History AEA

If you think you will easily get an A at A2, then do AEA. It's a lot more challenging. Employers will surely look at it with interest, but let's be honest, it's mostly city firms which really ask you for anything before University in terms of grades. If you're planning on reading History at University, then do take it.

Reply 2

Ossie1701

1

Yes, if you are planning on reading History I cannot see why not. There are two sources (usually) and they are about half a page to a page long. Its very interesting and a challenge, mine was after I had finished my A2s and it doesn't require any revision so go for it.

Reply 3

Wangers

16

yea go for it if you're on course for a A confortably. A friend of mine did it after his AS year and came out 4 away from a Distinction. - It can only help your application.

Reply 4

Renae_nae

im considering doing an AEA in history however im not sure if they is any point. is it only something used for unis or will future employers be interested?
also what is the setting of the paper - im thinking it must be a document paper, but how are we suppose to revise for it?

as you've probably noted with the excessive questions im in a state of confusion lol

There's definately a point. A-levels have been dumbed down so much they're practically not worth anything. The AEAs, recently instituted, were designed for the top 10% of the country - aimed to test one's natural aptitude and intelligence, hence, there is only so much work one can really do for them. 50% of all those who take them - fail them.

I did the History AEA last year for a laugh - I walked into the exam not having done an ounce of work for it - indeed, the first time I even saw a past paper was about 1/2hour before the actual exam when I suddenly thought it might have been a good idea to check out the format of it!

Some schools do loads of preparation - reading books/doing past papers, but tbh, it won't really make that much difference relatively speaking. I did very well in mine, completely cold.

Go onto the AEA website for more info. My university doesn't even know I took it - I did it purely to see if I was good enough and because it was an exam where I didn't have to do any work, there was no pressure to succeed - as geeky as it sounds, I did it for fun - and it really was!! It was completely different to anything you've learnt in school - go for it! :biggrin:

Reply 5

I'm planning on doing it for fun as well. Ah we'll see :wink:

.

Reply 6

Ossie1701

1

Doing it for fun is the best idea! Don't take it too seriously - if you have a passion for history it should just come naturally (or at least it did for me). Its not really an exam with pressure - its one you should definately enjoy!

Reply 7

dominiclmorris

Though I agree that you should simply take it if you enjoy history, in my opinion you're far more likely to do well if you do wider historical reading.

A book I /highly/ reccomend is A Very Short Introduction to History, one of Oxford Press' 'Very Short Introdcutions'. it introduces a wide range of historiographical issues and questions, and it should only take a few days to read. Other good books on History itself are E.H Carr's 'What Is History', and Richard J Evans' 'In Defence of History'. the latter reading like an update of the former, it's also tackles Post-Modernism as it relates to history.

Apart from that, it's worth reading a wide range of different historian's works, Niall Furgason's an easy read and is possibly the best right-wing historian writing today, Simon Schama writes great narrative histories that read more like stories than anything else, and from the left, Christopher Hill is very good, if not a bit achedemic in his writing style.

I've been sitting in on our school's history AEA discussion group (it's far more of a discussion group than a lesson) since the beggining of year 11, (I'm in year 12 now, hopefully I'll get to take it this summer) so I've been exposed to quite a few past papers.

Just as an indication, some past questions have asked you to argue for or against the following statements:

All Political careers end in failure
There is no such thing as good television history
Does counterfactualism have any worth to historians?

ect.

Seriously, it's really good fun.

Reply 8

JohnStuartMill

8

E.H. Carr? *Snores* If you want to know more about postmodernism I recommend Keith Jenkins' Rethinking History. It's about 70 odd pages long and a good introduction.

My recommendations for wider historical reading: Peter Burke for anything relating to cultural history, the man is a genius. Also Eric Hobsbawm's works are generally very readable and he has written a book of historiography himself which I must admit I haven't read but have sitting on my desk waiting for me to do so (entitled On History if you're interested)

Reply 9

dominiclmorris

JohnStuartMill

E.H. Carr? *Snores* If you want to know more about postmodernism I recommend Keith Jenkins' Rethinking History. It's about 70 odd pages long and a good introduction.

