Y9 Options- Triple Science or History?

OP

Thanks for the help guys, I appreciate it :smile:

However, I've got a another query:
ATM, I will be taking French and Geography and will NOT be taking Business Studies anymore :wink:

Now, I've realised I like history as much as geography so I'm wandering: should I take history or triple science?
However, in history ATM, I'm getting level 5s and 6s but no level 7s unlike in French/Geography...Same with Science- I'm getting level 5s and 6s...

Thanks :smile:

BTW, does pursuing a job in IT/ starting an IT business involve learning Science at A levels? If not, should I do it anyway? :s-smilie:

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 43

OP

TBH, I like history as much as geography and would love to take it as a gcse...But I also like science and if triple science helps me get into College/Uni, then I want to take it...
In other words, should I take triple science or history? :s-smilie:

I will definitely be taking geography and french :wink:

Thanks

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 44

Original post by bobbricks

Thanks for the help guys, I appreciate it :smile:

However, I've got a another query:
ATM, I will be taking French and Geography and will NOT be taking Business Studies anymore :wink:

Now, I've realised I like history as much as geography so I'm wandering: should I take history or triple science?
However, in history ATM, I'm getting level 5s and 6s but no level 7s unlike in French/Geography...Same with Science- I'm getting level 5s and 6s...

Thanks :smile:

BTW, does pursuing a job in IT/ starting an IT business involve learning Science at A levels? If not, should I do it anyway? :s-smilie:

IT business starting doesn't technically require any qualifications but qualifications are always helpful, especially as starting a business at 18 probably isn't your most likely option!

Anyway, go for a degree in computing/computer science/software engineering/etc rather than ICT - they are much more rigorous and ICT degrees can be seen as a bit of a soft degree. (If you compare the unis which offer ICT to unis which offer Computing/Computer science, there's a pretty clear difference in types of institutions.) Forums on here will have better advice than I can give :smile:

For a computing degree, Maths and Physics are really good, so is further maths.

I'm not sure which unis are best/the most fussy regarding subjects, but Cambridge is clearly a good uni and is usually pretty clear about subject requirements (and is top in the Times Uni league tables for computer science) so maybe have a quick look at what they want?

(If you're interested, UCL is 6th and from next year they'll be requiring a foreign language GCSE.)

Obviously uni is really far away but it's true that the decision you make now can affect which unis/degrees you can apply for!

http://www.cam.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/courses/compsci/index.html

"A level Mathematics.
Highly Desirable: A level Further Mathematics and/or a physical science."

Also looked at a couple of random unis' requirements:
Birmingham computer science, "Typical offer: AAB

"Required subjects and grades: at least one of Mathematics, Physics or Computer Science at A level; Mathematics GCSE grade B if not at A level"

Sheffield: AAB incl Maths

Southampton: AAA incl Maths

(None of those unis do ICT, just computing and/or software engineering/information systems engineering.)

RHUL: "We accept applications through UCAS for first year entry. Our standard offer is for ABC or BBB at A-level. We are looking for students with some aptitude for Computer Science: this could be demonstrated by, for example, an A-level with an analytical component, such as Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Economics, an interest in a particular field of Computer Science, experience in programming or through an interview with us. Please note that an A-level in ICT is not regarded as being a sufficiently analytical subject. "

(Bottom line: try to do well in Maths! You don't need ICT or Business GCSEs or A-levels, Physics will be much more useful.) Triple science is not essential for doing A-level sciences, but you will be having to "catch up" a bit over the summer/at the start of your A-levels. If you really love history, get good marks in it and don't think you'd read any history books without doing the GCSE then do History, but otherwise take Triple Science. Remember, you don't have to do a GCSE in something to learn about it! :smile:

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 45

OP

Thanks for the info, I'll look into. :smile:

But doesn't cambridge only accept students from certain universities?

BTW, in my booklet, it says history gcse qualifications are highly valued and the skills you learn will help you in other subjects...What do you think of this- truth or lie? Also which is more important, triple science or history and which do you recommend? :s-smilie:

Thanks

Reply 46

GottaLovePhysics! :)

Original post by bobbricks

I've made up my mind on most of my options except two which I need help choosing :smile:

I want to take Triple Science, which is optional, but I also want to take French. However I don't know which one to choose because I definitely my other options which are geography and business studies...
.

