A-level options for high achieving student
A-level options
I don't really know what to take for A-level's
I am a very high performing student and am aiming to get 4 A* at a levels than do Law at Oxford UNI
My local sixth form has nearly every subject I've ever heard off and all of the departments are really good,
I think I will take maths - just so I have one generic useful thing
I also want to do physics as I loved GCSE physics
Then what??
I know that I need some essay based subjects to do law at UNI but which ones?
Also the Design technology department really want me to take DT for A level (After I got the best results they had ever seen) And whilst this would be quite enjoyable, this leaves me with one essay A-level to get into law UNI, which feels quite bold. Although the facilities of DT are amazing and the teachers will let me use their space for non DT subjects hence this is tempting as it will definitely help me studying for my other A-levels
All help and advice is gladly accepted!
Thankyou,
I don't really know what to take for A-level's
I am a very high performing student and am aiming to get 4 A* at a levels than do Law at Oxford UNI
My local sixth form has nearly every subject I've ever heard off and all of the departments are really good,
I think I will take maths - just so I have one generic useful thing
I also want to do physics as I loved GCSE physics
Then what??
I know that I need some essay based subjects to do law at UNI but which ones?
Also the Design technology department really want me to take DT for A level (After I got the best results they had ever seen) And whilst this would be quite enjoyable, this leaves me with one essay A-level to get into law UNI, which feels quite bold. Although the facilities of DT are amazing and the teachers will let me use their space for non DT subjects hence this is tempting as it will definitely help me studying for my other A-levels
All help and advice is gladly accepted!
Thankyou,
Scroll to see replies
Reply 1
Hey!
My advice would be to do subjects that you enjoy (I'm a y12 student). Taking a subject that you don't like at A Level is gonna make your life so difficult! My friend wants to do a law degree and his subjects are English Lit, Maths, and Drama (so there's an example).
I do both maths and physics (as well as biology) - maths and physics go really well together and I would defo recommend. You can do physics without maths but I absolutely thinks it helps (and probably looks slightly better on uni applications). But tbh just a maths a level alone is generally pretty admirable from unis, from what I know.
Here's a website which might help: https://www.informedchoices.ac.uk/start
Just click the degree you want to study and it suggests some subjects.
Also, it's a good idea to look at a few uni websites which offer law (even if you don't know which one you want to go to yet) and see if they have any specific entry requirements in certain subjects. I wasn't sure what degree I wanted to study, but I knew I loved physics and biology - then I ended up doing maths too, as I saw a lot of the physics-y degrees required maths too, and I wanted to keep my options open.
Finally: don't stress about it! A lot of schools will allow you to drop or change a subject in the first few weeks (sometimes months) of year 12 if you change your mind.
Good luck with the rest of your GCSEs if you have any left. Then enjoy that long summer!
M x
My advice would be to do subjects that you enjoy (I'm a y12 student). Taking a subject that you don't like at A Level is gonna make your life so difficult! My friend wants to do a law degree and his subjects are English Lit, Maths, and Drama (so there's an example).
I do both maths and physics (as well as biology) - maths and physics go really well together and I would defo recommend. You can do physics without maths but I absolutely thinks it helps (and probably looks slightly better on uni applications). But tbh just a maths a level alone is generally pretty admirable from unis, from what I know.
Here's a website which might help: https://www.informedchoices.ac.uk/start
Just click the degree you want to study and it suggests some subjects.
Also, it's a good idea to look at a few uni websites which offer law (even if you don't know which one you want to go to yet) and see if they have any specific entry requirements in certain subjects. I wasn't sure what degree I wanted to study, but I knew I loved physics and biology - then I ended up doing maths too, as I saw a lot of the physics-y degrees required maths too, and I wanted to keep my options open.
Finally: don't stress about it! A lot of schools will allow you to drop or change a subject in the first few weeks (sometimes months) of year 12 if you change your mind.
Good luck with the rest of your GCSEs if you have any left. Then enjoy that long summer!
M x
Reply 2
9
essay based subjects that are good for law are english, politics and history. Most people aspiring to be lawyers pick one or two of these.
