Cambridge application - would dd be at a disadvantage if she did 3 A2s rather than 4?

[MrsBartlet]

Dd (Y12) wants to apply to Cambridge to study English. She is currently taking English; History; RS (philosophy & ethics) and French for AS level.

At her school it is the norm for the oxbridge candidates to continue with all AS levels to A2 but I wonder if she would be better dropping French (her weakest subject and the one she enjoys the least) to free up time to do all the extra reading she wants to do to prepare for an English degree. I know the offers that Cambridge make are based on 3 A Levels but in practice would she compare badly to other candidates if she was "only" taking 3 for A2?

I would say I'll report back on anything interesting but that relies on DS

If he is anything like my ds then that won't be much! Dd on the other hand...

Presumably your DD won't have to make a final decision in subjects until after AS results day so you have some leeway?

Just thought id return and suggest that your DD applies for one or more of the college open days in June - I can't remember when the booking for those opens but they were very useful for my DD - she went to two. You get the chance to talk to an admissions tutor, to watch a mock interview, to go to a subject lecture, that kind of thing. I remember there was a list of all the proposed visit days on the Cambridge website.

Thank you BeckandCall, I will look into that. We have got the date of the main university open day and are going to book that as and when it becomes available (as well as the other universities she is interested in) but I hadn't thought about her going to specific college days. She will get a chance to experience English lectures at the masterclass day she is going to in March which should be interesting but the chance to watch a mock interview is too good to miss!