GCSEs

[OxtedL]

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

Indeed. Or predict when Guess the Station would overtake Stagecoach NW to within 12 hours. 5 days before it happened (great margin of error eh?)!

I can't help but notice in my own special way that as sinx = sin (-x) and sin has a period of pi/2, the |x| would at first glance appear unnecessary...?

 

[MCR247]

Cba with GCSEs next year

 

[90019]

I've already forgotten most of the more complicated stuff I did in maths over the past few years

 

[HST Power]

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.

I used to really enjoy doing analysis in English, and History was by far my best subject! I never had any problems with them, it's the Maths I couldn't get my head around. I suppose it all depends on what you want to go on to do. Yes, for something like engineering, Maths is essential, as would be some form of qualification in DT. If you wanted to be a Scientist, it'd be best to do a triple course, but as I said, it all depends on what you want for the future. For me, it get out of the classroom as fast as possible!

 

[theblackwatch]

I may differ with my views from some people on here, but I would argue your GCSEs are possibly more important that a degree. Why do I say that?

Because with no GCSEs, you will struggle to get anyhere - you won't get on to do AS/A levels, and finding a job will be difficult - most employers still expect you to have GCSEs including maths/english. With no degree (but GCSEs etc), you haven't got these same problems and there are plenty of people who have been successful without having studies to degree level.

Good luck to anyone doing exams.

 

[HST Power]

Because with no GCSEs, you will struggle to get anyhere - you won't get on to do AS/A levels, and finding a job will be difficult - most employers still expect you to have GCSEs including maths/english. With no degree (but GCSEs etc), you haven't got these same problems and there are plenty of people who have been successful without having studies to degree level.

I agree with this point. Even if you want to work as a cashier at Asda, you will still be tested in Mathmatics and English. Whilst I may have doubts about the syllabus in GCSE's, I still see them as the most important part of education, because just as Mr BlackWatch said, they form the platform that has to be in place if you want to go on and do bigger and better things. No GCSE's, no A Levels. No A Levels, no Uni. Even if you don't want to leave school with qualifications spilling out of your ears and a ticket to study whatever at Oxford, you still need to have some form of qualifications if you want to get a job. Because if you don't, what are you going to say to your interviewer when you apply for a vaccancy? How will you respond when they ask why you didn't get General Certificates of Secondary Education? And if you were the interviewer of the undergraduated applicant, would you feel comfortable about employing someone like that into your business?

 

[DarloRich]

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

I have 11 GCSE (all a-C) 4 A levels (all A/B) 1 AS Level grade B a 2:2 degree ( but I got a first in drinking, eating take away curries and failing to sleep with women!)

I did little work because I find exams easy. It is often simply fact retention and regurgitation. If I HAD applied myself I would have much better grades. I would simply say, don’t worry to much about them as standards have fallen so much you will get 10 A*+'s

Really, just try to relax, plan your revision carefully but sensibly, don’t think you have to do it all in one day or do 17 hours a day. You need rest, food, sleep AND relaxation and do the best you can. If it goes wrong, do them again!

Try to get hold of old papers, they don’t change that much. If you can try, to get hold of old answer papers to see the style required for a good mark. (VERY useful for A Level and degree courses!) In fact for some of my degree exams of 4 hours plus you could take your books and notes in!

If you can get all grade c or above no one will ever look at your GCSE results. Your A levels are more important, and will continue to be so as the squeeze on further education bites. If you are looking to go on with your education the GCSE is really just a stepping stone to prove you can do exams and help you select your topics for A Level.

 

[Crossover]

It always surprises me the age of some of the members on here - I thought I was quite young (22) but there do seem to be lots of members younger!

Good luck to anyone doing exams, whether they are GCSE, A-Level, uni or whatever else. Thankfully I have finished all my uni exams (and my degree, just awaiting results) but I know what it feels like having gone through it all before.

GCSE's are definitely important, as other members have said, to get anywhere post GCSE. I am looking for postgrad jobs now and a few of the applications are still asking me for GCSE results, others just want English Language and Maths (probably the most important two of the lot) so it is worth giving it your best shot

 

[Lampshade]

I had an exam this morning, none of us knew how to revise properly for it so I turned up on blind faith and aced it, that's the proper student way

Just one more exam and that's uni over and done with hock:

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.

I got an A* in GCSE General Studies

 

[43021HST]

Some people on here seem to quite well acheivings A's etc I'm what you would call a 'mediocre student' I have all Cs in my results. What gets on my wick is when people start saying oh I got an A but I wanted an A*, people only say that as a polite way of boasting about their results. People like that really **** me off.

Maths I'm really terrible at, I'm more of a creative person, I have vowed that when I get my C grade in maths, I'm never doing maths again, not even the basics! we have calculators for that! I'm crap at maths and proud becuse theres no other way to be.
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I had an exam this morning, none of us knew how to revise properly for it so I turned up on blind faith and aced it, that's the proper student way

Just one more exam and that's uni over and done with hock:



I got an A* in GCSE General Studies

Whats general studies?

 

[ainsworth74]

Whats general studies?

It's basically a non-A-level (and now apparently a GCSE). But essentially it tests you in an all round capacity looking at your knowledge of current affairs (or at least what was current 3/4 months ago when they set the paper), basic language (multiple choice questions), some basic maths, basic science and a bit of essay writing all spread out accross three or so exam papers. It isn't considered to be a very academically rigorous A-level (a fair few unis won't count it as part of your admission) and assuming you've got at least a bit of something between your ears you should get an A/B very easily.

