Can I have some opinions on dd's A Level choices

[twosoups1972]

Dd is in Year 11 and wants to study the following at A Level

RS (Religion, Philosophy and Ethics)
Classical Civilisation
Sociology

The first two are are her best and favourite GCSE subjects. Very interested in Sociology so that's why she chose that.

But she's worried about them being non traditional and non-facilitating subjects and is wondering if she should do English instead. She's a voracious reader and always has been and just loves books. But she hasn't enjoyed English at school for the last few years, partly because she hasn't had a good teacher, and partly because she doesn't particularly like all the language analysis.

She thinks she would like to do a Classics degree at university and is thinking about Law for a career.

Thoughts please?

I mean I did Classical Civilisation, Psychology and Geography and I’m an accountant now so I don’t think A levels are as big as people make them out to be unless you’re going into medicine or those sorts of courses. I passed mine in 2012 so not that long ago.

Do the exams she enjoys - she's more likely to work & do well at them.

family that's what I think....she's just been feeling lately she SHOULD be doing English.

I did RS, Sociology and English Literature.
Imo I personally would choose either RS OR Sociology- not both if I had my time again as in many ways I found them quite similar. English Literature was a breath of fresh air after the similarity of the other two.
All her choices are similar and it's not going to give a broad picture of who she is and what she can do imo.I often wish I had chosen differently.

She needs to look at university websites, find the course(s) she wants to study and see what the A-level subject requirements are.

A Classics degree is not really like Classical Civilisation GCSE or A-level; it involves learning a lot of Latin and Greek - is that the type of course she wants to do?

A degree in Classical Civilisation or Classical Studies might have less of a focus on learning Latin and Greek if she is not keen on that aspect.

she doesn't particularly like all the language analysis
There would be a lot of that in a Classics degree (not in English, obviously).

DD did RS, Sociology and Geography. It was a good combination because the overlap enabled her to demonstrate broader thinking in all subjects. She did English Lit as an AS (this was a couple of years ago when AS and A2 exams were separate) but didn't enjoy the books the school/exam board had chosen.

Look at the university websites for classics degrees, top universities require 2 facilitating a levels but substituting history for classical civilisation would help (RE is quite highly regarded).

Don't you need Latin for classics?

I think if she's interested in studying classics at university English would stand her in much better stead than sociology. There's a huge amount of literary analysis in a classics degree.

Maybe it was a Class Civ degree she was talking about. She's not doing Latin GCSE.

Classics is NOT classical civilisation.

Classic civilisations sounds more likely that Classics based on what you say about her interests and strengths.

I'm a lawyer so look at a lot of CVs! We would normally expect to see at least one of the more traditional a level subjects, certainly older partners would. It's only really at Training Contract stage that it matters, that's where the competition is nuts. I do understand what people are saying about doing something she loves though.

Where is she looking at studying, and what are their requirements? There is a lot (even?) more emphasis on universities than on a level subjects, so if the subject combo will still get her into a really good university then it's much less of a risk.

For a Classical Civilisation degree, there are usually not specific subject requirements, but they would be looking for an least one essay-type subject (which she has chosen).

If she wants to apply to courses at competitive, oversubscribed universities (where there are more applicants than places) then a facilitating subject might look good on her application. Otherwise she should do the subjects she enjoys.

I have a sociology A level, and a sociology degree. It’s a fantastically undervalued subject - really pushes you to think critically, to write academically, to challenge what you’re fed around you. Lots of cross over with history, politics, would be a great primer for law. The actual course is harder and more demanding than a history A level (but apparently that’s a ‘real’ subject’) It would complement RS from a critical thinking point of view.

I didn't finish my A levels and ended up with two degrees and a post grad. She'll be fine. Good for her for sticking to what she likes.

I agree with OHN.
What does she want to do for a degree/ career?
And work back from there.
IMO no point studying subjects that aren't going to lead to an eventual career, assuming that your daughter has an aptitude for a wide range of subjects.