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Have I picked the right subjects?

Hey everyone :tongue:

I REALLY want to study spanish and german at a top university HOWEVER yesterday I was on Cambridge University's website and it said that they like evidence of knowledge in cultural history and literature, making reference to history and english.

The thing is that I am studying Biology Chemistry Maths & Spanish (and general studies) for A levels (Predicted A/A*s if that helps) (Oh, and my careers adviser told me they were good choices) (AND i'll be dropping maths for A2) but I'm worried that I've picked really bad subjects for a language course..

To make matters worse I only have a language GCSE in Spanish (A*).

I'm feeling really deflated! Does anyone know if this has totally ruined my chances for the likes of Cambridge/Durham etc&etc?

Thanks for your help everyone :redface:

Reply 1

timelordess

Nah, it hasn't ruined your chances. If anything, it shows that you aren't just good at languages. And I suppose that having a scientific turn of mind might help you if you wanted to go into Linguistics, for example. If you're enthusiastic, you'll read up about history and literature. I don't think you need to have studied it.

Reply 2

jakdax77

you said 'they like' to have that cultural stuff. You could still apply, and you could also try like UCL or other top unis who aren't so fussed for those stuff.

Reply 3

nearlyheadlessian

Blondie_Beth

I'm feeling really deflated! Does anyone know if this has totally ruined my chances for the likes of Cambridge/Durham etc&etc?

There's a pretty wide gap in the expectations that somewhere like Cambridge will have of a language applicant and what other places like Durham, Manchester and Edinburgh will have. Your subject choices are fine, just make sure you emphasise your language and cultural skills in your personal statement as well as your scientific skills. And remember, only roughly 1 out of every 4 applicants to Cambridge for languages is made an offer, so don't become obsessed, take the time to look around at what else there is on offer.

Reply 4

Blondie_Beth

Thanks for your help everyone =D

Reply 5

Da Bachtopus

If you display no interest for, or knowledge of, the literature and history of those two cultures then, yes, you are significantly disadvantaged; given that MML degrees are at least half based on non-language papers, I'd even advise you to consider a different university if you really do not want to study anything cultural at all (though I think there is the possibility of linguistics-type papers: you will need to investigate this yourself).

It is, of course, an absurd assumption that you need an A-level in something to know about it. No A-levels really cover Spanish/German literature and history anyway, unless you're talking about half-modules in History, Philosophy, Theatre Studies (I'm sure you can do Lorca and Brecht), &c. No candidates will be particularly advantaged by having done English Lit or History, though you could argue that they're developing analytical abilities by taking those subjects which you are not (this is contentious, given the abyss between real work and the gutter of A-level conceptual sophistication).

Basically, just go read stuff and talk about it with them.