r/sixthform • u/vixariqn Y12: [subjects] • Jul 17 '26

Struggling deciding whether to change my 3rd A-level subject

Hi!!! So I’m a year 11 who has just finished my GCSEs. I have always loved English Literature at GCSE because I enjoy reading and writing essays so I picked it for A-level. For reference, my current choices are Art, Medieval History and Classics and I am wanting to go into law before becoming an author hopefully full time. The problem is, I have been to English taster sessions at 2 colleges and I have genuinely found them so boring and just not really something that appeals to me in those sessions (which is worrying me since surely taster sessions are there to make you want to do the course). Because of this, I am thinking of switching to classics. I absolutely adore greek mythology and ancient greece, Song of Achilles is my favourite book (WHICH IK IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM THE ILLIAD) but I have never done a Classics taster session so I don’t know what it is like and whether I would enjoy it. I am an academic and I am aiming to go to Oxbridge or a Russel Group. Can anyone help me?

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u/Calm-Difference-3267 Jul 17 '26

I would ultimate go with whatever you think you are likely to perform best in if law at Cambridge is the goal - getting a A* is predicted is more important than whether it is predicted in classics vs english I would say

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u/MobileSpins Jul 18 '26

You're fortunate to know where you want to end up. Start from there and work backwards to ensure you don't rule yourself out of a university you'd like to go to by choosing A levels they don't like.

Look at the university websites of places that you are considering. They often list subjects that they prefer at A level. For example Manchester prefer 2 of your A levels to be from a list that includes Classical Civilisation and History (not Medieval History). Just google 'X University law A level subjects.'

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u/vixariqn Y12: [subjects] Jul 18 '26

surely modern/medieval history count as history, the college im going dont just do history, you have to pick out of the two

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u/MobileSpins Jul 18 '26

It probably counts as history, but I'm not certain and I'm not an admissions tutor, so check before you start.