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(Wishy Washy A Levels)

I was just wondering as I need to make a few important decisions soon; what The Top Uni's thought of subjects like:

English Language Literature (Is it far better to take full Literature?)
Film Studies (is that a obvious sign that your taking the easy route?)
General Studies (Same as above)
Media Studies (An easy A-Level?)
Sociology (Not bright enough to take Psychology?)

I didn't mean to offend anybody taking any of these subjects i just wanted honest opinions.

Reply 1

mtbab

17

yeh, i've heard top unis prefer Eng Lit, then in a LOW second Eng Lang, but bottom is Eng LitLang, bcoz you havent learnt a lot in both of them, its just a mix and so you havent got a strong base in one subject.

General Studies is basically a core subject to most places especially school sixth forms, but is totally disregarded by universities basically.

This bit is basically what LSE say, but they totally disregard the others, except maybe if you just take one of them with two 'accepted' subjects, but no off to anyone, but generally subjects with 'Studies' in them in disregarded.

Reply 2

Champagne Breakfast

16

General studies isn't much use with most top universities so if you can help it try not to do that.

English Lit is v. good and v. respectable - worth doing whatever other subjects you're doing, but I don't see any harm in doing Language Literature if you're definitely doing either (or both) Media/Film Studies as it might be reasonable to link English Lang/Litlang to one or both of those? English Language probably isn't worth it tbh - basically what mtbab said I think so far

Obviously sociology isn't as good as psychology and I know you said you're not bright enough to take psychology but I would recommend it over sociology just so long as you worked hard at it.. I've heard sociology is a bit of a joke..

Reply 3

DemonDemonic

OP

LOL! every thing i said in the ( ) were supose to me common perceptions lol i am bright enought to take Psychology

Reply 4

!Laxy!

DemonDemonic

I was just wondering as I need to make a few important decisions soon; what The Top Uni's thought of subjects like:

English Language Literature (Is it far better to take full Literature?)
Film Studies (is that a obvious sign that your taking the easy route?)
General Studies (Same as above)
Media Studies (An easy A-Level?)
Sociology (Not bright enough to take Psychology?)

I didn't mean to offend anybody taking any of these subjects i just wanted honest opinions.

Basically for the top uni's the following subjects are sort of a 'no-go':

Media
Film
Sociology
Communications
Drama
Business Studies
Law

(Plus maybe more but I can't think of them now)

Good subjects to take are:

Maths (Single or Double)
Biology, Chemistry or Physics
History
Modern Languages

Reply 5

DemonDemonic

OP

Are you SURE LAW IS A NO GO SUBJECT! Sureley not?

I wanted to do a Politics Degree So i would of thought Law would be an excellent choice...

Reply 6

renarr

I'm just repeating what they told me but the admissions tutors at LSE on their open day said specifically that law is a "non-preferred" subject even if you want to read law

Reply 7

!Laxy!

DemonDemonic

Are you SURE LAW IS A NO GO SUBJECT! Sureley not?

I wanted to do a Politics Degree So i would of thought Law would be an excellent choice...

Nope, Law at A-Level IS NOT looked highly upon.

Reply 8

DemonDemonic

OP

LadyNamibia

I'm just repeating what they told me but the admissions tutors at LSE on their open day said specifically that law is a "non-preferred" subject even if you want to read law

I intended to study Politics and I would have thought Law would have been an excellent choice.

The As Subjects I was going to choose were

AS Politics (obviously)
AS English Literature
AS Philosophy
AS Law
AS (Critical Thinking or English Language for a 5TH)

Surely if you wanted to study Politics at undergraduate level that’s the perfect combination of Subjects? Taking subjects like physics or math’s despite them being much respected it has absolutely nothing to do with the degree so it would be a waste?

It would seem i need to come up with another subject...

Reply 9

Yttrium

1

History! Or another essay-writing subject that's well looked upon.

Or go for something completely different like a science or maths.

Always knowing that what I wanted to do was modern languages, I took A2 levels in Further Maths and Maths and an AS in Chemistry - completely unrelated subjects. As long as you meet the minimum requirements for a course (for Politics, I doubt there'll be any) then you can take the A-levels you want to. But it does help if they've got some bite to them (things like English Lit. are definitely worth taking to A2...)

Reply 10

Dynamite

DemonDemonic

I intended to study Politics and I would have thought Law would have been an excellent choice.

