Help with A level options

Discussion and advice on Sixth Form matters

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creggie
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Oct 10, 2011 2:28 pm

Help with A level options

Post by creggie »

As someone who is just starting out on the whole 6th form/Uni process I wonder if anyone who has been through the process can give me some advice on A level options? DS is thinking of Maths, Economics, Graphics and possibly Further Maths. Maths is undoubtedly his best subject and he is undecided at the moment whether he wants to go down the business route at Uni or possibly architecture/product design. Do the subjects give enough choice whichever way he decides to jump? Thank you!
kegsteacher
Posts: 46
Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2008 7:12 am
Location: Chelmsford

Re: Help with A level options

Post by kegsteacher »

I think you will find that the Maths/Business route is fine but that most Architecture departments require/prefer Art rather than Graphics.

The best thing to do is to look at some University websites and look at what they prefer.

For example, Cambridge (Architecture) says:
There is no prescribed combination of A Level (or equivalent) subjects required for the Architecture course. Applicants with backgrounds in either the humanities or the sciences have been successful, although a combination of arts and science subjects is considered the best preparation. The majority of applicants have studied Art or History of Art, which provides a better preparation for the course than subjects such as Design Technology and Technical Graphics. Mathematics at A Level (or equivalent) is also encouraged.

A strong interest and commitment to the discipline is essential and all applicants are expected to show a portfolio of recent work at interview.
Colourful-Rainbow
Posts: 70
Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2011 7:07 pm

Re: Help with A level options

Post by Colourful-Rainbow »

creggie wrote:As someone who is just starting out on the whole 6th form/Uni process I wonder if anyone who has been through the process can give me some advice on A level options? DS is thinking of Maths, Economics, Graphics and possibly Further Maths. Maths is undoubtedly his best subject and he is undecided at the moment whether he wants to go down the business route at Uni or possibly architecture/product design. Do the subjects give enough choice whichever way he decides to jump? Thank you!
I have gone through this process recently and the only way to be sure is to go on to UCAS, research the courses he would like to do and find out their requirements. That way you should have an idea what subjects he must do whatever path he chooses. Bear in mind that the requirements on the website will be either for this academic year or next year's therefore criteria can change (is he in year 11 or 12?). However I wouldn't worry about the subject criteria changing, they usually stay the same, it's the grade requirements that go up pretty much every year. Each university differs so be sure to check them all out. :)
mystery
Posts: 8927
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Re: Help with A level options

Post by mystery »

Can't intelligent internet-savvy kids find all this stuff out so easily for themselves these days?

If he's interested in architecture he's going to have to shine in lots of different ways as it's very competitive getting a place.

Certainly for many depts art is a better subject than the graphics. Is the graphics really needed for product design or would a more academic subject stand in better stead? Why the / between architecture and product design - are they connected in some way?

What about a language of some sort if he's interested in doing business?

I don't suppose the further maths is really to the point unless he's thinking of studying maths or a pure science, so maybe something else could fill this slot unless he is really keen on maths ------- in which case is this a possible uni option?

How good is his maths? Is engineering of interest? Only do a really good business studies degree that gets some good exemptions from something (e.g. part 1 of accountancy training) or other and has a high employment rate at the end of it --------- otherwise it's a bit of a vague soft option of a degree isn't it that might not look good on the CV.
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: Help with A level options

Post by Guest55 »

Mystery - why mention Engineering? He would need to do Physics for that .....

Try the website I recommended before: http://www.ukcoursefinder.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This might help refine what can be done with various combinations of A levels. Further Maths is a strong choice as a 4th (or even 5th choice) as it is very highly regarded, and, if you're good at Maths (GCSE A* really) then there's a high probability of a good grade.

The above posters are correct about Art being preferably for Architecture but Product Design is not a soft A level and is preferred for some Design courses (and even some Engineering?Design courses)
mystery
Posts: 8927
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Re: Help with A level options

Post by mystery »

I mentioned engineering because someone in interested in maths and / or architecture might be interested in engineering, and clearly his options are still very open at this point in time. He would keep more options open by doing maths, physics, and economics than by doing maths, further maths and economics.
He doesn't sound perhaps as though he has thought much through yet so keeping options open is good.
mike1880
Posts: 2563
Joined: Sat Sep 27, 2008 10:51 pm

Re: Help with A level options

Post by mike1880 »

Just to add that the unemployment rate of architects is fairly awful. Our eldest thinks it's what he wants to do, and I'm happy to encourage him so far because it means he needs to get his head down to a good spread of subjects, but I shall be doing my very best to divert his attention elsewhere before he gets anywhere near an UCAS form.

Mike
solimum
Posts: 1420
Joined: Wed May 09, 2007 3:09 pm
Location: Solihull, West Midlands

Re: Help with A level options

Post by solimum »

mystery wrote:I mentioned engineering because someone in interested in maths and / or architecture might be interested in engineering, and clearly his options are still very open at this point in time. He would keep more options open by doing maths, physics, and economics than by doing maths, further maths and economics.
He doesn't sound perhaps as though he has thought much through yet so keeping options open is good.
Civil engineering perhaps
creggie
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Oct 10, 2011 2:28 pm

Re: Help with A level options

Post by creggie »

Thanks for all your help - I have now headed to UCAS to do some research! Maybe I should have made it clear it was me enquiring at this stage as just wanted to be clearer in my own head before Options Evening!

No, architecture and product design are not connected - just thinking of all options based on interest. His maths is good but he does not like physics so not sure engineering would be an option.

They had a presentation on Sociology at school and he seems taken with this for a 4th subject up to AS level. Seems strange to me alongside Maths, Economics and Graphics which he seems set on but he was taken with the idea of keeping options open and improving his essay writing skills. This would be the subject he would be looking to drop after AS and may possibly give a better spread than further maths? He was also told he would have to take the mechanical aspect of A level maths if opting for further maths which the school say is a more difficult route to A level. Would hate him to take further maths and become disillusioned.

Sorry to ramble on - it all seems a minefield!
Sassie'sDad
Posts: 459
Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2008 3:36 pm
Location: Rugby

Re: Help with A level options

Post by Sassie'sDad »

Have you any ideas of which Uni? If Russel Group then most academic and best possible grades, achieved first sitting!
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