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Original poster

A Level Geography or History

32 replies

ResearchedOut · 31/08/2023 23:21

DS is finding it impossible to choose between these 2 A Levels.
Advice from those with experience in this area would be much appreciated!
His choice was geography but over the summer he has had a wobble (he has always loved history).
He has read the syllabus for both in detail and finds an even match of what he would enjoy on both. He did equally well on both at GCSE. Likes both sets of teachers the same. His other A’levels are economics, maths and german (will drop one of the 4 in Year 12).
He is academic but has no idea what degree he wants to do, nor what career he will go into.
I think geography will be more useful for a job - and the history topics don’t cover the last 300 years - so relevance to modern day tenuous?! However I’m not confident enough to advise him - I’ll beat the brunt if he makes the wrong decision!

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Original poster
ResearchedOut · 23/09/2023 13:12

Just an update - DS eventually stuck with geography - his original choice. 3 weeks into term he still couldn’t decide - but an early field trip was probably the last chance to swap. He may yet come back from that, begging to swap 😂😩.
All the mumsnet advice was very helpful - confirming that there was no strong argument in favour of one or the other.

OP posts:
Fluffywabbits · 05/09/2023 20:10

Geography is appealing to employers as it requires students to demonstrate both numeracy and literacy - there's a reason it is available as both an arts and a science degree. However, if he plans to go to uni, employers will be more interested in what degree he did rather than school subjects so neither here nor there unless it's likely he'd want to do either at uni.

That said, he wouldn't necessarily be sacrificing the opportunity to pursue history later if he took geography at A-Level - historical geography is a big field in its own right and many courses include modules on this.

thefemaleJoshLyman · 05/09/2023 20:01

Geography all the time. So relevant to the challenges facing the world at the moment. Works well for arts and science/maths students and very high (higher than history) employability skills. Geography degrees are very broad with lots of choice.

Bovrilly · 05/09/2023 19:58

If he wants to keep maximum doors open maybe he should do both and drop economics, as that's less likely to be required for a uni course. He could still do an economics degree with his maths A level.

A good mix of degrees open to him, social sciences including economics, degrees which need an essay subject, MFL and linguistics degrees, the world is (almost) his oyster.

(I realise that economics might be his absolute fave though!)

AliMonkey · 02/09/2023 15:19

I did Maths/Economics/Geography, DS is about to start Maths/Economics/History, I think both are good combinations with German. Personally, I preferred geography as you get the mix of science/social science and was a good mix of essays and shorter questions. Everyone I've spoken to about History says it's really hard and you have to be a confident essay writer. Interesting what you say about the syllabus having nothing about last 300 years, whereas DS's syllabus is almost entirely last 300 years, with much of it being 20th century history.

cptartapp · 02/09/2023 15:12

Do what he will likely get the best grade in.
DS1 is at uni studying Geog. He did Maths and Business at A level.
Maths A level is hard btw. Both my DS have done it and loads dropped in before the end of the year. What GCSE grade did he get?

Piggywaspushed · 02/09/2023 14:52

I really don't think it matters but just wanted to mention that history also complements economics!

Silverdogblue · 02/09/2023 12:38

Boomboom22 · 31/08/2023 23:43

I'd go geography for maths, data analysis, human which links to economics especially demographics, and a bit of science with physical. Plus personally think easier to get the grade than history though both are hard, 40 mark essays are subjective.

This. Geography is so excellent for a broad range of basic scientific skills. But, there is history in the topic too so best of both worlds.

Dido2010 · 02/09/2023 12:34

Hi @ResearchedOut !

Start both A Levels and drop one after half a term or the first term. The school may be amenable to this. (My daughter's school was for a friend of hers.)

Original poster
ResearchedOut · 01/09/2023 22:12

Thank you everyone who has replied - all incredibly helpful, informed comments - and importantly - independent of his parent’s views 😂
DS has read your advice - and school has given him the weekend to decide. Meanwhile I have decided to do A level geography - if only I had the time / my time again!
No chance he’ll end up in IT OvaHere - if there is one thing he hates - it’s computing 🙄

OP posts:
OvaHere · 01/09/2023 21:18

Has he made a decision yet OP? You've had quite a range of answers all with valid points so I'm not sure how much we've helped his indecision. 😂

As an aside my other half did Geography at Uni and ended up in IT.

coloursquare · 01/09/2023 16:06

History. Quite a lot happened in the medieval/early modern periods!!

Toomanygreenbeans · 01/09/2023 15:14

The other three are a really good mix but if law is a real option I would go with history rather than geography

RoyKentFanclub · 01/09/2023 15:07

History is better for law

redskytonights · 01/09/2023 15:03

Geography feels like a better fit with his other choices.

However, DD was able to do her history NEA on just about anything she wanted, so that would plug some of the gap of "nothing in last 300 years" (which will be down to the choices of the teachers at his school).

Riverlee · 01/09/2023 14:52

With the other a-levels, I think geography is a more natural fit.

However, for law, I’d say history.

They’re a good range of a-levels and gives you a lot of options going forward.

CallistaFlockfart · 01/09/2023 14:41

Boomboom22 · 31/08/2023 23:43

I'd go geography for maths, data analysis, human which links to economics especially demographics, and a bit of science with physical. Plus personally think easier to get the grade than history though both are hard, 40 mark essays are subjective.

^^ this. I think it's more useful than history which is very essay based.

Maireas · 01/09/2023 13:50

History isn't just essay writing - you have to be very analytical and select and deploy evidence effectively. You also have to interpret evidence, looking for validity with historians' interpretations of the past. It does require good levels of literacy and a keen eye for the impact of various factors on source material.

Original poster
ResearchedOut · 01/09/2023 13:43

Thanks RowdyOther - he has carefully gone through the exams and NEAs - but your take on them is a helpful input.
He enjoys essay writing and writing down “arguments”.
I do like the fact that geography CAN be a science - and has the data analysis component- especially if he ends up giving up maths.

OP posts:
Northern12345 · 01/09/2023 13:42

Geography for the breadth of skills and topics taught. History is more focused on fewer skills whilst geography links to most other subjects better. Essay writing, statistics, graphs, data collection, cartographic, decision making, analysis, evaluation and looks at many topics which are now essential such as sustainability

GeorgeSpeaks · 01/09/2023 13:39

Bin German and do both???

Rocknrollstar · 01/09/2023 08:38

Both of my DC read Geography at uni but from different angles and DD did a Masters which was almost Sociology. Geography encourages a lot of transferable skills and is nothing like we remember from our school days.

Ellmau · 01/09/2023 08:05

The analytical skills you get in history are a good preparation for law.

RowdyOther · 01/09/2023 07:04

Has he looked at the exams and NEA's for both subjects? All available online. Is he a confident essay writer? History is, basically, examined by essays, the papers look almost identical to exams from the 1980s. Geography has a greater mix of shorter, longer and essay responses with a lot of data/graphs/tables to respond to. Both have a NEA component; again History is one substantial essay with all associated research etc, Geography is a long report which should include data which the student has obtained and would normally include tables etc.
Human Geography has a small overlap with Economics. History can have an overlap with Economics, but generally not as taught at school.
They are both good choices!

Nat6999 · 31/08/2023 23:58

Geography will go well with economics.