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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

oxford/Cambridge/Durham/lse

167 replies

MommyOfATeen · 04/04/2015 20:19

Hi
Dd is interested in studying law and then wants a career in politics.
She has being researching lately about alevels and what's best to choose as she will be entering for cheltenham ladies college scholarship exam.
Dd has being researching the law courses and can't seem to answer these questions she has
Why should you study law
What qualities are best suited to law
What books/articles can she read to read around law
And finally..
The colleges at Oxford does it matter which one you go to?

OP posts:
Decorhate · 04/04/2015 21:20

When you say she wants a career in politics, what do you mean exactly? Maybe a PPE degree would be more useful?

Original poster
MommyOfATeen · 04/04/2015 21:25

Well she's discussed with head of careers who has worked&stufied at Oxford and dd wants to be a barrister and gain experience in the legal system to then have political career. She wants to go into politics about education

OP posts:
Decorhate · 04/04/2015 22:32

Sorry I'm still not clear, does she want to be an elected politician or work in a government department or be a political journalist?
If her starting point is going to be to work as a barrister, I may be wrong but I think the top law firms still prefer to recruit graduates from top universities who have done a non-law degree and train them afterwards. Someone I know who is currently training with a law firm did a history degree, for example

Original poster
MommyOfATeen · 04/04/2015 22:34

She wants to be an elected mp like your Micheal gove who was head of the education. Her school and the place she did work experience told her she would be best to do a law degree because it trains lawyers with the skills they need

OP posts:
ShotgunNotDoingThePans · 04/04/2015 22:46

Re. Oxford colleges: I went with DD to an open morning there (science/maths-related). The point was made several times, that the college you apply for is almost irrelevant; everyone, apparently, no matter which one they go to, claims theirs is the best, so unless you have particular reasons for choosing one college over another, it's not something to worry about.
Also, the tutors have no way of knowing whether you chose them first or not, and they wouldn't care anyway,
I had the impression the admissions office would be very helpful with queries like this; probably worth giving them a call - and definitely find out if there are any open days coming up related to the subject.

Molio · 05/04/2015 00:36

I have two DDs who are recent Law graduates from Oxford. College may well matter, in terms of connections, prestige (because of competitiveness) etc. Certainly college has been mentioned in further applications as being of note.

Decorhate it's swings and roundabouts.

Shotgun that's the party line. Everyone knows which colleges are harder to get into, and so where the strongest applicants tend to go. That then translates later on, in employment terms. It's not a universal rule of course, but a general one.

Molio · 05/04/2015 00:38

Also Shotgun in some subjects the tutors know exactly who chooses them. Not in every subjects, but certainly in some.

Decorhate · 05/04/2015 08:18

Molio, I was thinking afterwards that a law degree from Oxford is likely to be viewed more favourably than a non-law degree from elsewhere anyway!

Original poster
MommyOfATeen · 05/04/2015 08:59

molio
What would you recommend dd did to know law beyond the classroom and textbooks? What reading around could she do currently she reads the guardian and other broadsheet newspapers shes keeping up with the general election stuff and she read a variety of books.

OP posts:
ragged · 05/04/2015 09:53

Please don't let anyone aspire to be another Michael Gove, Please No.

Molio · 05/04/2015 10:07

There are any number of books she could read OP, on the basics - books which outline the English system and are 'introductions to law'. But as she goes through the sixth form she might want to pick up more substantial books on the philosophy of law or any area of law which interests her - the interest in an area being critical, or she'll get bogged down, because often it's not especially light reading. There's no point whatsoever in reading a text book - they're huge, and off-putting. But the main point is that tutors aren't merely or even mainly looking for an interest in law, they're looking for real aptitude - a student capable of thinking in a very sharp and very logical way - so it's about that, and not knowledge. Keeping up with current affairs is good, obviously, not only for its own sake and because she's clearly got a genuine interest, but because it's entirely possible she might be asked about any recent case in an interview, albeit on a general level (the control order cases, medical cases, family cases - any high profile case which has cropped up around the interview time).

