Does GCSE Latin really help with other subjects?

Is Latin really that helpful?

Keep in mind I’m in y8. So we were given the option between Classics and Latin for the next year, and after a lot of research I chose Classics due to it being more enjoyable and more for me. Some background: Classics is about reading classical literature and writing essays, but is not a GCSE offered at my school, so I will only be able to do it for around nine months until I have to choose my GCSEs. Latin is a GCSE, and I’ve been doing it for nearly two years now, but I just haven’t enjoyed it and don’t really like it that much, compared to my love of classics/english. This is why I chose classics but now I am second guessing because I did some more research and apparently, latin is really good for other subjects such as learning science terms, with English (although I think classics could do the same, unless there’s anything I don’t know), Spanish , maths and other logical subjects and so on. I want to do the best possible in my GCSEs and would like to go to top universities such as Oxford and Cambridge. For this reason, I’m thinking that Latin might be helpful but is that really true? I don’t like Latin very much as I’ve already said, and am willing to work hard on all my compulsory subjects (the sciences, maths, english), but will I be disadvantaged against others who are taking Latin? I haven’t chosen my GCSEs but I’m taking Spanish and Computer Science and have to choose two more. Is Latin really that helpful? Any other advice on anything would be really helpful and please say if you need more context, I’m not sure if I’ve covered everything.

Keep in mind I’m in y8. So we were given the option between Classics and Latin for the next year, and after a lot of research I chose Classics due to it being more enjoyable and more for me. Some background: Classics is about reading classical literature and writing essays, but is not a GCSE offered at my school, so I will only be able to do it for around nine months until I have to choose my GCSEs. Latin is a GCSE, and I’ve been doing it for nearly two years now, but I just haven’t enjoyed it and don’t really like it that much, compared to my love of classics/english. This is why I chose classics but now I am second guessing because I did some more research and apparently, latin is really good for other subjects such as learning science terms, with English (although I think classics could do the same, unless there’s anything I don’t know), Spanish , maths and other logical subjects and so on. I want to do the best possible in my GCSEs and would like to go to top universities such as Oxford and Cambridge. For this reason, I’m thinking that Latin might be helpful but is that really true? I don’t like Latin very much as I’ve already said, and am willing to work hard on all my compulsory subjects (the sciences, maths, english), but will I be disadvantaged against others who are taking Latin? I haven’t chosen my GCSEs but I’m taking Spanish and Computer Science and have to choose two more. Is Latin really that helpful? Any other advice on anything would be really helpful and please say if you need more context, I’m not sure if I’ve covered everything.

i wouldn’t say it’s worth doing latin. this is coming from an a-level latin student who has always adored latin and is applying to do it at uni - as much as i personally love the subject, i wouldn’t say it’s as much of a help for other subjects as people say it is. it’s one of these cross-curricular clichés that fly about, such as ‘maths and music are very compatible’, etc. there may be some tenuous links between latin and other subjects in terms of the psychological processes they entail, but basically you won’t find it any help with other gcse subjects. especially the whole ‘learning scientific terms’ thing, people recommend latin gcse to med students all too often saying that it will help them with medical terminology. in reality, there is practically no effect. and forget about it helping with maths, again this stems from the cliché idea of latin being very ‘logical’. the only thing i’d say it might help with is english, but i think classics is even more helpful in that regard, since there’s more essay writing. i could see it somewhat helping with spanish, but essentially, if your really don’t like latin, then it’s not worth doing it for that one small link.

hope this helps, and sorry it was unnecessarily long

Keep in mind I’m in y8. So we were given the option between Classics and Latin for the next year, and after a lot of research I chose Classics due to it being more enjoyable and more for me. Some background: Classics is about reading classical literature and writing essays, but is not a GCSE offered at my school, so I will only be able to do it for around nine months until I have to choose my GCSEs. Latin is a GCSE, and I’ve been doing it for nearly two years now, but I just haven’t enjoyed it and don’t really like it that much, compared to my love of classics/english. This is why I chose classics but now I am second guessing because I did some more research and apparently, latin is really good for other subjects such as learning science terms, with English (although I think classics could do the same, unless there’s anything I don’t know), Spanish , maths and other logical subjects and so on. I want to do the best possible in my GCSEs and would like to go to top universities such as Oxford and Cambridge. For this reason, I’m thinking that Latin might be helpful but is that really true? I don’t like Latin very much as I’ve already said, and am willing to work hard on all my compulsory subjects (the sciences, maths, english), but will I be disadvantaged against others who are taking Latin? I haven’t chosen my GCSEs but I’m taking Spanish and Computer Science and have to choose two more. Is Latin really that helpful? Any other advice on anything would be really helpful and please say if you need more context, I’m not sure if I’ve covered everything.

Keep in mind I’m in y8. So we were given the option between Classics and Latin for the next year, and after a lot of research I chose Classics due to it being more enjoyable and more for me. Some background: Classics is about reading classical literature and writing essays, but is not a GCSE offered at my school, so I will only be able to do it for around nine months until I have to choose my GCSEs. Latin is a GCSE, and I’ve been doing it for nearly two years now, but I just haven’t enjoyed it and don’t really like it that much, compared to my love of classics/english. This is why I chose classics but now I am second guessing because I did some more research and apparently, latin is really good for other subjects such as learning science terms, with English (although I think classics could do the same, unless there’s anything I don’t know), Spanish , maths and other logical subjects and so on. I want to do the best possible in my GCSEs and would like to go to top universities such as Oxford and Cambridge. For this reason, I’m thinking that Latin might be helpful but is that really true? I don’t like Latin very much as I’ve already said, and am willing to work hard on all my compulsory subjects (the sciences, maths, english), but will I be disadvantaged against others who are taking Latin? I haven’t chosen my GCSEs but I’m taking Spanish and Computer Science and have to choose two more. Is Latin really that helpful? Any other advice on anything would be really helpful and please say if you need more context, I’m not sure if I’ve covered everything.