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Law

I am in Year 11 and want to do Law at Oxbridge....
Should I choose Law at A-Level alongside History and Eng. Lit., or should I choose Geog, History and Eng. Lit., and avoid Law???
Need help guys.....
I would (and did) take it as a fourth A level if it interests you. It's not that much work but it's not that helpful for the degree either, or for applications.
I would advise against taking law, it doesn't challenge you enough and the universities you're looking to go to want challenge. Politics, geography and economics are all well regarded though.
Reply 3
law a-level gives no advantage or disadvantage to law at uni so pick whichever you like most and are best at (personally i also think geography a-level is pretty easy, but that's me). or if you can, take law as a fourth a-level like the person above suggested, which isn't a bad idea
I went to a number of open days for unis and researched this myself as I take IB and was thinking of doing A Level Law outside of school on my own. What I found online and heard from unis was that a few of the top tier ones prefer it if students don't take A Level Law because it's nothing like how it will be at university and they don't particularly like the way in which it is taught at A level. I honestly think you'd be better off just doing three A levels well instead of adding this extra one if it doesn't add much to your application.
Instead of geography, I would suggest taking math. The logical and critical thinking skills that you get from studying math are easily transferable to law. I personally took chemistry, math and biology! And I ended up at a top law school and graduated with a first. Universities want students who challenge themselves instead of taking soft subjects. All the best!
Original post by mattme1963
I am in Year 11 and want to do Law at Oxbridge....
Should I choose Law at A-Level alongside History and Eng. Lit., or should I choose Geog, History and Eng. Lit., and avoid Law???
Need help guys.....


I was advised against taking Law at A Level because Oxbridge prefer it if they can teach you from scratch, apparently. :h:
If you are in year 11 then the OCR law A level is being reformulated for the start of the next academic year. I believe that it is intended to be a pathway to law syllabus with the idea of reducing application places at uni by making it a compulsory subject.
I'm not 100% sure this is correct as my a level law teacher mentioned it a while ago, definitely something you need to look into though before you decide.
Original post by mattme1963
I am in Year 11 and want to do Law at Oxbridge....
Should I choose Law at A-Level alongside History and Eng. Lit., or should I choose Geog, History and Eng. Lit., and avoid Law???
Need help guys.....


As a 2017 Cambridge law offer holder, I would advise you to avoid law, but do a copious amount of external reading in the summer leading up to your UCAs applications.

Doing so would be beneficial for you during the interviews as you'll be able to show your 'real' logical thinking by reacting spontaneously to scenarios directed towards you, instead of applying learnt knowledge. You will also be given slight 'leeway' for not knowing the law as you approach the question.

External reading- whether it be law commissions, reports, cases or debates on legal philosophies- will direct you to areas of law you're actually interested in. They will train you in your legal reasoning skills, which will assist you in LNAT and your potential interviews.

Summer courses are a good idea, if you still want to learn law academically before pursuing it at uni. I particularly recommend Debate Chamber's law summer school. While interns can demonstrate your interest in law they are hard to come by and unis understand this- I only work shadowed a judge for a day for work experience, but have offers also from LSE, UCL and King's.

You may wish to take a fourth sub, but remember the key is quality, not quantity. Take it only if you are certain that you will do well in that subject! All the best x
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 9
Thanks guys :smile: - so much help

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