Are you struggling to decide your 3/4 A Level subjects? Choosing your subjects can be hard, especially if you’re deciding between a few and unsure which ones make the cut.
My mistakes:
#1: Doing subjects my friends would be doing
#2: Not being open to trying new subjects
#3: I chose A Level Maths, even though I didn’t enjoy it… just because I thought it would help apply to a degree course that I wanted at the time (Economics)
The 5 Golden Rules To Choosing Your A Level Subjects
Find subjects that you would feel motivated to study.
Whilst A Levels are technically less than a two-year commitment, it can be an intense time period. To make your life easier you want to spend this time learning about things that bring you the most joy- it will make getting the motivation and determination to revise far stronger. You’re also more likely to do well in something you enjoy!
Evaluate the course style to see what works best for you.
Does the subject have coursework/ practicals/ fieldwork… and would this influence your decision? For example, most exam boards for Geography and History A Level are likely to include coursework- but the styles between these will vary greatly.
If you think you’d prefer the idea of working on a project of coursework instead of taking an extra exam this is something to consider when choosing your A Level subjects. This information is easy to find out too- just google the A Level subject and exam board you’re interested in, then check the assessment pages in the specification (it also might even be detailed in your sixth-form prospectus… or you could ask a teacher to find out for you).
It’s a bad idea to judge whether you want to do a subject based on what you think its workload is like though – all A Level subjects are meant to be equal.
Don’t listen to the expectations of others.
You might feel pressure from your parents or friends to do a specific combination, to impress them or be with them in class. It’s best to follow what you actually like – you’re the one writing the exam at the end of year 13 as an individual.
Does it help the degree you want to do?
If you already have an idea of what career you might want to have, it’s worth checking out on University pages what the required subjects are. For example, A Level Maths is often suggested for courses like Economics or Architecture.
Be really careful with this tip though- it’s worth getting advice from people at your school before jumping into a combination for this reason- you could totally change your mind later (and that’s okay!)
Be open to trying new subjects.
At GCSE you may have only had the option to take 10 subjects, but there are usually far more available to you at A Level. This depends on what courses your sixth-form/college offers though, but you should try and explore new subjects you haven’t studied before you knock it off your list- for example, if you weren’t offered Psychology as a GCSE you should consider checking out on an open day if it is something you’d like to take.
You will never know if you don’t do some research and try it out!
For the most part, choosing your A Level subjects shouldn’t have to be a dramatic decision – you can usually change it up until you enrol and even within the first few weeks if things aren’t working out the way you thought they would!