The Student Room Group

Choosing A Level subjects for Law at Uni

Hi there, this is my first post on here so I hope it's not too amateur haha. Currently I'm just coming up to doing my GCSE exams and I'm hoping to do Law at University after A Levels, but I'm a bit stuck with what to actually choose for A levels. So far I've definitely agreed on:
- History
- English Lit
And I wanted to do Economics but they wouldn't allow me to. I don't like science and I'm thinking about Maths but I'm basically getting a B in it at GCSE. What should I choose for my third option?
Any help appreciated,
Thanks!
Original post by EoinOD
Hi there, this is my first post on here so I hope it's not too amateur haha. Currently I'm just coming up to doing my GCSE exams and I'm hoping to do Law at University after A Levels, but I'm a bit stuck with what to actually choose for A levels. So far I've definitely agreed on:
- History
- English Lit
And I wanted to do Economics but they wouldn't allow me to. I don't like science and I'm thinking about Maths but I'm basically getting a B in it at GCSE. What should I choose for my third option?
Any help appreciated,
Thanks!

are there any other subjects you like you think you ll get a good grade in? if not go for maths
Original post by EoinOD
Hi there, this is my first post on here so I hope it's not too amateur haha. Currently I'm just coming up to doing my GCSE exams and I'm hoping to do Law at University after A Levels, but I'm a bit stuck with what to actually choose for A levels. So far I've definitely agreed on:
- History
- English Lit
And I wanted to do Economics but they wouldn't allow me to. I don't like science and I'm thinking about Maths but I'm basically getting a B in it at GCSE. What should I choose for my third option?
Any help appreciated,
Thanks!


History and english lit are good subjects to take and are both strong subjects.
How about a language?
Are there any other subjects that you really enjoy/are getting good grades in?
Reply 3
Honestly the bane to my existence at the moment is French, I hate it so much and this is at GCSE! Tomorrow I will check what other subjects I will be able to pick, stay updated!
Reply 4
How about Gov+Pol or philosophy, as they are both subjects that involve long essay writing that will help you prepare for Law at uni?
Does your college offer Law as an A Level? If not, you could go for Psychology or Geography. :smile:

http://university.which.co.uk/advice/a-level-choices/what-a-levels-do-you-need-to-study-law
Reply 6
Original post by EoinOD
Hi there, this is my first post on here so I hope it's not too amateur haha. Currently I'm just coming up to doing my GCSE exams and I'm hoping to do Law at University after A Levels, but I'm a bit stuck with what to actually choose for A levels. So far I've definitely agreed on:
- History
- English Lit
And I wanted to do Economics but they wouldn't allow me to. I don't like science and I'm thinking about Maths but I'm basically getting a B in it at GCSE. What should I choose for my third option?
Any help appreciated,
Thanks!


I am off to uni in September to do law.
My A-levels are history, government and politics, psychology
Original post by EoinOD
Hi there, this is my first post on here so I hope it's not too amateur haha. Currently I'm just coming up to doing my GCSE exams and I'm hoping to do Law at University after A Levels, but I'm a bit stuck with what to actually choose for A levels. So far I've definitely agreed on:
- History
- English Lit
And I wanted to do Economics but they wouldn't allow me to. I don't like science and I'm thinking about Maths but I'm basically getting a B in it at GCSE. What should I choose for my third option?
Any help appreciated,
Thanks!


Law is one of those subjects that don't tend to have strict subject requirements for admissions, they're generally just looking for good grades in solid essay based subjects - so you've already picked two really good subjects :smile: For your third, I'd recommend just picking a subject you enjoy/ know you can get a good grade in. It sounds like maths isn't your strong point so perhaps avoid (it's notoriously hard to get good grades in maths because of all the science students/ further maths kids who take it and are practically guaranteed to get all the A*/A/Bs). Is there any particular reason your school wouldn't let you do economics?

As others have said, possible options include:
- Govt. and Politics
- Economics
- Philosophy and Ethics
- Religious Studies
- Geography
- Law
- Psychology
- Languages

Some of these subjects won't be offered by all schools though - perhaps a good start would be to look through your schools list of possible courses and figure out which ones you might enjoy. Do they offer a visit day/ induction day where you could discuss your options?
Reply 8
image.jpgHere is the list of blocks, you can't choose two from each block because they'll be on at the same time, which is the reason I can't choose Economics as well as English. Maths isn't a very big strong point but I think if I worked hard enough I might be able to get a B. Thanks for replying so far everyone, what's your opinions now?
Reply 9
Original post by Pugglet
I am off to uni in September to do law.
My A-levels are history, government and politics, psychology

What were your grades in each subject if you don't mind me asking, and are you going to a Russel Group Uni?
Original post by EoinOD
What were your grades in each subject if you don't mind me asking, and are you going to a Russel Group Uni?


I had offers for ncl and leeds but I picked Northumbria for the Mlaw degree
AAC (and an EPQ)
Original post by dragonkeeper999
they're generally just looking for good grades in solid essay based subjects


1 essay based subject is ample. I've known people read law at top universities with combinations such as Maths, Further Maths, Physics and German, or Maths, Biology and RS.
Does your sixth form offer classics?


