MFL degree if doesn't like essays?

[PrincessOfPreschool]

DS was broadly talented at GCSE but only really enjoyed Maths and Spanish, mostly Spanish. He's now doing 4 A levels - Maths, Spanish, Geog and Chemistry. He's really disliking Geography and says it's the essay element. To be honest, he's not great at expressing himself in writing and doesn't read. He's enjoying maths and Spanish as expected but he's surprised he's also enjoying chemistry as it really was a 'wildcard'.

He was thinking of Spanish at Uni and really wanted to study in Spain for a year, but I'm a bit concerned there's a lot of essay writing by degree level, just in another language.

What else could he do at Uni? He thought maybe Linguistics but we don't know enough about it (will look into it more). What else? He's keen on Oxbridge but I think something he will really enjoy studying is more important.

yes good point, minimal essays for maths but yy not a great plan without FM. Also if you don't take FM (assuming it is offered) then do you really love maths?

I took further German alongside A level (well a special paper – just extra work and an extra exam) and I bet DD would have taken further Eng lit if it existed.

@PrincessOfPreschool I think he needs to realise that essays or some extended writing will be needed and look at how he can work on that. It’s great to have a challenge that you need to work on. It will be nothing but useful to him in later life if he can marshal arguments, order and revise them and present them in a coherent and succinct way.

He should look at doing what he wants to do and accept that extended writing tasks may well be involved – how can he best tackle that?

(edited for typos)

Even if he does Spanish with another subject and the Spanish is non-literature based, he’s going to have to do essays still. I did joint honours in French and economics and I very specifically chose a uni where the French didn’t include French literature (and my A level French didn’t include much French literature either) because it just bores me to tears. No disrespect to the French. I hate English literature too. 🙄Despite being an avid reader from being very young, for some reason I just don’t get on with prescribed ‘literature’. I was top of English at school every single year but still managed to fail my English lit O level (because I bloody hate it!) Anyway, my point is that even a non-literature based A level or MFL degree still means essay writing. You’re just writing about current affairs or economics or law or similar but in the MFL.

It sounds like he’s capable of essay writing but just doesn’t like it. But not reading won’t help. He needs to give some serious thought to whether he should just knuckle down and master the skill of essay writing (it will hold him in good stead for most careers) or if doing an apprenticeship may be a better choice for him.

Even in a MFL, there doesn’t have to be a focus on literature. DD did a MFL course, where literature was just one option. The department was in the Social Studies Faculty; and other options included history, politics, social issues, etc. However, apart from gaining fluency in the spoken and written language, it was all essays. No getting away from essays there!

(I don’t know if there are Spanish departments like that though)

As pp have said, I’d be suggesting maths, chemistry or some other course; but not MFL.

Are there many degree subjects that don't involve essay writing and or a dissertation?

DD did biomedical sciences and had essays and a dissertation to do.

I don't think he is averse to a few essays, just not the majority of the course. Food for thought.... I'll have a chat with him. I think he'll be fine with A level, as a PP mentioned, as not much literature and he was certainly capable to GCSE Eng lit standard.

I think a Maths degree (even joint hons?) is out as he didn't take FM. I'm not sure why he didn't, he wanted to be a bit broader. Loads of his new mates do FM though. He's just got full marks in Maths half term test and wanted to take the UKMT even though it was only compulsory for FM students. He came out absolutely buzzing about the UKMT even though he only got to Q10 (he's never done one before and said it's very different in style) - he loved it, said it's more problem solving! Maybe not too late to swap to FM...

If it's too late to switch could he consider a gap year and doing Further Maths?

A Maths degree at a Scottish university might be an option if he doesn’t have further maths - this is a bit reductive and he’d have to properly look into it, but the 1st of 4 years of a Scottish degree is more of a bridge from school and is designed for a broad education before specialising.

He could also look into whether there are extracurricular language classes available at the uni for students. And a Spanish society to join. And exchanges with Spanish speaking universities.

Definitely look at a science degree with a year abroad. My son is currently studying Biological Sciences in Taiwan through Durham's Global Opportunities scheme. He was also given a full scholarship. Lots of university courses in Spain or South America available too.

