GCSEs

[MidnightFlyer]

All,

If any of you have seen my age or have seen me casually mention it around here, you will know that exam season is now upon us (us = me, anyone else in Years 10 or 11 and higher education students).

A lot of what I'm taught just seems to be lining me up for my GCSEs, not actually prepping me for later life. I start tomorrow and finish in late June (though I only do have nine).

Whatever happens, are GCSEs really as important as they are made out to those sitting them, and, should I mess up (I hope not!!!), will it affect my chances of good uni places/employemnt?

Many thanks for helping a very nervous, and good luck to anyone out there sitting exams tomorrow, next week or anytime soon.

Matt

 

[ralphchadkirk]

I'm doing my AS levels at the moment. Predicted UCAS grades are made on the basis of what you get in your AS year. You can't get onto the AS courses you want unless you've got the required GCSE's, so yes, they are important. Some uni's are starting to use GCSEs as a discriminator now. Luckily I did reasonably well in my GCSEs!


By the way - if you think GCSEs are hard - wait until you start A Levels!!

If you want any help with the sciences or history (I got A*'s in Bio, Phy, and A's in Hist and Chem) then feel free to PM me.

 

[Yew]

Ralph, I always imagined you where older than that.


I would say that GCSE's themselves are not massively important, However the knowlage in them provides a solid base for their further levels. For example in maths, If you arent getting a C or above, I wouldnt reccomend A-Level Unless you want a lot of hard work. GCSE => A Level is the biggest jump oyu do, as at UNi your lecturer sets the papers, so you know almost exactly what will be on it (as evident from my exam this morning)


If you need a hand with anything let me know, Im a First Year Undergraduate In engineering

 

[strange6]

I'm doing my AS levels at the moment. Predicted UCAS grades are made on the basis of what you get in your AS year. You can't get onto the AS courses you want unless you've got the required GCSE's, so yes, they are important. Some uni's are starting to use GCSEs as a discriminator now. Luckily I did reasonably well in my GCSEs!


By the way - if you think GCSEs are hard - wait until you start A Levels!!

If you want any help with the sciences or history (I got A*'s in Bio, Phy, and A's in Hist and Chem) then feel free to PM me.

Shame you didn't do well in your Chemistry and History

 

[ainsworth74]

I would generally agree with ralph, they are important in terms of getting you onto the A-level course you want but beyond that their importance generally declines. When it comes to uni they tend to make offers on the basis of predicted A level grades and your AS level results. Certainly it's better to do well at GSCE than not, but as long as you get the grades you need to go onto to do the A-levels you want it won't be the end of the world if things don't quite go as you hoped.

Also I would second ralph and Yew in saying A-levels are a lot harder than GCSEs, it can take quite a while to make the step up in expectations.

If you need a hand I'm coming to the end of my 2nd year of a 19th-20th century history degree.

Finally good luck to you (and any other RailUK members) with your exams

 

[ralphchadkirk]

Shame you didn't do well in your Chemistry and History

I was disappointed with my Chemistry

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Thanks all for the above. I did get an A* in GCSE Maths in November 2010 (easily my proudest achievement in education so far) and A in Eng Lang last year, and I am fairly confident for RE, Geog and History. Which just leaves Eng Lit and the three sciences. I got B in Core Sc, a B (I think) in Additional, and Further starts tomorrow. Lucky me.

 

[OxtedL]

GCSEs are important as far as university, but beyond that they are usually overshadowed.

As ralph has offered, I'm sure there are plenty of people here who have absolutely stonking grades who can also help, although of course you didn't ask.

A lot is about exam technique - read those examiner's reports!

You have a similar set of subjects to me - although my school decided not to force me into English a year early back then. English lit is literally (ha ha) about getting exactly what the examiners want to see on the page and nothing else. If that makes sense.

 

[ralphchadkirk]

A lot is about exam technique - read those examiner's reports!

Agreed, absolutely. You can almost guess the content of the next exam based on the last report. But really read them, and you'll know exactly what they're looking for when they ask a question.

