Help with degree choices.

[Star789]

My daughter is currently in Year 12 and is studying A Levels in English Literature, History and Geography. According to her first report she is predicted A, B, B respectively (targeting A, A, A) so off to a reasonably good start.

She enjoys all three subjects equally but has no idea what she'd like to study at degree level. We're looking for inspiration on future degrees/career choices with these subjects in mind? She got all 7s and 8s at GCSE level if that's relevant.

Any ideas gratefully received 🙂

[quote TizerorFizz]@JudyGemstone
Don’t worry too much about a PS. Unless he’s aiming for a top university he won’t be judged too much on that! I would just look at the contents of the courses and see what makes more sense to him. He might find some aspects click with him which he could then look at in a bit more detail to write a ps.[/quote]
Thanks for this, it’s super helpful
Do you work in HE?

He’s got teachers references and a few courses to put down so will smash out a PS over the next couple of days!

DS1 is doing a Geography degree. He has no idea what he wants to do when finished, partly the reason he chose it! And he's good at it of course, and was pretty strong at everything across the board, rather than just for example, being a maths whizz.

@JudyGemstone
No. I don’t work in HE but I’m aware lots of universities offer without paying much attention to the PS. They might use it to split candidates if they cannot decide but a university should say what status they give the PS.

Having said that, writing a PS based on why you want to study the subject, what interests you about it and why, what books you might have read and what the degree could lead to are all ok for the PS. Mention work experience or anything at school that’s relevant. Eg young enterprise, motivating others, raising money etc. Make sure no spelling mistakes and grammar is correct.

What about business studies? No specific A levels usually required. Or American Studies? The A levels would work well with that and you broaden your CV by doing a year abroad in the US which gives loads to talk about in a grad job application.

DD did similar A levels and is going to do archeology and ancient history (she did classics rather than geography) as she loves the literature around that period-Homer/the Iliad etc. She is really looking forward to it!

@JudyGemstone DD spent quite a while on her PS-it needs to be at least 75% on what they want to study-why they are passionate about it-what they have read or done outside (ie extra curricular) and only 25% about other stuff like having a as part time job-and what they wrote about that should be terms of what it has taught them and what they gained from it. DofE is a dime a dozen as everyone does it now but even playing football and what that taught them about team work/leadership etc is good.

@MrsElijahMikaelson1
Sadly he’s not got quite a while now! Hopefully someone will check it. It’s too late to put down things ge hasn’t done but if it’s not a competitive entry course, it won’t matter much.

I love the idea and course structure of Liberal Arts but I wonder if the degree really holds its own against straight Geography or History?

I have been involved in grad recruitment at a couple of big name consultancies, where grad starting salaries are 29-35k and consultants with 3 years’ experience are on 45-50k.

A LOT of them did Geography.

One DS did Geography at Uni, didn't really know what he wanted to do when at school, and is now a Chartered Accountant. He had to do all the accountancy papers as he didn't get any exemptions but survived. Not sure how much he earns now, but he had 3 pay rises last year.
The other did History and also a Masters and is now in the Civil Service. He would love a job with a historical focus, but they are few and far between, as so many organisations rely on volunteers and Consultants, so its difficult to get any paid role let alone a decent salary.
I think the Geographer had more career choices, however when he thought about surveying or town planning it seemed he needed to do a Masters because he hadn't done the specific first degree, so it might be worth checking.

Geography. My geography degree is 20 + years old. The practical skills (esp data interpretation and presentation) and world view are still serving me well. It's a very broad based degree and my masters is in a more specialist area. Those I studied with work in disparate fields, myself within the NHS in public health. I'm pleased it's viewed so positively here.

My husband worked at a top city law firm and he always said they'd prefer graduates who studied their passion (and then went into law). He was always passionate about law and studied it at Oxford, but they liked well rounded candidates.
My sister did creative writing and eventually became a doctor (psychiatrist).
I started in animal science, switched to graphics design and worked in publishing.
A friend got a geography degree but went in to retail management.
Another did tv presenting and media and is now a buyer for Tesco....
A friends son currently doing History but intend to join the army!
Who knows what they want to do at 16/17/18? Bad enough they can only take three (possibly four) subjects so young - my daughter would have loved to continue with physics and biology purely because she likes the subjects (she's doing art, history and psychology and will go do an arts foundation course after A levels).
But I agree with @aNewYorkerInLondon - I went through the US education system myself.

I would suggest something like an interest subject (Geography, English) combined with something more vocational (business, sustainability, management, marketing etc) if possible.

[quote MrsElijahMikaelson1]@JudyGemstone DD spent quite a while on her PS-it needs to be at least 75% on what they want to study-why they are passionate about it-what they have read or done outside (ie extra curricular) and only 25% about other stuff like having a as part time job-and what they wrote about that should be terms of what it has taught them and what they gained from it. DofE is a dime a dozen as everyone does it now but even playing football and what that taught them about team work/leadership etc is good.[/quote]
Well despite having to work Monday evening he managed to get the PS finished yesterday and submitted the form today!

He spoke about leadership qualities (captain of football team and school house captain) and why he wanted to study business and how his a levels contained transferable skills/learning, and a bit about his jobs.

I’m sure it’ll be fine, they probably switch off after reading hundreds!

@JudyGemstone
Loads of universities don’t read them at all. Oxbridge will and some others but plenty won’t. Some use them to decide if they come down to the last few places. Depends where he applied - it’s obviously not Oxbridge. Some universities will have already notified candidates they have places on the courses so will be not looking at all their applicants details after the closing date: just a portion of them. A lot of decisions as to possibles or rejections should have been done.,

The fun now begins waiting for the offers!

It's also important to consider what her other interests are and what sort of person she is, as well as her favourite school subjects.

Is she outgoing or shy? A people person? Outdoorsy? Creative? Enjoys travel or a bit of a homebird? All these things affect what sort of job she might be interested in.