Thoughts on A Level Politics, Classics and RE
Hi, I’m in Year 11 and I’m thinking of changing my A-Levels in September. I picked English Lit, Maths, History but I don’t want to really do History because I realised I’m going to do 2 coursework subjects and the EPQ. At the other schools I’m going to apply for, the topics in History are either bad or it’s what I’m doing at GCSE.
I don’t really like any other subjects that much but I’m somewhat interested in the ones in the title.
Politics seems interesting and useful but I don’t really understand what we exactly learn in it.
Classics again I’m interested in but I don’t know what we actually learn.
RE I don’t like at GCSE not because of the topics but the way it’s taught as my teacher says we have a lot of things to teach in a small amount of time so we have to miss out on the debates and discussions etc. I’m hoping it’ll be different at A-Level.
If you do any of these subjects or have general advice please tell me. I’m thinking of going to university openings in the summer holidays to get a better understanding of universities and courses, unless it’s too early for me.
I don’t really like any other subjects that much but I’m somewhat interested in the ones in the title.
Politics seems interesting and useful but I don’t really understand what we exactly learn in it.
Classics again I’m interested in but I don’t know what we actually learn.
RE I don’t like at GCSE not because of the topics but the way it’s taught as my teacher says we have a lot of things to teach in a small amount of time so we have to miss out on the debates and discussions etc. I’m hoping it’ll be different at A-Level.
If you do any of these subjects or have general advice please tell me. I’m thinking of going to university openings in the summer holidays to get a better understanding of universities and courses, unless it’s too early for me.
Original post by Toomanyenny
Hi, I’m in Year 11 and I’m thinking of changing my A-Levels in September. I picked English Lit, Maths, History but I don’t want to really do History because I realised I’m going to do 2 coursework subjects and the EPQ. At the other schools I’m going to apply for, the topics in History are either bad or it’s what I’m doing at GCSE.
I don’t really like any other subjects that much but I’m somewhat interested in the ones in the title.
Politics seems interesting and useful but I don’t really understand what we exactly learn in it.
Classics again I’m interested in but I don’t know what we actually learn.
RE I don’t like at GCSE not because of the topics but the way it’s taught as my teacher says we have a lot of things to teach in a small amount of time so we have to miss out on the debates and discussions etc. I’m hoping it’ll be different at A-Level.
If you do any of these subjects or have general advice please tell me. I’m thinking of going to university openings in the summer holidays to get a better understanding of universities and courses, unless it’s too early for me.
I don’t really like any other subjects that much but I’m somewhat interested in the ones in the title.
Politics seems interesting and useful but I don’t really understand what we exactly learn in it.
Classics again I’m interested in but I don’t know what we actually learn.
RE I don’t like at GCSE not because of the topics but the way it’s taught as my teacher says we have a lot of things to teach in a small amount of time so we have to miss out on the debates and discussions etc. I’m hoping it’ll be different at A-Level.
If you do any of these subjects or have general advice please tell me. I’m thinking of going to university openings in the summer holidays to get a better understanding of universities and courses, unless it’s too early for me.
Hi, I do Religious Studies A-Level. In my opinion the content is more interesting than at GCSE, however from my experience of being taught there’s little discussion or debate, it’s more learning the strengths and weaknesses of arguments. However this may just be the teaching style of my teachers, I would definitely recommend speaking to the teachers who run the subject at the sixth form/ college you’re planning on going to.
For Politics and Classics, I’d also recommend reaching out to the teachers and asking them about what the course covers- your sixth form may have an overview document you can access from their website, alternatively if you find out which exam board it is you can look online for the course overview for yourself.
Hope this helps, good luck with your GCSEs!
Original post by Toomanyenny
Hi, I’m in Year 11 and I’m thinking of changing my A-Levels in September. I picked English Lit, Maths, History but I don’t want to really do History because I realised I’m going to do 2 coursework subjects and the EPQ. At the other schools I’m going to apply for, the topics in History are either bad or it’s what I’m doing at GCSE.
I don’t really like any other subjects that much but I’m somewhat interested in the ones in the title.
Politics seems interesting and useful but I don’t really understand what we exactly learn in it.
Classics again I’m interested in but I don’t know what we actually learn.
RE I don’t like at GCSE not because of the topics but the way it’s taught as my teacher says we have a lot of things to teach in a small amount of time so we have to miss out on the debates and discussions etc. I’m hoping it’ll be different at A-Level.
If you do any of these subjects or have general advice please tell me. I’m thinking of going to university openings in the summer holidays to get a better understanding of universities and courses, unless it’s too early for me.
I don’t really like any other subjects that much but I’m somewhat interested in the ones in the title.
Politics seems interesting and useful but I don’t really understand what we exactly learn in it.