Reply 3
I did maths, French and history and do Oxford law now
Reply 4
Original post
by Username123abI did maths, French and history and do Oxford law now
omg what did u get in gcse's and a levels? i rlly hope i can get into oxford law
Reply 5
Original post
by klnlljkklhklllomg what did u get in gcse's and a levels? i rlly hope i can get into oxford law
I got 999999998 in GCSEs and A*A*A in A levels
Reply 6
Original post
by Username123abI got 999999998 in GCSEs and A*A*A in A levels
omg congrats!! what a levels did u do x
Reply 7
Original post
by Username123abI got 999999998 in GCSEs and A*A*A in A levels
any last minute tips for A-level French??? 🙏
You don't need any specific subjects for law. You don't need essay subjects and you don't need maths (although you can certainly do all STEM subjects and still successfully apply to law without any issues).
Note also you don't need to do an undergraduate law degree to become a lawyer at all. About half of all solicitors and barristers did a non-law degree for their first degree I understand, and for the solicitor route you don't even need to do a conversion course anymore, in principle, if you are able to pass the SQE without doing one.
That said if your goal is a law degree, generally it's best to aim for traditionally academic subjects (or at least take two such subjects). These tend to be anything that isn't a vocational/applied subject, usually that is primarily assessed by final unseen exam (as this is one of the more common forms of assessment in most law degrees).
If you want to do physics, do physics. Don't do maths if you are just doing it "because" - if you enjoy maths and want to study it for its own sake then take it. Don't take it because you think it "looks good/useful", as that's not how universities (or employers) look at A-levels. If you're really keen on DT then do look into taking that as well but I would strongly recommend you take two traditionally academic subjects alongside it as above (such as physics and something else).
Really overall I'd suggest focusing on the things you enjoy doing and the things you do well in, in order to maximise your grades in the end (since that's really the primary consideration for law).
Note also you don't need to do an undergraduate law degree to become a lawyer at all. About half of all solicitors and barristers did a non-law degree for their first degree I understand, and for the solicitor route you don't even need to do a conversion course anymore, in principle, if you are able to pass the SQE without doing one.
That said if your goal is a law degree, generally it's best to aim for traditionally academic subjects (or at least take two such subjects). These tend to be anything that isn't a vocational/applied subject, usually that is primarily assessed by final unseen exam (as this is one of the more common forms of assessment in most law degrees).
If you want to do physics, do physics. Don't do maths if you are just doing it "because" - if you enjoy maths and want to study it for its own sake then take it. Don't take it because you think it "looks good/useful", as that's not how universities (or employers) look at A-levels. If you're really keen on DT then do look into taking that as well but I would strongly recommend you take two traditionally academic subjects alongside it as above (such as physics and something else).
Really overall I'd suggest focusing on the things you enjoy doing and the things you do well in, in order to maximise your grades in the end (since that's really the primary consideration for law).
Reply 9
13
Original post
by artful_loungerYou don't need any specific subjects for law. You don't need essay subjects and you don't need maths (although you can certainly do all STEM subjects and still successfully apply to law without any issues).
Note also you don't need to do an undergraduate law degree to become a lawyer at all. About half of all solicitors and barristers did a non-law degree for their first degree I understand, and for the solicitor route you don't even need to do a conversion course anymore, in principle, if you are able to pass the SQE without doing one.
That said if your goal is a law degree, generally it's best to aim for traditionally academic subjects (or at least take two such subjects). These tend to be anything that isn't a vocational/applied subject, usually that is primarily assessed by final unseen exam (as this is one of the more common forms of assessment in most law degrees).
If you want to do physics, do physics. Don't do maths if you are just doing it "because" - if you enjoy maths and want to study it for its own sake then take it. Don't take it because you think it "looks good/useful", as that's not how universities (or employers) look at A-levels. If you're really keen on DT then do look into taking that as well but I would strongly recommend you take two traditionally academic subjects alongside it as above (such as physics and something else).
Really overall I'd suggest focusing on the things you enjoy doing and the things you do well in, in order to maximise your grades in the end (since that's really the primary consideration for law).
Note also you don't need to do an undergraduate law degree to become a lawyer at all. About half of all solicitors and barristers did a non-law degree for their first degree I understand, and for the solicitor route you don't even need to do a conversion course anymore, in principle, if you are able to pass the SQE without doing one.
That said if your goal is a law degree, generally it's best to aim for traditionally academic subjects (or at least take two such subjects). These tend to be anything that isn't a vocational/applied subject, usually that is primarily assessed by final unseen exam (as this is one of the more common forms of assessment in most law degrees).
If you want to do physics, do physics. Don't do maths if you are just doing it "because" - if you enjoy maths and want to study it for its own sake then take it. Don't take it because you think it "looks good/useful", as that's not how universities (or employers) look at A-levels. If you're really keen on DT then do look into taking that as well but I would strongly recommend you take two traditionally academic subjects alongside it as above (such as physics and something else).
