A level options
Hey everyone, i finally got my a level option blocks and its been a struggle choosing what to take.
So i have a definite 3:
Biology - love it, good at it, its a winner!
Religious Studies - enjoy it, really good at it!
Chemistry - enjoy it, pretty good at it, and it goes well with biology!
Now heres my predicament:
I thought i wanted to take History, but i only got a C in my first exam, i have 2 more but I'm not good at sources, and a whole exam paper is on sources! The other on essays.
So, my school does English Literature, i talked to the teacher of what is entailed in AS and its 2 novels, a play and 16 poems, i like poetry and most plays, it just depends on the novels, one of which is jane eyre, which is a popular book, even my friend recommended it!
So, could you give me some advise and guidance, thanks so much for reading, sorry it long!
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So i have a definite 3:
Biology - love it, good at it, its a winner!
Religious Studies - enjoy it, really good at it!
Chemistry - enjoy it, pretty good at it, and it goes well with biology!
Now heres my predicament:
I thought i wanted to take History, but i only got a C in my first exam, i have 2 more but I'm not good at sources, and a whole exam paper is on sources! The other on essays.
So, my school does English Literature, i talked to the teacher of what is entailed in AS and its 2 novels, a play and 16 poems, i like poetry and most plays, it just depends on the novels, one of which is jane eyre, which is a popular book, even my friend recommended it!
So, could you give me some advise and guidance, thanks so much for reading, sorry it long!
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I'd go with the one you enjoy most. I know that's probably not making this any easier, but at A Level, enjoying a subject can make a significant difference. You can be pretty decent at a subject, but enthusiasm is what makes the real difference.
History - I'm not entirely sure if the exams at A Level are source-based, but my friends do the subject and they really enjoy it. Quite a few of them did it alongside science subjects last year too, one of my closest friends did History alongside Chemistry, Physics and Maths. The workload is pretty big but it's still manageable. Most schools (ask your school's History department for their entry requirements) only need a B grade at GCSE, so you've still got from now until next May/June to bring your grade up. If sources are your weakness, practice makes perfect. Ask your teacher for tips on how to tackle the sources, and ensure that your essay writing is up to the highest calibre so that if you fall back in the sources exam, you can make up for it in the essay exam and your grade will balance out.
History works well in combination with Religious Studies, although I suppose to some extent, you could argue English works well with RS too. Both History and English Literature are considered facilitating subjects.
English Literature - Again, the workload is pretty huge, but I'm sure this comes as no surprise as you've probably already been warned of the 'big jump up from GCSE'. There's only 3 people doing English Literature at my school, one of which I'm pretty good friends with. We've never really talked about it but I know it's far from his favourite A Level. I'd recommend having a look at the set texts before you make the leap to choose English Literature, just in case they change year on year. The depth of analysis is a lot deeper at AS/A2 as well.
History - I'm not entirely sure if the exams at A Level are source-based, but my friends do the subject and they really enjoy it. Quite a few of them did it alongside science subjects last year too, one of my closest friends did History alongside Chemistry, Physics and Maths. The workload is pretty big but it's still manageable. Most schools (ask your school's History department for their entry requirements) only need a B grade at GCSE, so you've still got from now until next May/June to bring your grade up. If sources are your weakness, practice makes perfect. Ask your teacher for tips on how to tackle the sources, and ensure that your essay writing is up to the highest calibre so that if you fall back in the sources exam, you can make up for it in the essay exam and your grade will balance out.
History works well in combination with Religious Studies, although I suppose to some extent, you could argue English works well with RS too. Both History and English Literature are considered facilitating subjects.
English Literature - Again, the workload is pretty huge, but I'm sure this comes as no surprise as you've probably already been warned of the 'big jump up from GCSE'. There's only 3 people doing English Literature at my school, one of which I'm pretty good friends with. We've never really talked about it but I know it's far from his favourite A Level. I'd recommend having a look at the set texts before you make the leap to choose English Literature, just in case they change year on year. The depth of analysis is a lot deeper at AS/A2 as well.
Original post by moggington
I'd go with the one you enjoy most. I know that's probably not making this any easier, but at A Level, enjoying a subject can make a significant difference. You can be pretty decent at a subject, but enthusiasm is what makes the real difference.
History - I'm not entirely sure if the exams at A Level are source-based, but my friends do the subject and they really enjoy it. Quite a few of them did it alongside science subjects last year too, one of my closest friends did History alongside Chemistry, Physics and Maths. The workload is pretty big but it's still manageable. Most schools (ask your school's History department for their entry requirements) only need a B grade at GCSE, so you've still got from now until next May/June to bring your grade up. If sources are your weakness, practice makes perfect. Ask your teacher for tips on how to tackle the sources, and ensure that your essay writing is up to the highest calibre so that if you fall back in the sources exam, you can make up for it in the essay exam and your grade will balance out.
History works well in combination with Religious Studies, although I suppose to some extent, you could argue English works well with RS too. Both History and English Literature are considered facilitating subjects.
English Literature - Again, the workload is pretty huge, but I'm sure this comes as no surprise as you've probably already been warned of the 'big jump up from GCSE'. There's only 3 people doing English Literature at my school, one of which I'm pretty good friends with. We've never really talked about it but I know it's far from his favourite A Level. I'd recommend having a look at the set texts before you make the leap to choose English Literature, just in case they change year on year. The depth of analysis is a lot deeper at AS/A2 as well.
History - I'm not entirely sure if the exams at A Level are source-based, but my friends do the subject and they really enjoy it. Quite a few of them did it alongside science subjects last year too, one of my closest friends did History alongside Chemistry, Physics and Maths. The workload is pretty big but it's still manageable. Most schools (ask your school's History department for their entry requirements) only need a B grade at GCSE, so you've still got from now until next May/June to bring your grade up. If sources are your weakness, practice makes perfect. Ask your teacher for tips on how to tackle the sources, and ensure that your essay writing is up to the highest calibre so that if you fall back in the sources exam, you can make up for it in the essay exam and your grade will balance out.