Classics again I’m interested in but I don’t know what we actually learn.
RE I don’t like at GCSE not because of the topics but the way it’s taught as my teacher says we have a lot of things to teach in a small amount of time so we have to miss out on the debates and discussions etc. I’m hoping it’ll be different at A-Level.
If you do any of these subjects or have general advice please tell me. I’m thinking of going to university openings in the summer holidays to get a better understanding of universities and courses, unless it’s too early for me.
Hi, I'm in Year 12 and doing Classics A-level.
By the sound of it, you aren't doing GCSE Classics (correct me if I'm wrong). That's okay: if your interests lie in the humanities and essay-based subjects, you'll manage through this course just fine. It's considered one of the "easier" A-levels out there.
You'll need to read two books- you'll have to read the Aeneid, and depending on your teacher, you'll also do the Odyssey or Illiad. There are various modules to choose from, but I'll be doing The World of the Hero (so the books I've listed), Invention of the Barbarian and Greek Art (so discussing Greece's neighbours and Greek art in the ancient times) and Love and Relationships and Politics of the Late Republic (so discussing romantic poetry and Augustan-era type stuff).
So basically: You'll be reading the Aeneid and 1 other book, and essentially be learning about Greek and Roman culture, poetry and politics; regardless of the last two modules, they'll still discuss those general points I've listed.
The course it heavily essay and reading-based, and a lot of marks go towards the strength and quality of your essays as opposed to writing down lots of facts.
BTW- I don't think it's ever to early to get prepared for uni, just don't stress out too much.
Best of luck xxx
(edited 3 months ago)
What do you want to do after your A-levels?
In general if you're interested in the subject matter they're good choices though
In general if you're interested in the subject matter they're good choices though
Reply 5
Original post by artful_lounger
What do you want to do after your A-levels?
In general if you're interested in the subject matter they're good choices though
In general if you're interested in the subject matter they're good choices though
I’m not really sure but maybe something to do with finance or get a degree in a humanities subject then law conversion. All I want is A-Level options that allow me to go into lots of subjects
Reply 6
Original post by Toomanyenny
I’m not really sure but maybe something to do with finance or get a degree in a humanities subject then law conversion. All I want is A-Level options that allow me to go into lots of subjects
Hi @Toomanyenny,
If you're considering studying Law at some stage in your education, Politics might be a good call - it's a common A-Level choice for Law students. If it seems interesting to you but you're not sure what the content is, have a glance over the specification on the exam board's website or talk to your college's Politics teacher for a better idea of what topics will be covered.
Personally, I would advise against doing a subject you don't particularly enjoy at GCSE; you'll likely have twice as many classes in that subject if you choose to study it at A-Level, and that can be a difficult shift if it's a subject you already have some reservations about.
If you're considering pursuing a finance degree, have you considered Business or Economics (if your school/college offers these subjects)?
Eve (Kingston Rep).
Original post by Toomanyenny
I’m not really sure but maybe something to do with finance or get a degree in a humanities subject then law conversion. All I want is A-Level options that allow me to go into lots of subjects
Well you can go into most finance careers with any degree so you have a lot of options there
Most humanities and social science subjects at uni don't have any required A-levels so any combination is suitable - just pick what you enjoy the most and think you can get the best grades in, in that case!
Reply 8
Original post by Kingston Eve
Hi @Toomanyenny,
If you're considering studying Law at some stage in your education, Politics might be a good call - it's a common A-Level choice for Law students. If it seems interesting to you but you're not sure what the content is, have a glance over the specification on the exam board's website or talk to your college's Politics teacher for a better idea of what topics will be covered.
Personally, I would advise against doing a subject you don't particularly enjoy at GCSE; you'll likely have twice as many classes in that subject if you choose to study it at A-Level, and that can be a difficult shift if it's a subject you already have some reservations about.
If you're considering pursuing a finance degree, have you considered Business or Economics (if your school/college offers these subjects)?
Eve (Kingston Rep).
If you're considering studying Law at some stage in your education, Politics might be a good call - it's a common A-Level choice for Law students. If it seems interesting to you but you're not sure what the content is, have a glance over the specification on the exam board's website or talk to your college's Politics teacher for a better idea of what topics will be covered.
Personally, I would advise against doing a subject you don't particularly enjoy at GCSE; you'll likely have twice as many classes in that subject if you choose to study it at A-Level, and that can be a difficult shift if it's a subject you already have some reservations about.
If you're considering pursuing a finance degree, have you considered Business or Economics (if your school/college offers these subjects)?
Eve (Kingston Rep).
I’m not necessarily considering a degree in finance but jobs in that sector, so I might do a degree in accounting, economics etc. I don’t really like business and economics doesn’t seem interesting to me, but it’s also another subject I don’t really understand what is taught
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