Really overall I'd suggest focusing on the things you enjoy doing and the things you do well in, in order to maximise your grades in the end (since that's really the primary consideration for law).
Could
Maths - traditional subjetct that i decently like
Physics - traditional subject that I really quite like
Res Mat - I like it
PET - Essay subject (that I really like)
work, in theory?
(edited 1 year ago)
Reply 10
Original post
by erin11any last minute tips for A-level French??? 🙏
I just practiced reading/listening in fun ways like watching my favourite shows dubbed into French or following French content creators, and obviously do as many past papers as possible
Reply 11
Original post
by Username123abI just practiced reading/listening in fun ways like watching my favourite shows dubbed into French or following French content creators, and obviously do as many past papers as possible
thanks!! reassuring, very similar to what im doing at the moment
Original post
by Greenhouse999So..
Could
Maths - traditional subjetct that i decently like
Physics - traditional subject that I really quite like
Res Mat - I like it
PET - Essay subject (that I really like)
work, in theory?
Could
Maths - traditional subjetct that i decently like
Physics - traditional subject that I really quite like
Res Mat - I like it
PET - Essay subject (that I really like)
work, in theory?
You'd be fine with just maths/phys/any third subject.
No reason to do a fourth subject- you don't get "bonus points" for doing so.
As stated before, you don't need an essay subject for admissions purposes. It might be useful preparation for the course but in principle there's no reason you can't develop the necessary long form prose writing skills in the first year of the degree (and people certainly do that after applying having done e.g. maths/physics/chemistry and similar).
So you should be fine with that if you like those subjects. If you're not that motivated for maths though perhaps don't take it - you don't need it for law and if you can get a better result in another subject you enjoy more, that might be a better option
Reply 13
Original post
by pdhaessay based subjects that are good for law are english, politics and history. Most people aspiring to be lawyers pick one or two of these.
I picked all three lol and they are amazing
Reply 14
Original post
by Greenhouse999So..
Could
Maths - traditional subjetct that i decently like
Physics - traditional subject that I really quite like
Res Mat - I like it
PET - Essay subject (that I really like)
work, in theory?
Could
Maths - traditional subjetct that i decently like
Physics - traditional subject that I really quite like
Res Mat - I like it
PET - Essay subject (that I really like)
work, in theory?
Maths, Physics and Res Mat seem strong and align with your interests! I am unsure what PET is, could you clarify? I know that Oxford doesn’t have any specific requirements but a respected essay subject is preferred as others have stated, I haven’t heard of PET but assume it’s fine. Good luck!
Reply 15
14
Original post
by Greenhouse999A-level options
I don't really know what to take for A-level's
I am a very high performing student and am aiming to get 4 A* at a levels than do Law at Oxford UNI
My local sixth form has nearly every subject I've ever heard off and all of the departments are really good,
I think I will take maths - just so I have one generic useful thing
I also want to do physics as I loved GCSE physics
Then what??
I know that I need some essay based subjects to do law at UNI but which ones?
Also the Design technology department really want me to take DT for A level (After I got the best results they had ever seen) And whilst this would be quite enjoyable, this leaves me with one essay A-level to get into law UNI, which feels quite bold. Although the facilities of DT are amazing and the teachers will let me use their space for non DT subjects hence this is tempting as it will definitely help me studying for my other A-levels
All help and advice is gladly accepted!
Thankyou,
I don't really know what to take for A-level's
I am a very high performing student and am aiming to get 4 A* at a levels than do Law at Oxford UNI
My local sixth form has nearly every subject I've ever heard off and all of the departments are really good,
I think I will take maths - just so I have one generic useful thing
I also want to do physics as I loved GCSE physics
Then what??
I know that I need some essay based subjects to do law at UNI but which ones?
Also the Design technology department really want me to take DT for A level (After I got the best results they had ever seen) And whilst this would be quite enjoyable, this leaves me with one essay A-level to get into law UNI, which feels quite bold. Although the facilities of DT are amazing and the teachers will let me use their space for non DT subjects hence this is tempting as it will definitely help me studying for my other A-levels
All help and advice is gladly accepted!
Thankyou,
take what you enjoy, because a levels are rough and if you don't have any interest in your subjects it's hard to keep going.
Law has no required subjects, just a 'preference' of essay subjects.
