Helping your child choose their A levels

This is a collaborative post.

It’s reaching that time again where the pressure is on to choose which subjects your child needs in order to progress in the next step of their education. Choosing GCSEs starts to seem like a breeze as the intention is to complete as many as possible. However, A levels are different.

Your child will be choosing 3 subjects to study for the next 2 years and will have to enjoy them enough to stay motivated throughout. It can be exciting thinking about the possible outcomes but also daunting which is where your child needs some support. Here is a small guide on helping your child choose their A levels.

Choosing subjects

A-Levels are much harder than GCSEs so it is important your child enjoys and wants to study the subjects they have chosen. They are broader, deeper and require a lot more independent work compared to their experience with GCSEs. One of the best ways to determine which subjects are best is to see which subjects they enjoyed during GCSEs and if there are any new ones they are interested in studying.

A-levels play a big part when it comes to a child’s future. These subjects and grades will determine which universities they can go to and which courses they can study.

Thinking of the future

Spend some time figuring out what your child’s choices are and where their chosen subjects can take them in the future. If your child is already set on a job that they would like to have in the future then it is much more straightforward.

Research which subjects are required upon entry for the job and what grades potential universities require. Discuss with teachers to understand where your child’s strengths come from and what their professional opinion is.

Consider alternatives

Ensure your child keeps their options open in case of plans fall through. Having second and third options is essential. There are thousands of jobs out there that your child may have never heard of that may be of interest to them.

There are many online services that allow you to scour their sites to find out more. Many jobs require training such as medicine, teaching and law so research on which A levels are needed and any further training that may be needed.

Look at the careers

Look at skills and salaries too as for some, these can be deal breakers. Choosing A levels can be difficult, but not impossible.

At the end of the day, there are a large number of jobs out there so if the chosen A levels lead to failure in achieving the final goal, ensure you and your child know that it is not the end of the world and there are still methods that can be used to get to their destination.

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