Original poster
MommyOfATeen · 05/04/2015 10:44

Thankyou for that insight molio she currently does religious studies and history which develop these thinking skills and her teacher discusses sources as a class to think on the spot she has being looking at the aptitude tests and things. She is off to a court viewing next week to take some notes etc..
ragged
She doesn't aspire to be Micheal gove she aspires to be that role

OP posts:
ragged · 05/04/2015 10:45

(phew)

Original poster
MommyOfATeen · 05/04/2015 10:59

Aha..dd really despises Micheal gove and his policies that he introduced.

OP posts:
Lilymaid · 05/04/2015 11:05

What age is she - going for sixth form entry or younger? If she wants to be a barrister she can do a law degree or a degree in another subject ( e.g. English, History, PPE or even science) and then do a law conversion course before the Bar exams. She should look at the profiles/CVs of the more junior barristers in leading sets to see what she might be up against.
She would need excellent analytical skills, the ability to construct and maintain her argument and probably a lot of luck to ever get a pupillage let alone tenancy.

Original poster
MommyOfATeen · 05/04/2015 11:20

She's 15 4th form (year10)
analytical Skills, dd analyses every event that happens in her life and when reading the broadsheets will analyse the writing and criticse the flaws in many things. She is very good at analysing. She is also good at portraying her argument

OP posts:
ShotgunNotDoingThePans · 05/04/2015 11:21

I bow to your superior knowledge Molio that's us back to square one then Smile.

NeedAnEasterEggForMyGiraffe · 05/04/2015 11:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BeaufortBelle · 05/04/2015 11:52

As the mother of older teenagers, what they Sa they want in Y10 doesn't necessarily translate to what they want, or what is available to them in Y13.

All we can do is facilitate their journey and let them develop their own course trying to persuade them to keep open as many options as possible.

If your dd really wants to be a barrister she'll get there. Not all barristers went to Oxford or Cambridge - the highest paid I can think of went to Bristol. Many started out wanting a career in politics but found their lives took them elsewhere.

Once earnings hit the norm in a commercial set often the financial obligations that come with it don't convert to an MPs pay or the hidden costs of getting elected. The career on hold, the constituency rental, the travel expenses, etc. Huge argument for politics to become second careers for those in their 50s with their own money behind them and a fair dose of experience and wisdom.

Good luck to your daughter - let her follow her dream without being too prescriptive - she has to take the lead and if she really wants it she will. All we can do is encourage, feed them and love them.

Original poster
MommyOfATeen · 05/04/2015 14:18

She's always wanted to go into law and her school are very proud of her like I am she is bright and has taken the lead here. Dd has being looking at durham and other places such as york and Warwick. She knows it isn't always possible to get into Oxford because places are competitive.given her predictive gcse grades she is very likely to be considered to go to a top university as she's predicted all 9A*'s

OP posts:
NeedAnEasterEggForMyGiraffe · 05/04/2015 14:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
MommyOfATeen · 05/04/2015 15:00

No she doesn't feel pessured and tbh I know she'll suceed wherever she goes be it Oxford Newcastle or york, because she's a hardworker. If she wants to go to a top uni I will support her the same as I would if she went to a less academic uni

OP posts:
HostOfDaffodils · 05/04/2015 15:03

Please tell me this thread is a wind-up....

Original poster
MommyOfATeen · 05/04/2015 15:09

Absolutely not host

OP posts:
Mrsmorton · 05/04/2015 15:18

OP, are you from the UK? Did you go to university? Not that it matters, our of my peers, only about half had graduate parents and none went to private school (Altho im a dentist and we don't do the Oxford Cambridge thing).

Everything seems very "specific" at this stage. Maybe wait until DS gets to her A levels and there will be tutors who will be very well placed to advise her.