Are these subjects too 'soft' for top unis?

Hi,
I'm currently doing my GCSEs and I'm going into sixth form in September, and so I need to pick my A Level options. I want to do English Lit, Biology, Chemistry, and Government and Politics, but I'm worried that top universities will think they're too weak? I'm planning on applying to Harvard, Cambridge, Oxford, etc. so I can study law/medicine.
(My grades aren't amazing but I'm at a grammar school so I'm hoping that I can really pull them up in the next few months, so I'm just worried about subject choices right now)

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 1

liquidconfidence

lool you just wanted to make a thread didn't you?

Reply 2

mez_merising

They're really broad choices, and as long as you are happy with them :smile:

If you're applying to cambridge for medicine though, you need chem&bio plus either maths/physics
I think it would be a smart choice to make now (although you've still got plenty of time to choose) but medicine and law are two different fields to go into, and may require different subjects

Reply 3

Is this the classic TSR thread......

These subjects can not be called soft in this world.

Reply 4

retro_turtles

heads up you can only apply to either oxford or cambridge not both

Reply 5

username2571271

Ummmmmm no...................

Take it from someone who currently studies Travel and Tourism :rolleyes:

Reply 6

Snufkin

Universities Forum Helper

Original post by montpercy

Those subjects are fine (although taking mathematics and two sciences would be advisable if you are serious about applying for medicine at Oxford or Cambridge).

Medicine and law are graduate degrees in America, that means you need to have done a degree before you can even apply - so Harvard isn't going to happen, I'm afraid.

Reply 7

username1675443

For Harvard, med/law is only post-grad

Reply 8

Ph8

They're not soft.
For med you need to do bio AND chem anyways
trust me whatever you wanna do now it can change once you get your AS level results (no pressure) but

Reply 9

YoloBaggins00

Original post by montpercy

Drop government and politics and do maths instead. It'll increase your chance of being accepted for medicine.

Reply 10

Banana00

Original post by YoloBaggins00

Drop government and politics and do maths instead. It'll increase your chance of being accepted for medicine.

I second this; you almost definitely need maths if you aim to go to Oxbridge etc.

Banana :h:

Reply 11

mollyanne98

Original post by montpercy

Hi,

I’m currently at the University of Derby in my first year, but I also went to a grammar school and had a lot of friends being told the exact same thing.

However, despite what our school told us, when my friends contacted universities directly, they said that there is really no need to worry about it. My friend wanted to study History at Oxford and our teachers were trying to convince her to choose English lit over business and economics (despite her enjoying more and getting better grades in business and economics).

I’d recommend emailing the universities you’re looking at directly as there is a lot of misleading advice out there so it’s best to ask them directly.

Hope this helps and let me now if you have any other questions,

Molly