A level subjects - help please

[doodles]

DS is doing Physics, Chemistry, Maths and Further Maths, and is going to read Physics at uni. It would take a braver woman than I to tell him that FM is not a "real" A level, it certainly is not for the faint hearted!

Many moons ago I did Latin A level and it was a significant amount of work then, yes it impresses people but I'm not sure that would be the best reason to do it as an A level.

[Moon unit]

What I don’t quite understand is why at all the schools we looked at students doing FM only get 50% more maths lessons than those doing single maths when it sounds like it’s such a massive amount of work and is another full A level ( if not more).
At my DS school it can only be done as a fifth A level in year 12 with the option to drop at the end of the year or one of the other non maths subjects so everyone there doing FM is doing it as a 4th A level.

[2childmum]

I think if you are good enough at maths to do Further Maths then you can cover the straight maths more quickly - that has certainly been the case with DD. In year 12 she did straight maths with all the other mathematicians, and has the same number of FM lesson. This year those doing maths + FM do all their maths together and they finished off the straight maths within about the first half term, and have been working on FM since then. So I suspect that actually it's the straight maths which is 50% rather than the FM (if that makes sense)

[Moon unit]

Thank you very much. I had no idea that was how it worked.

[2childmum]

I think it works differently in different schools - partly depending on how many students a sixth form has. In some schools students take maths at the end of year 12 and FM at the end of year 13 (although there is some concern that some unis might not like this) and other schools will arrange their teaching in different ways.

The new A level maths and FM is very different to the old where it was possible to 'mix and match' modules across the two A-levels - that isn't possible now, which, as I said further up the thread, makes the new FM potentially harder. (I had one child do the old version and now DD is doing the new)

[Moon unit]

Thank you very much.
The older style FM syllabus might explain why in the past it was felt to be half an A level and perhaps some people’s thinking haven’t caught up with the increased difficulty.
My Dd will be doing it as a 4th having not done add maths gcse.
The school she is moving to for sixth form does do add maths gcse so DD is prepared for quite a bit of bridging work this summer.
I hope 4 doesn’t prove too onerous.
Her plan is a maths and computing degree. From what is said up thread dropping one of the non maths A levels should be okay.
It is good to know that could be an option.

[2childmum]

Neither of mine did additional maths GCSE, and both coped/is coping with the Further Maths.

[Jean.Brodie]

Posting this in behalf of a friend.

Since the lady has not done her education in Britain, she is clueless. Her daughter is very good in maths, wants to take maths degree and wants work in the financial sector. She wants to take up Maths, further maths, economics and latin for her A levels.

My friend doesn't really get how Latin fits in the scheme of things. Please advise as I have no clue.

Thank you.

Hi! I did a Maths degree originally and then worked in Finance. I have done other things subsequently.

A Maths degree or Maths A Level are welcome on any degree course or in any post graduate career. Same applies to Latin A Level. The perception still lingers that the cleverest people study Maths or Latin (or Ancient Greek). (Traditionally in the UK, many of the 'top' professionals had Classics or Maths degrees and, as such, were specifically targeted by leading organisations. Maths graduates are still prized.)

Although they can help, you do not need formal Maths or Economics to be, for example, an Investment Banker; many in that field have Arts or Humanities degrees.

Latin is a great fourth A Level to do as a 'contrast' subject. Many key University faculties and employers will notice an A or A* in Latin. Half of it is also an 'essay' subject, like part of Economics; so that's another skill to develop and show off.

If the girl enjoys Latin, then that is the best reason to study it,especially as it is such a wonderful subject in itself.