[AWJC]

Hey, I've only just joined TSR as I need to decide which English A level to do - English Literature or English Lit/Lan Combined. Basically, my teacher has changed the regular course of Lit to combined, because combined supposedly achieves the best results, and she has sent many students to Oxbridge on this qualification. However, I think choosing it should be based more on the enjoyment quality - I loath Language and although I can do it, I do not enjoy it as much as Literature; which is my main passion.

I read all the time, novels, plays etc - and by studying combined I am worried that I may perhaps become behind on my knowledge of Literature before I apply to Uni (as I have a dream to learn Literature at Oxbridge - although of course any Uni would be great). Studying combined we have to learn anthologies of newspaper articles etc which all seem tedious and really rather boring.

Which course do you recommend in my position? And if anyone has done either of these courses, what did you think of them? And, of course, if anyone is applying to Oxbridge or any Uni to study English, what did you take and did it benefit you?

Thank you in advance, and also thanks for such a great forum. The advice proved invaluable for motivation during the revision period for GCSE's

[dark-blue]

Just so you know, neither Oxford or Cambridge offer a pure Literature degree - Cambridge does English, Oxford Literature and Language, and I think both do joint honours as well (Oxford definitely does anyway).

Supposedly, universities prefer Literature, then combined, then Language, but it's really more about your passion I think. At an Oxford open day, one English student had both Language and Literature as separate A Levels along with Psychology.

I have just finished Lang/ Lit combined and loved it. Wider reading can really be done with either, except with Lit, for coursework there is a wider reading list at AS, whereas I've only just got one for A2 coursework - I had no choice on coursework texts.

"Alternative" texts studied in Lang/ Lit are a lot more interesting than you think. We also studied crisp packets and adverts, which I guess helps develop knowledge of language in everyday life e.g. if you wanted to go into media as a career.