Why Take Critical Thinking?
There are a number of reasons to take Critical Thinking. First, it will help you to develop transferable skills that will prove useful no matter what you go on to do. Second, it can strengthen your application to university, helping to give you an edge over other applicants. Third, it can be a fun subject; you might just enjoy it!
Transferable Skills
The ability to analyse the argument of a text is important for many subjects. This is particularly true when you get to university and are expected to do more independent reading and research; you won’t have a lecturer with you in the library to interpret texts for you. Critical Thinking will help you to develop the skills that you will need to make sense of difficult passages on your own, teaching you to break down arguments into their constituent parts, clarifying what evidence lends support to what conclusion. This is the first step towards critical engagement with ideas, which is often cited as the key to getting an upper second or first class degree.
Critical Thinking will also help you to clearly articulate arguments of your own. No matter what career you end up pursuing, and even outside your professional life, the ability to present a coherent and persuasive case for a position is a major asset. Whether you plan on going to university or not, being able to think well matters.
University Applications
If you do intend to go to university, then Critical Thinking should also strengthen your UCAS application. Increasingly, universities are finding it difficult to distinguish between candidates with strong A-level results. Although some universities don’t accept Critical Thinking when calculating UCAS points, it can still help. If, in addition to your main subjects, you have AS and / or A2 Critical Thinking, then this can give you an edge over other applicants. (Remember to do other things too, though, such as work experience, extra-curricular activities, and independent reading.)
In fact, some universities now set their own Critical Thinking-style entrance exams to help them to identify the most suitable students for their courses.
Enjoyment?!
A lot of students find Critical Thinking fun. The logic puzzle side to it often appeals, and there’s often plenty of scope for argument (or “debate”, as some teachers prefer).
Besides, pointing out what’s wrong with your friends’ or parents’ arguments can give you a wonderful feeling of smug satisfaction, which is well worth an hour or two per week in class.