 

[ainsworth74]

GCSEs are important as far as university, but beyond that they are usually overshadowed.

Really? No one ever talked to me about my GCSE results when I went to open days/interviews but they certainly discussed my A-levels.

A lot is about exam technique - read those examiner's reports!

Now that is good advice, I read a lot of examiner's reports and even old mark schemes for past papers. You would be surprised at how many questions get recycled and dressed up as being slightly different.

 

[Yew]

My Maths teacher could guess what came up on all my A level maths papers. Usually there where 4/5 questions that where dead certain to come up every year, then some more topics/questions that came up in a cycle (maybe not quite a cycle, but if one hadnt came up for a while you knew it would)

 

[OxtedL]

Really? No one ever talked to me about my GCSE results when I went to open days/interviews but they certainly discussed my A-levels.

It does depend on which universities you apply to. The top ones do look. Quite hard. Then they may choose to overlook based on AS results, or do other things entirely. Universities are incredibly annoying like that. Others have individual policies, there is no point in assuming they're not going to look. But I take your point.

Now that is good advice, I read a lot of examiner's reports and even old mark schemes for past papers. You would be surprised at how many questions get recycled and dressed up as being slightly different.

The trouble is there are new syllabuses for literally everything at the moment, making it hell on earth as far as mark schemes are concerned...

My Maths teacher could guess what came up on all my A level maths papers. Usually there where 4/5 questions that where dead certain to come up every year, then some more topics/questions that came up in a cycle (maybe not quite a cycle, but if one hadnt came up for a while you knew it would)

Subjects like Maths and Geography always get into cycles. And at GCSE where there are, say, two maths papers, whatever doesn't come up in one... I found it highly amusing when my teachers got it exactly right! Now, others like History, Music and most of the time English...

 

[MidnightFlyer]

As ralph has offered, I'm sure there are plenty of people here who have absolutely stonking grades who can also help, although of course you didn't ask.

Good point - if anyone is willing to help a very nervous 16 year old with understanding biofuels, active transport or the circulatory system, please let me know!

 

[ainsworth74]

The trouble is there are new syllabuses for literally everything at the moment, making it hell on earth as far as mark schemes are concerned...

That's a good point which I had forgotten about. I was lucky in a way as I was in the last year group to go through GCSEs and A-levels on the old syllabuses before they started tinkering apparently every year. Hence I had about 6-7 years worth of past papers, mark schemes and examiners reports.

 

[HST Power]

Good point - if anyone is willing to help a very nervous 16 year old with understanding biofuels, active transport or the circulatory system, please let me know!

I understand where you are coming from with this whole 'not lining me up' approach. Because lets be honest, GCSE's are merely there to look glossy on a sheet of paper when you go to the Job Centre hunting for a vacancy. No, I am not in any way denying their importance, because they will shape your future and model your career, what I'm saying is that in thirty odd years time the likely hood is you won't sit down and think 'Umm, today I'm going to find the angles of a triangle by labeling the sides using SOHCAHTOA and blah blah blah' (unless you want to do something ghastly like interior design!!!! )

Nonetheless, they are very important, and we all have to or have already had to go through the process or scanning your textbooks for angles and equations. I'm absolutely appalling at Maths and comparatively useless at anything that involves making elements and compounds, but if you need a hand in anything else, don't hesitate to give me a PM!

Good luck!

Oh, and yes, the mark scheme changed again this year. Those studying GCSE Science Material in Year Nine are studying much harder stuff than the years of the past. No more multiple choice, it's long, written answers with calculation questions and a load of other gobbledygook that I haven't a clue about!!!

 

[NXEA!]

All,

If any of you have seen my age or have seen me casually mention it around here, you will know that exam season is now upon us (us = me, anyone else in Years 10 or 11 and higher education students).

A lot of what I'm taught just seems to be lining me up for my GCSEs, not actually prepping me for later life. I start tomorrow and finish in late June (though I only do have nine).

