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Geography or History?

I would really like some help on deciding which to pick so would be grateful to hear what you do and don't like about Geography and History at A Level. Thanks very much :smile:

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as someone who did both at A level i would advise history but of course it depends on what appeals to you and what your school teaches.
It depends on which one you find more interesting, and what you're hoping to do after A Levels. I personally did Geography, which was relevant as I'm going to do a degree in Geology. They are both essay subjects, so the most important things to consider really are the content (do you prefer learning about the past, or our planet?) and what each can lead to degree wise (if you plan on going to uni) :smile:
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Original post by chelseafreak
as someone who did both at A level i would advise history but of course it depends on what appeals to you and what your school teaches.


Thank you. What did you enjoy about history? My school is doing Europe and America during 1800s and 1900s.

Original post by Leviathan1741
It depends on which one you find more interesting, and what you're hoping to do after A Levels. I personally did Geography, which was relevant as I'm going to do a degree in Geology. They are both essay subjects, so the most important things to consider really are the content (do you prefer learning about the past, or our planet?) and what each can lead to degree wise (if you plan on going to uni) :smile:


Thanks for your help! I'm really not sure what I prefer because I had such a bad teacher for Gcse Geography so didn't start to enjoy it until the very end when I was only teaching myself. I'm hoping to do veterinary medicine so Geography will probably be most relevant.
Original post by Beth141299
Thank you. What did you enjoy about history? My school is doing Europe and America during 1800s and 1900s.


We did Henery VIII, industrial revolution, french revolution, Italy between the wars and russian revolution. A lot of revolutions now i think about it.
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Original post by chelseafreak
We did Henery VIII, industrial revolution, french revolution, Italy between the wars and russian revolution. A lot of revolutions now i think about it.


Thanks. That does sound very revolution-heavy! :biggrin:
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Anmol_.
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If your looking for something easier do geography. If you want a bit of a challenge and something more interesting do history. But mostly it depends on your strengths
Do geography, it is so interesting and easy since it also has short answer questions at least in AS if you do edexcel. It was my favourite a-level and I didn't even do GCSE and still got an A. It is also very easy to revise for since most of it is common sense and just easy overall. I did History GCSE and I found Alevel Geography easier and just better overall.
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Original post by Anmol_.
If your looking for something easier do geography. If you want a bit of a challenge and something more interesting do history. But mostly it depends on your strengths

Ok, thanks. What exam board did you do? As my main priority should be science, I don't want this subject to take more of my time. However, I tend to be better at the History and English kind of subjects.
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Original post by lahorizon
Do geography, it is so interesting and easy since it also has short answer questions at least in AS if you do edexcel. It was my favourite a-level and I didn't even do GCSE and still got an A. It is also very easy to revise for since most of it is common sense and just easy overall. I did History GCSE and I found Alevel Geography easier and just better overall.



Thank you for your help! Unfortunately I'm not doing edexcel, but I'm sure WJEC can't be that different. Can I please ask - why did you stop at GCSE with History and not do A level?
Original post by Beth141299
Thank you for your help! Unfortunately I'm not doing edexcel, but I'm sure WJEC can't be that different. Can I please ask - why did you stop at GCSE with History and not do A level?


My school taught War of the Roses for AS and I was not that interested in it, plus I don't like coursework because I don't trust my teachers to mark it so I chose Geography which has no coursework, at least it didn't for Edexcel. Also writing essays for history seemed much harder than the Geography ones, since you have to be really thorough.

Geography is really easy to revise for because you just need to learn a couple facts. I urge you to look at past papers for both Geography and History and see if you like how it is.
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jb1702
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I'd reccomend history. For AS I did Germany from the end of WWI to the end of the FRG and the rise of Fascism in Italy, which could be what you'll do for Europe. They're both quite interesting topics and you explore what life was like for people then
Original post by Beth141299
Ok, thanks. What exam board did you do? As my main priority should be science, I don't want this subject to take more of my time. However, I tend to be better at the History and English kind of subjects.


I reckon geography will take less of your time. I could of probably taught it to myself alone without help from school. Just get a good textbook
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Original post by lahorizon
My school taught War of the Roses for AS and I was not that interested in it, plus I don't like coursework because I don't trust my teachers to mark it so I chose Geography which has no coursework, at least it didn't for Edexcel. Also writing essays for history seemed much harder than the Geography ones, since you have to be really thorough.

Geography is really easy to revise for because you just need to learn a couple facts. I urge you to look at past papers for both Geography and History and see if you like how it is.


Ah, I see. Thanks - good advice! I will definitely look at some past papers.

Original post by jb1702
I'd reccomend history. For AS I did Germany from the end of WWI to the end of the FRG and the rise of Fascism in Italy, which could be what you'll do for Europe. They're both quite interesting topics and you explore what life was like for people then


That does sound really interesting, actually. I just wish there was some way of knowing the right option for sure!

