[Rainingshame]

(Original post by CharlieBoardman)
Why is it that everytime a Year 11 expresses how they want to do A-Levels, as they want to study the subjects that they like in more depth, somebody from college or University jumps down our throats telling us we will be crying when it comes to A-Levels as it requires lots of hard work? What about those of us who are prepared to, and want to put a lot of hard work, effort and dedication into our studies? Will we still be crying? Because I'm pretty sure I won't be missing GCSE's such as English Lang/Lit, ICT, RE etc.

You won't miss ICT it's the only GCSE subject i don't miss, though we didn't do RE in our school (our year complained about it being useless ).

[kidoo]

(Original post by brightbulb)
I'm in year 11, and just feeling fed up of school I can't get the motivation to revise, and am just sick of doing subjects I don't care about :/

Can't wait until sixth form, where I won't have to do so many subjects and none that I hate

Anyone else feeling this way?

If that is how you feel about GCSE's you are going to get a monumental mental slap to the face at A levels.

[CharlieBoardman]

(Original post by Millyshyn)
Feels like it. I've really hated doing it so far. I couldn't do it about what I actually wanted to do and it ended up being the most boring written report in the universe. I won't want to speak about with the universities, I don't have anything to gain from it. The way my sixth form organise it is just incredibly bad : / We have to attend 3 lessons a forthnight, and in 2 of those we can't do anything because we usually don't have access to a computer. So it ends up being the lesson in which we all just chat and mess about. Which is a shame because I was really enthusiastic about it when I chose to do it.

What a shame... See, I cannot wait to study for my EPQ. What couldn't you study what you wanted to?

[Fallen]

(Original post by FranticMind)
Sorry I was being difficult. I exagerrated to match the tone of your previous post.

I know that PG can be an awful lot of work, but I also know that some UG programmes are challenging. I wouldn't say that UG is guided to the point of being 'spoon fed'.

Well researchers although doing something new, they generally use techniques in a very rote fashion. I know this from experience meeting a range from blue skies math to linguistic method researchers.

I guess it depends on the subject. I come from a family of Physics/Computer Science researchers who seem to spend most of their time coming up with theories to test, and normally they are fairly confident they are correct before they test them.

I can't really comment outside those fields because that is where my relatives are at, and where my own interests lie.

[CharlieBoardman]

(Original post by Rainingshame)
You won't miss ICT it's the only GCSE subject i don't miss, though we didn't do RE in our school (our year complained about it being useless ).

Absolutely correct! I will not miss ICT one little bit! Total waste of my time. Luckily, we only did Religious short course, meaning we haven't studied it at all this year. We get put into detention for voicing our opinion on pointless subjects, but hey, that's life!

[Rainingshame]

(Original post by CharlieBoardman)
Absolutely correct! I will not miss ICT one little bit! Total waste of my time. Luckily, we only did Religious short course, meaning we haven't studied it at all this year. We get put into detention for voicing our opinion on pointless subjects, but hey, that's life!

Good luck on your gcse's i enjoyed them only because i had a good teacher for English, had already started AS maths and did diddly squat for everything bar history i wouldn't recommend it to everyone however as i was fortunate to get the grades i did, looking back i have to say that was rather arrogant of me as well :P

[Millyshyn]

(Original post by CharlieBoardman)
What a shame... See, I cannot wait to study for my EPQ. What couldn't you study what you wanted to?

Trust me, I couldn't wait to do mine either. But it's become one of those things I'm really bored and fed up of. I wanted to do mine on the history of surgery but you basically have to ARGUE something, so it has to be a debate. Which, if you want to do a medicine based EPQ (like me), can be either an ethical debate or something boring about the NHS, unless you can think of something more creative. I ended up doing something boring about the NHS

[jellybean_]

(Original post by brightbulb)
I have chosen History, Sociology, Economics and Computing (Probably dropping Computing after AS :P)

Ahh, I can vouch for Sociology. I absolutely love it Good luck with your studies and let me know if you ever need any revision tips or just help in general,especially with sociology! x

[Cubic]

(Original post by Millyshyn)
I wanted to do mine on the history of surgery but you basically have to ARGUE something, so it has to be a debate.

I would sooo name my EPQ "Does God play dice?"

[kILLERm]

is a short course GCSE accepted by universities as an 'actual grade'. If I achieve an A/A* in my RE short course GCSE, would I be able to treat it as a grade, if you know what I mean :/.

[FranticMind]

(Original post by lucymcgonigle)
May be contradicting myself but I do understand where you're coming from, however I just think it's one of those things that people should be passionate about outside the classroom, I workout all the time, and play football outside of school, I just don't enjoy PE one bit. This is only my opinion though, guess everyone's different.
What did you do at Alevels, and what are you doing at uni if you don't mind me asking?

That is true, but unfortunately people don't.

Well I did Maths, Physics, Electronics, Computing to A level and I'm at UCL doing Electronic Engineering.

I would definitely say that A levels dictate where and what course you'll do.

What are your A level choices? (I assume you've already made them?)