Dont do buisness studies! If your not a doss, you will find it painfully boring and pointless. Its not as respected as a language.
EDIT: I seen you chose not to do it. Good choice, I wish someone had told me not to do it!

Have you thought about taking the FSMQ?

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 47

OP

What's the FSMQ? :s-smilie:

Reply 48

Original post by bobbricks

Thanks for the info, I'll look into. :smile:

But doesn't cambridge only accept students from certain universities?

BTW, in my booklet, it says history gcse qualifications are highly valued and the skills you learn will help you in other subjects...What do you think of this- truth or lie? Also which is more important, triple science or history and which do you recommend? :s-smilie:

Thanks

What do you mean about Cambridge? Cambridge do undergraduate courses, so you don't have to go to another university first!!

Yes that's definitely true, you'll develop your analytical skills a lot and History is seen as a very good, traditional subject. :smile:

Is there no way you can do 10 GCSEs?

Reply 49

OP

No, unfortunately... :frown:

We have 12 gcses in our school- 9 are compulsory and the remaining 3 are optional... Double Science is compulsory and Triple Science is optional...

:frown:

Sorry, I meant to say 'doesn't cambridge only accept students from certain colleges?' :smile:

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 50

Original post by bobbricks

No, unfortunately... :frown:

We have 12 gcses in our school- 9 are compulsory and the remaining 3 are optional... Double Science is compulsory and Triple Science is optional...

:frown:

NINE compulsory ones?! Wow, how do you have so many?

Hmm. What are your 9 compulsory ones? How much do you enjoy History? Is your balance quite arts-focused or science-focused at the moment? I assume you're taking 2 English GCSEs so you'll develop analytical and essay-writing skills through them, but do you think you'd miss History if you dropped it?

Reply 51

OP

My 9 compusory subects are: English and English Literature, Maths, Double Science, ICT, RE, PE, PSHEE+Citizenship and Careers. I think RE and PE shouldn't be compulsory... :smile:

Maths includes core Maths, Statistics and Additional Maths :smile:

I enjoy History quite a lot because I think it's interesting and topics that you learn in year 10 and 11 look quite interesting :smile:

I'm focused more at the Sciencey subjects, but the optional subjects I want to do are Geography and French ATM, so I'm not sure if they are Sciencey or Arty. :smile:

I enjoy history more than science. However, because I'm doing geography, I don't know if history is going to be too similar to it... :s-smilie:

I guess I'll miss history if I don't take it, but I think I'd also miss triple science if I didn't take that... :s-smilie:

I'll be taking both subjects at A-levels... :smile:

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 52

Original post by bobbricks

My 9 compusory subects are: English and English Literature, Maths, Double Science, ICT, RE, PE, PSHEE+Citizenship and Careers. I think RE and PE shouldn't be compulsory... :smile:

Maths includes core Maths, Statistics and Additional Maths :smile:

I enjoy History quite a lot because I think it's interesting and topics that you learn in year 10 and 11 look quite interesting :smile:

I'm focused more at the Sciencey subjects, but the optional subjects I want to do are Geography and French ATM, so I'm not sure if they are Sciencey or Arty. :smile:

I enjoy history more than science. However, because I'm doing geography, I don't know if history is going to be too similar to it... :s-smilie:

I guess I'll miss history if I don't take it, but I think I'd also miss triple science if I didn't take that... :s-smilie:

I'll be taking both subjects at A-levels... :smile:

What on earth is citizenship and careers? Wow. It seems odd that RE and PE are compulsory but oh well. I never knew that there was a GCSE in PSHE either!

Which maths are you taking, the normal one? Or do you mean that you cover all those topics in your Maths GCSE?

I don't think History is very similar to Geography in terms of content, or skills really. If only you could scrap the PE, PSHE and citizenship GCSEs and take History AND triple science! :frown:

If you really don't mind which you take, I'd probably advise going for triple science, and just buying a couple of books about the history topics you're interested in. I'm sure you'll be able to get some good book advice in the history forum and this thread if you say which topics you're interested in, there are loads of different books (for all levels) about every aspect of history, so it's not like you'll never have the opportunity to learn about historical events again!

