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Are the number of GCSE's that I am taking under average?

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I did 10. That was standard for my school and every other grammar school in the area (unless you were deemed 'better' in which case you did 11). The secondaries tended towards 9.

Reply 21

CharlieBoardman

Original post by GreenLantern1

Btw no one in my school does BTECs. When I say 15 GCSEs I mean 15 actual GCSE subjects. Just to let you know. And those that do 15 will generally have it alongside the Addmaths FSMQ.

I know, I saw your other post :smile:

What school do you go to?!

Reply 22

GreenLantern1

Original post by CharlieBoardman

I know, I saw your other post :smile:

What school do you go to?!

I will PM you.

Reply 23

KittyKattyKaity

8/9 is standard max at my kids school unless you do some in your own time, or manage to double up Performing Arts with Music or Drama, or do some as independent study. Compulsories are English Language (+Lit for top set), double Science, Maths, a Language (or the dreaded LLW!) and 3 free choices. My oldest managed to get to 12 doing triple science and Add Maths in his own time, plus Classical Civ in yr 12. Middle child is doing double English, double Science, Maths, Spanish, BCS, Performing Arts and Drama. Was supposed to be doing Music as well but everyone else in the class dropped out so they're all just doing Perf Arts instead :frown:

Most schools around here do 7-9, the really top schools do 9-10. Nobody does any more than that and people manage to get into all sorts of Universities up to Oxbridge / COWI.

Reply 24

Saf0892

I did 10 GCSEs while other people I knew from other schools were doing anywhere between 12-15. But it just meant that i was able to achieve high grades in them all instead of having a few As/A*s and the rest Bs/Cs. So long as you make the most of the subjects your doing, there's nothing to worry about

Reply 25

emcero

I think 13 is on the high end. As far as I'm aware the average (and what I and everyone at my old school has) is about 10, although I know a few with 11.

Reply 26

lyrical_lie

I did one GCSE. :ninja:

But that may have something to do with being in Scotland and doing 8 Intermediate 2s. My school was odd and just liked to mix it up a bit when it came to R.E. Basically they preferred the English course as it was more "Catholicy".

Reply 27

Doskey

I did 11 but that was because I did triple science, compulsory language and stats.

Reply 28

Vernish

Originally Posted by Suzanathema

They are probably including BTEC GCSE equivalents. They could get getting 3-4 GCSEs for doing one BTEC subject. A lot of schools inflate their GCSE results that way.

I've never really seen how the "GCSE Equivalents" can be properly equivalent. Our school made OCR Nationals ICT compulsory as it was supposedly equivalent to four GCSEs. Do Unis/employers look on them as "equivalent", does anybody know?

Reply 29

Lollyage

Original post by CharlieBoardman

It's just that I've seen people on here with 11-13, and it worried me a bit. I'm doing well, all A*'s, a couple of A's and a B (Damn you English Literature).

Don't compare yourself to others on here, this site isn't really a very good representation of what is average :p:

If you get mostly A*s and As then that will put you in good stead for any top university :smile:

Reply 30

stephhyy

Well I have:

Mathematics
Biology
Chemistry
Physics
History
English Language
English Literature
French
GCSE PE
Expressive Arts - Dance & Drama
IT

So yeah that's like 11 in total right?

Reply 31

izpenguin

I'm only doing 8 (see sig for list) and I.T functional skills.

Reply 32

AdamskiUK

I'm doing that RE half-course too :biggrin:

I'm doing:

Mathematics,
Biology, Chemistry and Physics,
History,
Already done Eng Lang and Lit,
Geography,
D&T
That silly RE Half-Course,
General Studies

So that gives me 10.5 by my count. ^_^

Reply 33

InArduisFouette

8-12 seems to be the norm

Reply 34

shaminn

I did 12, but i know people who are only did 8 and are doing really well. As long as you have high grades etc blah blah blah, you'll be fine. It's not all about quantity.

Plus you're subjects look good so dont worry about it.

Reply 35

suzanni

I did 12 but one we did a year early with being in top set for maths (we did gsce statistics as a extra studying it after school).
Don't worry how many your doing, just get the best grades you can! :smile:

Reply 36

us3481jd

Some schools don't really let pupils do more 9 or 10 subjects so 11 or 12 subjects.

Reply 37

alice96

Well I'm doing...
- Mathematics (Linear)
- English Literature
- English language
- Core Science
- Additional Science
- Product Design
- Geography
- French
- Religious Education (Full Course)
- ICT
- Citizenship (Short Course)

So I'm only doing 10 and a half :P but like you I'm getting all A and A* except currently a B in French - but working on that :P hehe

Reply 38

dwfed

Original post by CharlieBoardman

I am just wondering if I will have less GCSE's than your average person.

The GCSE's which I will have are:
- Mathematics
- English Language
- English Literature
- Physics
- Chemistry
- Biology
- Statistics
- Physical Education
- Drama

Now, that is only 9 full GCSE subjects.

I will also have:
- Religious Studies, Short Course (Half a GCSE)
- Preparation for Work in Life (Pointless waste of time)
- ICT OCR

How many GCSE's will/do you have?

I will have:
-English Literature
-English Language
-Science B-Tec (distinction grade - equiv. to 3/4 GCSE grades)
-Maths
-Media
-RE
-ICT OCR
-German
-History
-Geography
-Prep for work (****)
So that's 13/14 GCSE grades (including the B-TEC)

I think you have the right number. Just beat them and get A*'s.

Reply 39

TheHighAchiever

I'm doing:

Maths
Further Maths
Biology
Chemistry
Physics
English Language
English Literature
Latin
French
Greek
History

And I will also have a GCSE in ICT but I don't count this.

I attended a very good independent prep school and am now at a top independent secondary school. At my prep school I received an academic prize for seven years straight and at the end of my time there I received a trophy for academic excellence, a very coveted prize. I also gained an academic and classics scholarship to my secondary school which I am very proud of and have recently gained 100% in some history coursework.

Now, some may say I have had an advantaged upbringing but I worked VERY hard for all of that and it annoys me so much when people say b-techs are worth 3-4 GCSE's because I am aiming for 11 A* and i will work EXTREMELY hard for those grades and when people say I have 14/15/16 GCSE'S and all of them being b-techs it irritates me that other people with 9/10/11 REAL GCSE's look as though they haven't achieved as much.

But anyway, 10 is the norm in my school which is private but the top two maths sets can take an extra GCSE in maths so 10 is my answer to average GCSE's.