As the GCSE exam season approaches, the air gets tense as children prepare to finish their final year at secondary school. With all the revision prep and study sessions, it seems that the only time to rest will be at the end of exam season. However, this is not the case as you will have to start preparing for your child’s transition into further education. A levels are a common choice for most but need to be thought through before proceeding. Choosing the subjects to study can be both an exciting and daunting process given that your child will be studying them for the next 2 years of their life. Here are some top tips on helping your child choose their A levels.
Keep an open mind
As a parent, you only want the best for your child. However, it can be easy to get over involved and end up making decisions for your child that don’t align with their goals and interests. The same goes for your child. Some children have their head set straight on a particular career path such as medicine even though their strengths don’t lie in science. It is vital that your child chooses subjects that they show strength in and most of all, enjoy. A good indicator is looking back at their experience during the study of GCSES.
Ask the right questions
Sometimes teenagers will choose subjects based on the crowd. It is important you remind your child that they are their own person and not to follow what their friends do as A levels are an independent study that will only benefit them. Ask them what they find most important in a career and allow them to branch out as much as they want. It’ll give you an indication of if they are money motivated, want a challenge or simply have the intention to work amongst people to help them. Then look at what lessons they enjoy the most and excel at. Asking the right questions can help them see clearer when making their final decision on A level subjects.
