A-level choices for Oxford and LSE LAW
Hi, i am a year 11 wants to study law at uni. Because i am aiming for oxford and LSE, i want to pick 4 a levels: Maths, Econ, Geography, French. It has to be done by Dec 5th
I am ADAMANT about not picking english or history (i dont do history gcse)
However, i potentially want to study chemistry as it is my favourite subject. I could replace maths but I feel like chemistry, geography, econ and french would be abit TOO MUCH work, so i can't pick that, but i feel like chemistry gives me a disadvantage in my application.
Can someone give me any advice?
I am ADAMANT about not picking english or history (i dont do history gcse)
However, i potentially want to study chemistry as it is my favourite subject. I could replace maths but I feel like chemistry, geography, econ and french would be abit TOO MUCH work, so i can't pick that, but i feel like chemistry gives me a disadvantage in my application.
Can someone give me any advice?
Reply 1
Original post
by smellyyear7Hi, i am a year 11 wants to study law at uni. Because i am aiming for oxford and LSE, i want to pick 4 a levels: Maths, Econ, Geography, French. It has to be done by Dec 5th
I am ADAMANT about not picking english or history (i dont do history gcse)
However, i potentially want to study chemistry as it is my favourite subject. I could replace maths but I feel like chemistry, geography, econ and french would be abit TOO MUCH work, so i can't pick that, but i feel like chemistry gives me a disadvantage in my application.
Can someone give me any advice?
I am ADAMANT about not picking english or history (i dont do history gcse)
However, i potentially want to study chemistry as it is my favourite subject. I could replace maths but I feel like chemistry, geography, econ and french would be abit TOO MUCH work, so i can't pick that, but i feel like chemistry gives me a disadvantage in my application.
Can someone give me any advice?
hi!!
since there aren't any required a levels for law (apart from a recommended essay subject that you already have), chemistry won't disadvantage your app in any way. plus if you want to specify in ip/patent law down the line, having a good stem background will be helpful for that!!
a levels are a lot of work no matter what you choose. so you may as well do work that you like. if you've looked at the a level spec and chemistry seems like something you'd enjoy then go for it. maths might be more universal if you ever change your mind but both are highly regarded by unis + employers.
as an aside— uni offers are based on your best three a levels, so there's no real advantage to doing 4 (especially since none of your choices are fm). it's better to get A*A*A than AAAA. ofc if you enjoy all those subjects and you can deal with the workload then fine but don't feel like you have to do 4 to get into those unis because you don't.
also, why do you not want to do english/history? law as a career has a lot of overlap with those two subjects, in the sense that you'll be doing close readings of text, critically analysing them, making arguments etc. if that doesn't interest you then you may want to reconsider doing law?
hope this helps!!
Reply 2
11
Original post
by bunniastrihi!!
since there aren't any required a levels for law (apart from a recommended essay subject that you already have), chemistry won't disadvantage your app in any way. plus if you want to specify in ip/patent law down the line, having a good stem background will be helpful for that!!
a levels are a lot of work no matter what you choose. so you may as well do work that you like. if you've looked at the a level spec and chemistry seems like something you'd enjoy then go for it. maths might be more universal if you ever change your mind but both are highly regarded by unis + employers.
as an aside— uni offers are based on your best three a levels, so there's no real advantage to doing 4 (especially since none of your choices are fm). it's better to get A*A*A than AAAA. ofc if you enjoy all those subjects and you can deal with the workload then fine but don't feel like you have to do 4 to get into those unis because you don't.
also, why do you not want to do english/history? law as a career has a lot of overlap with those two subjects, in the sense that you'll be doing close readings of text, critically analysing them, making arguments etc. if that doesn't interest you then you may want to reconsider doing law?
hope this helps!!
since there aren't any required a levels for law (apart from a recommended essay subject that you already have), chemistry won't disadvantage your app in any way. plus if you want to specify in ip/patent law down the line, having a good stem background will be helpful for that!!
a levels are a lot of work no matter what you choose. so you may as well do work that you like. if you've looked at the a level spec and chemistry seems like something you'd enjoy then go for it. maths might be more universal if you ever change your mind but both are highly regarded by unis + employers.
as an aside— uni offers are based on your best three a levels, so there's no real advantage to doing 4 (especially since none of your choices are fm). it's better to get A*A*A than AAAA. ofc if you enjoy all those subjects and you can deal with the workload then fine but don't feel like you have to do 4 to get into those unis because you don't.
also, why do you not want to do english/history? law as a career has a lot of overlap with those two subjects, in the sense that you'll be doing close readings of text, critically analysing them, making arguments etc. if that doesn't interest you then you may want to reconsider doing law?
hope this helps!!
