The Student Room Group

Urgent - Help with A2-Level decision please!

Hi all!

I'm currently studying AS-Level English Literature, History, Classical Civilisation and Drama and Theatre Studies at Sixth Form.

At AS, I'm currently on target to achieve A in English, A in Classical Civilisation, A in Drama and Theatre Studies and a B in History, but I'm positive I could push this up to an A before the exam.

I have to hand in my A2 choices form tomorrow and I have no idea what to do. I'm still unceratin on what uni course I'm looking at, although I am confident that it would be in the region of Ancient History and Archaeology or Egyptian Archaeology at somewhere like UCL.

My problem is that I won't be able to carry on with 4 subjects to A2 and, currently, I am hating Classics and loving Drama. I was hoping to at least apply to Oxford, but I am worried that there is little point applying with an A2 in English, History and Drama with just an AS-Level in Classical Civilisation.

So...can anyone give me any advice on what to drop? Would it be possible to just leave Classics at AS-Level and continue with Drama to A2 if applying to places like Oxford for CAAH and UCL for Classical Archaeology and Classical Civilisation? I'm also looking at courses at Warwick, Cardiff and Edinburgh too, so I think that the same applies.

My GCSES are currently: 4A*'s in History, English Literature, Geography and Religious Studies, 2 A's in English Language and Biology, 3B's in Chemistry, Physics and Geology and 2C's in Maths and French.

I am also currently considering a gap year in which I may hope to retake my Maths IGCSE and maybe take another language such as Ancient Greek to bump it up to a B.

Any help is appreciated! :smile:
Original post by Arthraxia
Hi all!

I'm currently studying AS-Level English Literature, History, Classical Civilisation and Drama and Theatre Studies at Sixth Form.

At AS, I'm currently on target to achieve A in English, A in Classical Civilisation, A in Drama and Theatre Studies and a B in History, but I'm positive I could push this up to an A before the exam.

I have to hand in my A2 choices form tomorrow and I have no idea what to do. I'm still unceratin on what uni course I'm looking at, although I am confident that it would be in the region of Ancient History and Archaeology or Egyptian Archaeology at somewhere like UCL.

My problem is that I won't be able to carry on with 4 subjects to A2 and, currently, I am hating Classics and loving Drama. I was hoping to at least apply to Oxford, but I am worried that there is little point applying with an A2 in English, History and Drama with just an AS-Level in Classical Civilisation.

So...can anyone give me any advice on what to drop? Would it be possible to just leave Classics at AS-Level and continue with Drama to A2 if applying to places like Oxford for CAAH and UCL for Classical Archaeology and Classical Civilisation? I'm also looking at courses at Warwick, Cardiff and Edinburgh too, so I think that the same applies.

My GCSES are currently: 4A*'s in History, English Literature, Geography and Religious Studies, 2 A's in English Language and Biology, 3B's in Chemistry, Physics and Geology and 2C's in Maths and French.

I am also currently considering a gap year in which I may hope to retake my Maths IGCSE and maybe take another language such as Ancient Greek to bump it up to a B.

Any help is appreciated! :smile:


Preferably drop Drama and TS, as it has the word 'Studies' on the end, so is a bit of a waste of an A-level compared to respected A-levels such as Lit, History and Classics for top universities.
Reply 2
Original post by Arthraxia
Hi all!

I'm currently studying AS-Level English Literature, History, Classical Civilisation and Drama and Theatre Studies at Sixth Form.

At AS, I'm currently on target to achieve A in English, A in Classical Civilisation, A in Drama and Theatre Studies and a B in History, but I'm positive I could push this up to an A before the exam.

I have to hand in my A2 choices form tomorrow and I have no idea what to do. I'm still unceratin on what uni course I'm looking at, although I am confident that it would be in the region of Ancient History and Archaeology or Egyptian Archaeology at somewhere like UCL.

My problem is that I won't be able to carry on with 4 subjects to A2 and, currently, I am hating Classics and loving Drama. I was hoping to at least apply to Oxford, but I am worried that there is little point applying with an A2 in English, History and Drama with just an AS-Level in Classical Civilisation.

So...can anyone give me any advice on what to drop? Would it be possible to just leave Classics at AS-Level and continue with Drama to A2 if applying to places like Oxford for CAAH and UCL for Classical Archaeology and Classical Civilisation? I'm also looking at courses at Warwick, Cardiff and Edinburgh too, so I think that the same applies.

My GCSES are currently: 4A*'s in History, English Literature, Geography and Religious Studies, 2 A's in English Language and Biology, 3B's in Chemistry, Physics and Geology and 2C's in Maths and French.

I am also currently considering a gap year in which I may hope to retake my Maths IGCSE and maybe take another language such as Ancient Greek to bump it up to a B.

Any help is appreciated! :smile:


i didn't think you had to make any decisions till results day?

well, at my college you didn't,
Reply 3
Original post by Uberphuq
i didn't think you had to make any decisions till results day?

well, at my college you didn't,


Have no idea why they're making us decide, but apparently it is a standard thing at my SF to do this after mocks.
Reply 4
Original post by Cadherin
Preferably drop Drama and TS, as it has the word 'Studies' on the end, so is a bit of a waste of an A-level compared to respected A-levels such as Lit, History and Classics for top universities.


Thank-you very much for your help! So you think that Drama will definitely be a no-no if applying to Oxford?
Original post by Arthraxia
Thank-you very much for your help! So you think that Drama will definitely be a no-no if applying to Oxford?


Yes - I would say so, which is a shame as you seem to enjoy it. It depends what you want - if you want to sweat it through the next year and just work hard and grin and bear the subjects that you don't like (i.e. Classics), then you stand a better chance of Oxford/Russell Group. However, if you really want to continue with Drama, then this may impact on the perception of your application.

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