Sixth Form Entry Booklet

8 Choosing the Subjects for Study In deciding between subjects you need to ask these questions: ▪ Which subjects will I be most interested in? It is likely that you will perform best at a subject, and get the most out of it, if you enjoy the work and are fully committed to it. If you choose a subject out of a sense of duty or from external pressures you are unlikely to make the most of it. You are the person best placed to judge your interest in a subject but, bear in mind that interests change and may well do so during the course of this year. In the Sixth Form many students discover their potential in both old and new areas, and they develop interests which last a lifetime. You also need to realise that subjects change too: A Level Physics, for example, is much more quantitative (i.e. mathematical) than GCSE Physics, where the emphasis is on qualitative aspects. How do you find out what an A Level subject is like? • read the course descriptions in this booklet • ask those already taking the subject in the Sixth Form • look at an A Level textbook • speak to your current teachers • make the most of the Sixth Form Open Evening, Sixth Form Options Evening and the Sixth Form Taster Day Those considering a new subject, such as Business Studies, will have to anticipate their interest. Again, speak to those in the year above about their experiences, and read the course descriptions in the Sixth Form booklet. ▪ Which subjects do I think I am best at? Feedback on how able you are at a subject comes via reports, tests, coursework and exams which, taken together, give a general indication of how you would cope at a higher level. If you are thinking of a new subject you will not have this information and you will have to make a judgement based on performance in related subject areas. All A Level subjects will involve levels of complexity, analysis and abstraction which are considerably more developed than at GCSE Level. The main requirement is that you have the potential to develop in these and other areas. ▪ Do I have a specific career/university course in mind? The majority of careers are open to all applicants whatever degree they have studied. The obvious exceptions are architecture, engineering and the medical sciences. It is useful and natural to use the opportunity of choosing A Levels to think ahead, even beyond university, to how you intend to earn your living. Some degree courses do make specific A Level requirements as a condition of entry. In general, degrees in subjects where an A Level course exists require that the appropriate course has been studied at school. For example, A Level History is required for a candidate wishing to read History at university. Other degree courses which do make a