Are these gcse options good for law and fora good UNI?

I'm picking
History
French
Drama
Music
I want to be a LAWYER/barrister- I want to go to a uni like Durham are these choices good enough for me to study law in Durham or Cambridge???NAND if I dropped drama or music for another subject which one shall I drop?

Reply 1

Megan Oversby

Original post by Lewis_GCSE

The GCSEs you pick won't matter AT ALL for any uni degree, doing well in whatever you pick is what's gonna matter. No one cares what you did as long as you did good

Reply 2

Pro Crastination

As far as I know (current uni student so talked to quite a few people about GCSEs with regards to university admissions in the past) what GCSEs you have taken isn't terribly important in comparison to the AS/A levels you choose to take. That being said, if you want an idea of the subjects that good universities prefer, it's worth taking a look at the Russell Group's 'Facilitating Subjects' document (it's somewhere online). This list applies to A levels, but if you're really unsure about GCSE choices it's probably worth taking a look at that anyway, you might be able to get a head start/good grounding for subjects you go on to take at A level by taking them now.

For instance, History is seen as a 'facilitating' subject, so unless there is something else you really want to do instead of it, I'd say it's a very good subject to pick (I regret not taking it at GCSE because I think it's fascinating).

As the above poster has mentioned, the number of As and A*s is what really counts (particularly if you can get them in your core subjects: English, Maths, Sciences). I remember being told the average Oxbridge entrant has something like 7 A*s at GCSE after I got to college (thinking 3 A*s was really good haha), so bear that in mind.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 3

Kevin:)

universities don't care about what gcse options you take, it's only the choices at a level that make a difference. in fact, for law, they don't even ask for anything specific at a level

Reply 4

Samonia

look at what the A-level subjects need. For a good law school you want English, history etc. so look at what your 6th form needs for those subjects :biggrin:

Reply 5

Harrykel

Original post by Kevin:)

universities don't care about what gcse options you take, it's only the choices at a level that make a difference. in fact, for law, they don't even ask for anything specific at a level

Really? I thought English Language/Literature would be definite requirement!

Reply 6

Harrykel

Ah, I just checked - clearly not. However, they do seem to like exam-based subjects.

Reply 7

Kevin:)

Original post by Harrykel

Really? I thought English Language/Literature would be definite requirement!

No, although an essay subject is recommended. I also want to study Law and I'm taking History, Maths and either Philosophy/Physics/Economics.

If you're aiming for Oxbridge, it's still OK. I have heard first hand from a Cambridge history professor (the A-Level criteria of which, as a humanity, will be identical to law) that some of his students have A Levels in History, Maths, Further Maths and Physics. Law is less about what A Levels you do and more that you get good marks in it (although it helps if at least one is an essay subject). In fact, the subjects my school explicitly mentions for Law in their UCAS application guide for Year 12 are History, Maths and Physics (as they like to see that someone can think logically, hence the maths and science).