Original post by lahorizon
I reckon geography will take less of your time. I could of probably taught it to myself alone without help from school. Just get a good textbook


Oh, wow - really? Thanks for your help!
I've got the same dilemma as you, I can't decide between them and I know I want a humanities. I took history at gcse and while I enjoy learning the subject I'm not that good at it and I dislike source questions, so I decided to go fo geography. However, my sister who took history a level told me she can't remember doung any sources, and I know it's best to do subjects you enjoy, so now I'm confused and don't know what to do. I'd love to hear your decisions when you make your mind up, it might help me make mine up as well!
Original post by Beth141299
I would really like some help on deciding which to pick so would be grateful to hear what you do and don't like about Geography and History at A Level. Thanks very much :smile:


I did Edexcel Geography and Edexcel History at AS but only History A2 so, I can only compare them for AS. There is a lot of content for both, but I would say marginal more for Geography which is why I dropped it - that and the fact that it is dull dull dull. History is harder to do well in. I actually scored full UMS in geography, but only 96% in History but I still dropped Geograohy. History essays require more thought and structured argument but geography is very much a case of memorising everything.
Reply 16
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Original post by IfYouCanDreamIt
I've got the same dilemma as you, I can't decide between them and I know I want a humanities. I took history at gcse and while I enjoy learning the subject I'm not that good at it and I dislike source questions, so I decided to go fo geography. However, my sister who took history a level told me she can't remember doung any sources, and I know it's best to do subjects you enjoy, so now I'm confused and don't know what to do. I'd love to hear your decisions when you make your mind up, it might help me make mine up as well!

It's nice to hear from someone who is in the same position :smile: Do you have any idea of what you want to be in the future? What are you other subject choices? I'll certainly let you know what I pick and I'd love to know your choice, too!

Original post by Platopus
I did Edexcel Geography and Edexcel History at AS but only History A2 so, I can only compare them for AS. There is a lot of content for both, but I would say marginal more for Geography which is why I dropped it - that and the fact that it is dull dull dull. History is harder to do well in. I actually scored full UMS in geography, but only 96% in History but I still dropped Geograohy. History essays require more thought and structured argument but geography is very much a case of memorising everything.

That is actually really helpful - thank you. The fact that geography is a memory test makes me want to do history because I think it would offer more of a change to science. The main thing I'm worried about with history though is that it will take over my other subjects, which are the ones I more desperately need to do well in. Thanks again!
Reply 17
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Original post by IfYouCanDreamIt
I've got the same dilemma as you, I can't decide between them and I know I want a humanities. I took history at gcse and while I enjoy learning the subject I'm not that good at it and I dislike source questions, so I decided to go fo geography. However, my sister who took history a level told me she can't remember doung any sources, and I know it's best to do subjects you enjoy, so now I'm confused and don't know what to do. I'd love to hear your decisions when you make your mind up, it might help me make mine up as well!
It's nice to hear from someone who is in the same position :smile: Do you have any idea of what you want to be in the future? What are you other subject choices? I'll certainly let you know what I pick and I'd love to know your choice, too!
Original post by Platopus
I did Edexcel Geography and Edexcel History at AS but only History A2 so, I can only compare them for AS. There is a lot of content for both, but I would say marginal more for Geography which is why I dropped it - that and the fact that it is dull dull dull. History is harder to do well in. I actually scored full UMS in geography, but only 96% in History but I still dropped Geograohy. History essays require more thought and structured argument but geography is very much a case of memorising everything.
That is actually really helpful - thank you. The fact that geography is a memory test makes me want to do history because I think it would offer more of a change to science. The main thing I'm worried about with history though is that it will take over my other subjects, which are the ones I more desperately need to do well in. Thanks again!
Original post by Beth141299
That is actually really helpful - thank you. The fact that geography is a memory test makes me want to do history because I think it would offer more of a change to science. The main thing I'm worried about with history though is that it will take over my other subjects, which are the ones I more desperately need to do well in. Thanks again!

No problem. History did require a lot of work, I'm not going to lie. But, it didn't take over my other subjects. For me, at AS, it required more work than English lit but less work than geography, and philosophy. At A2, history required less work than philosophy, but more than English lit. Obviously, I gave up geography after AS so I can't say for certain whether history requires less work than that at A2, but unless geography gets suddenly easier between AS and A2 (which I doubt), history would still have the lighter workload.
I'd take History however I'd check what modules the course teacher has chosen, for example the first module I did was the German Reformation, and I hated every second but the modules after that were good, next year (A2) is America during the Great Depression :frown: and something else, however my coursework next year is for the American Civil War so that should be interesting. Also as mentioned above History will require a lot of work and revision to the extent I revised for that more than my other subjects put together.
(edited 7 years ago)

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