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A level history without gcse

Hey all,

I'm contemplating choosing History at A level, I was recently introduced to the idea of taking GCSE history by my new director of sixth form. That's not to say he's suggesting I take it, just pointing it out to me. I want to study Law, Politics and Sociology or History. Not sure which! I never gave history the time of day because I didn't take it at GCSE level, so I somehow assumed it would be required to have it...

However that is not the case!

Anyone who has done history at a level or as please let me know how much you used your gcse knowledge (or didn't).

Thanks!
A

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Reply 1
What other A-Levels are you taking and what do you want to do at Uni? That might help you make your decision, and us advice.

I took History at GCSE and I take it at A-Level. I use very little of the skills learnt at GCSE, other than a brain that can hold copious amounts of weirdly specific dates and events. I don't think you should struggle. You basically need very good memory, a willingness to revise as there is a LOT of content and the ability to form and debate arguments using historical knowledge. Oh, and the ability to stay interested in something even if you don't care so much for it. I do The Tudors and The Russian Revolution - I love The Tudors and hate Russia, just because it doesn't really interest me as much but you have to keep with it nevertheless.

Out of the subjects you've suggested, History is the only facilitating subject. It depends on what your others are but if you've only got one or none otherwise, I'd definitely recommend taking it. Having 2 or more facilitating subjects opens lots of doors.

Hope this helps X
Without having taken either, I can only speak from a second/third hand account, but my understanding is both the style and content of the two qualifications are vastly different. I've heard a lot of positive accounts of A-level History, in terms of content. GCSE however...

In any case, if the school/college is happy to take you onto the course without GCSE in the subject, then there shouldn't be any issues for actually doing the course. Whether you'll enjoy it is harder to say - look at the topics on the syllabus for whichever exam board your school will be doing and see if you find them interesting now. If so, then that probably bodes well, but if they look quite dull and tedious then that's probably a good sign to consider something else.
if you took Geography you can do history at alevel
Original post by artful_lounger
Without having taken either, I can only speak from a second/third hand account, but my understanding is both the style and content of the two qualifications are vastly different. I've heard a lot of positive accounts of A-level History, in terms of content. GCSE however...

In any case, if the school/college is happy to take you onto the course without GCSE in the subject, then there shouldn't be any issues for actually doing the course. Whether you'll enjoy it is harder to say - look at the topics on the syllabus for whichever exam board your school will be doing and see if you find them interesting now. If so, then that probably bodes well, but if they look quite dull and tedious then that's probably a good sign to consider something else.

Thanks a lot for your reply!
Original post by lowza
What other A-Levels are you taking and what do you want to do at Uni? That might help you make your decision, and us advice.

I took History at GCSE and I take it at A-Level. I use very little of the skills learnt at GCSE, other than a brain that can hold copious amounts of weirdly specific dates and events. I don't think you should struggle. You basically need very good memory, a willingness to revise as there is a LOT of content and the ability to form and debate arguments using historical knowledge. Oh, and the ability to stay interested in something even if you don't care so much for it. I do The Tudors and The Russian Revolution - I love The Tudors and hate Russia, just because it doesn't really interest me as much but you have to keep with it nevertheless.

Out of the subjects you've suggested, History is the only facilitating subject. It depends on what your others are but if you've only got one or none otherwise, I'd definitely recommend taking it. Having 2 or more facilitating subjects opens lots of doors.

Hope this helps X


Thanks a lot for your reply. I want to be a police officer, maybe via uni! Probably via uni...
Original post by TherealDavisAlex
Hey all,

I'm contemplating choosing History at A level, I was recently introduced to the idea of taking GCSE history by my new director of sixth form. That's not to say he's suggesting I take it, just pointing it out to me. I want to study Law, Politics and Sociology or History. Not sure which! I never gave history the time of day because I didn't take it at GCSE level, so I somehow assumed it would be required to have it...

However that is not the case!

Anyone who has done history at a level or as please let me know how much you used your gcse knowledge (or didn't).

Thanks!
A


You can do it without. More of the same just more in depth and the analysis expected is much greater. There also a good chance the periods you studied / didnt study at GCSE will not be on the syllabus for A level.

Its an excellent subject widely respected and one of the harder GCE's due to volume. If the dilemmas faced by people in times past dont interest you then dont do it as you will find it boring and will lose interest. If you like to understand why things happened and what might have, then you will like it.
I took history A-level without having done the gcse and after getting my a level results last week, I got an A and am off to study it at uni now! So it's totally possible!
Reply 8
Original post by TherealDavisAlex
Hmm
I got a C in geography
E in physical geography
A in human Geography


