Choosing GCSE's (for my daughter)

[wafflycat]

Actually it will limit her options. When WCMnr was of an age to be deciding what to study at university, there's many a university course which exclude some subjects from their list of acceptable GCSE/A level subjects that count towards whether said uni will be prepared to offer a place on said course. WCMnr was very science-based and we found that on many of the courses he was looking at, if he had an arts-based education he would have been effectively barred from even applying. And try getting a place to study medicine if you happen to have art & media studies A-levels... On the other hand, have a science-based education and much more choice opens up to you.

 

[jack the lad]

I would get her to think about the range of skills which will be developed through the different subjects and, at this stage, to keep as broad as possible. Specialisation can come much later when more informed choices will be made.

If she is interested in history and if it is taught through enquiry, rather than mere dictation of historical facts (as it was in my day), it will help to develop a set of skills around analysing the reliability and value of sources, of extracting meaning from them and presenting an argument. I don't think any of the other subjects do this in quite the same way and, even if she later ends up studying pure maths or fine art, it is a good skill for life. But it will only do this for her if she enjoys it, so that has to be the main criterion.

 

[HelenD123]

As for limiting her options, this is a load of old cobblers. As she's bright it won't limit her at all. Many schools don't offer so many fancy GCSEs and then people walk along to college and say can I do an A-level in it and get signed up. As for university they couldn't give a monkeys about GCSEs on 99% of courses, that's just a myth propagated by teachers. They are however very bothered about A-levels. Unfortunately in the last few years some colleges but particularly sixth forms have started placing artificial restrictions on A-level subjects saying you can't do x,y,z unless you have an A or B in such and such. One has to unfortunately play along so think about this before .

I was thinking of her future A level options. I know it's the A levels which universities are interested in. The problem I found with choosing GCSEs was that you had to think one step ahead when you really had no idea of what you wanted to do longer term, but risked potentially closing off options by choosing the wrong GCSEs. I did do mine when the sciences were still studied separately though which made this more of an issue. I did warn you I was a bit out of date.

 

[marinyork]

Actually it will limit her options. When WCMnr was of an age to be deciding what to study at university, there's many a university course which exclude some subjects from their list of acceptable GCSE/A level subjects that count towards whether said uni will be prepared to offer a place on said course. WCMnr was very science-based and we found that on many of the courses he was looking at, if he had an arts-based education he would have been effectively barred from even applying. And try getting a place to study medicine if you happen to have art & media studies A-levels... On the other hand, have a science-based education and much more choice opens up to you.

I don't really know why I gave that impression. That's A-levels. I was talking about GCSEs, I only mentioned A-levels really as there are artificial restrictions on some now. There are some undergrad courses that are bothered about GCSEs but it's very few and far between. It's perfectly possible to do arts GCSEs and flip back and pick science A-levels. Of those that are bothered about GCSEs I think you'll find they'll home in on particular ones.

I was thinking of her future A level options. I know it's the A levels which universities are interested in. The problem I found with choosing GCSEs was that you had to think one step ahead when you really had no idea of what you wanted to do longer term, but risked potentially closing off options by choosing the wrong GCSEs. I did do mine when the sciences were still studied separately though which made this more of an issue. I did warn you I was a bit out of date.

Well true. I'd rather not get into the whole A-level thing. I think there's too much futurism as it is. Pick GCSEs, bed down and do them, have a long think and do A-levels or even do something else.

 

[Joe24]

I do A-Level photography and GCSE photography.
There good, for GCSE i think you do 2 projects, or it might be one, and you pick something to do it on, close up is a good one, its what ive done.
You take about 140pictures, edit some of them, narrow it down to 36, then 8, then 4, then 2 best ones. Mount them all, then compare them to a Photographer, do work on the Photographer you chose and see what grade you get.
Its a good subject, im doing it in A-Level and GCSE and i like it. Probably different if your in main school and not 6th form, because in 6th form we sit around alot not doing much till the dead line then rush and finish it
Heres some of what ive done, i did close up on my bike, and did a 'shadows' project when i was in Cheddar Gorge, and ended up with some decent images.

