A level choice

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stardoll
Posts: 15
Joined: Sat Jun 15, 2013 8:46 am

A level choice

Post by stardoll »

DD can't decide on History or Geography she is predicted A* for all her subjects and loves them all equally. I think Geog will go better with her other choices. What do you think? TIA

Her other choices are

Maths
Economics
Eng Lit
KB
Posts: 3030
Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2008 3:28 pm

Re: A level choice

Post by KB »

Geography certainly fits nicely but what are her thoughts post A level?
Daogroupie
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Location: Herts

Re: A level choice

Post by Daogroupie »

I did English, History and Economics as my three A levels a very long time ago and that combination opened a lot of doors for me for University subject choices.

Personally I would choose Eng, Hist , Econ and Geog and ditch the maths but between History and Geography I would recommend Geography as far less students do it and it has a great reputation as a subject.

Is this for AS?
neveragain*
Posts: 580
Joined: Fri Oct 14, 2011 11:05 am

Re: A level choice

Post by neveragain* »

I think both fit equally well! History is considered rigorous as is geography. If she is really struggling to decide I'd look in detail at the curriculum for both and then take the one that gets the best results at her school.......all things being equal that seems a pragmatic approach.

Also - the potential teaching staff may swing it?

If she doesn't yet know what she hoping to do post A level - then reassure her that either is a good strong choice and perhaps just leave it to her!
Hope she resolves it soon, and feels pleased with her choice.
kenyancowgirl
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Joined: Mon Oct 21, 2013 8:59 pm

Re: A level choice

Post by kenyancowgirl »

Daogroupie, so did I!! I would say that they are all 3 heavy essay subjects, however. I would see the link between Maths and Economics being positive and would echo Daogroupie's sentiments that it has a great reputation as a subject, which follows on from the GCSE well. History is different to the GCSE in that at GCSE level it is fairly spoon fed, fact learning whereas at A level there is an awful lot more of being given a statement and being asked to "discuss' it as your essay title. That is, there is a well known "leap" in difficulty with History, that is less obvious with Geography.
KB
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Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2008 3:28 pm

Re: A level choice

Post by KB »

Would certainly not recommend Economics without Maths. Apart from the maths actually helping with the economics, it would be difficult to carry on with Economics after A level without A level Maths.
magwich2
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Joined: Fri Sep 05, 2008 5:33 pm

Re: A level choice

Post by magwich2 »

DD1 did history and is now reading it at Oxford. She certainly did not find there was any great leap in difficulty between GCSE and A-level - in fact still no great leap in difficulty from A-level to final year at Oxford. Just more of the same.

I know 3 people in DD2's year who have chosen Geography as a 4th AS and all of them hate it with a passion! Very content heavy with endless case studies and a field trip in the depths of winter to some windswept corner of the British Isles where it is very difficult to get a high mark.
Also, endless jokes about a qualification in colouring-in.
kenyancowgirl
Posts: 6738
Joined: Mon Oct 21, 2013 8:59 pm

Re: A level choice

Post by kenyancowgirl »

With the greatest respect, magwitch, if your dd is studying history at Oxford, she is hardly your average student! The vast majority of students I have had dealings with felt there was a bigger leap from GCSE to A level, in History, than their other subjects. There will, of course, be exceptions to any rule. And as for the jokes about colouring in with Geography..if it was that easy to get a qualification in, there would be massively more candidates taking the subject, but I suspect the rigours of the subject, combined with the need to be hardy to the elements, rules out any soft touch candidates!
Tree
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Location: bucks

Re: A level choice

Post by Tree »

My DD started out with maths, further maths, geog, econ and history for AS but dropped history. She says that econ and geog go together well as human geography and econ have a lot of overlap and can reference the other subject in essays. I don't think she would agree that you need maths to do A level econ but definitely need it to study econ at most respected econ degrees at Uni and probably helpful for geography at uni as well. She personally feels econ A level should have more maths in it.

So i would say geog rather than history if she is wanting to do econ/geog/similar at uni, but if more law etc then history
JamesDean
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Joined: Wed Jul 31, 2013 5:03 pm

Re: A level choice

Post by JamesDean »

magwich2 wrote:.... Very content heavy with endless case studies and a field trip in the depths of winter to some windswept corner of the British Isles .... Also, endless jokes about a qualification in colouring-in.
All the reasons why I loved my Geography A-level studies :lol:

JD
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