Ask most sixth-formers how they picked their A levels and you’ll hear a familiar mix: they enjoyed the subject at GCSE, a friend was doing it, or a parent suggested it would “keep options open”. All reasonable starting points. None of them, on their own, add up to a good decision.
The truth is that choosing A levels is less about picking favourites and more about working backwards from where a student wants to end up. Here is a step-by-step way to approach it that cuts through the noise.
Step 1: Start with the destination, not the subjects
Before looking at any subject list, spend time on the end goal. That might be a specific degree, a broad field like medicine or engineering, or simply a sense of the kind of work that appeals.
If there’s a university course in mind, read its entry requirements directly. Some degrees demand particular subjects (medicine usually requires chemistry and often biology, for example), and these are easy to miss until it’s too late to switch. Working from the destination keeps the whole process grounded.
Step 2: Separate the “required” from the “useful”
Once you’ve read a few course pages, sort subjects into three groups: genuinely required, strongly preferred, and simply helpful. A student aiming for economics, for instance, will often find maths required, while a second strong analytical subject is merely useful.
This simple sorting exercise prevents a common mistake: loading up on subjects a student *thinks* they need, when the actual requirement is narrower and leaves room for something they’d enjoy more.
Step 3: Be honest about enjoyment and aptitude
Here’s the part nobody warns students about. A levels are a significant step up from GCSEs, and genuine interest is what carries people through the harder stretches. A subject chosen purely for strategy, with no real enthusiasm behind it, tends to become the one that drags grades down.
Aptitude matters too. Doing well at a subject and enjoying the way it’s taught at a higher level are not always the same thing. Taster sessions, sixth-form open events and conversations with current students all help here. Schools with a strong track record of guiding students through sixth form often build this kind of exploration into the decision-making process rather than leaving it to chance.
Step 4: Check the combinations work together
Individual subjects can look sensible and still clash as a group. Some combinations are timetabled against each other. Others pile on similar demands, such as three essay-heavy subjects all setting coursework in the same weeks.
A balanced mix often works better. Pairing a practical or creative subject with more analytical ones can keep the workload varied and the week more manageable.
Step 5: Keep one option genuinely open
The advice to “keep your options open” is sound, but only if it’s deliberate. Rather than hedging across every choice, pick one subject specifically because it widens future paths. A facilitating subject, the kind many universities value across a range of courses, does this job well without diluting focus elsewhere.
Step 6: Give yourself permission to change course early
Most schools allow a short window at the start of the year to swap a subject that isn’t working. Students rarely use it, often out of pride or reluctance to disrupt their timetable. Treat that window as a built-in safety net, not an admission of failure. A quick adjustment in September is far easier than regret in May.
A final thought
Good A level choices rarely come from a single flash of certainty. They come from asking better questions, working backwards from the destination, and being honest about what a student will actually enjoy studying for two years. Schools like RGS Surrey Hills place real weight on that conversation, because the right combination does far more than secure a place: it sets the tone for how confident a young person feels walking into their next chapter. You can read more about their approach at https://rgs-surreyhills.org.
*This article was contributed by the team at RGS Surrey Hills, an independent school based in the Surrey Hills offering a broad academic curriculum and tailored sixth-form guidance. RGS Surrey Hills supports students across a wide range of A level subjects, helping them make informed, confident choices about their education and the paths that follow.*