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Is it worth doing an EPQ?

I want to study law at either oxford, nottingham or leeds.
i kinda want to focus on achieving the best subject grades but i wanted to know how much does an EPQ actually boost your application?
is it worth the time and energy?

Reply 1

176253

Honestly, if I had the option, I would not pick EPQ again. I was surprised at how much work it actually is and I didn't enjoy having to find sources and reference EVERYTHING. I know someone in my class who dropped out because he fell behind and it was too stressful.

On the other hand, all of my friends have really enjoyed it, and I would agree that it's nice to choose your own topic. Seeing as you want to apply for something competitive like law, I would say it is worth a shot?

My philosophy at the beginning of yr12 was just do everything because I know I will have much less time in yr13. It has actually worked out quite well, because I have found out what I do and don't enjoy, and I won't regret not doing something as I have tried it all.

Basically, it can be fun, but be prepared for how much work it will be. I would say take it because you have the option of dropping out after seeing what its like, but you don't have the option of joining late.

If you do choose EPQ, my advice is keep a weekly diary of what you did each week and how long it took, make sure to find plenty of sources at the beginning, and work consistently so you don't have to catch up at the end.

Hope this helps :smile:

Reply 2

juicygcse

Original post by mez2296

If these universities offer lower grades if you take EPQ and you think you can get an A or A*, then yes
If not, no - there are plenty of other extracurriculars that you can mention in your personal statement that look just as good, if not better, than an EPQ

For me personally, it was worth it because I got a good grade and therefore got lower offers from 3 of my 5 choices. However, I didn't even mention it in my personal statement because I had other stuff to mention that was more relevant and in my opinion sounded more impressive.

Also, around half the people in my school who started an EPQ dropped out at some point because they thought it was too much work. I actually thought it was quite reasonable and not too much extra, but I am definitely in the minority with that opinion, so that is something to consider