AS-Level Help!

[Karma]

Hey, Yet again am stuck deciding my AS-Level options; I want to go into Business and Finance sector and I put down on my 6th form application form...

Accounting
Business
Economics
Maths

I am keeping Business & Maths for the win because they will help me go into Business and Financem, am just worried about Accounting & Economics if I should keep them or if there is a course that would be me more beneficial to me than them 2 subjects!

Here are the courses I can choose from...

http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/4316/61261654mz9.th.png (http://img120.imageshack.us/my.php?image=61261654mz9.png)


Cheers

Karma

[alexxxxx]

is business /that/ acedemic?

[JackBuddy]

Ouch, with those subjects you will be one busy boy for the next two years. I've heard economics is very hard and boring, but if you want to do that then fair enough. Three of those subjects should be enough to get you into uni, so why don't you drop one that you think is least important and take a subject you know you'll enjoy?

[Soka]

i do AS levels atm in
accounts / maths / physics / economics

accounts is the easiest i'd say, and yes economics is incredibly boring for me and theres just like loads of graphs and paragraphs of stuff to learn, when at the end of the day like one topic comes up in the exam, and you get a choice of 2 questions so i just chance it

i'd do accounts if i were you.
At A2 im dropping eco and doing a2s in maths/phys/accounts & taking on extra as level in further maths.. + of course pointless general studies/key skills

[kk.]

best way to decide is to look at uni courses and see what they require, normally, they only want maths for a business and finance course (as thats what im looking at ;)).
i have business and economics together and economics is a lot of demand and supply (the fun of the whole course (not)) and just knowing the course really, business is very much like that of GCSE witha lot of other things in it such as corporae culture and all that. Accounting i dont know anything about but it probably could help but i dont think any of the top unis require it for a business and finance course (thats like warwick, cambridge, oxford, nottingham, reading etc)

[Barmi]

How strong are you at Mathematics? Strong enough to take Further Mathematics as well as core?

The course list doesn't make it very clear, because it doesn't specifically state Mathematics, but has a number of options in a sub-list... so shoot whoever wrote it. It's possible they are 5 separate A-level courses, but anyone who would want a full A-level in Statistics, Decision, or Mechanics must be insane (and The Use of Mathematics sounds like total tosh).

If you don't already know, you should ask the college you are applying to how their Maths course structure works. For me, in first year I studies Core 1 and Core 2, along with Decision 1 for my AS-level. In second year, I studied Core 3 and Core 4 along with Statistics 1 to complete my 6-module A-level (though I do know people who have done Mechanics instead of Stats). There are also some I know who have done Further Maths as an additional A-level, and it does look very strong on your UCAS form, especially if you are applying for some competitive university places. However, I don't know how the new course structure would work if you are only studying a 4-unit syllabus. Best thing is to ask.

If I was you (and it is viable), then I would suggest taking Further Maths instead of Accounting. A-level Maths and A-level Further Maths look far better than A-level Accounting; you've already proved your skills in a more challenging and rudimentary form!! Universities are there to take you with the strong core skills and teach you; prior knowledge is often not expected (though Business Studies and Economics will help).

[Puma!]

i've taken

. History
. Geography
. Economics
. I have the choice of pshycology or maths.

[Virgin Mary]

;4705773']is business /that/ acedemic?
No, any subject that ends with "studies" is seen as vocational and thus blacklisted by major unis. I agree with what Barmi said - if you're capable of doing so, just show off.

[alexxxxx]

No, any subject that ends with "studies" is seen as vocational and thus blacklisted by major unis. I agree with what Barmi said - if you're capable of doing so, just show off.

thought as much.

[kk.]

im taking business and economics but that doesnt end in "studies". Yes Business studies at GCSE is a peice of piss but i only know of generasl studies being "black listed" by universities (IE, ignored). SUrprisingly, it goes from one of teh easiest at gcse to one of the hardest at a level for which i can assure you off. Core 1 and 2 and decision amths are far easier for me than business and economics, especially th ebusiness side.

Next year i plan to study further maths in AS as well as my 3 A2 courses. Mainly due to it looking good on your UCAS application should you go to university. It can also show your willingness if you take a fifth AS to study harder (not only that, it gives you a greater chance of admittance to uni because many top universities want a B at AS in a fourth subject)

[Barmi]

im taking business and economics but that doesnt end in "studies". Yes Business studies at GCSE is a peice of piss but i only know of generasl studies being "black listed" by universities (IE, ignored).
Referring to your knowledge of "many top universities", you should probably also like to know that many subjects are considered 'undesirable' (like Media Studies, Film Studies, Theatre Studies, etc.) unless they have a direct relevance to the course. Taking traditional academic subjects (for many people) would be far more useful (because the skills required are more difficult).

SUrprisingly, it goes from one of teh easiest at gcse to one of the hardest at a level for which i can assure you off. Core 1 and 2 and decision amths are far easier for me than business and economics, especially th ebusiness side.
That tells you that you are stronger at Maths, and weaker at a written subject like Business Studies. Some of the most challenging subjects at A-level are Maths (and Further Maths), the Sciences, and English Literature. I do not deny that Business and Economics have their strengths (in fact they do), but in general they are not as difficult as some more core subjects.


