{"id":4824,"date":"2017-02-13T16:53:22","date_gmt":"2017-02-13T16:53:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mytutor.co.uk\/blog\/?p=4824"},"modified":"2022-06-30T09:59:55","modified_gmt":"2022-06-30T09:59:55","slug":"how-to-choose-your-a-levels","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mytutor.co.uk\/blog\/students\/how-to-choose-your-a-levels\/","title":{"rendered":"How to choose your A levels"},"content":{"rendered":"

Some choices are easy. Ketchup or mustard? Bus or an Uber? Jacket or an umbrella? Choosing your A-Level subjects<\/a> on the other hand… not so much. At GCSE<\/a> a lot of your subjects are chosen for you. And the rest tended to be things that you were interested in when you were fourteen years old. At A Level<\/a>, it gets real.\u00a0 You have to narrow down your selection to a few key choices.\u00a0 But don\u2019t panic. Read our quick guide on how to choose your A Levels.\u00a0 We\u2019ll help you pick the subjects that are right for you.<\/p>\n

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1. What are you good at? It seems like a silly question. Of course you\u2019re going to pick subjects that you have an aptitude for. However knowing what core subjects you\u2019re good at can help you pick related subjects. If you already have a real aptitude for maths<\/a>, you might well be a good fit for computing and the sciences. On the other hand, being great at essays means that any humanities subject will be right for you. Subjects that you might not have taken at GCSE (such as Classics or Theatre studies) could make use or your writing skills.<\/p>\n

2. What do you want to do at University?\u00a0 This one is a bit of a double edged sword.\u00a0 Some university course require specific subjects. It\u2019s highly unlikely that you\u2019ll be able to do a degree in Modern Languages<\/a> without a good grade in your chosen language A Level.\u00a0 But you need to look a bit further into your course requirements.\u00a0 For example, maybe you think Geology rocks (‘scuse the pun) and you think that your interest and a Geography A Level is the key to getting on your chosen course. However, it\u2019s very likely that you\u2019ll need mathematics and a science if you want to be successful. You need to research your specific course requirements and, whatever you do, do not assume anything. You don\u2019t want to realise you’re lacking in a subject when it\u2019s application time next year. However some subjects don\u2019t need particular A Levels at all.\u00a0 As a rule, this is far more likely with the arts than the sciences. For example, most media studies degrees have no specific requirements.<\/p>\n

3. Where do you want to go to University? Not all subjects are equal in the eyes of certain universities. Your university may have a list of subjects that they don\u2019t take into consideration when evaluating you as a candidate. They may have a preference for students who have a grounding in the more traditional subjects, like Maths or English<\/a>, rather than Computing <\/a>or Drama<\/a>. The key is do your homework. Read that university admissions brochure from cover to cover. Search their website for the information that you need. Still not 100% sure? Ask. There\u2019s not harm in contacting the admissions department to check.<\/p>\n

4. Get extra help. So, you really love a subject and your grades don\u2019t reflect that. This doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s game over. Why should you say goodbye to your dream course because you don\u2019t think you\u2019ll get the required grades? There\u2019s so many options to help you improve if you\u2019re willing to invest the time. Online tuition<\/a> can be a great way to get those grades up. It\u2019s flexible, offers a wide variety of tutors and lesson styles and all you need is a computer.<\/p>\n

5. Don\u2019t be swayed by the negative or conflicting opinions of others. It might seem when you’re picking your A Level courses everyone has an opinion. Sometimes your family can have a lot of preconceived notions about what they want you to do. And to be honest, they can be right. If they have a real objection to a course, ask them to outline it for you in a non-emotional way. Then go and do your research. Is your Auntie right that you need a science A Level if you want to study Anthropology? Go and find out for yourself. If you come back with some solid research on how you made your choices, often that can ease any fears. More often than not, they\u2019re just worried that you haven\u2019t thought it through. Reassure them, so they can support your choices.<\/p>\n

6. And lastly\u2026. Do something you love! You\u2019re going to spend two years studying these subjects, and this type of study is much harder than your GCSEs.\u00a0 Doing subjects that you have a real passion for can make it much easier. And remember, you\u2019re not picking just one subject. Why not mix a couple of required courses, with a couple of things that you really care about. Above all, universities want students who love to study..<\/p>\n

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You may also enjoy ‘5 ways to bridge the gap between GCSEs and A levels’<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Some choices are easy. Ketchup or mustard? Bus or an Uber? Jacket or an umbrella? Choosing your A-Level subjects on the other hand… not so much. At GCSE a lot of your subjects are chosen for you. And the rest…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[789],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nHow to choose your A levels | MyTutor<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Are you unsure of which subjects you should pick for your A-levels? 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