A level History or Classics? Help needed :/

I have applied for sixth form college and am currently going to study Classics, German, Psychology and Double maths. (Maths and German are facilitating)

I would like to aim for Cambridge university or a uni in London. I haven't decided what exactly I'd like to study so I'm trying to keep my options open (Law, German or criminology are ideas at the moment)

I am now starting to think that maybe I should be doing History as it is 'facilitating' and apparently (according to my current head teacher and other teachers at my school) generally looks much better and more academic than classics. I am doing history at gcse but I am really not enjoying it as I am struggling to keep up but I'm not sure if that's because of my teacher, because frankly she's useless. I know that I used to enjoy history so I'm a bit stuck as to whether I would like it if i took it at A level.

I currently do Latin at gcse and am doing classics enrichment so I have some foundations for the A level course and am really enjoy both subjects.

Basically, I wanted to ask what anybody thought because I think I'd be more comfortable doing classics but I don't want to put myself at a disadvantage for the future?

Reply 1

RavenclawPolly

Original post by H4nn4h_R

I would say go with what you enjoy, it will be so much harder to do well in a subject you hate. I don't know whether history would keep more options open for example getting into law as classics is a more a minority subject i think. But German and Maths are very strong subjects so i wouldn't worry to much about it and go with what you enjoy :smile:

Reply 2

Isla42

If classics A level is similar to Ancient History, it is regarded somewhat like History. Both are seen as traditionally 'hard' subjects, pretty sure it would also be facilatating subject. Besides, as user said above, you'll do best in subjects you enjoy the most (honestly!) so go for classics :smile:

Reply 3

Ella1996

I can just say that I did Latin and Greek as two subjects for A-level (I also did French, German and English Literature) and I really and absolutely loved Latin, it was my favourite!!! I found Greek much harder, but it was still very interesting. We were six students for Latin and just three for Greek, which was amazing and helped me to learn a lot. I also thought about choosing History instead, but it would neither have had the opportunity to learn in such small groups, nor to have get that much help and support from my teachers. btw: acceptance rate to the best universities for studying Classics is really high (50%) :wink:

http://www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/files/publications/undergrad_admissions_statistics_2012_cycle.pdf

-> page 11

(edited 9 years ago)

Thank you! :smile:

Classics is equally as respected as History, this can even be seen on Cambridge's list of respected A-Levels.

Definitely do whichever you would prefer studying also, as this will mean you are more likely to get a higher grade :smile:

Reply 6

navarre

Don't take Classics expecting it to be Ancient History- I *wish* Classics was Ancient History. Alas, I took both for AS (dropping Classics for A2), and can only describe Classics as English but with an emphasis on Ancient Greece and Rome. It was a shame for me, as I love Ancient history.

Instead, we spent most of the time examining phallic symbols on Greek vases and discussing themes in Homer's Odyssey than we did learning actual history. Be warned- classics involves a *lot* of sexual themes, as they were pretty obsessed with it.

Reply 7

Smithy-Smiths

Don't fall into the trap of thinking that Classics isn't facilitating; it is and I was exactly in your position last year! However, I opted to study History which I don't regret because I absolutely love my course, but I wish I'd also chosen to study Classics as well... The course is soon good and they always seem to have a lot of fun! I only know that Classics is facilitating because:
A) One of my friends is applying for Classics and English Literature at Cambridge
B) One of the Cambridge websites placed Classics on Tier 1

You don't have to llisten to me, but that's the truth and just so you know.... Make sure you love the course for both History and Classics.... when I was choosing the course, I had to shop around to make sure it was the most interesting one!! I'm just lucky that the course I loved was at the Sixth Form that I'd always wanted to go to!!

Reply 8

megansteaparty

Both Classics and History are facilitating subjects. Personally, I take Classics and love it! It's my favourite subject that I do out of the three (English lit and Philosophy). So whichever you choose, they are both as good.