A surprising number of students choose their A levels unaware of the long-term impact on future study and career if they get it wrong, says Quintessentially Education’s Jess Harris

Lily is doing the wrong A-levels. A Year 13 student at a leading London girls’ school, she has realised that the subjects she has chosen aren’t right for what she wants to study at university. When she took her GCSEs, she was keen on humanities and textiles and opted for History, Psychology and Fine Art for A level. But she now realises she wants to study something to do with Life Sciences and she can’t do that without Biology A level.

She is not alone. Which, the UK consumer choices group, reported that 28% of more than 1,000 university applicants aged 18–19-years-old said, when surveyed, that they wished they had chosen different subjects. And only half of students surveyed felt well enough informed about how the subjects they had studied could affect their choice of degree and university. At Quintessentially Education, we are often asked to support young people who have chosen A levels without realising the full implications for their future studies.

“It would be really helpful if our education system started with the desired university degree and worked backwards,” says Amelia Buckworth, Education Manager at Quintessentially Education. “If we started with where students want to end up, we could ensure they have clear academic pathways. Instead, students narrow their subjects in Year 9 when they choose their GCSEs and again at A level.”

Of course, some students know early what they want to study at university, but many others are unsure. Even for students who have a clear idea of where they are heading, Buckworth advises doing the research. “Different universities and courses have distinct subject requirements. Being aware of these differences early on will help ensure that students’ chosen GCSE and A-level subjects do not become a barrier to pursuing a certain academic interest, or a particular university.” For example, a BSc in Economics at LSE requires an A* in Maths, but a BA in Economics at SOAS does not.

“28% of university applicants aged 18–19 said they wished they had chosen different A-level subjects”

By far the largest number of A-level students we support are those who dropped maths after GCSE without realising they needed an A level in the subject to go on to apply to their desired STEM course at university. Buckworth adds: “What may take you by surprise are the courses that you won’t study at school, such as Aerospace Engineering”.

For those who are unsure when they embark on choosing GCSEs and A levels, Buckworth suggests keeping all options open. It helps to research a selection of subjects to gauge the entry requirements. It might also be wise to choose one or two ‘facilitating subjects’ – academic A-levels that top universities prefer (see Wise Choices).

For those students who have started A levels and realised they aren’t the right subjects, it’s important not to panic. If you’re only a term in, think about switching just after the winter break. This is school dependent, but we have supported students who have changed an A-level subject after one term. Alternatively, if you have your heart set on a particular course at a particular university, you could explore taking on another A level. “We only advise students to take four A levels in particular circumstances,” says Buckworth. “But if picking up a fourth helps you get on to the course you want to do, then it makes sense.”

it can also be a good idea to broaden your university horizons – there are so many courses to choose from, all with different entry requirements. Another option is foundation courses, which take up to one-year to complete, typically have lower entrance thresholds and may help get you to your destination point. These can be studied at a university or at another location (for instance an FE college) but are designed to help access university. Buckworth doesn’t recommend banking on this route, but adds that successful completion enables many students to continue on to the course they are interested in.

Most important of all is to do your research. “It doesn’t matter if you don’t know what you want to do at university, but make sure you get good advice,” says Buckworth. “Ask your school for advice on how to keep every pathway open, and there is always secondary expert support available, too.”

DO…
* Get honest teacher feedback on how you’re likely to perform before choosing A levels.
* Bear in mind those ‘facilitating subjects’ that keep more HE options open (History, Geography, English, Modern and Classical Languages, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Maths and Further Maths).
* Be wary of A levels with overlapping curricula – for instance Business Studies and Economics – if you are taking three subjects.
* Consider Art or Music as a fourth subject, rather than one of your three subjects, if you’re unsure of your course direction.

DON’T…
* Assume you will like a subject at A level just because you liked it at GCSE – research the syllabus.
* Narrow your options by choosing subjects considered ‘soft’ by some universities. Examples may include General Studies and Global Perspectives.
* Take all new subjects – three, or even two, entirely new areas of study might be overwhelming.
* Study a Modern Foreign Language (for instance, Mandarin or Spanish) as one of your three core A levels if you are already a native speaker – it may be seen as a ‘light’ option.

Quintessentially Education quintessentially.com/education

Further reading: MPW London on the benefits of college culture