.
However I can’t decide between business studies and history for my third option.
Predicted grades stand at an 8 for business (although I just got a 9 in my mock) and a 6/7 (that is unintentional😭) for history.
I’d love to take history but I just cannot decide because where I might not get a rlly good grade doing history at alevel, I could (with effort ofc) get a rlly good grade at business alevel.
I enjoy business enough too so I’m just really struggling to decide between the two.
Any advice is welcome
Please take the decision out of my hands.

Hi,

When deciding between two subjects, it can really help to think about what you may want to study at university, since some courses prefer certain subjects while others are more flexible. Looking at university course pages can give you a better idea of what would be most useful in the long run.

It’s also worth exploring the actual A-level content before deciding. Check out sample textbooks, online videos, or past papers to see which subject you find more engaging day to day. Sometimes just seeing what you’d be studying week by week makes the choice much clearer.

Most importantly, think about which subject you genuinely enjoy more. Enjoyment can make a huge difference in how motivated you are to put in the effort, and that often has the biggest impact on your grades. Consider also how the workload, assessment style, and type of thinking required for each subject match your strengths.

Both Business and History work well alongside Psychology and Philosophy, so you won’t make a wrong choice, it’s about picking the one that feels right for you and your learning style.

Hope this helps,

Tayba
Student Rep