Hi, I really need some advice for A-level courses, I'm not 100% sure what i wanna do in the future so im trying to keep my options fairly open.
I've decided on Maths and Psychology for definite.
Then I need to decided between Biology and PE.
And for my final subject, Media studies, Philosophy or Communication and Culture.
Any help/advice be appreciated, thanks.

Biology > PE
Media studies > Philosophy > Com. & Culture

In my oppinion.

If it helps; I'm taking ICT, English Language, Chemistry, Physics.

I did PE/Sports Science A Level (and degree actually!) and you actually cover more in depth Biology than Biology A Level does!

People look down upon it, but most of them don't realise that without Sports Science all of the pro sport that they watch would still be back at the standard it was in the 70s, not the games we know and love today.

As for the other one, they're all quite different, it depends on what interests you more.  Remember that you'll be spending about 6/7 hours a week of contact time on it, plus the extra reading and assignments and stuff.......so make sure it's one that interests you

Don't take ICT, it's soul destroying and a useless A Level, but boy is it not as bad as media studies. I suggest Biology as it opens more doors and is more 'respected', all the other options you have seem rather soft. Sciences are always good, and so are the respected humanities, not to mention Maths is valuable too.

I do History, Politics, Psychology and Maths .

Do Biology and Philosophy, even if it's not true, the other subjects will be seen as "soft" and I don't know what you want to do in the future, but the "prestigious" universities (Cambidge, Oxford, most of University of London etc...) will look down on them.

When I was applying to go to university, there was a report saying that oxbridge wouldn't even consider you at all if you did PE (amongst others)

I did Computing, Business Studies, Physics and I took Chemistry up to AS Level. Now I do Computer Science at KCL

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Originally posted by saralk

When I was applying to go to university, there was a report saying that oxbridge wouldn't even consider you at all if you did PE (amongst others)

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Originally posted by djdannyp

My brother got an offer from cambridge and he did sports science A level.

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Start by reading A-Level Choices.... need help/ other peoples input..., the thread where you also cross-posted your first post before.

It contains already very usefull info, which would simply be repeated otherwise in this thread, like:

- It is your choice for the future, so it depends on what you want to do and are interested in, not what others like to do or are interested in.
- There are official instances which will help you making a choice and which can give you the best advise.
- ....

And my personal advise (which is also said several times before I assume; so I agree with them who said it before ):

Never ever let your choice be influenced by what other people think!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If somebody or some university thinks some level is "soft" or look down on it, then that is their problem, not yours. Never ever choose another thing just because they say it is worth less. You must do the thing you want to do and what you're interested in, no matter what others think. And, tbh, even no matter what people say "is good for the future".

Inform what you're going to learn with each level. Then decide for your own what looks most interesting to you and choose that.

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Originally posted by absorbation

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Originally posted by djdannyp

My brother got an offer from cambridge and he did sports science A level.

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I think he was referring to Oxford and PE, not Cambridge and Sports Science

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[rant = djdannyp and his sports science]
Oxbridge = worst spliced word ever

PE is stupid

Sports science is a stupid way of making PE sound cooler and advanced.

ADDED EDIT!:
Also everyone I've ever known or seen doing 'sports science' has been a real dumbarse and/or have social and behavioral issues (can only think of "and's" actually... and all chavs too). They've also not done anything after obtaining it.
[/rant]
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Originally posted by vaccination

Biology > PE
Media studies > Philosophy > Com. & Culture

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quote:

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Originally posted by djdannyp
and you actually cover more in depth Biology than Biology A Level does!

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quote:

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Originally posted by absorbation
Don't take ICT, it's soul destroying and a useless A Level, but boy is it not as bad as media studies.

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quote:

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Originally posted by aNILEator
[rant = djdannyp and his sports science]
Oxbridge = worst spliced word ever

PE is stupid

Sports science is a stupid way of making PE sound cooler and advanced.

ADDED EDIT!:
Also everyone I've ever known or seen doing 'sports science' has been a real dumbarse and/or have social and behavioral issues (can only think of "and's" actually... and all chavs too). They've also not done anything after obtaining it.
[/rant]
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quote:

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Originally posted by djdannyp
and you actually cover more in depth Biology than Biology A Level does!

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Obviously had crap teacher for biology then, why don't you go kick a ball at a wall and count your heart beat for a while.



clearly yet another very badly informed person.

was nothing to do with a bad biology teacher (and wasn't even me doing biology, was others in my sports science class)......the fact remains that sports science covers further depth in biology than A level Biology does because more specifics of the processes are required.

and it's called sports science because it is just that: a science.  it compromises aspects of biology, chemistry, physics, sociology, psychology, physiology and plenty of other things.  and like i said, anyone quick to criticise it should bear in mind that sports science is almost solely responsible for the improvements in our professional sports in the last 20 years or so.

think what you want about it being "dumbarses" and "people with social issues" because the latter is often also said of people with good computer knowledge, which accounts for a large number of people here, including yourself.....and since when were stereotypes to be trusted?  going along with the view of a stereotype as being correct is pretty small minded.

and wow, posting in white so people won't see it, aren't you clever.  how pathetic is it trying to point score over something you clearly know nothing about?

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Ok why does PE have such a bad reputation amongst other courses and professions then? (For example the jokes and insults about PE teachers that I've heard from other subject teachers far outweighs any other education jokes)

Personally I just really dislike current day sports and PE (and the media and sponsorship and advertising and money thrown into and around it), and find that the people who do do it, get really defensive and argumentative about it

I enjoy being sarcastic and witty where I can and can take having the piss taken out of me and a joke. My line about kicking a football and counting your heartbeats; well that's what the sports science lot at college did I'd've not got shirty being told to go away and play with some clay and take photographs The dumbarses and social issues, the kids who were kicked out of school for violence and drug abuse went to college and did carpentry or sports science, have ASBO's and have at least 1 child before they're 19.... I think you'll agree those people aren't the best examples of budding young sports scientists... and unfortunately not a such a rare occurrence.

As for your statement on Biology Vs PE. I just can't see why both would exist in the same education centre then. If PE = More, Better, and In depth Biology than Biology, why have Biology? I think what you may have meant is that you learn more in depth about various human biological processes, bone and muscle structure/effects etc.

Sport science is not something to be underestimated at all. At least not here. They are very hard studies and demand a lot on both physical and mental levels.

Obviously when someone says "kicking a ball against the wall and timing your heart beat is stupid" is meant in a sarcastic way (I hope). But so it pooring some liquids together and hoping it will blow up, or trying to proof that SQR(xy) =< (x+y)/2....

Sport science is a real science and just as hard as rocket science or whatever else.

Of course PE does not have better/more biology than biology science. It isn't less either. The focus is just different. You would learn more about the body physics in PE than in biology. But you would learn more about DNA in biology than in PE.

This goes for everything, from carpentry to history, philosphy, history, whatever....

I would realy like to see somebody who says carpentry is less, making a chair and table, a scenery or even a whole house. And somebody who says chemistry is worth nothing to try and make a bar of soap. etc...


If you only have the choice between biology and PE for example, then it is quite simple: do you like sports? Do you like to know how the humand body works and performs or does what it does? Do you want to know how you can improve your stamina? Do you like to know how it is possible that Navy Seals do what they do as they appear to do superhuman stuff? Or are you interested in DNA, how cells and life is formed? etc... Those are the kind of questions you should think about. Not about stuff like "what would they think"? Or what is the 'best' level? Or what should I take if I want to go to Oxford?