Government and Politics A Level

I have chosen History, Politics, French and Latin for my A Levels (starting in September).

I would like to apply to Cambridge in a couple of years' time to study either History or History and Politics.

Do you think that Politics as an A Level is seen as a 'soft' subject by Cambridge - should I reconsider my options?

P.S. Before anyone suggests English, I do not want to study this!!

You'd keep all four to A2? You'd be with government and politics really. You have three respected facilitating subjects alongside it.I don't know if soft is the right term but it's generally a middle band A-Level. Not as respected as your other three but more respected than Media, Film and stuff like that. I dare say more respected than the likes of sociology and psychology too.Posted from TSR Mobile

I have chosen History, Politics, French and Latin for my A Levels (starting in September).

I would like to apply to Cambridge in a couple of years' time to study either History or History and Politics.

Do you think that Politics as an A Level is seen as a 'soft' subject by Cambridge - should I reconsider my options?

P.S. Before anyone suggests English, I do not want to study this!!

Politics is absolutely fine as a 3rd (or 4th) subject.

And 3 A-levels is fine too. You don't need 4.



Trinity (a relatively fussy college) views Sociology, Psychology and Media Studies as of similar suitability to Politics. (And all are suitable as a 3rd A-level for arts/humanities).
http://www.trin.cam.ac.uk/admissions/ug/apply/a-level-combinations

Refer to this for a less "strict" view:
http://www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/files/publications/subjectmatters.pdf

Yeah I'm aware that politics is in the same band as sociology and psychology (wasn't aware that media was in with that...), but I mean in general sociology has a poor reputation as an A-Level, mainly because it is seen as easy. Students at my college frequently get weird grades like ACCC with the A being in Sociology and the teachers admit it's easy. Psychology is kinda soft too. Really any of the middle band A-Levels like Psychology, Sociology, Law, Politics, Business, English Language etc can be argued to be soft by different people, especially those who are big on facilitating subjects. They just look down on all the rest.

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Yeah I'm aware that politics is in the same band as sociology and psychology (wasn't aware that media was in with that...), but I mean in general sociology has a poor reputation as an A-Level, mainly because it is seen as easy. Students at my college frequently get weird grades like ACCC with the A being in Sociology and the teachers admit it's easy. Psychology is kinda soft too. Really any of the middle band A-Levels like Psychology, Sociology, Law, Politics, Business, English Language etc can be argued to be soft by different people, especially those who are big on facilitating subjects. They just look down on all the rest.

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I would class A-levels with a list like...

Top Subjects: BiologyChemistryMathematicsFurther MathematicsPhysics Chinese EconomicsEnglish LiteratureFrenchGeographyGermanGreekHistoryIrishItalianJapaneseLatinMusicPhilosophy RussianSpanishWelsh

Decent Subjects: Archaeology Art & Design Art History Computing Design & Technology Electronics Government & Politics Psychology Classical Civilisation Religious Studies Philosophy

Mediocre: Business Studies English Language Law Media Studies Sociology

Avoid at all costs: AccountingApplied ScienceCitizenshipCommunication StudiesCritical ThinkingDanceEnvironmental ScienceGeneral StudiesHealth & Social CareHome EconomicsICTLeisure StudiesMusic TechnologyPerformance StudiesPerforming ArtsPerspectives on SciencePhotographyPhysical EducationScienceScience for Public UnderstandingSports StudiesTravel & TourismWorld Development

They aren't that soft:
% achieving A* or A at A-level (2015 data)

Psychology 4.4 12.7
Sociology 4.1 13.6

compare with

History 6.1 18.1
Maths 17.7 24.0
French 8.1 29.2

http://www.bstubbs.co.uk/a-lev.htm

I was going off the same list as posted above

http://www.trin.cam.ac.uk/admissions/ug/apply/a-level-combinations


Well that surprises me but the students can be better in facilitating subjects. My experiences in three colleges has been that sociology pass rates are ridiculously high compared to other subjects. Maybe I was just at colleges that were really good at teaching sociology? But it doesn't change the reputation that it has.
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As I say, they are fine as 3rd subjects and "even" 2nd subjects at most Cambridge colleges for many courses

Trinity <> Cambridge

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@jneill @jamestg @Airfairy

Thanks for all the useful input