As many astute “A” level tutors would already have known, major universities are not willing to accept high grades in “soft option” A levels as entry requirements to their courses, but prefer lower grades in academic subjects. Cambridge, the London School of Economics and Manchester are advising students to concentrate of academic A levels and Cambridge has gone so far as to post a notice on its website advising young people of acceptable and unacceptable combinations of subjects for entry to its courses.
As many astute “A” level tutors would already have known, major universities are not willing to accept high grades in “soft option” A levels as entry requirements to their courses, but prefer lower grades in academic subjects. Cambridge, the London School of Economics and Manchester are advising students to concentrate of academic A levels and Cambridge has gone so far as to post a notice on its website advising young people of acceptable and unacceptable combinations of subjects for entry to its courses.
As reported in the Times it seems that, at last, Universities are making explicit their view of the lack of academic rigour and credibility of some subjects (see the following list). It appears that about one in 6 students took A levels in at least one of the 21 subjects listed by Cambridge as “Less effective preparation”. This can be seen as one by-product of the rising pass rate as universities feel they need to establish firmer criteria for selection for courses in an environment when 25% of passes are A grades. Admissions tutors believe that working class pupils will miss out in selection because schools fail to give them the best guidance. It is also suggested that the increased participation rate of lower-income families and less motivated students at A level has been fuelled by the increase in the “more attractive but less academic” A levels and that this is likely to have a negative spin-off in working class participation rates in major universities and in mainstream university programmes.
The “Soft Option A levels in Cambridge University’s opinion are:
Accounting
Art & Design
Business Studies
Critical Thinking
Communication Studies
Dance
Design & Technology
Drama & Theatre Studies
Film/Media/TV Studies
General Studies
Health & Social Care
Home Economics
ICT
Leisure Studies
Music Technology
Performance studies
Performing Arts
Photography
Physical Education
Sports Studies and PE
Travel & Tourism
There must be a sharp intake of breath for the inclusion of Accounting, ICT and Business Studies, though I suppose that students of these type of subjects would be advised to study Mathematics, Computing or Computer Studies and Economics in the first instance at A level and take narrower specialisms at degree level.
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