What GCSE's do i need to start A levels?

kane1993

Okay, so i am aiming to become a Game programmer and i am unsure of what road to take. I was thinking on going to college to do A levels in both Maths and Physics to try and get 180 ucas points to get on to a computer science course at Essex university, but the problem i face there is the colleges that i looked at require you to have a B in the subject to get on the course, so is there anyway around this or should i forgot that idea and go to Qantm college in london to do a 1 year course in game design + development and then move on to do the 2 year degree there? This would only have 3 years in all but is a degree from qantm college going to get me a job as a game programmer?

Reply 1

username392640

Well, you need GCSE's in at least English and Maths at grade C. Some colleges require a B in certain subjects to study them at A Level. Maybe take Computing at A Level alongside Maths and Phsyics? Also, Further Maths?

Reply 2

schoolstudent

Could you not get all the books etc you need to learn about game design now and all the equipment you need, then put your all into designing games? Then you could put a portfolio of your work together...is that not the best way to get respected as a game designer, rather than going to uni and being shown how you would design games, along with having to learn about lots of stuff irrelevant to game design...?

what's your situation now? are you at school studying? i don't think you were very clear, so it's hard to advise you on what to do about gcses

Reply 3

kane1993

Sorry for not making it clearer, i am in my last year of school and i am predicted to leave with 5 GCSE's at a grade C and a BTEC at a pass (same as 2 C's)

Reply 4

renlok

in all seriousness it doesn't really matter although do IT as you may need it to do computing at alevel which youll need later. but to be fair gcses don't really count towards much

Reply 5

IStruggleWithChemistry

Ok imma be really honest with you. Colleges usually take students with 5 GCSE passes with grade C in English and maths. But if you wanna study a particular subject such as maths then the majority or the Colleges/Sixthforms require you to get a B in it.

Let me give you some advice (very honest advice), if you do end up with a C in maths or science..for goodness sake DO NOT take maths A level and especially DO NOT take physics A level. Trust me at this point you're probably thinking 'if i manage to get onto the course ill work really hard to achieve a good result'. Im being very honest when i say this but A level is much harder than GCSE's by a big margin. It makes GCSE's look like childs play. So dont take maths or physics if your looking to get C's in it at GCSE level. I have experience in both subjects. My GCSE grades were very good. I got 11 GCSE's. In Science i got an A*and A in core and additional science and i got an A in maths. I tried to take physics at A level but i dropped it. It really is something deadly and suicidal to take.... so i picked up Chemistry...and god its just as hard....as you can guess by my username. Maths A level is also quite hard. Im currently kinda struggling with A levels and as you can see i got very good GCSE results. You are basically picking among the hardest A levels. The science based A levels (excluding additional science) are the hardest A levels followed by the Maths A levels this is not only my opinion but a fact. Furthermore if you achieve C in GCSE science and maths....well you get the idea...

My solutions to you are:

1)Work extremely hard to get good GCSE results particularly in Science and maths. Above a C is a minimum if you want to pick up them in A level. (To do well in them an A minimum is generally good)

my other solution would be forget physics and maths and pick up other A levels along with A level ICT if the college doesnt require it at GCSE level which most dont.

This is probably as honest of an answer that you will get on this forum.

I hope you get on well with your GCSE's and i hope i could be of help (if any).

Reply 6

kane1993

Thanks for you honesty, Now i am thinking it would easier and faster to go to Qantm college to get my degree since i hate maths and really is my worst subject along with science and it would be stupid to try and take them at A level but it would be great to hear from someone who has experiance in the games industry and can tell me if a Degree from a pirvate college for Game design is as highly regarded degree in the field? I dont want to spend 17k and at the end of it unable to find work

Reply 7

Splice

Hi Kane. I'm currently doing A levels (Maths, Physics and Computing) and maybe going to Qantm for Game design & dev when I finish. I really do recommend Qantm as they have probably the best facilities for this subject area in the country and get a sexy laptop :p:

. I think if you had a good portfolio of work you've done then qualifications don't matter as much. :biggrin:

I reccomend you take Computing at A level though and maybe maths, but it dosn't really matter. ( Physics is a killer. I wish I hadn't taken it up :mad:

). Anyways, read lots of tuts and books on programming and you'll get to where you want.

Btw, Qantm have an Open day in August which I'm going to. cya

Reply 8

Elham1996

Hi, I am looking for a college or 6 form to do my gcse, I do not have enough to do A-level and I am getting really worried. 3 career advisors recommended me not to do a-level and to do btec. I do not want to do btec, they say my mind works practically not academically which frustrates me. I worked really hard my whole life and I want to get a good, well paid job in the future.