Interviewing a prospective student from a local school for a sixth form place, I was surprised at his proposed choice of A level subjects - Business, ICT, Media and Psychology. I asked what his current school had said about that combination. He had been told that as it fitted the timetable it was perfectly acceptable. Such a choice would have almost certainly ruled out a place at any of the UK's top tier universities. It's a stark illustration of why, particularly with fees about to triple in cost, an improvement in the quality of higher education guidance in schools is vital.

Until this year only the LSE and Cambridge published blacklists of 'non preferred' or soft subjects. The situation has now become clearer with The Russell Group of 20 leading universities releasing a list of "facilitating" subjects that are the best passport to a place. These are, unsurprisingly, traditional academic ones - Maths, English, Geography, History, Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Classical or Modern Foreign languages. The guide, 'Informed Choices' warns 16 year olds directly: "If you decide not to choose some of the facilitating subjects at advanced level, many degrees at competitive universities will not be open to you."

Allowing students to take too many 'soft' subjects may help schools skyrocket up league tables but it seriously damages their chances of a place at the most highly selective universities. A levels such as Law, Business Studies and Accounting seem to promise a glittering professional future. They are, in fact, not rated highly by the top universities whose degrees lead most successfully to careers in these competitive fields.
The universities have stopped being coy about these facts. Schools now have the responsibility of ensuring sixth formers know how important it is they choose their subjects wisely.

Alistair Brownlow. Principal.
Rochester Independent College.