The Student Room Group

can't decide on uni course

my school sets early internal deadlines for all parts of the UCAS application process and they want us to decide for certain on the course we will apply for by the end of the next half term. My dream course is outside of the UK so isn't on UCAS (its European Studies from Una Europa / KU Leuven), but I do still want to apply within the UK in case I don't get into it or I change my mind.

my gcses were 99999999997 (7 in further maths) and my A-Levels are in history, french, and economics (currently predicted A*AA with the A* in history, but it might go up to A*A*A, with the other A* in economics) and I'm also doing an EPQ (on the role of politics in eurovision). I've always kind of envisaged myself to study history at uni since I've loved it for so long, and I also want to continue with french and study abroad. there isn't really one/two subject(s) that i prefer loads to another though, as I still enjoy econ. I always love philosophy and would really like to actually be able to study it academically. This is all why i like the European Studies course so much since its very interdisciplinary and would allow me to study them all to an extent.

the UK courses im considering are:
- some combo of philosophy/french/history (probably french + history but mainly looking at unis in Scotland so i can do philosophy in year 1+2 too. however i'd likely end up applying for only this course at 5 unis so that my personal statement fits well, and since i dont want a 5 year degree, there are only a few options in scotland i like)
- European social + political studies at UCL (i love the course but i dont really want to be in london)
- liberal arts (especially at durham, but im worried about its respectability as most people dont know what it means)
- french studies with history at the University of London Institute in Paris (seems like a good option but i dont like the idea of paying higher UK tuition fees if I could study in France for cheaper, also worried about how good a uni it is)

im also still not sure if i should apply to oxbridge. before i found the KU Leuven course, oxford was my dream uni, so i don't want to regret not applying. but at the same time, i will already have to do extra things for the KU Leuven application (SAT + written assessment) so its not ideal if i have to split my time preparing for them with oxbridge admissions tests.

so yeah, any advice or what you would do in my situation would be greatly appreciated xxxx
(edited 11 months ago)
Original post by edjc123
my school sets early internal deadlines for all parts of the UCAS application process and they want us to decide for certain on the course we will apply for by the end of the next half term. My dream course is outside of the UK so isn't on UCAS (its European Studies from Una Europa / KU Leuven), but I do still want to apply within the UK in case I don't get into it or I change my mind.

my gcses were 99999999997 (7 in further maths) and my A-Levels are in history, french, and economics (currently predicted A*AA with the A* in history, but it might go up to A*A*A, with the other A* in economics) and I'm also doing an EPQ (on the role of politics in eurovision). I've always kind of envisaged myself to study history at uni since I've loved it for so long, and I also want to continue with french and study abroad. there isn't really one/two subject(s) that i prefer loads to another though, as I still enjoy econ. I always love philosophy and would really like to actually be able to study it academically. This is all why i like the European Studies course so much since its very interdisciplinary and would allow me to study them all to an extent.

the UK courses im considering are:
- some combo of philosophy/french/history (probably french + history but mainly looking at unis in Scotland so i can do philosophy in year 1+2 too. however i'd likely end up applying for only this course at 5 unis so that my personal statement fits well, and since i dont want a 5 year degree, there are only a few options in scotland i like)
- European social + political studies at UCL (i love the course but i dont really want to be in london)
- liberal arts (especially at durham, but im worried about its respectability as most people dont know what it means)
- french studies with history at the University of London Institute in Paris (seems like a good option but i dont like the idea of paying higher UK tuition fees if I could study in France for cheaper, also worried about how good a uni it is)

im also still not sure if i should apply to oxbridge. before i found the KU Leuven course, oxford was my dream uni, so i don't want to regret not applying. but at the same time, i will already have to do extra things for the KU Leuven application (SAT + written assessment) so its not ideal if i have to split my time preparing for them with oxbridge admissions tests.

so yeah, any advice or what you would do in my situation would be greatly appreciated xxxx


I didn't study any of these, so I've no subject specific advice 😅

Consider what you could continue learning outside of having formal education. French, for example, doesn't need to be learned at university, and could be kept up extracurricularly, meaning you can take a degree in something else.

Also consider the employment prospects - will social + political studies make you more employable than liberal arts? No point in having a "Mickey Mouse" degree, if you know what I mean.

As for location, realistically you only have to tough it out for 3 years, and then you can move wherever you get a job?

I do Geography, and would have loved to continue learning about it, but when I thought about doing it everyday, it wasn't what I wanted. Consider the same for yourself - can you see yourself doing philosophy day in, day out, until you're old enough to retire?

Chiefly, does your future career with your degree satisfy your main need in a job? Mines was I wanted to have a career where I felt I made a difference, yours could be money, transferrable skills, a fancy title, anything. Find out what that is, and that'll help you figure out what degree to do too.

All in all, good luck, and I hope you figure it out!
Original post by edjc123
my school sets early internal deadlines for all parts of the UCAS application process and they want us to decide for certain on the course we will apply for by the end of the next half term. My dream course is outside of the UK so isn't on UCAS (its European Studies from Una Europa / KU Leuven), but I do still want to apply within the UK in case I don't get into it or I change my mind.

my gcses were 99999999997 (7 in further maths) and my A-Levels are in history, french, and economics (currently predicted A*AA with the A* in history, but it might go up to A*A*A, with the other A* in economics) and I'm also doing an EPQ (on the role of politics in eurovision). I've always kind of envisaged myself to study history at uni since I've loved it for so long, and I also want to continue with french and study abroad. there isn't really one/two subject(s) that i prefer loads to another though, as I still enjoy econ. I always love philosophy and would really like to actually be able to study it academically. This is all why i like the European Studies course so much since its very interdisciplinary and would allow me to study them all to an extent.

the UK courses im considering are:
- some combo of philosophy/french/history (probably french + history but mainly looking at unis in Scotland so i can do philosophy in year 1+2 too. however i'd likely end up applying for only this course at 5 unis so that my personal statement fits well, and since i dont want a 5 year degree, there are only a few options in scotland i like)
- European social + political studies at UCL (i love the course but i dont really want to be in london)
- liberal arts (especially at durham, but im worried about its respectability as most people dont know what it means)
- french studies with history at the University of London Institute in Paris (seems like a good option but i dont like the idea of paying higher UK tuition fees if I could study in France for cheaper, also worried about how good a uni it is)

im also still not sure if i should apply to oxbridge. before i found the KU Leuven course, oxford was my dream uni, so i don't want to regret not applying. but at the same time, i will already have to do extra things for the KU Leuven application (SAT + written assessment) so its not ideal if i have to split my time preparing for them with oxbridge admissions tests.

so yeah, any advice or what you would do in my situation would be greatly appreciated xxxx


Have a more detailed look at university courses. Many offer a Liberal Arts degree. Exeter offer a flexible combined honours course where you can combine almost anything. Lancaster offer many courses where you sit 3 subjects in the first year. Have a look at that. There wwill be others but you are going to need to fully research for yourself.
Reply 3
Original post by swanseajack1
Have a more detailed look at university courses. Many offer a Liberal Arts degree. Exeter offer a flexible combined honours course where you can combine almost anything. Lancaster offer many courses where you sit 3 subjects in the first year. Have a look at that. There wwill be others but you are going to need to fully research for yourself.


Hi, thanks for your response. Im actually already aware of both of these. For liberal arts and combined honours degrees, i just highlighted Durham as its a city and uni I like the sound of, but I'm not sure how 'employable' it sounds as most people don't know that it just means studying a combination of subjects. The Lancaster courses sound really good and i did consider one for a bit, but i've realised that I'd prefer a city uni to a campus uni.

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