Critical Thinking?!!

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shylock30012001

critical thinking helps you analyse data you're given.by data [...] if you do Law or Psychology it helps a bit,more for Law though.

If you're doing Law you should be able to analyse testimony and mentally compile facts pretty well anyway. Critical Thinking won't help very much, if at all. Similarly if you're doing maths or a science, you should be able to remember figures and equations well as it is.

asadtamimi

Rubbish subject which my school forces me to take and which will ruin my chances of going to oxbridge

So don't declare it. You don't have to put all your qualifications on your UCAS form, and for something as dubious as CT, no harm in not putting it down, particularly since Oxbridge want A Levels in subjects with have specific syllabi aimed at your course of choice in general.

shylock30012001

and uni's love it.they really look at you when they see you're doing it.they say it helps them because it means you'll be thinking in the courses and you won't be a couch potato.

Somehow I don't agree. I'd consider someone with an A in Law A Level to be much superior in developing arguments and "critical thinking" than someone with an A in Critical Thinking.

Reply 21

swirl

skd180

Where's this evidence that critical thinking is considered unfavourably by most unis? It's not even on the LSE blacklist, which hates about 20 A levels! I don't really see why people group it with general studies. Far from being detrimental, universities like analytical skills. Why would they not want someone to have beneficial skills that they can use on their course?

Other subjects from the sciences through to english language all use analytical skills so it can actually be quite useful.

I think most people are bitter about it because they are being forced to do it which I suppose is fair enough.

Exactly. I echo the points you have expressed.

About this blacklist - do you know where I could see it?

Reply 22

Icy Ghost

http://www.lse.ac.uk/resources/undergraduateProspectus2006/howToApply.htm

Accounting
Art and Design
Business Studies
Communication Studies
Dance
Design and Technology
Drama/Theatre Studies
Home Economics
Information and Communication Technology
Law
Media Studies
Sports Studies

Reply 23

john williams

Your lucky you have lessons in it. I did the exam and only work i did was 3/4 hrs the night/morning before and got a C! But it requires practice to get an A.

Reply 24

Gemini

I took Critical Thinking. At my school we were given the choice between taking CT or General Studies. We were told that CT would mean more work, but most people chose to take it, as it counts towards UCAS points unlike General Studies.

Personally I found the lessons really interesting. We had one hour a week, and never did homework - also the attitude in the lessons was alot more relaxed, as people didnt actually care about the subject. My favorite part of CT was instead of accepting what had been written, like I used to do, it taught me how to think about the arguments used and their validity. Now I drive my parents mad whenever I read the newspaper :biggrin:

However, in most lessons we focussed on exam technique - how to jump through the examiners hoops. If you learn the mark scheme it becomes infinitely easier to get marks - often you have to write specific things in order to get marks. I think this is the major flaw in the subject, I was lucky to have a teacher who went to the trouble of finding out about the subject - if I had been left to my own devices I would have had trouble.

In the end I got an A, which really suprised me....though I was well chuffed :biggrin:

It was mainly because I spent the time learning the CT marking scheme, only the night before though - how geeky do I sound! :redface:

Reply 25

stratomaster

Gemini

General studies does conunt. 120 ucas points if you get an A

Reply 26

AlphaNumeric

Yes, but many universities don't count it when they make you an offer.

Reply 27

La Trampa

some universities include Critical thinking in their offers.i've got a mate he's got to get at least a C in critical thinking.it was part of his requirement

Reply 28

Alex_Pi

Compulsory subject at our sch, total waste of time in my opinion, At AS and A2 can you decline grades totally (i.e. the Uni will NOT see the grade) ? Because i'm aiming for AABB at A2 or so and i've found that i just cannot do Crit Thinking and i'd rather not have AABBD

Reply 29

sierraleone

Yeah, if you decline a grade then you don't have to declare it on your application.

You could withdraw yourself from the exams too and that'll automatically give you Us in the modules.

Reply 30

leannemarie

So far I have 3 offers for languages, they all ask for certain grades in languages but two of them will accept CT as my 3rd subject which I have to get a B in at full A Level. I really enjoyed the AS Level but I did it by distance learning so I spent very little time doing it and when I did do it, it involved working through examples whereas I've heard that some people do debates and stuff which I can't see being of much use in the actual exam.

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Alex_Pi

Just decline the grade. Tbh I don't think unis will be too bothered by a poor performance unless you're applying for a related subject like law/history/english. They are more likely to be impressed by a high grade.

Reply 31

Ferrus

Well without sounding arrogant citical thinking is something that should come naturally through otehr subjects rather than be taught.

Reply 32

Econ4m1t

well u r sounding arrogant

Reply 33

leannemarie

I think to some extent it comes from other subjects, but it also helped my other subjects. I think you need to do practice papers and work through the questions to see what the examiners are looking for - I think that's what let me down last summer.

Reply 34

La Trampa

CT has helped me with my other subjects a bit.and the debates and class stuff can be good as well.

Reply 35

Aristogeiton

eugh, it's pathetic, easy, unchallenging, obvious and utterly pointless. I have 2 periods of it a week and I practically fall asleep during the time.

Reply 36

amo17

Gemini

It was mainly because I spent the time learning the CT marking scheme, only the night before though - how geeky do I sound! :redface:

where do you think i could get hold of these papers? My teachers arent bothered enough to help us with our CT.

Reply 37

asadtamimi

amo17

where do you think i could get hold of these papers? My teachers arent bothered enough to help us with our CT.

yea im on ocr and need to get my hands on the ridiculously annoying markscheme

Reply 38

thats_my_poison

ferrus

Well without sounding arrogant citical thinking is something that should come naturally through otehr subjects rather than be taught.

i agree. i took it a year early and we only did 45 mins on it once a week but i didnt actually revise for it . as long as you can argue your point, i dont see whats so hard about it