The Pros and Cons of Studying Law at A-level

If you have come to the end of your GCSEs and you are considering studying Law at A-level but want to know the pros and cons first, then here is the place to find out more. Although not all schools and colleges provide Law at A-level, many do.
Pros
– Studying law at A-Level gives you a broad overview of the subject and enables you to experience what the subject itself is really about.
– It introduces you to the subject of Law itself before you go to university which may make undergraduate study of Law easier to understand.
– Studying Law at A-Level can develop your interest in the subject further, in turn giving you specific examples and knowledge to use when writing personal statements.

Cons
– Some universities do not view A-Level Law favourably and may consider it as a soft subject or a ‘non-preferred’ subject, an example of such a university is LSE.
– Studying Law will not necessarily give you an advantage in comparison to other subjects in terms of a UCAS application.
– When studying A-Level Law, you will not study all topics in great detail. For example, if you are studying Criminal Law at A2 level, not necessarily all the topics related to Criminal Law will be studied.
– A-Level Law requires lots of memorising of cases as well as a large work load from the very beginning.

Other related subjects

– Economics, Business Studies and Politics are all helpful when studying Law. Learning about business functions and political concepts will prove useful when studying Law at undergraduate level as modules at university will include the study of EU Law, Public Law, Contract Law etc.
– Sciences and Mathematics are also viewed favourably. These subjects demonstrate that you are able to think about, understand and interpret complex ideas.
– History and English Literature. These subjects require excellent writing and analytical skills as well as the ability to assimilate lots of information, all of which are key skills when studying Law at undergraduate level.

Other routes
For those not studying A-levels but are interested in studying Law, BTEC Law may be an option. The availability of this subject however, will depend on the school or college you are attending. Another difference is that BTEC Law is largely coursework-based and there may also be a limited number of universities who accept this course as a valid entry route to undergraduate study.