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Further education

You'll find discussions about A Levels and universities on our Further Education forum.

Original poster

A levels for law

36 replies

70smillie · 17/08/2021 10:17

DD has straight 9s at GCSE. She's very keen on law and plans on doing History, English Lit & Geography at A level.

She's thinking about Oxbridge (I have reservations about this due to personality type but haven' expressed).

Anyway someone has suggested geography won't make her stand out if she decides to aim for Oxbridge and her 3rd A level should be something more obviously challenging on paper like maths or a language. DD isn't really concerned about geography, her favourites are Eng lit & history and then geography because she finds it easiest.

Assuming school can facilitate a change her choices now seem to be.

History, English lit, Maths - she could also then add further maths if there's a space.
History, English lit, Spanish or Latin
History, English lit, Geography.

Can anyone help her ? She's been looking online but is none the wiser.

Any advice

OP posts:
Valhalla17 · 17/08/2021 19:26

She should do what she enjoys. There are no set a-levels for Law, so covering subjects she has an interest in and potential to do well in is the most important thing.

Ellmau · 17/08/2021 19:23

Any of her chosen combinations sound fine.

Bryonyshcmyony · 17/08/2021 12:42

@70smillie

Thanks for all the replies. The 'someone' is an Oxbridge graduate in the extended family and general all round busybody.

The reason she's getting a bit flustered is in her mind she pretty much decided her A level choices in year 8 and hasn't wavered. Since she got her results, which were as predicted, she's suddenly realised she has a lot of choices - she didn't really want to talk about it earlier. Since I posted this she's suddenly said she doesn't want to drop maths and likes Geography more than English because although she's very good at writing essays she hates reading the classics!

I think early on in secondary she really excelled in essay subjects but she worked hard at maths and sciences and its taken til now for her to realise she enjoys them and is having a panic.

She now thinks Maths, History & Geography - she mentioned the climate/environmental side being more relevant to life.

My nephew has just got into Oxford for Law and has History, English Literature and Drama!
doubleshotcappuccino · 17/08/2021 12:39

Geo/History/ English is an excellent combo for law .. all
Facilitating subjects - go for what she is good at .. if she gets an average grade for maths it might be difficult to hit the grade requirements . Law grade offers from Russell Group unis rarely fall below an A* / A combo

Coffeegirl87 · 17/08/2021 12:31

She would do better with 3 good A-levels that include geography than 2 good a-levels and a mediocre maths one. I'd stick with it personally. I'm a current law student, don't have a single a-level but on a conversion course. The biggest paths to success are getting legal experience and volunteering I really wouldn't sacrifice that for an a-level that she's not as invested in x

Original poster
70smillie · 17/08/2021 12:27

Thanks for all the replies. The 'someone' is an Oxbridge graduate in the extended family and general all round busybody.

The reason she's getting a bit flustered is in her mind she pretty much decided her A level choices in year 8 and hasn't wavered. Since she got her results, which were as predicted, she's suddenly realised she has a lot of choices - she didn't really want to talk about it earlier. Since I posted this she's suddenly said she doesn't want to drop maths and likes Geography more than English because although she's very good at writing essays she hates reading the classics!

I think early on in secondary she really excelled in essay subjects but she worked hard at maths and sciences and its taken til now for her to realise she enjoys them and is having a panic.

She now thinks Maths, History & Geography - she mentioned the climate/environmental side being more relevant to life.

OP posts:
Edmontine · 17/08/2021 12:03

But nothing you’ve mentioned would be a bad choice, OP.

It is useful to have valuable knowledge and skills to take to legal practice. One of my oldest friends had a career as an aeronautical engineer before taking up Law. She had her pick of firms.

catndogslife · 17/08/2021 12:00

Who is this "someone" who suggested that Geography wasn't suitable?
I don't think they know what they are talking about as it will be fine.

She should take the subjects that she really wants to do for A level and is likely to obtain the best results in.

She should stick with her original choices and this person should back off.

Edmontine · 17/08/2021 11:59

What’d you mean about reservations because of personality? You couldn’t find a wider variety of personalities than at an Oxbridge college - that’s part of what makes it fun.

As someone who has almost cried in court when a judge sent us out to re-think our figures - the stronger her maths qualifications, the better she’ll fare in Law, both in job-seeking and in practice.

igelkott2021 · 17/08/2021 11:59

I think history, english and geography are excellent choices for law. No need for maths unless you really want to do it.

I have no idea why geography is considered to be a soft option or mickey mouse subject - it was always on the facilitating subjects list and with climate change etc I would have thought it was one of the most important subjects to study. And if she finds it easy, then do it. High grades are more important than subject choices for law - and her subject choices are really solid.

A language would be good but only if she can get a higher grade in it than she would for geography.

And don't waste time on four A levels.

clary · 17/08/2021 11:50

I would say that FM is really only fir massive maths fans, which I infer your dd is not. Maths is a great A level tho. MFL also very good and less popular. MFL is my subject, I love to see students choosing it. It's not easy tho (well no A level is) but very rewarding and interesting. No idea re law at uni tho or whether she needs to stand out in terms of A level choices. Passion for her proposed uni subject and evidence of that probs more important.