Choosing A Levels is stressful! Getting it right makes your life much easier later on. Here’s some advice.

Method 1: Find your Interest + Strength Intersection

• Make two lists ranking:
  • The subjects you enjoy most
  • The subjects you are best at
• Choose the subjects which intersect highest on both lists
• Example

Method 2: Work Backwards from Your Future Plans

• If you know what course you want to study at uni, check the subject requirements
  • Focus on checking them for unis you’re interested in
  • Choose those subjects, assuming you’re good at them and sufficiently interested
• Warning:
  • If you dislike or are bad at any subjects (e.g. Computer Science and you hate maths, Medicine but you aren’t good at Biology), the course likely isn’t right for you.

Method 3: The LinkedIn Method

• Find people who are in the position you’d like to be in (e.g. Analyst at Goldman, Consultant at McKinsey)
• See their educational progressions and consider trying to mimic it
  • Obviously, don’t get obsessed with it, there’s more than one path, but it might be a useful indicator
  • Things change: if you dislike a subject, don’t do it for the sake of it!
• I am very tenuous about this method since there’s loads of disclaimers, but it’s a good initial guide.

Tip 1: Test Subjects Before You Commit

• Skim revision notes for the subject on Physics and Maths Tutor
• Ask ambitious students taking the subject
  • Some students will over-exaggerate, particularly stressed Y13s
• Look through past papers
  • Are the questions interesting to you?
  • Don’t worry if it looks challenging!
• Watch YouTube videos of people’s experiences

Tip 2: Think About Teaching Quality (at your school)

• Good teaching makes a big difference.
• Self-teaching is possible, but harder for some subjects than others.