All done on a little compact camera that wasnt too expensive either

 

[Night Train]

It is her choice really and she only need to 'not chose one' of the four listed.

I would say drop photography as she could do that as an 'interest' subject later on. For the art inclincation I would say history is useful as history and art are very closely linked and History is a good solid academic subject that can be used for opening doors to other things.

ETA: I did photography as a module in my Furniture HND so it isn't necessarily lost if it isn't done now.



At school I did English, Maths, History, Geography, Physics, Art and Drama. At college I did Pure and Applied Maths, Statistics and Physics and I then went on to do a Mechanical Engineering degree and a C&G in Electrical Installation. I then studied a Housing Management qualification, a Welding qualification and a Small Business Studies course and then went on to do a HND in Furniture Design and Make and I am doing a MSC in Environmental Architecture and a PGCE to teach with.

In school History I studied, along side 20th centrury history, the progression of women's clothing fashion from 17th Century (the Restoration) to 20th Century. I didn't know it at the time but there were a lot of connections between women's fashion, national economy, architecture and furniture design. I spent a lot of time at the V&A Museum drawing women's clothing and researching the influences, causes and connections
The Physics was really useful as I could see how and why things worked and so my designs are better for that. I found it all very well rounded as a start to my chosen education path.

 

[roadiewill]

Im at a level and still dont know if my choices are right...

Im doing biology, chemistry, grography and economics so pretty academic, but havent a clue as to what I want to do

 

[summerdays]

They have said that even if you do double science that you still have the option to take all 3 sciences at A-level if you want to - as long as you get ?B (honestly I can't remember - lot to take in at the options meeting). She is doing maths early (did the first part Data Handling last Nov and got A* for it - 100% on that paper).

Some interesting comments - I think I might try to persuade her to choose the history as one of the 3 options to give a bit more variety and she did enjoy this year of it.

I don't think she would have the dedication for medicine... she is more the type to do as much homework as she can get away with, not extra.

 

[surfgurl]

The most important thing I have found at GCSE (from my own experience at school, having teenagers and working in a school) is to make sure she gets grade c or above in English lang, maths, and science. Not having these will restrict at job for the rest fo your life.
As for the additional choices. Photography can easily be picked up at A level without having a GCSE in it. Art, as well as photography is a lot of ongoing work. Everything you do in the two years need to be thought of as the portfolio for the GCSE. History is looked on favourably by employers and universities.

 

[marinyork]

Just about every scientist I've ever met has done double science. Draw your own conclusions.

If you want to get on with Maths, start learning calculus now. Any science career will benefit from this.

 

[roadiewill]

maths..... yum yum

 

[marinyork]

How would you know? What schools refer to as Maths is just sums

 

[Joe24]

I did triple science for GCSE, i really wished i didnt, i was only ment to do double, but the teacher thought we were good enough to do triple. I didnt think i was going to be able to, but the other people that said they didnt want to do triple got moved down to a lower group, so i did it.
Was hard work, had science every day of the week, it was boring. I used to be good/like science, i started to hate it when i was in year 10.

 

[marinyork]

I think of all my GCSEs I enjoyed History the most, although we had a strange syllabus. We didn't do the whole the whole WWII thing. Anyway whatever your daughter picks hopefully there won't be any clashes. I don't really want to get into the whole A-level thing but am just saying pick something she enjoys, do well and then pick appropriately at A-level where I stress again, it really does matter what you pick and how well you do. Most subject restrictions I've heard of have been get a GCSE B in science/maths/english or particular subject, I believe they are going up though and asking for As isn't unheard of.

 

[Night Train]

All is not lost at this stage either but a good work/study ethic will stand her in good steed for later on.

My school insisted on doing CSE's so I retook all the basic subjects at O' Level at college straight after. It cost me an extra year but served me well as the grades improved my prospects. I did do Art O'Level and A'Level in a year each at school so started college with an A'Level under my belt already.