Posted from TSR Mobile
Reply 13
Original post by Nadim123456
Does your sixth form offer classics?


Posted from TSR Mobile

What is classics?
Original post by EoinOD
Hi there, this is my first post on here so I hope it's not too amateur haha. Currently I'm just coming up to doing my GCSE exams and I'm hoping to do Law at University after A Levels, but I'm a bit stuck with what to actually choose for A levels. So far I've definitely agreed on:
- History
- English Lit
And I wanted to do Economics but they wouldn't allow me to. I don't like science and I'm thinking about Maths but I'm basically getting a B in it at GCSE. What should I choose for my third option?
Any help appreciated,
Thanks!


To do law at uni would make sense to pick law if you have it as an option but obviously you don't need a Law A level to do it at uni, unless you're really confident with your maths, I'd advise against it. I got an A at GCSE and found that everyone else that got an A struggled compared to those that got A* (you weren't allowed to do maths if you got a B at GCSE)
If business is an option do that bc it's kinda similar to economics?
It doesn't really matter what you choose for a degree like law, just choose subjects that you're gonna be interested in as then you'll get better grades in them, which means more UCAS points and more uni options.

Like I have A Levels in French Spanish and Media Studies and I'm doing a business degree now so it doesn't matter too much unless you want to go into a really specific degree like medicine
Original post by EoinOD
Hi there, this is my first post on here so I hope it's not too amateur haha. Currently I'm just coming up to doing my GCSE exams and I'm hoping to do Law at University after A Levels, but I'm a bit stuck with what to actually choose for A levels. So far I've definitely agreed on:
- History
- English Lit
And I wanted to do Economics but they wouldn't allow me to. I don't like science and I'm thinking about Maths but I'm basically getting a B in it at GCSE. What should I choose for my third option?
Any help appreciated,
Thanks!


Choose the subject you will get the best grade in. Not a soft/ less academic subject like art, photography, media etc
Original post by EoinOD
What is classics?


Classical civilisation, literature, and ancient history. Greeks and romans and stuff (but not in latin/greek). I don't see it on the list so I assume they don't offer it. Also as noted science courses while not directly relevant are well considered for law as well as the sciences provided you have some essay background, and some scientific background (usually to A-level) is common (or sometimes necessary; I'm a little vague on it) for some aspects of IP/Patent law.

Maths is a fine choice, and a B at GCSE doesn't really mean much against it; you don't need an A* in GCSE maths to have any chance of getting an A or B in A-level maths. I wouldn't necessarily recommend FM but maths isn't worth discounting on that basis; now if you hate maths and maths exams and doing maths then...don't, but if you don't mind it, and particularly enjoy problem solving it's not a bad option (as A-level maths is more engaging than GCSE in this regard).

I would recommend economics over english honestly, as the former is more of an "analytical" essay subject than an "interpretive" essay subject. Both are fine but, just my two cents. Geography is a reasonable consideration as similarly it's more analytical and essay based as history and economics are. It's also generally viewed as a "facilitating" subject, whereas things like psychology, politics and so on tend not to be (this isn't a commentary on the value of those subjects, just an observation on comments and actions by university admissions teams; also this is unlikely to make a difference outside of Oxbridge, and even then one is usually "acceptable" by them).
(edited 6 years ago)
Reply 17
Original post by artful_lounger
Classical civilisation, literature, and ancient history. Greeks and romans and stuff (but not in latin/greek). I don't see it on the list so I assume they don't offer it. Also as noted science courses while not directly relevant are well considered for law as well as the sciences provided you have some essay background, and some scientific background (usually to A-level) is common (or sometimes necessary; I'm a little vague on it) for some aspects of IP/Patent law.

Maths is a fine choice, and a B at GCSE doesn't really mean much against it; you don't need an A* in GCSE maths to have any chance of getting an A or B in A-level maths. I wouldn't necessarily recommend FM but maths isn't worth discounting on that basis; now if you hate maths and maths exams and doing maths then...don't, but if you don't mind it, and particularly enjoy problem solving it's not a bad option (as A-level maths is more engaging than GCSE in this regard).

I would recommend economics over english honestly, as the former is more of an "analytical" essay subject than an "interpretive" essay subject. Both are fine but, just my two cents. Geography is a reasonable consideration as similarly it's more analytical and essay based as history and economics are. It's also generally viewed as a "facilitating" subject, whereas things like psychology, politics and so on tend not to be (this isn't a commentary on the value of those subjects, just an observation on comments and actions by university admissions teams; also this is unlikely to make a difference outside of Oxbridge, and even then one is usually "acceptable" by them).


Thank you for the detailed reply, and to everybody else who has replied so far. I don't enjoy science at all so I don't think I will be going anywhere near that but from what I have gathered from everybody's replies I think I will probably ask for Maths and see if I get the grade to go through with it and if not then I will do Government and Politics. This has still been a very hard decision for me to make following this idiotic decision to not be able to choose both English and Economics so I will also definitely be looking at other schools for sixth form. Thanks so far everyone, Eoin.

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