A-level options

11

Hi,

I'm currently unsure of what I want to take for A-levels.. I want to go into something STEM, I've been looking into engineering and maths, but I've also been thinking about PPE. I really want to pursue something that is mathematical and possibly involves lots of well-written writing, but it's not a necessity to have both if that makes sense. Also routes that get money :>

I'm definitely doing Maths and Further Maths, and it seems ideal to do Economics and Physics but I was wondering if anyone knows of a combination that may be better? I'm at a 9 in physics GCSE right now but through effort rather than being inclined towards it, and that makes me a bit apprehensive. I also have been thinking about neuroscience and medical research but the medicine pathway just seems very long...

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated :smile:

Reply 1

sleek-prodigy

3

Hi, I am currently in Year 12 studying bio, chem and maths. And I think that you should only pick the options needed for the career path you aspire to go into and pick an easy A/A* for your third ALEVEL. Since they can be very tough to manage with the sheer amount of content that you go through.

Reply 2

DerDracologe

Study Forum Helper

20

Double maths, physics and econ seems like a great combo! This will give you options in humanities fields, maths and across physical sciences so very diverse prospects 🙂
With a level physics, I took this for a term and then dropped it. Similarly to you i got a 9 at gcse and then realised that i actually wasn’t that interested in physics so i swapped to a subject i find more interesting!
For neuroscience biology is needed and sometimes chem so it really is a very different direction! I do biology a level and am aspiring towards zoology type stuff so ive looked at some neuroscience stuff in wider reading quite extensively and have a reasonable knowledge of what medicine etc looks like at uni too. Feel free to ask any questions, if i dont know the answers i can hopefully tag someone who does!

(edited 3 months ago)

Reply 3

grah-

OP

11

Original post

by sleek-prodigy

Hi, I am currently in Year 12 studying bio, chem and maths. And I think that you should only pick the options needed for the career path you aspire to go into and pick an easy A/A* for your third ALEVEL. Since they can be very tough to manage with the sheer amount of content that you go through.

Thank you for the message! I was considering a similar line such as doing Psych and Econ since I don't really have an issue with memorisation.. I feel like it may be limiting though? Engineering needing physics does make me feel less inclined since they are quite literally that related

Reply 4

grah-

OP

11

Original post

by DerDracologe

Double maths, physics and econ seems like a great combo! This will give you options in humanities fields, maths and across physical sciences so very diverse prospects 🙂
With a level physics, I took this for a term and then dropped it. Similarly to you i got a 9 at gcse and then realised that i actually wasn’t that interested in physics so i swapped to a subject i find more interesting!
For neuroscience biology is needed and sometimes chem so it really is a very different direction! I do biology a level and am aspiring towards zoology type stuff so ive looked at some neuroscience stuff in wider reading quite extensively and have a reasonable knowledge of what medicine etc looks like at uni too. Feel free to ask any questions, if i dont know the answers i can hopefully tag someone who does!

Thank you for the message, may I know which subjects you took?

Reply 5

DerDracologe

Study Forum Helper

20

Original post

by grah-

Thank you for the message, may I know which subjects you took?

I take biology, maths and environmental science as a year 13 🙂

Reply 6

grah-

OP

11

Original post

by DerDracologe

I take biology, maths and environmental science as a year 13 🙂

Ooo that's quite a cool combo! I'm not sure I have many really relevant questions, but:

1.

How was Physics initially? What was it that made you not find it interesting?

2.

What is Biology like? What do you find the most difficult when revising for the subject?

3.

What is Maths like?

I think 3 is more just out of interest, but I think 2 may help with ruling out or considering Biology further.

Reply 7

DerDracologe

Study Forum Helper

20

Original post

by grah-

Ooo that's quite a cool combo! I'm not sure I have many really relevant questions, but:

1.

How was Physics initially? What was it that made you not find it interesting?

2.

What is Biology like? What do you find the most difficult when revising for the subject?

3.

What is Maths like?

I think 3 is more just out of interest, but I think 2 may help with ruling out or considering Biology further.

1.

Initially physics felt very easy, just like reviewing gcse content with a few extra bits and slightly more detailed explanations. Theres not too much content really but the exam questions were tricky compared to the difficulty of content if that makes sense. I found it quite boring cos the questions tended to be quite repetitive and i honestly struggled to keep myself awake in the lessons because it was either insanely easy or i was entirely lost! To be honest i took physics to keep my options open a bit and because i was good at it at gcse but i didnt really have much interest in the subject outside of the classroom whereas for biology and env sci especially i read a lot around these subjects lol

2.

The amount of content and the exam technique are both difficult. For context, i had 400ish flashcards for the whole of gcse biology and that was enough info to get me a 9. With the same revision method at a level i estimate i will end up with 4500ish flashcards in total (i have 2000ish for AS content!). The exam tech is tricky so lots of practice is needed but in general the content itself isnt the most challenging tbh.

3.

I really enjoy maths! Idk how much you know about it but basically for nearer maths the content is split into pure, stats and mechanics. Pure is great because it’s basically just a heck of a lot of algebra which i find fun lol. Stats i love as well but the exam tech is a bit iffy sometimes and theres more writing in exams than in other types of maths- it is very cool tho and the only part of maths i routinely do wider reading on! Mechanics isnt my favourite (it’s basically physics!) but the question styles are quite repetitive so revision isnt too bad for it, the concepts have taken me a while to get my head around though!

Hope that helps 🙂 happy to answer any more questions if you have them!

Reply 8

Welcome99

5

Original post

by grah-

Hi,
I'm currently unsure of what I want to take for A-levels.. I want to go into something STEM, I've been looking into engineering and maths, but I've also been thinking about PPE. I really want to pursue something that is mathematical and possibly involves lots of well-written writing, but it's not a necessity to have both if that makes sense. Also routes that get money :>
I'm definitely doing Maths and Further Maths, and it seems ideal to do Economics and Physics but I was wondering if anyone knows of a combination that may be better? I'm at a 9 in physics GCSE right now but through effort rather than being inclined towards it, and that makes me a bit apprehensive. I also have been thinking about neuroscience and medical research but the medicine pathway just seems very long...
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated :smile:

If you are looking at neuroscience look ahead to uni requirements as biology may be needed.

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