Is she being realistic?

Savvy_Sue

I'm sure if my DH were here he would tell me to point your daughter towards the ancient and honourable game of Go. Maybe you've got a club or individual player nearby, or maybe she'd like to play online.

maskedmannequin

I have no specific advice about studying Japanese, but would like to say this:
You may have doubts, but try not to let these rub off on your daughter. She has chosen an unusual route, but this means she's more likely to get a job at the end of it-how many people do you know that can speak Japanese? !!
Try not to put her off. My parents/school teachers put my off doing what I loved full time and I wasted a year of my life doing courses I had little interest in, only to go on to do the course I originally wanted (Fashion Design). I was told to "keep my options open" by doing more than Fashion + picking three other A levels.
So, if she's serious and really has the motivation and passion to want to study Japanese, then let her go for it.

maskedmannequin

OK. Here's something that might prove useful for both you nad your daughter.
http://www.newstudent.org <--join up to this website. There are forums relating to every uni in the UK, including SOAS. You can ask as many questions to exsisting and potential students as you want. Here's the link to SOAS:

http://www.newstudent.org/content/universities/index.html?uni=232

Ask them how they got into the uni, what they did specifically to gain a place on the course, why they wanted to do it, what the tutors are like etc, and you'll both get a better picture of what the uni is like and how best to get a place there.

Hope that helps and good luck to your daughter. Going for an unusual degree is often dismissed and I think that's a shame, as the less people on a course/less courses therre are specific to the subect, the more job oppurtunites there are likely to be.