Choosing my 4th A Level :S

[Holofoil]

Hi people. I've just finished my GCSEs and have started thinking about the A Levels to do. I already chose to do Art Tech Maths and History, but I'm not sure I really want to do History.
I want to go in to Architecture, and I checked the University requirements. I checked at Cambridge and they like to see Art or Tech A level, and definitely maths. But Physics isn't necessary.
Art and Tech are my strongest subjects, I'm predicted A* in both. Maths is fine, I'm also predicted A* in that - just quite challenging at some points. So I'm definitely sticking with them.
So with the 4th A Level, the list of choices I'm going to pick from are -
Chemistry - Seems unecessary, but it can help with understanding the properties of materials, and also it shows academic talent as well as creativity.
Physics - I don't want to do it, but it's the obvious choice.
History - I find it interesting, but I'll have to read a lot, and the coursework load is heavy, on top of tech and art. It shows I can write well however.
Computing - With the rapid development of technology, what I'll learn will soon become useless anyway. But it shows a technical mind I suppose.
Psychology - I enjoy it, but it's pretty irrelevent and Universities often treat it as a doss.

So what do you people think?

[,Jess,]

Hmm well you say you want to do physics and you find history interesting so I'd say one of those two. You'll do much better if you want to do a subject and you enjoy it because the motivation is there.

[Holofoil]

Hmm well you say you want to do physics and you find history interesting so I'd say one of those two. You'll do much better if you want to do a subject and you enjoy it because the motivation is there.

I said I don't want to do Physics lol

[,Jess,]

Ooh sorry read wrong :P. Then yeah still pick something you want to do. I picked maths just cause I was good at it and it was like a chore really. Made me hate going so I would reccomend something you are going to like unless it's absolutely vital for the uni course you eentually do pick.

[Holofoil]

Cool, thanks for advice +rep

[H]

you wanna go for cambridge? GOOD LUCK.

i'd go for either physics or chemisty but you won't get into cambridge with just your grades. you're gunna have to jam back a lot of extra curriculum in. for example my friend is going for cambridge next year, he is doing: maths, double maths, physics and chemisty. he is looking in doing chemical engineering. he is vice president of his 6th form which is one of the best 6th forms in uk, he is a ski instructor and goes to italy on a regular basis, he is a swim coach & life guard on the weekends, goes to the gym regularly and is a straight A student. he is still not confident about being accepted. i'd plan on how you're gunna make yourself stand out from the crowd more than anything!

[Jordy]

At A Levels you pick 4 Subjects to do in the first year and then you drop one and only do three in your final year. You tend to drop the one which is most irrelevant, the one you don't enjoy or either the one your not as good at.

I wouldn't worry as much about this fourth choice as you seem amazing and struck on doing Art, Tech and Maths, and rightly so. Whatever you choose you have to drop one at the end of next year so it may as well be this one.

However you need a backup result encase you ended up with an awful teacher in Art, Tech or Maths and hated the course.

Physocology is good fun but it's mainly treated as a doss so I'd get rid of that. Computing is rather new and isn't looked upon too highly but Computing is beginning to be looked on much better by University's.

History is very good for university's but Physics and Chemistry is also very academic and you are a capable student. Out of Physic's, Chemistry and History, choose the one your best at... Judge it on what you think your best at and your GCSE Results coming soon. That's surely the way you can do best and even if you ended up with Physics and hated it, you can drop it anyway ;)

[Virgin Mary]

If you're applying to Cambridge isn't 5 A levels a better idea?

[partie2]

I well didnt put any thought into what I want to do when im older when I went to college I just choose something which I was going to enjoy as there is no point choosing things which are boring and you dont enjoy as you wont have the motivation to complete the course.

[Holofoil]

If you're applying to Cambridge isn't 5 A levels a better idea?

I've looked at the requirements for Cambridge and nothing is more than 4 As in A level, but obviously 5 A levels is better. I'm taking critical thinking as well, so that counts as an A Level (as far as I'm aware).


At A Levels you pick 4 Subjects to do in the first year and then you drop one and only do three in your final year. You tend to drop the one which is most irrelevant, the one you don't enjoy or either the one your not as good at.

Well, they've already advised us all to carry on with 4 A levels, and if we want to drop a subject half way through, they won't let us. (I mean half way through AS/A level - not in between them)




I went to the induction day yesterday, and they explained the courses to us, and I know all of the teachers very well, since it's a small school.

[quote=H;4837795]you wanna go for cambridge? GOOD LUCK.
i'd go for either physics or chemisty but you won't get into cambridge with just your grades. you're gunna have to jam back a lot of extra curriculum in. for example my friend is going for cambridge next year, he is doing: maths, double maths, physics and chemisty. he is looking in doing chemical engineering. he is vice president of his 6th form which is one of the best 6th forms in uk, he is a ski instructor and goes to italy on a regular basis, he is a swim coach & life guard on the weekends, goes to the gym regularly and is a straight A student. he is still not confident about being accepted. i'd plan on how you're gunna make yourself stand out from the crowd more than anything!

Well, I don't go to Italy regularly, but I am part of extra curriculum stuff. I'm studying grade 7 Alt Saxophone, and just did grade 5 theory. I'm in the school hockey team, and I've played in about 7 matches. For the enrichment scheme which our school organises (I don't know about other schools) I've chosen to do the Young Enterprise challenge.

I had to certify yesterday what I was going to study as the 4th one, and I've chosen to do History. Thank you very much for all the advice everyone :D +Reps to all the good advice.

[Virgin Mary]

I've looked at the requirements for Cambridge and nothing is more than 4 As in A level, but obviously 5 A levels is better. I'm taking critical thinking as well, so that counts as an A Level (as far as I'm aware).
They won't count critical thinking/general studies as an A level. And though it doesn't say you need 5 As, it's because of the competitiveness. The average Oxbridge candidate has 4 As at A level and most likely straight As at GCSE, therefore you need to stand out even further.

[Holofoil]

Critical thinking is an actual A level, it's not just some add-on. Obviously they're not treated like other A levels. Apparently many universities ignore General Studies, but they think highly of critical thinking - especially Oxbridge.

[JackBuddy]

Do what you want to do, not what unis want. Only a select few get into Cambridge, hense the high requirements. I'm sure there are plenty of other unis that offer architecture courses. I'm suprised that these unis you are looking at prefer critical thinking to psychology...

[Joshuae]

Steffz, Psychology is looked at, General & Critical aren't.

[-Eyeless-]

Chemistry - Seems unecessary, but it can help with understanding the properties of materials, and also it shows academic talent as well as creativity.
Physics - I don't want to do it, but it's the obvious choice.
History - I find it interesting, but I'll have to read a lot, and the coursework load is heavy, on top of tech and art. It shows I can write well however.
Computing - With the rapid development of technology, what I'll learn will soon become useless anyway. But it shows a technical mind I suppose.
Psychology - I enjoy it, but it's pretty irrelevent and Universities often treat it as a doss.

So what do you people think?

I would hardly say Psychology is a dos at A level... It is riden with essays... I would say either one of the sciences as they are the most highly appreciated by unis :)

[Holofoil]

No no no, I wouldn't choose critical thinking as 4th A Level. In my 6th form we have to do general studies/critical thinking as a 5th A level. S