Next year i plan to study further maths in AS as well as my 3 A2 courses. Mainly due to it looking good on your UCAS application should you go to university. It can also show your willingness if you take a fifth AS to study harder (not only that, it gives you a greater chance of admittance to uni because many top universities want a B at AS in a fourth subject)
Again, your lack of knowledge of these "top universities" is amusing. All 5 of my offers have specified three grades only, with 4 of these offers being from some of the best universities in the country. I'm studying 4 subjects at A2, but you do not need any more than three A-levels. I would encourage as many AS courses as manageable in first year, but for A2 it's pretty futile as the universities don't have much of an indication as to what you might get in your new AS subject and wouldn't be particularly relevant anyway. Your second year should be spent focusing on the 3 or 4 A-levels you have taken, in my humble opinion. Why? Because it is these that determine whether you will get your university place.

[kk.]

Referring to your knowledge of "many top universities", you should probably also like to know that many subjects are considered 'undesirable' (like Media Studies, Film Studies, Theatre Studies, etc.) unless they have a direct relevance to the course. Taking traditional academic subjects (for many people) would be far more useful (because the skills required are more difficult).

That tells you that you are stronger at Maths, and weaker at a written subject like Business Studies. Some of the most challenging subjects at A-level are Maths (and Further Maths), the Sciences, and English Literature. I do not deny that Business and Economics have their strengths (in fact they do), but in general they are not as difficult as some more core subjects.

Again, your lack of knowledge of these "top universities" is amusing. All 5 of my offers have specified three grades only, with 4 of these offers being from some of the best universities in the country. I'm studying 4 subjects at A2, but you do not need any more than three A-levels. I would encourage as many AS courses as manageable in first year, but for A2 it's pretty futile as the universities don't have much of an indication as to what you might get in your new AS subject and wouldn't be particularly relevant anyway. Your second year should be spent focusing on the 3 or 4 A-levels you have taken, in my humble opinion. Why? Because it is these that determine whether you will get your university place.

Depending on what your taking, im guessing your in a more academic route so id say a science or math course? These probably do not need an AS at B or higher. The course taht i want to study at warwick requires AAB and a B in an AS (and requires Maths). The universities may not know what you will get in this 5th AS but it still shows commitment and they can go use your AS grades as to the rough grade you may get.

All those are 'undesireable' but as i said, the subject that im doing is called businesss and economics, meaning together. No studies in their at all. Thed course requires a lot of knowledge and is a surprisingly big step up from GCSE. You need to remember a lot of things for it which can relate to a lot of things, which in subjects such as maths, its simply find the right answer. I am good at maths but i am equally talented in business and economics so i dont think you can really compare the two ;)

anyway, i agree with you on the accounting front (take further maths or a science because it can keep your options open)

[Karma]

Back to Barmis point about Math...

For just AS-Level Maths you need a grade B at higher tier GCSE Maths and you pivk one of these options....

AS-Level Math with Decision
AS-Level Math with Mechanics
AS-Level Math with Statistics

Basically it is AS-Level Core Maths with one sub-level

for Further Math you need a grade A at higher tier GCSE Maths...

[kk.]

normally mechanics and stats are coupled with C3 and C4. You can take stats in further maths so your course is a bit stupid. I wouldnt go for decision, its absolutely the most ridiculous thing i have done this year and requires no/little thinking (youll find it annoying if you are good at maths)

[Soka]

Back to Barmis point about Math...

For just AS-Level Maths you need a grade B at higher tier GCSE Maths and you pivk one of these options....

AS-Level Math with Decision
AS-Level Math with Mechanics
AS-Level Math with Statistics

Basically it is AS-Level Core Maths with one sub-level

for Further Math you need a grade A at higher tier GCSE Maths...

i got a* in gcse maths and found core 1 really easy because its basically just elaborating on higher topics at gcse + diffrentiation and turning points of curves.

With my college for AS Maths you'll do C1, C2 + D1
for A2 Maths you'll do C3, C4 + S1 OR M1

and, as i'm doing further maths AS next year (wish i'd taken full a2 in it now) i'm doing accounts/physics/maths A2, + further maths AS, and dropping economics AS.

for further maths AS you'll do FP1, FP2 and D2 or S2 or M2
and for A2 is FP3 FP4 and D2 or S2 or M2 - i think

if your wanting finance route, i'd recommend
accounts, maths - you can do a hell of alot of things with it, further maths, and economics...

in all honesty - you won't need business studies to do a degree in finance, as Barmi says

in the top universities it's not about how many ucas points you can get, its the case of getting 3 A's in 3 academic subjects
Oxbridge, usually allow '1' softer option as an A2 but demand '2' harder options such as sciences or maths or history.

and yes, business studies is seen as a softer subject to be honest. it depends what you want to do at the end of the day in the future, on whether you want to go onto university or into an apprenticeship

all a levels are a big step up from gcse, with some bigger than others - you can't get away without doing any revision at a level.

[Karma]

Cheers Soka :)

I want to do something with Business & Finance and thats why am taking Accounting,Maths,Business and Economics but like you guys have said you don't really need a business studies LOL, i might drop it!

Amit