The As Subjects I was going to choose were

AS Politics (obviously)
AS English Literature
AS Philosophy
AS Law
AS (Critical Thinking or English Language for a 5TH)

Surely if you wanted to study Politics at undergraduate level that’s the perfect combination of Subjects? Taking subjects like physics or math’s despite them being much respected it has absolutely nothing to do with the degree so it would be a waste?

It would seem i need to come up with another subject...

AS Politics (obviously) - OK
AS English Literature - OK
AS Philosophy - NOT GREAT
AS Law - DON'T DO IT!
AS (Critical Thinking or English Language for a 5TH) - mmm...

I'd say do:

Politics
Eng Lit
History
French
(Plus a 5th)

Reply 11

Rembrandt

Taking a subject like Physics or Maths is never a waste. Admissions tutors like to see evidence of wide academic ability, and I would think that they'd prefer another traditional A-level in your choices. If I were in your position I'd take History. It will tie in very well with a politics degree and it will look better than an AS in Law or Critical Thinking.

A friend of mine is off to Oxford to read Politics, Philosophy and Economics this autumn, which is the top politics course in the country, and he took Maths, Chemistry, English and History A-Levels. So don't think that you need to tailor your ASs completely to your degree.

Edit... see! Yttrium and Dynamite agree with me, even if they do type faster!

Reply 12

whauden

DanGrigg

Taking a subject like Physics or Maths is never a waste. Admissions tutors like to see evidence of wide academic ability, and I would think that they'd prefer another traditional A-level in your choices. If I were in your position I'd take History. It will tie in very well with a politics degree and it will look better than an AS in Law or Critical Thinking.

A friend of mine is off to Oxford to read Politics, Philosophy and Economics this autumn, which is the top politics course in the country, and he took Maths, Chemistry, English and History A-Levels. So don't think that you need to tailor your ASs completely to your degree.

Edit... see! Yttrium and Dynamite agree with me, even if they do type faster!

Seconded - adding a subject like Physics or Maths might seem weird for an artist, but I did it for AS, got a B, and this was much better than any A I may have got in Economics, Business Studies etc.

The combination I did for A2, Pol, Hist and Eng Lit, would have enabled me to do any of those 3 subjects, plus Law, Anth, Arch, etc at Uni - my advice would be to forget Law and do History - much more interesting too!

Reply 13

Champagne Breakfast

16

Booo don't do a science just do what dynamite said

Reply 14

whauden

Oh, and Critical Thinking can be done as an extra one anyway, without any tutition, if you do a few hours practice - I got a B with 4-5 hours work.

Reply 15

__WiZaRD__

2

Hey, i do A2 Computing, i know its not traditional but does anyone know if unis like it or not?

PS my other subjects are Maths and Economics

Reply 16

DemonDemonic

OP

Well the Only way i can take History which i don't mind doing is if i take English Lang/Lit Instead of Lit.
These are the subjects i don't mind doing in the Grids you'll see my problem

Grid One
History
Enlish Lit
Sociology (aparentley a waste)

Grid Two
English Lang Lit
Law

Grid Three
Politics

Grid Four
Philosophy
English Language

So if i take history i have to do english lang lit rather than just lit is that a okay compramise concidering?

Reply 17

Champagne Breakfast

16

yeah - in fact you could get away with just history if you wanted

Reply 18

DemonDemonic

OP

Right then
It boils down to which is better:

OPTION A
English Literature
Law
Politics
Philosophy

Or Option B
History
English Language And Literature
Politics
Philosophy

Everybody says that top uni's don't like English Language Literature because students are not stong in any one subject and probaly weak in both.

So Its Boils down to which is more hated...Law Or English Language Literature

Is It Better To Have Law which is extreamley realvent to your Politics degree paired with English Literature which has good credit with Uni's

Or is it better to do History which is respected with English Language Literature which isn't...

CAST YOUR VOTES NOW!...LOL

Reply 19

coldfish

12

Firstly, do remember that neither Oxford nor Cambridge offer a straight politics degree. Oxford do various Politics + <other> subject, and of course PPE, and Cambridge do the SPS tripos.
Maths is definitely not a waste for either course, as they both involve at least a bit of statistics and number crunching (PPE obviously having lots if you continue with economics).

(Wishy Washy A Levels)

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