 

[strange6]

And getting a good degree is not that hard. For Science, if you learn the stuff that you do in your tutorials (rather than all the stuff in your lectures), you'll find the end of semester exams (and your finals) are all based on what you did in the tutorial. Indeed, from my experience, the ruddy questions were more or less identical to the ones you did in the tutorials! As such, you can spend a lot less time revising, and a lot more time drinking and other things.

 

[OxtedL]

It's basically a non-A-level

Much like "Critical Thinking". If your school or college tries to sucker you into doing this, perhaps on the grounds that "universities like Oxbridge like it" then ignore them, as the first thing these universities say is "we completely ignore Critical Thinking and General Studies"!

 

[ralphchadkirk]

Much like "Critical Thinking". If your school or college tries to sucker you into doing this, perhaps on the grounds that "universities like Oxbridge like it" then ignore them, as the first thing these universities say is "we completely ignore Critical Thinking and General Studies"!

Critical thinking does count for Oxford

 

[OxtedL]

That quote was taken from an Oxford admissions tutor. But OK.

 

[ralphchadkirk]

That quote was taken from an Oxford admissions tutor. But OK.

On their admissions site it says that all A-Levels are approved apart from General Studies.

 

[OxtedL]

I will not argue. My knowledge has ended.

 

[AeroSpace]

I can't help but notice in my own special way that as sinx = sin (-x) and sin has a period of pi/2, the |x| would at first glance appear unnecessary...?

sin(-x) = - sin(x), and the period of sin is 2*pi.... not that it matters.

On topic: your GCSE results stay with you forever, and you will only help yourself by doing as well as you possibly can.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

On their admissions site it says that all A-Levels are approved apart from General Studies.

Just because Critical Thinking counts towards offers doesn't mean that they don't ignore it when deciding whether or not to give you an offer.

 

[OxtedL]

sin(-x) = - sin(x), and the period of sin is 2*pi.... not that it matters.

Oops. Got a bit rusty...

Perhaps the identity I was looking for was sin(pi/2+x)=sin(pi/2-x)?

For those who care:

            sin(u) = sin(pi - u) [identity]
         Now let u = pi/2 + x
Then sin(pi/2 + x) = sin(pi - (pi/2 + x)) = sin(pi/2 - x) QED

Just because Critical Thinking counts towards offers doesn't mean that they don't ignore it when deciding whether or not to give you an offer.

OK, I won't necessarily revise my opinion on this then. However, they do seem to farm as much information as they can about you in a slightly intimidating way, so this has thrown me a little. As a Maths person I've never had to worry much about it...

 

[dfishw]

They are important to an extent.
But seriously it depends on what path you wish to take. If you wish to go down the acedamic route, or if you want to enter a qualified job, you will need higher qualifications as a minimum. For these you will need good gcses.
But if you wish to choose a more vocatational path, gcses are not really necessary. however the core subjects maths, english, IT etc are ALL important regardless. Employers even for jobs at the bottom will often look at what you got in the core subjects as literacy and numeracy and IT come up in virtually any job.
What i would definatly say is that regardless of what grades you get make sure you at least take them. An employer who looks at your cv and sees you left school without gcses at all will think either you were an ex convict or very lazy...and would probably not give you a second glance!

 

[scotsman]

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

It's been exam season in Scotland since the start of May (Standard Grades)
For those sitting Highers (or Intermediate 1/Intermediate 2) we've had exams since 13th May

Our last exam is something like the 2nd June. I've done Higher Maths and Higher English (Friday the 13th it was as well!) already, only got 3 left (Higher Drama, Higher Chemistry and Higher Modern Studies)

No one tends to pay attention to exams/sport north of the border...

 

[Mojo]

On their admissions site it says that all A-Levels are approved apart from General Studies.

When I was at college, Critical Thinking was only an AS therefore it was not necessary to mention its exclusion. However I understand Aqa have, since the 2010 exams, turned it into an A-Level too.

 

[Hydro]

Much like "Critical Thinking". If your school or college tries to sucker you into doing this, perhaps on the grounds that "universities like Oxbridge like it" then ignore them, as the first thing these universities say is "we completely ignore Critical Thinking and General Studies"!

I think Critical Thinking should be taught as a life skill, rather than an AS/A level. It's very handy to study.

 

[AeroSpace]

There is more than enough scope for teaching critical thinking within the existing subject framework. It's absolutely superfluous to examine it on its own.

 

[Hydro]

There is more than enough scope for teaching critical thinking within the existing subject framework. It's absolutely superfluous to examine it on its own.

Something like this should happen, in my opinion.

 

[HST Power]

            sin(u) = sin(pi - u) [identity]
         Now let u = pi/2 + x
Then sin(pi/2 + x) = sin(pi - (pi/2 + x)) = sin(pi/2 - x) QED

Might as well be written in Arabic for all I know!

 

[OxtedL]

Interesting you say that...

The word "sine" comes from a Latin mistranslation of the Arabic jiba, which is a transliteration of the Sanskrit word for half the chord, jya-ardha.

 

[HST Power]

Interesting you say that...

Maybe I should take up Arabic then!

 

[strange6]

maybe i should take up arabic then!

soh cah toa!

 

[HST Power]

soh cah toa!

I'll never forget that one!