h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I did 3 A-levels (history, English Language, art); I left college last year (2000). However, the work I was doing was equivalent to 4, because- due to changing colleges and courses- I was doing 16th century history in one year (attending both lower and upper sixth lessons). I found it a bit strenuous, especially perfecting essay techniques, but astounded everyone by actually being successful at it. Because of the amount I was doing, I didn't have to do Key Skills or General Studies (also compulsory as a 4th subject.) Everyone, but everyone, thought these two were useless.
And now, at the completion of my Art Foundation, we're told there's a key skills exam to take. However, our lecturers hold this in such esteem that we don't have to go if we don't want to (especially if we have A level English, which I do.)
My main problem with AS levels would be the same as with school. Most school subjects I loathed, although I was good at them. College was a way to concentrate only on what I liked and was best at. Now, however, I would have to choose subjects I was not interested in, and be expected to work just as hard with them. GCSE options gave me quite enough idea of what I didn't want to do. And either you ignore the ones you dislike, and fail, or treat them equally and maybe don't do as well in your favourite subject.
I enjoyed college much more than school, because of this freedom of choice. If we keep the AS (to wean students off GCSEs), how will they cope with the specialised study at university?
Odd.