Forcing students to endure a subject that many find unenjoyable could end up putting some off A-levels altogether
When I talk with 17- and 18-year-olds applying to the University of Bath, where I teach, I am often asked whether they should choose to study maths or one of the other A-level subjects they are taking.
My answer is almost always the same: they should take maths. This advice is not just a bias of my background, but stems from the fact that mathematics is the language of science. Studying mathematics doesn’t shut any doors. It keeps them open. With a strong mathematical background, it’s relatively easy to transfer to one of the other sciences, economics, or any number of quantitative areas. Mathematics graduates are consistently ranked among the most employable.