Honestly the plan can completely change. I'm doing bio, chem, maths and politics because I wanted to do pharma/biotech but am considering law or ppe as well now. So if you pick subjects you don't even like, then realise you don't want to do law, it's gonna be a hard pill to swallow.
If you do stick with maths, physics, dt though and really want a 4th essay, I'll have to say take politics (I say this with complete bias). I really wanted an essay subject to balance out all my stem, and because I was very good at history and English lit but hated the a level courses. I wanted to be more informed about the country we live in and I've loved it!
Reply 16
Original post
by Greenhouse999A-level options
I don't really know what to take for A-level's
I am a very high performing student and am aiming to get 4 A* at a levels than do Law at Oxford UNI
My local sixth form has nearly every subject I've ever heard off and all of the departments are really good,
I think I will take maths - just so I have one generic useful thing
I also want to do physics as I loved GCSE physics
Then what??
I know that I need some essay based subjects to do law at UNI but which ones?
Also the Design technology department really want me to take DT for A level (After I got the best results they had ever seen) And whilst this would be quite enjoyable, this leaves me with one essay A-level to get into law UNI, which feels quite bold. Although the facilities of DT are amazing and the teachers will let me use their space for non DT subjects hence this is tempting as it will definitely help me studying for my other A-levels
All help and advice is gladly accepted!
Thankyou,
I don't really know what to take for A-level's
I am a very high performing student and am aiming to get 4 A* at a levels than do Law at Oxford UNI
My local sixth form has nearly every subject I've ever heard off and all of the departments are really good,
I think I will take maths - just so I have one generic useful thing
I also want to do physics as I loved GCSE physics
Then what??
I know that I need some essay based subjects to do law at UNI but which ones?
Also the Design technology department really want me to take DT for A level (After I got the best results they had ever seen) And whilst this would be quite enjoyable, this leaves me with one essay A-level to get into law UNI, which feels quite bold. Although the facilities of DT are amazing and the teachers will let me use their space for non DT subjects hence this is tempting as it will definitely help me studying for my other A-levels
All help and advice is gladly accepted!
Thankyou,
After reading all other replies, I can conclude that you should probably take Further Maths, which requires Maths, and you might as well also take Physics. If you want a fourth then yeah just go for English imo. This should do you nicely.
Reply 17
13
Original post
by DerDracologeMaths, Physics and Res Mat seem strong and align with your interests! I am unsure what PET is, could you clarify? I know that Oxford doesn’t have any specific requirements but a respected essay subject is preferred as others have stated, I haven’t heard of PET but assume it’s fine. Good luck!
PET is an essay subject;
I think it stands for
Philosophy
Ethics
Theology
But I am not entirely sure
Reply 18
Original post
by Greenhouse999PET is an essay subject;
I think it stands for
Philosophy
Ethics
Theology
But I am not entirely sure
I think it stands for
Philosophy
Ethics
Theology
But I am not entirely sure
That sounds like a good option then! I wish you the best of luck!
Original post
by Greenhouse999A-level options
I don't really know what to take for A-level's
I am a very high performing student and am aiming to get 4 A* at a levels than do Law at Oxford UNI
My local sixth form has nearly every subject I've ever heard off and all of the departments are really good,
I think I will take maths - just so I have one generic useful thing
I also want to do physics as I loved GCSE physics
Then what??
I know that I need some essay based subjects to do law at UNI but which ones?
Also the Design technology department really want me to take DT for A level (After I got the best results they had ever seen) And whilst this would be quite enjoyable, this leaves me with one essay A-level to get into law UNI, which feels quite bold. Although the facilities of DT are amazing and the teachers will let me use their space for non DT subjects hence this is tempting as it will definitely help me studying for my other A-levels
All help and advice is gladly accepted!
Thankyou,
I don't really know what to take for A-level's
I am a very high performing student and am aiming to get 4 A* at a levels than do Law at Oxford UNI
My local sixth form has nearly every subject I've ever heard off and all of the departments are really good,
I think I will take maths - just so I have one generic useful thing
I also want to do physics as I loved GCSE physics
Then what??
I know that I need some essay based subjects to do law at UNI but which ones?
Also the Design technology department really want me to take DT for A level (After I got the best results they had ever seen) And whilst this would be quite enjoyable, this leaves me with one essay A-level to get into law UNI, which feels quite bold. Although the facilities of DT are amazing and the teachers will let me use their space for non DT subjects hence this is tempting as it will definitely help me studying for my other A-levels
All help and advice is gladly accepted!
Thankyou,
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