Blaspheme! Regardless of whether you find Carr overrated or outdated, his style of writing is easily digestable (and more subjectively, highly enjoyable), and What is History is a classic in its field.

History is a peach, the fact the stone, the interpretation the pulp? That`s good stuff!

Reply 10

dominiclmorris

Blaspheme! Regardless of whether you find Carr overrated or outdated, his style of writing is easily digestable (and more subjectively, highly enjoyable), and What is History is a classic in its field.

History is a peach, the fact the stone, the interpretation the pulp? That`s good stuff!

The style of ''What is History'' put me to sleep - I only read it 'coz I said I had done so on my Personal Statement. The only part I really like about it was his metaphor near the beginning about the historian not being like an 'eagle' on a lofty peak on the mountain, but rather just another mere dusty figure, trailing in the long line below (which doubled back on itself etc. etc.) - I chucked that bit into every interview. :p:

Tbh, just read a couple of classics, and then read books you're interested in - if you're reading History at uni, then one is supposed to be genuinely interested in the subject - if it's all a complete drag then you're gonna be doing the wrong degree. Not that that was relevant to the thread - but the same applies for the AEA. You don't have to tell the uni. you did it- as I said, my uni. has no idea that I sat the paper, let alone about my results - just do it if you want to.

Reply 11

My doing the AEA History has been confirmed. I will be sitting it on the 25th of June 2007. I'm really nervous!

Reply 12

felixlechat

The papers on the Edexcel site all look really interesting, there's loads to talk about with the questions they've set in the past. I think I might go for this, despite having to pay for the exam fees myself due to a stingy sixth form college :rolleyes:

Reply 13

felixlechat

The papers on the Edexcel site all look really interesting, there's loads to talk about with the questions they've set in the past. I think I might go for this, despite having to pay for the exam fees myself due to a stingy sixth form college :rolleyes:

It's 40£ I think. Luckily, my Dad paid for it thinking this was necessary for my Bristol offer! :wink:

Reply 14

felixlechat

The papers on the Edexcel site all look really interesting, there's loads to talk about with the questions they've set in the past. I think I might go for this, despite having to pay for the exam fees myself due to a stingy sixth form college :rolleyes:

At least your college let you take it - I had to fight my school last year to 'allow' me to sit the paper - they flatly refused to let anyone do it! :p:

Reply 15

I hope you got a distinction to rub it in their face!

Reply 16

felixlechat

Helzerel

At least your college let you take it - I had to fight my school last year to 'allow' me to sit the paper - they flatly refused to let anyone do it! :p:

That's rather stupid... having said that I had a bit of a fight with my teacher to let me do it. Upon telling her I wanted to do it she replied, "Why? It's hard you know." :rolleyes:

Had to get other teacher in the department to sign the slip.. When I get that distinction, she'll be eating her words.

Reply 17

felixlechat

That's rather stupid... having said that I had a bit of a fight with my teacher to let me do it. Upon telling her I wanted to do it she replied, "Why? It's hard you know." :rolleyes:

Had to get other teacher in the department to sign the slip.. When I get that distinction, she'll be eating her words.

They based it on the fact that everyone who has ever attempted any AEA before in the past had failed it. It's not just about getting straight A's (they said) this is aimed at the top students of the country and our pupils have always failed.
In the end we had to contact the Head and I had to do lots and lots and lots of extra work and attend extra classes and read extra books - ignored all of it of course (I was concentrating on my Alevels...why would I do extra work?)

Best of luck! :biggrin:

WokSz

I hope you got a distinction to rub it in their face!

A coupla marks off one lol - got a high Merit which I was rather chuffed at. :smile:

Reply 18