[CharlieBoardman]

(Original post by Rainingshame)
Good luck on your gcse's i enjoyed them only because i had a good teacher for English, had already started AS maths and did diddly squat for everything bar history i wouldn't recommend it to everyone however as i was fortunate to get the grades i did, looking back i have to say that was rather arrogant of me as well :P

Thank you I've started an FSMQ in Maths now, as I completed my GCSE last year. The FSMQ is basically C1&2 of AS Maths, it's quite easy!

[MissBlueskys]

(Original post by brightbulb)
I'm in year 11, and just feeling fed up of school I can't get the motivation to revise, and am just sick of doing subjects I don't care about :/

Can't wait until sixth form, where I won't have to do so many subjects and none that I hate

Anyone else feeling this way?

I felt exactly like this at the end of GCSEs. Trust me it comes back even stronger when you have decided on the subject and firmed the university you want. As well of being fed up of A Levels, I am fed up of not moving out and getting on with life.

[CharlieBoardman]

(Original post by Millyshyn)
Trust me, I couldn't wait to do mine either. But it's become one of those things I'm really bored and fed up of. I wanted to do mine on the history of surgery but you basically have to ARGUE something, so it has to be a debate. Which, if you want to do a medicine based EPQ (like me), can be either an ethical debate or something boring about the NHS, unless you can think of something more creative. I ended up doing something boring about the NHS

Ah, bet that was a bit gutting for you. It has to be a debate? I am unsure as to what I would study for my EPQ then... But I have plenty of time to decide, I'll think of something!!

(Original post by Cubic)
I would sooo name my EPQ "Does God play dice?"

Hahaha! Best topic I have heard of yet.

(Original post by kILLERm)
is a short course GCSE accepted by universities as an 'actual grade'. If I achieve an A/A* in my RE short course GCSE, would I be able to treat it as a grade, if you know what I mean :/.

Universities care more about your AS and A-Level grades, rather than GCSE. A-Levels are a much better indicator or academic ability

[kILLERm]

(Original post by CharlieBoardman)
Ah, bet that was a bit gutting for you. It has to be a debate? I am unsure as to what I would study for my EPQ then... But I have plenty of time to decide, I'll think of something!!

Hahaha! Best topic I have heard of yet.


Universities care more about your AS and A-Level grades, rather than GCSE. A-Levels are a much better indicator or academic ability

Thanks for the reply mate. I am very keen to do a dentistry course at University. At the moment, I am predicted mainly As with a few Bs. Will this be good enough if they were to look at my GCSE grades due to extremely high demand. I don't think I'll be able to accomplish my dream. I'm always motivated towards my studies which is why I believe I have a chance to succeed at A levels.

I mean be realistic. Do I have a chance mate?

[Iron Lady]

Grin and bear it, then A-levels are much better.

[Cubic]

(Original post by CharlieBoardman)
Hahaha! Best topic I have heard of yet.

If it has to be a debate, it's the perfect topic. Einstein's and Bohr's debate, one of sciences greatest debates.

[CharlieBoardman]

(Original post by kILLERm)
Thanks for the reply mate. I am very keen to do a dentistry course at University. At the moment, I am predicted mainly As with a few Bs. Will this be good enough if they were to look at my GCSE grades due to extremely high demand. I don't think I'll be able to accomplish my dream. I'm always motivated towards my studies which is why I believe I have a chance to succeed at A levels.

I mean be realistic. Do I have a chance mate?

For a dentistry Degree, most of the candidates will have very high grades, so there will be a lot of strong competition. A's and B's at GCSE would be less than your average dentistry degree candidate I imagine, but as I said earlier, most universities focus more on your AS and A-Level grades, rather than your GCSE grades. Lesser performances at GCSE can be made up for with good A-Level results. I'm not saying that your results are bad, because they're are not. A's and B's are most certainly higher than your average person would achieve.

For most degrees, they do not say it is essential to have high quality GCSE's in their entry requirements, so you could still definitely follow your dream, providing you meet the entry requirements at A-Level. There's nothing stopping you! It's in your hands! What A-Levels have you chosen to take?

[CharlieBoardman]

(Original post by Cubic)
If it has to be a debate, it's the perfect topic. Einstein's and Bohr's debate, one of sciences greatest debates.

Yes, there are plenty of scientific debates which I could study really. But still, I have time to choose. I wonder what I debate about if I choose to study an area of maths?

[kILLERm]

(Original post by CharlieBoardman)
For a dentistry Degree, most of the candidates will have very high grades, so there will be a lot of strong competition. A's and B's at GCSE would be less than your average dentistry degree candidate I imagine, but as I said earlier, most universities focus more on your AS and A-Level grades, rather than your GCSE grades. Lesser performances at GCSE can be made up for with good A-Level results. I'm not saying that your results are bad, because they're are not. A's and B's are most certainly higher than your average person would achieve.

For most degrees, they do not have a certain number or quality of GCSE's in their entry requirements, so you could still definitely follow your dream, providing you meet the entry requirements at A-Level. There's nothing stopping you! It's in your hands! What A-Levels have you chosen to take?

I have decided to pick Biology, Chemistry, Maths and Accounting (although I'll only study Accounting upto AS Level). But I've seen a University which offers a dentistry course for candidates that have achieved a minimum of 3 Grade Cs at A Levels (including 2 science subjects). This is only new which is why the requirements are low. Would I have a chance to get into this University?