AS Results!! Need HELP please...

GeneHunt_2

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Sorry if I've missed it but does she have any ideas yet about her future career?

No not really She's not thinking she will become an Economist I think she is thinking she will be more employable with an Economics degree.

Oldernotwiser

GeneHunt wrote: »

No not really She's not thinking she will become an Economist I think she is thinking she will be more employable with an Economics degree.

But it depends in what area. If, for example, she has even the slightest interest in becoming a teacher, English would be far the better choice.

jollyme

I seem to remember the prediction of grades being made as part of the UCAS application process. My two certainly new of the predictions and there was some discussion between student and teacher. Teachers will/should not predict everyone to get A's or it degrades the process. An agreement to do extra work to a deadline and have it marked can help to show commitment from the student. Other schools may not operate in this way but there is no point in any of this unless the student really does feel that they can produce the required prediction.

Aelius

mmmsnow wrote: »

She may have a better chance of a job with Economics than English Lit.

You think?

I have a friend who graduated from St Andrews with a degree in Economics, 4 years later he is still unemployed. I received my degree from Stirling University in June in English Lit and I have a job.

Aelius

WolfSong2000 wrote: »

Personally, I'd ask your daughter about looking into Scottish Uni's...sounds odd, but they have a slightly different system up there which is really helpful if you're a bit undecided about what you want to do. I did my undergraduate degree at Aberdeen, which is a very well respected uni...went in to do philosophy, came out with a degree in history and in the meantime did courses in everything from celtic civilisation to criminal law (and a few others besides!). The system's a lot more flexible, so your daughter could go in to do ecoonomics (or english lit), then take some modules in non-primary subject and she has the first two years to try both out before she has to settle on one.

The Scottish government want to introduce fees of £9000 for English students from 2012. So the four year Scottish degree will cost £36000, compared to the English £27000.

mmmsnow

Aelius wrote: »

You think?

I have a friend who graduated from St Andrews with a degree in Economics, 4 years later he is still unemployed. I received my degree from Stirling University in June in English Lit and I have a job.

As I know neither you nor your friend, I can't comment.

I work at a large Scottish university and liase regularly with the careers service. If you get a hold of a list of the Top 100 employers, you will find that many of them are looking for graduates with numerate degrees. English Lit provides a different skill set to Economics and while both are valuable in the work place, Economics may be a better bet for range of employment available.

Also, if you play the numbers game, there are fewer Economics graduates in the graduate pool each year than English Lit grads (I have data to this effect encompassing all the Scottish universities, although the case may be different in England).

To study anything at university requires real interest - just being "good at it" may get someone through the first year but you really need to be motivated to keep going!

bouncydog1

If your daughter is keen to go to Uni she should do her degree in the subject that she enjoys the most, rather than what she thinks will get her a better job.

If economics is her favourite subject then she needs to knuckle down, do the resit and try and get her grade up. Some Unis will also specify what grade they want in a specific subject so although entry may be ABB they may specify A in economics.

Employers also like science degrees even if the chosen career is not science related, because of the skills learned during the degree.

Her teachers will not (and should not try to) do her any favours by predicting AAA for her on her UCAS application if they do not honestly feel that those grades are achievable. The Uni may well asks for those grades if they make an offer and if this is not achievable then she wastes an application.

A good place to start her research is to look at which Unis offer the course she thinks she wants to do - then look at each Uni individually to see what the course structure is comprised of and also see what their entry requirements are. Some requirements will insist on certain pairing of subjects for certain courses e.g. biology degree will also want a second science of either maths/chemistry/environmental science etc.

Gradually she should be able to narrow down to find 5 that she thinks might be o.k. Try and visit all before the January UCAS deadline so that she gets a "feel" for the Uni. In my view she should choose Unis with a scope of grades from high to low.

Whilst her GCSE grades are good and above the minimum entry requirements, it is a different ballgame for A2's - the subjects are a lot harder.

AvidSaver

As mother of student just receiving A2 results, I would suggest your daughter sticks with her original choice of Economics at Uni. C grade is pretty good and even if a little disappointing for your daughter, would suggest resit. At this time last year was suggesting to my own daughter was there any point in continuing with A levels and sixth form (based on her own AS results which were not good), she stuck at it and achieved impressive grades for her which secured her place at first choice Uni. Have a back up plan but don't give up on first choice.

GeneHunt_2

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

But it depends in what area. If, for example, she has even the slightest interest in becoming a teacher, English would be far the better choice.

That's true. However, Economics is quite a popular subject at A Level these days

Oldernotwiser

GeneHunt wrote: »

That's true. However, Economics is quite a popular at A Level these days

Still only a tiny number of teaching jobs compared with English though.