A level options for oxbridge?

Thanks for your help, I am leaning towards biology over the other two as I've never been great at maths.

Thanks for your help, I am leaning towards biology over the other two as I've never been great at maths.

Okay advice...it doesn't matter. You're taking two languages and english lit...which is a brilliantly strong set of subjects for several oxbridge undergraduate courses including languages. With the fourth option it is most important you pick something you enjoy: you'll be studying it for about 5 hours a week (depending on your place of study) and you should also be pretty damn good at as you will need to get the grades for oxbridge and if you truly understand a subject that should aid your enjoyment of it

If you enjoy/are good at the subjects you are limited to equally and have no preference under those criteria (very unlikely) then maybe pick physics or biology over psychology...for the simple reason that physics and biology are considered "hard" subjects by all universities (including oxbridge) where as psychology generally comes under the "medium" strength subject group.

But....if you think you would enjoy psychology more than biology and physics and are better/think you would be better at it (don't know if you're studying it now) definitely take it over the other two options. It shouldn't really make any difference to your application as you already have three undisputed "hard" academic subjects as options. Saying to pick biology or physics over psychology with my reasoning is, although valid, being very picky about the academic strength of pyshcology, which is arguably unnecessary considering your strong set of subjects. Also a final thought physics is often taken with maths because of the heavy mathmatical component so are you good at/do you enjoy maths and do your school/college recommend you take maths AS with physics for the physics course they do (just speak to a physics teacher if you'll continue your as studies where you are or email/phone the place you're going to or speak to these members of staff on an open/induction day if you're not.) None of the subjects you listed would have any particular advantage for studying languages at universities. Sorry for the length of this! Hope it helps and good luck with your a levels and oxbridge if you do decide to apply

I'm hoping to apply to Oxford for English and I am taking English Lit and Biology (as well as Philosophy&History) so I think you've made a good choice It's respected and means you are playing to your strengths (no maths).



Just wanted to say I thought that was a really good and thoughtful reply (I've + repped!) and welcome to TSR I Newbies often seem to be especially considerate when they post.