A-LEVELS TIPS TO HELP YOU DECIDE
Hey there!
My name is Reagon and I’m a 2nd Year BSc (Hons) Psychology student, and a community ambassador for the University of Winchester.
My Journey to University
“I was raised in Southampton by my mum and grandmother; I struggled throughout secondary school, but I always worked hard to learn more and do as best as I could, allowing me to continue my studies into college. At college, I studied Mathematics, Criminology and Psychology (as well as an extended research project in Music Psychology), and I really fell in love with the ways that Psychology can be used to help ourselves and others in many different and exciting ways!”
Your A-Levels
“I know that for some of you it may be overwhelming at the moment, between growing up and preparing for GCSEs. I also know that some of you have not even considered what you want to do with your life, let alone your A-Levels, whilst some of your have been non-stop thinking about it; both of these things are totally ok!”
What A-Levels are Right for You?
It’s important when picking A-Levels to consider where you could take them. Let’s say that you want to work in Law;
• Firstly, you can pick Law at A-Level (although this is not a necessity for a career in Law, but will definitely help)
• Next you can look for subjects that are closely related to Law and will allow you to support or supplement your studies.
• You could also consider what specific fields interest you within or outside of Law, so if you’re interested in business law you could also take Business, for example.
"I knew that I wanted to be a psychologist, but was not certain how, so I took Psychology, Criminology (because I was interested in forensic psychology at the time) and Mathematics (because I knew that having an A-Level in Maths would make it much easier to understand psychological research).” - Reagon
Activity!
This is Alex.
Alex is applying for their A-Levels and hopes to one day become an architect. However, Alex has no idea what ALevels would help them.
Your task, individually or in groups, is to suggest what A-Levels you think that Alex should take.
Tips:
• They must take an equivalent of 3 A-Levels, but can take up to 5
• Use the internet to find out how to become an architect and work backwards to A-Levels
Which A-Levels did you pick for Alex?
Possible choices for Alex:
• Mathematics
• Physics
• Art and Design
• Design Technology
• Further Mathematics
• Product Design
Still Not Sure What to Take…
Take a subject which you really enjoy.
If you really loved Geography at GCSE, and you’re not certain what career you want, there is no harm in taking A-Level Geography just because you think it will be fun.
It’s also important to be a little practical - take an A-Level or two in the GCSEs you performed well in. Let’s say you got an 8 in English Literature, it could be worth taking an English Literature at A-Level.
If you’re still having troubling deciding, talk to your friends, family, peers and teachers to get some advice. Remember, you are making the right decision for you, but talking to others before you make your final decision can be helpful