Choosing GCSE's (for my daughter)

[Arch]

(This is from a bloke still smarting from the chastisement dished out by Arch for subscribing to the popular misunderstanding of King Canute. Don't let it happen to your daughter!)

And I thought I was quite gentle. Would you like me to rub it better?

I think I'm far enough removed from my O levels to not be all that helpful, but I would echo the idea that history might be better learnt at school, and photography as a hobby or evening class. Apart from anything else, the technology of photogrpahy is changing so fast that she might end up learning stuff that is quickly outdated - like when I did O level computer studies on a BBC micro... And a good eye for compostion is probably something you either have, or if you learn, can learn at any age.

Having said that, history can seem much more relevant when you have some life behind you...

 

[User169]

Im doing.....grography....

Now that sounds like a proper subject; plenty of homework and fieldwork one would hope.

 

[summerdays]

I did O level computer studies too - complete waste of time... I remember the teacher bringing in those big disk things ... and telling us that you couldn't open it apart from when you put it in the machine... cue a whole lesson spent getting it out of the plastic. It was a complete was of space... its put me off suggesting she consider ICT even though I'm sure its very different these days.

And geography ... my favourite subject... but no she isn't keen on that.

 

[wafflycat]

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

Essential subject for university life, grography.. how to locate the best pubs.

 

[roadiewill]

haha yeah I know... no joke though, geography IS THE BEST SUBJECT YOU CAN TAKE AT A LEVEL.

word up

 

[Young Un]

Is the DT course DT or Textile?

I would suggest taking history definately, and then maybe art and DT, I have spoken to people that take photography at other schools (mine doesnt offer it) and they spend to spend all lesson dicking about taking pictures of the girls breasts - so I owuld avoid photography. But hey what do I know I'm 14.

BTw My options were/are - Maths, Single Science, Eng, Eng lit, Geography, History, German, Business, DT - hell yeah 11 gcse's

 

[summerdays]

Its DT Textiles (there are also options for DT Food, Graphics, Resistant Materials, Systems C& Controls), is there a general DT course that is offered elsewhere too?

 

[roadiewill]

resistant materials ftw if they can keep up with the coursework

 

[Andy Pandy]

I'm still trying to get over the shock of being able to do photography for GCSE, how cool is that. Actually being able to study something you LIKE. I hated everything I studied at school.

 

[ChrisKH]

I'm still trying to get over the shock of being able to do photography for GCSE, how cool is that. Actually being able to study something you LIKE. I hated everything I studied at school.

My school had an Outdoor Pursuits O-Level. My father suggested that I didn't take it as it would be considered a soft subject on University entry.

Wish I had now. Far better than Computer Studies. Or should that be 'lack of computer' studies. We used to run programmes using cards with holes punched in them and then send them off for processing.

 

[Night Train]

Apart from anything else, the technology of photogrpahy is changing so fast that she might end up learning stuff that is quickly outdated -

When I did photography at college a three years ago the digital camera they had for us to use took a 3 1/2" floppy disc!
'Smile!' click, werrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr, clack, clack, clack, werrrrrrrrrrr, clack, clack, clack.

Fortunately most of us had our own cameras and camera phones.

 

[Arch]

That's dreadful, even I had a digital camera that ran on a compact flash card three years ago...

 

[User169]

Ta ra chaps.

I'm off to give grography the attention it properly deserves.

Study this evening will mostly be an in-depth comparative study of Belgian tripels.

[Thank you Roadiewill for the most excellent typo]

 

[Black Sheep]

i've only read the first page -

i did photography at A level, in 2000-2002 but can't imagine much has changed except perhaps looking at digital alongside traditional photography,

the projects we had we were given a brief and then had to choose what to photograph and explain why we'd done it and contrast with a well known photographer.
however I wanted to do design, either transport and product design or graphic design at university, hence my choice.

if she needs a film SLR camera then I have a none automatic (the group had to sign an aggreement not to use the automatic functions of their camera's except me) with a couple of lenses that i'd be willing to sell cheap (£30 ish)

however if she's getting into it and wants to stick with it she might be better with a better camera than the one i have.

i'd recommend an Olympus OM series or cannon AE1, both very good film cameras that still hold their own despite age.

no idea if any of that is any use but hey

 

[Noodley]

Make sure she takes 'spelling' and 'grammar' otherwise she'll spend the rest of her life getting picked up for poor spelling and grammar on internet forums

Not that I'm mentioning any names