Whatever happens, are GCSEs really as important as they are made out to those sitting them, and, should I mess up (I hope not!!!), will it affect my chances of good uni places/employemnt?

Many thanks for helping a very nervous, and good luck to anyone out there sitting exams tomorrow, next week or anytime soon.

Matt

Ahh, I've got exams from Tuesday mate, Year 11 as well. To be honest, I'm not too worried as what I get is what I get at the end of the day, I'm just going to revise as much as possible and try my best, as long as I make into my Sixth Form to commence my A-Levels I won't be too fussed. 9 exams?! You're lucky, I've got bloody 17! Good luck man, if you want anything just PM me or something!

 

[HST Power]

You're lucky, I've got bloody 17! Good luck man, if you want anything just PM me or something!

Seventeen exams!!!!! Are you in Russia or something?

 

[90019]

I've never had an A* in anything.
Highest I got was one A, in GCSE physics.
I'm currently in first year at uni studying Environmental Science, and I'm part way though my exams, though I'm leaving at the end of the year to go and do what I'd much rather be doing.

 

[HST Power]

though I'm leaving at the end of the year to go and do what I'd much rather be doing.

Which is?

 

[90019]

Which is?

HGV driving.

 

[HST Power]

HGV driving.

Fantastic! I always wanted to do this as a child. I even play UK Truck Simulator and spot the haulage liveries on the motorway!

Good luck from me!

 

[MidnightFlyer]

I do have to admit that it is quite awesome!

 

[HST Power]

I do have to admit that it is quite awesome!

Fancy doing it yourself?

 

[MidnightFlyer]

I wouldn't actually mind - rather do American/Canadian/Aussie runs though - ever seen Ice Road Truckers? Awesome. I would just love the open road aspect of the larger countries.

 

[WestCoast]

My advice is very simple: try your best in every set of exams. They're all stepping stones to higher education and/or a successful career - GCSEs to AS, then A2 to Higher Education.

I'm currently doing my AS exams, a lot of people will tell you about how much harder they are than GCSEs. While they are more difficult in terms of subject content, what I found tiring about GCSEs was the sheer number of different exams involved over the period of a month or so.

I can help with any of your subjects, except RE, History and Physics - all of which I'm not good at and I didn't do the first two!

In some ways be glad you've only got nine: I had 15 GCSE exams and I've got 7 AS exams (2 down / 5 to go).

 

[HST Power]

I wouldn't actually mind - rather do American/Canadian/Aussie runs though - ever seen Ice Road Truckers? Awesome. I would just love the open road aspect of the larger countries.

I have indeed. It's an excellent programme.

 

[OxtedL]

Back tracking a little...

Sorry HST, who says that in 30 years time you won't sit down and think hmmm, here's a triangle, lets apply SOHCAHTOA?

 

[Hydro]

thirty odd years time the likely hood is you won't sit down and think 'Umm, today I'm going to find the angles of a triangle by labeling the sides using SOHCAHTOA and blah blah blah' (unless you want to do something ghastly like interior design!!!! )

Or something badass like engineering.


A lot of the things that I used to say "God, I'll never need something as obtuse as that, when the hell am I ever going to differentiate or apply Pythagoras in real life?" I now view differently.

I may not need to use the exact mathematics, but having done so shows I understand the concept of mathematics, the reasoning and processes behind it, and I DO use that everyday. I'd never sit down and write a literary criticism of a book I read, but I do enjoy them more understanding what's behind the words, finding meaning in the text behind what the author is trying to say. History taught me the difference between primary/secondary/tertiary sources, how to use evidence to research claims; I use that every day when reading these forums, and so do you probably.

 

[OxtedL]

I agree, having A level maths means that I can make ridiculous graphs without even batting an eyelid.

 

[SS4]

I agree, having A level maths means that I can make ridiculous graphs without even batting an eyelid.

And transform them with equal ease . y = 3sin(|x|-pi/2) - 4 for example