Thanks for replying and I would like to do history, but I don’t do gcse history so I can’t take that and I don’t want to do English because I never really liked the subject
Also I think it might be better that I do a fourth a level because my school says that we should either do 3+ an AS/EPQ or four
Reply 3
20
You do not need 4 A levels. No-one does. No Uni thinks 'oo clever' and gives out preferential offers to anyone taking 4 subjects. If anything you are risking all your grades by doing this because of the extra work and stress involved. Remember AAA will always look better than ABBB and that that could cost you a Uni place.
Ignore your school - they often talk nonsense about this and the 4 subjects and an EPQ etc thing is just their assumption that Unis are impressed by 4 subjects - we aren't.
Ignore your school - they often talk nonsense about this and the 4 subjects and an EPQ etc thing is just their assumption that Unis are impressed by 4 subjects - we aren't.
Reply 4
Original post
by smellyyear7Hi, i am a year 11 wants to study law at uni. Because i am aiming for oxford and LSE, i want to pick 4 a levels: Maths, Econ, Geography, French. It has to be done by Dec 5th
I am ADAMANT about not picking english or history (i dont do history gcse)
However, i potentially want to study chemistry as it is my favourite subject. I could replace maths but I feel like chemistry, geography, econ and french would be abit TOO MUCH work, so i can't pick that, but i feel like chemistry gives me a disadvantage in my application.
Can someone give me any advice?
I am ADAMANT about not picking english or history (i dont do history gcse)
However, i potentially want to study chemistry as it is my favourite subject. I could replace maths but I feel like chemistry, geography, econ and french would be abit TOO MUCH work, so i can't pick that, but i feel like chemistry gives me a disadvantage in my application.
Can someone give me any advice?
Reply 5
12
Original post
by smellyyear7Hi, i am a year 11 wants to study law at uni. Because i am aiming for oxford and LSE, i want to pick 4 a levels: Maths, Econ, Geography, French. It has to be done by Dec 5th
I am ADAMANT about not picking english or history (i dont do history gcse)
However, i potentially want to study chemistry as it is my favourite subject. I could replace maths but I feel like chemistry, geography, econ and french would be abit TOO MUCH work, so i can't pick that, but i feel like chemistry gives me a disadvantage in my application.
Can someone give me any advice?
I am ADAMANT about not picking english or history (i dont do history gcse)
However, i potentially want to study chemistry as it is my favourite subject. I could replace maths but I feel like chemistry, geography, econ and french would be abit TOO MUCH work, so i can't pick that, but i feel like chemistry gives me a disadvantage in my application.
Can someone give me any advice?
hi 🙂 i'm in year 13 and take chemistry, and would really recommend it. i was on the fence about taking it, but my experience of chemistry has been great and i'm so glad i took it! i don't think it was too huge of a jump from gcse (the jump from year 12 to 13 was actually a lot more noticeable) and if you enjoy it, then you definitely will be able to put the work in to get good grades in it
if you would like to do history, i find it slightly surprising that your school wouldn't let you do it. perhaps you could ask if an exception can be made (if you're aiming for oxford/lse i can imagine they would be more willing to accommodate you?)
as someone taking four subjects, it's certainly doable but also not really necessary for you specifically (further maths is the only case in which i think it's needed). i don't say this to disappoint you, but you really don't need four for your course and probably could spend the time a fourth subject would take up by doing things that are more relevant to your application. if you want to start out with four so that you have a bit more flexibility to try another subject, that's fair, but i wouldn't recommend it for the sake of 'impressing universities'. if you want to push yourself then it may be more worthwhile doing a law-related EPQ so you can improve your research skills, while demonstrating an area of law that you're passionate about. it's much more important that you complete supercurricular activities and perform well in your LNAT, than taking four subjects
hope this helps, and I'd be more than happy to answer any specific questions about chem
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