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Dilemma, higher or foundation?

Basically for some reason I chose to do french at GCSE and it is by far my worst subject. I now have a choice whether to do higher or foundation. All together, my 4 course works have been C, B, A and A which means I'm on a solid B, however the only reason I got these marks is because I'm good at remembering stuff, so for the actual exams I'm kinda screwed. I'm wondering if by doing foundation paper for reading and listening and by getting Cs in both, is it possible for me to get a B overall? What shall I do, thank you!
Reply 1
Please do the higher paper. Then you can get an A. Doing foundation limits you to a C. It may be easier but there is no reward.
Reply 2
Original post by hcam
Please do the higher paper. Then you can get an A. Doing foundation limits you to a C. It may be easier but there is no reward.


The reason I'm asking is because I KNOW I won't get an a in higher, I reckon C would be the highest I'd get, so I'm wondering if foundation will be easier to get a C in? And if I do get a C in that if I could get a B overall with my course work grades, thank you
Reply 3
Why not aim for A? If you can get B why not?

Why do think you only can get C? Sure, it will be B but not a high B. Sorry for being pushy, I just want you to get the highest grade possible.
Always go for higher. You need around 85% in the foundation just to get a C and we all make silly mistakes in a exam situation so unless you are confident of hitting the exam with your best shot then don't do foundation.

Higher generally has an overlap; some of the questions are foundation style and are there to help students get a pass grade. I would say always go for higher. The easier test that foundation offers isn't really worth it when you consider you need almost full marks to attain a pass grade of a C
Reply 5
Original post by hcam
Why not aim for A? If you can get B why not?

Why do think you only can get C? Sure, it will be B but not a high B. Sorry for being pushy, I just want you to get the highest grade possible.


the reason I can't get an A is because I am SO bad at french, I know barely any vocab and so always do bad in the proper exams and it's too late for me to start learning it now
Reply 6
Original post by ConorF
Always go for higher. You need around 85% in the foundation just to get a C and we all make silly mistakes in a exam situation so unless you are confident of hitting the exam with your best shot then don't do foundation.

Higher generally has an overlap; some of the questions are foundation style and are there to help students get a pass grade. I would say always go for higher. The easier test that foundation offers isn't really worth it when you consider you need almost full marks to attain a pass grade of a C


oh so do you think it is easier to get a C in higher than in foundation? If so what is the point of the different tiers?
Reply 7
It's not too late to start revising, just a bit every day. When is your exam? Who advised you to take foundation? Was it the teacher?
Reply 8
Original post by hcam
It's not too late to start revising, just a bit every day. When is your exam? Who advised you to take foundation? Was it the teacher?


The listening and reading is on the 14th and 17th, and my teacher advised me to take higher because my coursework grades were quite high compared to the rest of the class, but I think it will be better for me to take foundation because I know I won't get higher than a B
Reply 9
Listen to your teacher. You've already got a B so you can get B in the exam or higher. Thoughts?
Original post by hcam
Listen to your teacher. You've already got a B so you can get B in the exam or higher. Thoughts?


the only reason I have a B for my course work grade is because I used google translate for it all and have a good memory, not because I am good at french haha
Reply 11
Original post by physicshelpme
the only reason I have a B for my course work grade is because I used google translate for it all and have a good memory, not because I am good at french haha


You've still got over a week, that's not too late to start going through the vocab. Go Higher or you're just limiting yourself incase the questions in the higher turned out to be ones you know.
Original post by physicshelpme
oh so do you think it is easier to get a C in higher than in foundation? If so what is the point of the different tiers?


To sort the weak from the chaff so to speak. Hey, you can go and do foundation and the view of the exam boards is anything apart from a U is a pass (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Certificate_of_Secondary_Education#Grading)

So they see the foundation as an opportunity for the weaker students to receive a range of grades; In reality anything below a C is a fail so you have a much better chance of getting a real world pass if you do the higher tier.

I know someone who done their GCSE maths twice and failed with an E & U respectively. Now that person went and done the course again and stuck with the higher tier. Why? Not because they became a genius at maths all of a sudden but because the teacher advised everyone strongly that if your weak at a subject and you want a pass then go for the higher because it is much easier to get a C in the higher than it is to get a C in the foundation. That person came out in the end with a middle boundary C grade in their maths.

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