Reply 53

User570431

15

Do what ever you like :tongue:

Reply 54

Kalliope

Do:
French
Geography
History

because I adore History GCSE and have found it really easy and completely wonderful so far. Double Science is enough unless you are planning to take a sciencey career, and even if you are. I do triple science but I am only getting 2 hours of lessons a fortnight for a term, rather than the 5hrs a fortnight for 2 years that I get with history and still expecting the A*, so it's probably easier. However, I would rather have the variety of another whole subject than do more science. (It's not because I don't love Science - I do!)

Geography is actually fairly different from History I find and more like science. Not enough essay writing for me :smile:

I'm not too keen, I don't dislike it I just find the course a little boring. I'd still take it though as lots of my friends love it and you seem to excel in it.

Poor you having to take these - ICT, PE, PSHEE+Citizenship and Careers - compulsorily. My school forces everyone to do Gen Studies & Critical Thinking at A level, which is ridiculous - but so is that :smile:

As someone who is doing a lot of GCSEs, I can say it is not actually that much harder because of the numbers. I would be confident of my predictions in some subjects, and still be scraping them in German/Latin whatever the number I took.

If you have any other questions about GCSEs, feel free to ask.

EDIT: Not RE. I love RE! :smile:

You should be happy to take it!

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 55

User570431

15

Original post by BookWormShanti

Do:
French
Geography
History

because I adore History GCSE and have found it really easy and completely wonderful so far. Double Science is enough unless you are planning to take a sciencey career, and even if you are. I do triple science but I am only getting 2 hours of lessons a fortnight for a term, rather than the 5hrs a fortnight for 2 years that I get with history and still expecting the A*, so it's probably easier. However, I would rather have the variety of another whole subject than do more science. (It's not because I don't love Science - I do!)

Geography is actually fairly different from History I find and more like science. Not enough essay writing for me :smile:

I'm not too keen, I don't dislike it I just find the course a little boring. I'd still take it though as lots of my friends love it and you seem to excel in it.

Poor you having to take these - ICT, RE, PE, PSHEE+Citizenship and Careers - compulsorily. My school forces everyone to do Gen Studies & Critical Thinking at A level, which is ridiculous - but so is that :smile:

As someone who is doing a lot of GCSEs, I can say it is not actually that much harder because of the numbers. I would be confident of my predictions in some subjects, and still be scraping them in German/Latin whatever the number I took.

If you have any other questions about GCSEs, feel free to ask.

What gcses did you take? :tongue:

ps voted for you on the tsr awards you are the best :biggrin:

Reply 56

OP

@angelmxxx
I'm taking Core Maths, Statistics and "Additional Maths"- I've got no idea what Additional Maths is, though... :smile:

Triple Science? May I ask why you advise that instead of history? :smile:

@BookWormShanti
Thanks for the tips, but I was wondering, won't Triple Science look impressive to colleges and universities? Or won't they care whether I took Double or Triple Science?

I'm thinking of taking Physics/Biology, history, geology and computer science courses in College and University. I'd also like to mention that I like history and geography equally, but have decided that I will do geography, because of the high grades I'm achieving in class. I'm achieving roughly level 5s and 6s in both history and science... :frown:

Can anyone give me the benefits (and maybe drawbacks) of taking either history or triple science? Pretty please? :smile:

Thanks

Reply 57

Kalliope

Original post by blueray

What gcses did you take? :tongue:

ps voted for you on the tsr awards you are the best :biggrin:

Seriously? Wow! :eek:

I figured no one actually had a clue who I was really! :tongue:

Thank you

What category btw?

My compulsory subjects were: English lit, lang, Maths, Statistics, Triple Science (in theory only Double was compulsory but I was strongly encouraged to the point where I think they would have held me at gun point if I refused!) and ICT (although I don't have any lessons for that, just make it up at home).

I chose 3 options: History, RE and Geography; then French as my language (taking 1 is compulsory as we are a language school), with German as my additional (means I miss all IT lessons and half of my PE to fit it in. I do Latin after school. My predicted grades are all in my sig :colondollar:

What about you?

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 58

Kalliope