Debating or Critical Thinking?

Debating and Critical thinking are on the same lunch at school..so I have to choose between the two. Im currently doing A levels and want to do medicine at uni. I cant decide which one to do so help would be much appreciated? Which one will be more useful skill wise, and also which one would look better on my ucas application; which one do you think unis would prefer you to do? Thank youu

Reply 1

JTeighty

If it helps you decide, no uni would consider the critical thinking as an A-level to be included in their offer. The debating could be something you could include in your personal statement.

Reply 2

Phoenix1

oh no..i wasn't thinking of critical thinking or debating being counted as an a level anyway! - i was just wondering which one would look better as a club i attend at school - so basically on my personal statement as you said.. :smile:

Reply 3

Kay94

My friend done both and she said she pretty much learnt the same skills.

I would generally say since CT is ultimately classed as an AS/A level, then that would sound slightly better. Also, Unis know that the CT AS is to be taken after a year of learning, but they probably won't know for sure how long you've been involved in debating or what exactly you done specifically.

Or if you really want to do both I guess you could do one this year and the other next year? :smile:

Reply 4

Ice_Queen

I'd actually suggest debating. Just make a note of the skills and topics so you can include them in your personal statement if they are relevant :smile:

Debating.

Kay94

I don't think I'm going to get an a level for ct cause ill just be doing it for half an hour once a lunch a time a week...and it's open to year 10 onwards. It's just a lunch time thing, but i think im doing debating.

Reply 7

Jennie1987

Phoenix1

Debating is way better, even if it was an a level in CT unis ignore it whereas writing about debating in PS is something to be proud of - especially if you win in competitions. I did Mock Bar (faux court cases) and Mock Election and they were great things to include in my PS and a lot of people I was with when on to apply for Law, Medicine and History and went to Exeter, Cambridge, Oxford etc.

Reply 8

gower

They're very similar in many ways. Critical thinking is more formal where as debating is more practical, but they inform each other. It's odd that they're both on at the same time, if you're interested in that sort of thing you should really try to do both.

In my experience, you learn more in critical thinking, specifically when it comes to argument flaws and structure, analysing credibility, etc. Debating makes use of all this, but if you don't know it already, debating won't really help you learn it.

On the other hand, debating is very useful for developing skills like thinking on your feet, public speaking, persuasion and so on, and you could always pick up some of the stuff you'd otherwise learn in critical thinking.

I don't think either would be more or less useful doing medicine, so go with what you think suits you best.

If you're thinking of doing AS critical thinking (there isn't an A level) -- and you don't have to if you don't want to -- there are two things to bare in mind. Firstly, no university would accept it as a normal AS level, so if your chosen uni wants AAAb, that b has to be in a different AS level. However, most unis do quite like it, so it could give you an edge anyway.

Secondly, the exam is very difficult. Most of the people in my critical thinking class opted not to do the exam, including some otherwise brilliant students who just couldn't manage it. Only 4 of around 25 people who originally went to the class ended up doing the exam, and only two of us got As (IIRC none did the year before or year after).

That's not to say debating can't also be difficult -- it can be. But there's less pressure because it's not as formal and whether you win or lose a debate is subjective and just come downs to the judges.

I enjoyed both a lot, but I'm into that sort of thing :smile:

Reply 9

gower

Phoenix1

That sounds about right. My school did an hour a week for the lower sixth. Doing it from year 10 might help develop the skills more and give you more time to decide whether or not to do it to AS level.