Anyone else torn to do English Literature and sciences?

Title say it all really. Im doing a level maths, physics, chemistry and at the last moment added English Literature: and im torn between whether to study English Literature at university or whether to do what I previously planned and do physics or a form of engineering. Did anyone else have this problem and if so how did u decide which one? Anyone have any advice for me? Thx to all replies

Reply 1

English Devon

NeverBeNormal

Hey, yeah I had the exact same problem. I did Maths as (b), English A2 (A), Biology A2 (A) and Chemistry A2 (A) for A-level. I was going to do medicine/biomedical studies but at the very last minute chose to do an English Literature degree. I think I made the right choice for me because I need time to figure out what career I'd like to dive into. But medicine is very vocational. I think a physics degree will be highly regarded by employers and is impressive. Many people opt for an English degree, but I think a Physics degree may set you apart from the crowd a little more (don't quote me on that, its just a general impression I may be wrong). But speaking from experience, you have to have the motivation to see a degree through to the end and get the best mark you can so it must be in a field you honestly enjoy and get excited about. If English does that for you, do it. Conversely for physics or engineering as well. Employers are looking for trained minds. Often it's not the degree you've done but rather the grade you got and at which University you got it that matters (within reason obviously). Well thats what an English professor told me when I was torn between sciences and Arts.

Anyway you can just do another degree after the one you first pick and then be called a Doctor (but not of medicine as people often assume)! That's my plan anyway. :biggrin:

Good luck

Devon xx

Reply 2

NeverBeNormal

thx alot gald to know that im not the only person like this :biggrin:

Reply 3

deviantmuse

Me too! I would like to apply for a mix on the UCAS but writing a personal statement for both subjects feels like a difficult task! I'm also a little worried that if I apply for English that the uni's won't take my application as seriously because I would only have 1 arts A levels, has anyone else found this to be the case :confused:

Reply 4

Jelkin

I don't think a lot of unis care about what other A Levels you take, so long as you do well in Eng Lit. I was deciding between a whole bunch of degrees (English and Maths particularly, then Law and Music) and at the time I chose English mainly because I had the most to say about it on my personal statement! Also, I knew I could talk about it more easily at interview and I didn't do Further Maths. This is NOT a recommended way to pick a subject, btw (though I guess having more to say about a subject on your ps may indicate that you'd prefer it).

In fact, the whole uni thing for me was rushed and I didn't even look into courses properly because I really wasn't ready to make decisions of that kind. Luckily, I later realised that I'd made the right choice!!! It's true that more people do English, and it's more competitive, but I don't think your subjects will put you at a disadvantage so do what you think you'd enjoy more.

:biggrin:

Reply 5

Jelkin

P.S. Apparently, mixing different subjects on UCAS is a bad bad idea :frown:

Someone on TSR once said they'd applied to 5 different courses (very different) and got in to all but I don't know how they did it!

Reply 6

i-have-toes

I know there's a lot of debate over whether Psychology is an Art or a Science.. but I couldn't decide between the two so took a Combined Degree :smile:

There are a lot less Universities that mix Arts and Sciences, but it can be done if you really can't decide.

Reply 7

crazybored

deviantmuse

I'm also a little worried that if I apply for English that the uni's won't take my application as seriously because I would only have 1 arts A levels, has anyone else found this to be the case :confused:

i wouldnt worry about that cos i took English Lit, Maths, Biology and Economics at A level and still got accepted by my first choice to do english - as long as you show some kind of commitment to the subject and get ur required grades, you should have no problem :smile:

Reply 8

~Sam~

I did Geog and Psych A Levels are they're hardly arts subjects. I dont think it matters that much tbh

Reply 9

English Devon

hey, i changed my degree to Biochemistry now. So what I said before perhaps is a little invalid now. But still, never be afraid to change your mind and do what you want because its you that will be having to study at something for three years plus.

Love not so 'English' Devon.