A Level Subjects?

The main reason behind the maths and scince campaigns is actually getting people to do maths and scince at university level, so there is no need to do it if you aren't planning to take it up at university. But if you enjoy it, go for it.
I suppose the big question here is if this 'guilt' is because you feel you 'should' do it, or it is there because you actually really want to.

Yeah, that's what I'm trying to find out, but it's quite hard to tell, and then to measure this with how much I want to do other subjects. I've now started thinking about Drama again, can anyone offer any opinions on a Drama A Level?

Thanks everyone for their input and advice, it's definitely helped me make my decisions, and I'm glad that I decided to bring my problem to the forum.

I've now handed my application form in with theses subjects:

English Lang. & Lit.

Media Studies

Philosophy & Ethics

Physics

Drama (Although the option to take a fifth subject has not been officially certified as an availability)


Despite handing my form in, I'm still feeling slightly uncomfortable in the knowledge that I will be dropping subjects like History and possibly Drama, both which I enjoy so much. Depending on how my opinions change during the rest of the year, I feel that I may sway back and forth between wanting to take History over Physics or History over Drama (if a fifth subject is possible).

It's a hard decision anyway, although I think I am currently happy with my decision. Thanks everyone.

thats six subjects:perplexed:

Naah, sorry, I should have made it clearer. Both English Lang. & Lit. and Philosophy & Ethics are hybrid subjects. Anyway, I've now pretty much come to the decision that the subjects I have picked are the right choice, the definition of right being the subjects I most want to do after considering both value and enjoyment. Whether I take five As Levels or not is another question, but I'll have to see. Thanks everyone:a-ok:.

they were sepearte subjects at my school :Not-Impressed:
but be wary of taking too many subjects, the work will pile up alarmingly fast with just four, but you can always drop the one you are enjoying the least if things get too hard.

Yeah, that's what I'm thinking of doing. I'm sure it won't be too much hassle to change or drop one subject between now and beginning Sixth Form, because apparently some people recently have even been switching courses at the beginning of their AS Levels in september.

Hi, about five months on, reawakening this thread, and I'm afraid that I'm still having problems with this issue. I'm still working with the five subjects I settled on previously (Media and English are definite):

Media Studies

English Lang. & Lit. (Hybrid)

Drama

Philosophy & Ethics

Physics

Although now I'm feeling much more inclined to do Drama at A Level, seeing as my GCSE has gone well and a lot of the teachers are almost forcing me to do it. Just to make that clear, tt's not that they are actually forcing me, but they believe I will be successful at A Level, so that's another factor for me to consider.

I still really enjoy Philosophy, and that's a subject I think I would really like to do, simply because I find the subject so appealing. Also I am pretty good at Religious Studies, and they shares a lot of the same characteristics.

On top of this, I enjoy Physics. It appeals to me both because of the focus on logic which is left untouched in some of my more arty subjects and because of the fact that I generally find it interesting.

Although I was originally aiming to do Physics and Philosophy, I have thought about introducing Drama alot, but then I don't think I could lose physics, and then I realise I really don't want to lose Philosophy! It's just an annoying cycle. Please help me acheive moksha.

I have spoken to some A Level students and my Drama teachers and they have suggested that I take all five subjects for between two weeks and a month before deciding which one to discontinue. Although this may sound like a good idea, I feel that the decision will be just as hard to make then as it is now, if not harder because of the involvement of lots of work, and I am worried that I will in fact place too much work upon myself by trying to continue all five. Also, I do not want to stress myself out making such a decision at such an important time at the very beginning of the courses. Therefore I would preferably like to make a decision before that time comes, and, seeing as everyone here was really helpful before, I wondered if anyone could give me some things to consider, or even their own opinions.

Physics For Poets

Sorry, I'm not sure if you use different terms for qualifications. But at the moment I am 16 years old, and just taking my GCSEs. A Levels are 2-year-long courses after GCSEs; only after those can I attempt a degree.

Only do one of either Drama or Media, to do both would be a waste. And 5 would be a extremly large workload to impose on yourself, if your enjoying Drama, I would advise that you pick Drama over Media, you'll find that Media is not very well regarded by a lot of Universities. If you enjoy all of your other choice's then I think you have a very good pick of subject's to continue on with.

Aggh, see, thinking about dropping either media or drama puts me in an even worse position. Thanks for the input though, it's brought back some of my original thoughts on this issue. I originally didn't want to have too many arty subjects for the same reason you said: it would be a waste. The problem is, BTEC Media has probably been my best subject over the last two years, in terms of enjoyment, interest and acheivement. Therefore, when selecting A Levels, Media Studies was pretty much set in stone, and I never really considered not doing it. That was how I came to decide upon English, Media, Philosophy and Physics. 'The Perfect Selection!' I thought. That was until my Drama teachers hit a nerve by lecturing me on the reasons that I should take their subject, and to a certain extent, it worked. Just not enough to convince me of dropping something else.

What makes this decision worse is that I keep thinking about how much of an impact my decisions could have on the rest of my life. That's possibly an overreaction, but I think I'm justified in considering what my A Levels will look like on a university application. Some of my friends want me to do Drama, and I know that shouldn't sway my decision but it does slightly, and I don't think I can help that.

Thanks for the support anyway. I'm glad that I'm able to get all these different thoughts on board to aid my decision.

VideCorSpoon is right, and I have several freinds who have been doing drama this past year, and though some have enjoyed it alot, they also found it very time consuming, and some regretted taking it. I would advise taking four as levels, and dropping one at A level (its what most everyone does), and I would advise you choose either media studies or drama to drop, and then drop the one you keep for A level. Also about physics, it gets more mathematical as you continue, so you need to like that, but it is also one of the subjects with the fewest people doing it, and a good mark in it is a rare and useful commodity.

Although I realise that most people only take three of their four subjects right through to the second year, I have been told by some of my current teachers that I have the capacity to continue studying four all the way through. At the moment, this is what I intend to do; especially when I am putting so much thought into what four I should take in the first place.

To try and help my decision, I have also been looking at university prospectuses for required and preferred A levels for different courses. Because I don't really have aspirations set in stone, the courses that have stood out to me are English, Media Production and Philosophy at various places. I am also quite keen on taking a mixed or hybrid degree such as Philosophy & English.

As regards to physics, I enjoy both the science and mathematics aspects, and my current teacher, who also teaches it at a Level, has recommended it for me.

From just looking over a few websites, I have found that some English degree courses only accept an English Language & Literature A Level if straight English Literature is not available at the school/college. Should I therefore consider taking straight English Literature?

Go ahead and take four subjects at A level, but it will mean alot of work; still you can always drop one if it is. I would advise taking English Lit over English Language, as Language can be quite technical, and you don't cover important texts.

Take four subjects at A Level but you find it's a waste as many Universities offer's are only based on 3 subjects, so you might be weighted down with a subject that you wont need. It is certainly a good idea to do 4 subjects at AS both incase if one goes wrong and some Universities base there offer's on UCAS points so you can gain a certain amount towards entry. For example the offer I got from Reading was 300 UCAS points from 3 A Levels or 320 Points from 3 A Levels and a AS.

My sixth-form offers a hybrid of Language & Literature in one A Level, which is what I currently intend to take. What is your opinion on the combination?

English litreature has been very enjoyable and rewarding as a subject. I didn't take English Language, but I have had a look over the kind of stuff that you do in it and it looked unintresting to me, but then again I could say the same thing about the maths! Consequantly I would advise you to look over the stuff you would be doing yourself atAQA - UK Awarding Body for A-levels, GCSEs and other exams