History works well in combination with Religious Studies, although I suppose to some extent, you could argue English works well with RS too. Both History and English Literature are considered facilitating subjects.
English Literature - Again, the workload is pretty huge, but I'm sure this comes as no surprise as you've probably already been warned of the 'big jump up from GCSE'. There's only 3 people doing English Literature at my school, one of which I'm pretty good friends with. We've never really talked about it but I know it's far from his favourite A Level. I'd recommend having a look at the set texts before you make the leap to choose English Literature, just in case they change year on year. The depth of analysis is a lot deeper at AS/A2 as well.
Thanks so much! Yeah, i like them both on par id say, and il do a bit of digging into the texts!
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Original post by smd4std
RE, history and english are worthless imo
How? Are you one of those ignorant people who believe "science or nothing"?
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Original post by Lucy96
hahahha yes definitely!
Original post by smd4std
hahahha yes definitely!
If you're serious, you're wrong
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Original post by Lucy96
please tell me how studying RE, English literature, History can benefit society more than studying real subjects?
Original post by smd4std
please tell me how studying RE, English literature, History can benefit society more than studying real subjects?
Actually, RE is looked for when becoming a doctor or a medical route, not to mention a number of other things, thats why it goes well with biology and chemistry, also history if you want to be a lawyer, and english lit, well english goes with pretty much everything... So yeah...
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Original post by Adam-alasia98
Actually, RE is looked for when becoming a doctor or a medical route, not to mention a number of other things, thats why it goes well with biology and chemistry, also history if you want to be a lawyer, and english lit, well english goes with pretty much everything... So yeah...
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hahahahahha no
mate you are so clueless. you're trying to say medical schools look for RE? hahaha please stop
also you don't need history or english lit to be a lawyer. just stop please lmfao
Original post by smd4std
please tell me how studying RE, English literature, History can benefit society more than studying real subjects?
Oh hush, how ignorant can you get
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I'm choosing history and english literature, science subjects are death
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Original post by benclarky
situations like this make me wish the neg button was back
Original post by Lucy96
i see you didn't answer my question
Original post by smd4std
i see you didn't answer my question
Life isn't dedicated to "benefiting society". Good on you if you do, but it isn't everyone's destiny. Imagine how ridiculously competitive university courses would be if only courses that "benefited society" were available? Also, how does studying something like Maths or Physics at A level benefit society? Many who study those subjects don't go on to play a great part in the world so please sort the ignorance out. A levels like History and English Literature teach great skills, they educate people which is obviously very important. I'm not even going to attempt to talk to someone who is clearly oblivious and warped in their opinion, so let's drop this, yes?
And from your posts on here, perhaps a subject like English may have treated you well.
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Original post by smd4std
situations like this make me wish the neg button was back
Oh please hahaha, why do you care about other peoples choices? Stick to your own and let other people make their own mistakes (if you see beneficial subjects like history and English as a mistake)
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Original post by Adam-alasia98
Hey everyone, i finally got my a level option blocks and its been a struggle choosing what to take.
So i have a definite 3:
Biology - love it, good at it, its a winner!
Religious Studies - enjoy it, really good at it!
Chemistry - enjoy it, pretty good at it, and it goes well with biology!
Now heres my predicament:
I thought i wanted to take History, but i only got a C in my first exam, i have 2 more but I'm not good at sources, and a whole exam paper is on sources! The other on essays.
So, my school does English Literature, i talked to the teacher of what is entailed in AS and its 2 novels, a play and 16 poems, i like poetry and most plays, it just depends on the novels, one of which is jane eyre, which is a popular book, even my friend recommended it!
So, could you give me some advise and guidance, thanks so much for reading, sorry it long!
Posted from TSR Mobile
So i have a definite 3:
Biology - love it, good at it, its a winner!
Religious Studies - enjoy it, really good at it!
Chemistry - enjoy it, pretty good at it, and it goes well with biology!
Now heres my predicament:
I thought i wanted to take History, but i only got a C in my first exam, i have 2 more but I'm not good at sources, and a whole exam paper is on sources! The other on essays.
So, my school does English Literature, i talked to the teacher of what is entailed in AS and its 2 novels, a play and 16 poems, i like poetry and most plays, it just depends on the novels, one of which is jane eyre, which is a popular book, even my friend recommended it!
So, could you give me some advise and guidance, thanks so much for reading, sorry it long!
Posted from TSR Mobile
I do both and i'm in A2. I got a better grade in AS History, because its more of a skilled based exam. I guess in a way its easier if you can get hold of the skills. In A2, its a different story altogether. If you do OCR History A, you've got two coursework where again its mainly sourced based. The thing is English A2, if you like Shakespeare, great, if not then not so great. Throughout my AS English lit year, I got A's, in exam came out with a bloody C. So, English isn't as easy because you can't take in your books or poems in with you to the exam and you have to memorise quotations and remember critical theories and quotes as well. But I think go with what you enjoy more.
Original post by smd4std
please tell me how studying RE, English literature, History can benefit society more than studying real subjects?
Degree wise, they are highly regarded by employers as these subjects give you the ability to think critically, develop skills and communications. You not biased and learn to be open minded, spell and write properly.
Original post by benclarky
I totally agree and Maths... that's the worst of the lot!
Original post by atkbm
Degree wise, they are highly regarded by employers as these subjects give you the ability to think critically, develop skills and communications. You not biased and learn to be open minded, spell and write properly.
yeah the mcdonalds managers value those degrees
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