My sixth form's website says you only need a B in GCSE history or a 6 in English language. I think they just want to check that people have a fairly good level of English and will be able to write essays coherently. I wouldn't really say that you need to worry about getting a C in geography, they're very different skills at GCSE (from what I've seen of my friends' history work) and it seems like your physical paper was just a bad exam based on the grade you got in the human paper. I'm also considering doing A Level history without studying it at GCSE, you could possibly find out about any overlaps from your friends who have done history. That's what I'm planning on doing then I'll probably do some research on each section based on the specification and possibly watch some documentaries too.
I did history at A level whilst having not done it for GCSE. Teachers will make you feel like you'll be at a major disadvantage, but I've found it not to be entirely true. You can definitely manage to do well in it as long as you're familiar with essay subjects. I did just as well if not better than people who got A*-A in their GCSE History.
Don't be discouraged by what teachers have said to scare you.
Original post by Thea89
My sixth form's website says you only need a B in GCSE history or a 6 in English language. I think they just want to check that people have a fairly good level of English and will be able to write essays coherently. I wouldn't really say that you need to worry about getting a C in geography, they're very different skills at GCSE (from what I've seen of my friends' history work) and it seems like your physical paper was just a bad exam based on the grade you got in the human paper. I'm also considering doing A Level history without studying it at GCSE, you could possibly find out about any overlaps from your friends who have done history. That's what I'm planning on doing then I'll probably do some research on each section based on the specification and possibly watch some documentaries too.


Yeahh I knew messed up Geog physical as I left the exam hall... I achieve good grades in physical before in mocks, but never mind. I have 6s in both English and a B in RS so I meet the entry requirements for the college to study a level history. Thanks for your reply!
Reply 11
Original post by sunflowerz
I took history A-level without having done the gcse and after getting my a level results last week, I got an A and am off to study it at uni now! So it's totally possible!

Haha, exactly the same with me
Original post by sunflowerz
I took history A-level without having done the gcse and after getting my a level results last week, I got an A and am off to study it at uni now! So it's totally possible!


That's to great to hear, thanks a lot! Good luck at uni.
I just got an A* in history A level and you don't really need GCSE to do it, just be prepared to get used to the essay style but the a level structures are so different to GCSE so you won't really be at a disadvantage
Original post by Tyde_dv12
I did history at A level whilst having not done it for GCSE. Teachers will make you feel like you'll be at a major disadvantage, but I've found it not to be entirely true. You can definitely manage to do well in it as long as you're familiar with essay subjects. I did just as well if not better than people who got A*-A in their GCSE History.
Don't be discouraged by what teachers have said to scare you.


Cheers for the input, good to see it's possible.
Original post by AlexLamberti
I just got an A* in history A level and you don't really need GCSE to do it, just be prepared to get used to the essay style but the a level structures are so different to GCSE so you won't really be at a disadvantage


That's good to hear, thanks!
I never took sociology so I can't give you any information on that, but if you do history be prepared for how much out need to learn from a long time period (we did Russia from 1860s-1990s)

Also I know you haven't asked about law but I wish someone had warned me. I've done law on two exam boards (I moved college) so I have experience with AQA which is the easiest exam board by far, and OCR which is ridiculously dense. However I ended up getting an A* at OCR and I'm not naturally clever so it is possible. It is lots and lots of rote learning on pretty much the entire criminal law. It's one of those subjects where it's either ridiculously easy, or ridiculously hard, depending on how much work you're willing to put in. I spent up to 2 hours a night revising law because the volume of knowledge required to get a high grade needs that level of commitment. That being said, if you are passionate and committed it's easily going to be your favourite subject
Reply 17
Original post by TherealDavisAlex
Hey all,

I'm contemplating choosing History at A level, I was recently introduced to the idea of taking GCSE history by my new director of sixth form. That's not to say he's suggesting I take it, just pointing it out to me. I want to study Law, Politics and Sociology or History. Not sure which! I never gave history the time of day because I didn't take it at GCSE level, so I somehow assumed it would be required to have it...

However that is not the case!

Anyone who has done history at a level or as please let me know how much you used your gcse knowledge (or didn't).

Thanks!
A


Choose History. Its a solid faciliating A level that universities want prospective students to have. I got a B (should have studied harder) in History and never did the GCSE. I'm interested in studying law at university too, and having the A level has never held me back. If you want to get into Law or Politics, the analytical skills that you learn in the course are craved by universities.
Original post by millie6398
I never took sociology so I can't give you any information on that, but if you do history be prepared for how much out need to learn from a long time period (we did Russia from 1860s-1990s)

Also I know you haven't asked about law but I wish someone had warned me. I've done law on two exam boards (I moved college) so I have experience with AQA which is the easiest exam board by far, and OCR which is ridiculously dense. However I ended up getting an A* at OCR and I'm not naturally clever so it is possible. It is lots and lots of rote learning on pretty much the entire criminal law. It's one of those subjects where it's either ridiculously easy, or ridiculously hard, depending on how much work you're willing to put in. I spent up to 2 hours a night revising law because the volume of knowledge required to get a high grade needs that level of commitment. That being said, if you are passionate and committed it's easily going to be your favourite subject


Thank you that's a really helpful lot of information actually! I know I want to do Law and politics, it's between sociology and history now. I have no experience in either, well history I did in ks3 but that was very disturbed by lack of teachers.
Anyway again, thanks! :smile:
Original post by Djerun
Choose History. Its a solid faciliating A level that universities want prospective students to have. I got a B (should have studied harder) in History and never did the GCSE. I'm interested in studying law at university too, and having the A level has never held me back. If you want to get into Law or Politics, the analytical skills that you learn in the course are craved by universities.


Thanks a lot, you're selling it to me! :wink: