Dropping a AS, but can’t decide which one? UnCOVered share the 5 things you should consider before making the big decision.
#1. Do you want to go to university?
This is important, if you’re hoping to go to university, certain courses will require specific A-level subjects or skill sets. If you’ve got your heart set on a specific degree or a certain university already, then you should look carefully at their entry requirements to make sure you’re not dropping a subject that you’ll need.
#2. How well are you doing?
You might also want to think about the UCAS tariff required for entry into your preferred course. UCAS convert your qualifications and grades into tariff points. Universities then either use the UCAS tariff system or your grades to make you an offer. Some courses will have more general requirements in terms of subjects, but require higher UCAS points (or grades) for admission. So play to your strengths!
#3. What do you enjoy more?
It’s not just about the grades! Enjoying what you do is important too. There’s a good chance that you’ll do far better in a subject that you enjoy as opposed to continuing to study something you are skilled in, but really dislike.
Equally, it doesn’t matter if other people think something is the most boring subject on the planet, or say that it is an ‘easy option’. If you care about it and enjoy it then it’s worth while studying. Having a passion for something is really important, whether you want to go on to university or straight into work. It might be quite hard to convince an interviewer that you truly care about a subject if you dropped it!
#4. What are you learning the most from?
You should be learning something from all your A-Levels, but which is the one that gets you really excited to find out more? Whatever subject it is, hold on to it! If you actually want to know more about a topic, you’re far more likely to remember things about it at exam time. There’s nothing that will help you more than actually wanting to learn about something.
#5. Future Career Plans
Even if university isn’t for you and you’re hoping to go straight into employment, certain career pathways will still require a specific type of knowledge. This will come from the subjects you’re taking, and you skills you’re using to learn.
To avoid frustration later, have a look now for jobs in the area that you’re interested in and see what their main requirements are. Even if they don’t list formal A-level qualifications, or equivalent, look carefully at the skills they deem necessary and think about how they translate to your current studies. This way you’ll have a much clearer idea of which subjects will be most helpful to you in the future,
So there you have it!
Think through your decision, and think hard. It might not seem like a big deal now, but this decision really could change the direction of your future studies, and ultimately your future career. Go through each of the points above one by one, and by the end of it you should have a clearer idea of what you should do.
If you’re still in doubt, check out the forums on The Student Room. There are literally thousands of people in the same position as you ready and waiting with advice to offer. It’s great to talk to people who are taking your ideal course at university, or who are on a career path that’s interesting to you. Talk to A-level students taking similar subjects to you at the moment too, you may get more of an idea of what your options might be.
