Advice on subject I should pick?

[rollcast]

I've already put my form in for my A level choices but I just wanted to garner some opinions on it as I'm not so sure about my last choice?

I definitely want to do Physics, Maths, Further Maths and Chemistry, but I still had one slot to fill so I picked Biology as I'm good at the subject.At that point I listened to a bit of chat from teachers/my parents and they seemed to think it would be the best choice for me as its recognised as a hard well valued subject.

However now I'm wondering if I should have picked Economics over Biology because I find economics more interesting than biology. The only problem I have with economics is that at A level its more qualitative subject rather than quantitative, although there are numerical elements to it.

I was just wondering if anyone would be ale to say which one would be more helpful if I was thinking on these sorts of courses for uni, in sort of descending order of preference although I haven't got any work experience of any of them yet so I'm ansolutely 100% sure about this, Physics, EE, Maths or Finance/Actuarial Science.

Thanks

 

[synkk]

I've already put my form in for my A level choices but I just wanted to garner some opinions on it as I'm not so sure about my last choice?

I definitely want to do Physics, Maths, Further Maths and Chemistry, but I still had one slot to fill so I picked Biology as I'm good at the subject.At that point I listened to a bit of chat from teachers/my parents and they seemed to think it would be the best choice for me as its recognised as a hard well valued subject.

However now I'm wondering if I should have picked Economics over Biology because I find economics more interesting than biology. The only problem I have with economics is that at A level its more qualitative subject rather than quantitative, although there are numerical elements to it.

I was just wondering if anyone would be ale to say which one would be more helpful if I was thinking on these sorts of courses for uni, in sort of descending order of preference although I haven't got any work experience of any of them yet so I'm ansolutely 100% sure about this, Physics, EE, Maths or Finance/Actuarial Science.

Thanks

I'm the same as you, I thought that Economics A level is too qualitative and I wouldn't be good at it. However, I did it anyway and got an A*, as it really is just logic, if you're good at maths (there is no maths in it) and have common sense you should be able to cruise by. My friend however done Maths Further Maths Physics and Economics, and he got a B grade in economics, though As in all the rest, so I guess it really does depend on the person.

For all the courses you listed, having economics or biology would make very little difference; some universities may ask why you didn't take Economics A level if you apply for straight or joint Economics, assuming that your school offers it, for every other course you should be fine.

If I were you, I'd take Economics, and you usually have a 2 week period to change your A levels, so if you change your mind, drop it and pick up Biology, though you may have a little catching up to do (really very little).

Good luck.

 

[rollcast]

I'm the same as you, I thought that Economics A level is too qualitative and I wouldn't be good at it. However, I did it anyway and got an A*, as it really is just logic, if you're good at maths (there is no maths in it) and have common sense you should be able to cruise by. My friend however done Maths Further Maths Physics and Economics, and he got a B grade in economics, though As in all the rest, so I guess it really does depend on the person.

For all the courses you listed, having economics or biology would make very little difference; some universities may ask why you didn't take Economics A level if you apply for straight or joint Economics, assuming that your school offers it, for every other course you should be fine.

If I were you, I'd take Economics, and you usually have a 2 week period to change your A levels, so if you change your mind, drop it and pick up Biology, though you may have a little catching up to do (really very little).

Good luck.

I'm better at biology than I am at business studies(which I presume is a bit like economics) which was why I picked biology but I find biology a bit boring sometimes as a lot of it seems like rote learning of facts and then just regurgitate them in the exam, although the how science works questions are even worse.

So should I go for what I'm better at or what what I would enjoy more?

Also how important is your essay writing skills, as mine were once described by my english teacher as being "...like a coroners report mixed with a textbook..."

 

[synkk]

I'm better at biology than I am at business studies(which I presume is a bit like economics) which was why I picked biology but I find biology a bit boring sometimes as a lot of it seems like rote learning of facts and then just regurgitate them in the exam, although the how science works questions are even worse.

So should I go for what I'm better at or what what I would enjoy more?

Also how important is your essay writing skills, as mine were once described by my english teacher as being "...like a coroners report mixed with a textbook..."

It's not like business studies, however there is SLIGHT content mixed with business studies (one topic i believe, which is around a lessons worth), besides economics is seem as a more "hard" subject than business.

If you think you will do well on all your other subjects, then take the subject you enjoy. However if you won't do well in your other a levels, it would probably be best to take the one you're good at it, as some universities will just ask for an A in an irrelevant subject to what you're planning to study.

As for essay writing skills, let's just say that I only achieved a C in English language and literature (though it was due to family problems also...) and I managed better than all the people with straight A*s at GCSEs, in Economics, as well as all the sciences and maths. As long as you can write and get your point across you should be fine, if you can't then your teacher can help you (i believe there were some extra sessions on the higher mark questions to people who didn't get high marks on them in mocks, though I did not go to any of them).

Just keep one thing in mind, and that is A levels is completely different to GCSEs as they require a lot more independent work, and GCSEs just become so irrelevant after you have your a levels (as long as you didn't get under Cs). Just work hard and you can get a good grade in Economics or Biology, whichever you choose.

 

[rollcast]

How does economics at A level compare with Economics / finance / acturial science at uni? Would it help to have done it before or not really?

 

[synkk]

How does economics at A level compare with Economics / finance / acturial science at uni? Would it help to have done it before or not really?

It wouldn't help very much with actuarial science and finance very much, only slightly (the first year). With Economics it would help quite a lot in the first year, but remember that no university require Economics A level for entry to Economics, they all just require Mathematics.

 

[rollcast]

It wouldn't help very much with actuarial science and finance very much, only slightly (the first year). With Economics it would help quite a lot in the first year, but remember that no university require Economics A level for entry to Economics, they all just require Mathematics.

Although I suppose if I was applying to any of those courses economics would look better than bio and also it would look strange if I wanted to do economics at uni but didn't do it when it was offered at A level.

 

[synkk]

Although I suppose if I was applying to any of those courses economics would look better than bio and also it would look strange if I wanted to do economics at uni but didn't do it when it was offered at A level.

You've got to remember that generally you don't get interviewed for these courses, so they will not know why you didn't take it, and if you're so worried about it you could mention it in your personal statement.Also those courses are highly mathematical, while Economics A level is not.