Some unis eg Leeds allow you to do a few foreign language modules as part of almost any degree.

Edit to add: I would also look at dropping geography in favour of FM. It’s not even half-term yet and he could catch up in the half-term holiday.

Sounds like he enjoys analysing patterns and problem-solving. What’s his view of computer science, some sort of engineering, or the maths and logic end of philosophy (hard to do that without essays though).

I’d have thought a practical, problem-solving science-subject with a year abroad - not necessarily joint honours - might suit him.

@lottiegarbanzoHe did comp Sci at GCSE and found it v easy but 'boring', possibly because it was GCSE. I think the patterns is true, which is part of language. In Reception he learned to read and spell v quickly. He is really easily bored and needs lots of variety though. He is not process or detail driven at all, sociable, sporty.

Ps. What sort of courses are problem solving?

Drop geography and look at what his college or sixth form can offer as alternatives that fit with his timetable. Do that quickly while there's still time. Then he can decide next year about degree subjects.

Engineering. For which good maths ability is essential. You can get engineering courses with language and or a year abroad.

I think that if there is any chance he can swap to further maths then I would do that.

If he is mates with further maths kids then can he ask them for the work they did in the first week and give it a go. Going in on Monday with “I really want to do further maths and I have already caught up the first week!” feels like a child a teacher would want in their class.

Sheffield University also allowed students to take almost any other module, as a subsidiary part of their degree, when DC was there 10 years ago!

Unfortunately to do an MFL degree anywhere you will have to do essays, although there are certainly courses with less literature aspects if that’s what he’s looking for. In that case, I would avoid Oxbridge! There are essays for A-Level Spanish as well though?

He would have to catch up half a term of lessons! Won't be happening this weekend. He's already exhausted, bless him. Very long week last week.

I spoke to him. He didn't sound super keen but it's a lot to get your head round. He still thinks Spanish is it. I think he was excited to drop Geog next Easter as school recommend only doing 3 from that point (apart from FM)so he'd still be doing 4 and that's too much like hard work. (He hasn't said as much but I'm mind reading!).

But only two and they are pretty low-key in essay terms. Half the marks are for the language rather than the essay skills. AQA (not sure what board OP's DS is taking) advises 300 words per essay. It’s hardly The Goldfinch.

If he wants to do Spanish at Oxbridge he obviously hasn't spent a second researching it (so I'd question whether he does in fact want to). There's a huge amount of reading of literature and essay-writing.
If he wants to focus on the language, he should choose one of the newer universities with a focus on the language-learning side. But bear in mind that there's no future in translation or interpreting.
I'd suggest that he consider taking up a difficult new language at university, where more time will be spent on learning the language rather than on literature. Something like Japanese or Arabic would be worth a look. He could find a university that will allow him to take up something like Japanese from scratch, paired with higher level Spanish.

With his maths and languages I wonder if he'd enjoy a computer science degree. Or linguistics. He'd have to write essays for both though.

Today he is wishing he'd done philosophy A level 🙄 (I'm sure, in reality, he'd hate it, he just likes doing his own thing/ 'research'). I do wonder about ADHD, but he copes fine in school, he just keeps finding new things to get interested in. He just doesn't seem drawn to computer science or FM, maybe they're not novel or exciting enough. I don't know what to do with him, but he's nearly 17 so he does need to figure it out himself, whilst I just offer suggestions and guidance.

Unless your son suddenly develops a love of both essay writing and literature, you should strongly discourage him from applying for a Spanish degree at Oxford. Studying Spanish at Oxford will involve reading lots and lots of literature and producing a particularly high volume of essays on said literature.

What about an international business degree with Spanish (year abroad in doing business courses at Spanish uni). He could choose the more maths based business options to reduce the essay requirements somewhat. The module catalogues for each course will have details of assessment methods and how much they contribute overall.

Yeh I agree @PrincessOfPreschool you say he "is keen on Oxbridge" but is he? Bc I really don't think there are many degrees there that won't involve writing essays. How does he feel about the tutorial system where his work will be examined and discussed? What is it he particularly likes about a Spanish degree at Oxford or Cambs? I think he needs to interrogate that. Agree tho it’s for him to do.