A level choices to help workload

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Tree
Posts: 536
Joined: Mon Aug 31, 2009 7:19 pm
Location: bucks

A level choices to help workload

Post by Tree »

My dd is starting to consider a level choices and i wondered if anyone had any feelings on whether there are a level choices that can reeduce workload because of cross covering of topics in my day if you did physics and maths for example or physics and chemistry then alot of the same stuff was covered by the different a levels and i wondered if there were other examples of this. In particular my dd is thinking about economics, accountancy business or actuarial science type areas and apart from doing maths and possibly further maths is thinking about geography or economics or history A levels. I was having a look at the geography A level syllabus and there seems to be alot of economics in it so i wondered if geography/economics combinations would be good, she doesn't want to do business studies cos she feels this may be considered a bit lightweight by some uni's. Has anyone any experience of this any input would be gratefully received.
Marylou
Posts: 2164
Joined: Sat Feb 25, 2006 2:21 am

Re: A level choices to help workload

Post by Marylou »

My DD was persuaded to do Physics and Maths as there was a fair amount of overlap in the courses she followed. She reckoned it was worth it to end up with an impressive-looking 4 A-levels for the work of only 3 and a half. :lol: I'm sure the university admissions tutors have seen it all before, though. :roll: - so the results will have to be good!
Marylou
marigold
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Location: essex

Re: A level choices to help workload

Post by marigold »

Admittedly over 30 years ago, but I did Geography and Economics A level and they went together extremely well. I should imagine they go together even better now as the Geography syllabus seems to contain far more human /economic subjects than it did in my day.

My only other advice is that you should never encourage anyone to do an A level with " studies " in the title.
solimum
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Joined: Wed May 09, 2007 3:09 pm
Location: Solihull, West Midlands

Re: A level choices to help workload

Post by solimum »

My fairly random thoughts:

If she is a talented mathematician then Maths & Further Maths combined will be a lot less volume of work than two "essay" - type subjects such as geography & history - some schools cram the further mathematicians into doing both maths a levels in much less than a double timetable. This may be more commonly combined with 2 sciences. Would biology (population dynamics etc?) fit well with her actuarial interests together with geography?

There is a lot of overlap between Economics & Business Studies - it may still be the case that you can't actually study for them both at once as there is too much overlap. (incidentally DS1 who had really enjoyed Business Studies GCSE hated the A level and dropped it after AS!)
workhard
Posts: 132
Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 4:31 pm

Re: A level choices to help workload

Post by workhard »

Hi all! May I make a broader point?

I have had a career in a business profession and in business, and it is a lot of hard work. I was helped greatly by the work ethic bred into me at home and by
the habit of hard work from school. Hard work and a balanced life do distinguish most who succeed.

At the same time, strength in a foreign language opens many doors for a professional and a favourite or different subject will keep things fresh and balanced during A level studies. So, how about Maths x 2, Economics and a favourite MFL or another favourite subject?

As for workload, the only concern at my DD's school is over Art A level. The girls are forever trying to extend and refine their portfolios and they can feel that the work will never end.

WH
Tree
Posts: 536
Joined: Mon Aug 31, 2009 7:19 pm
Location: bucks

Re: A level choices to help workload

Post by Tree »

Thanks everyone really interesting comments. She has quite a while yet to decide however i suspect further maths will likely be only to AS as some economics courses don't like further maths as an A level because they want a broader spectrum of A levels I think a MFL would be good but I'm not sure we will be able to convince her of this as she is only doing french and it's her least favourite subject. Probably her favourite subject after maths is history but maths, history, economics and geography would be v tough and geography and economics probably go best together so it will need some careful thought. It seems to me that maths and 2 essay based A levels is ok with further maths at AS so the decision is probably which 2 from history geography and economics.
daughter
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Location: Warwickshire

Re: A level choices to help workload

Post by daughter »

Tree- sounds like your DD has a great choice of subjects and that they are starting to self-select based on her strengths, likes and dislikes (french a dislike by the sound of it). I think you shouldn't get bogged down with worrying about workload as all A levels have a heavy workload and therefore our DC should take those they most want to take(unless clear subjects needed eg medicine) . In my opinion History goes well with Economics as it helps to bring the world into context ... Politics which is effectively modern (post war I think) history may also interest /be useful to her.
Good luck with it all.
Belinda
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Joined: Thu Nov 08, 2007 10:57 pm

Re: A level choices to help workload

Post by Belinda »

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