Help I gave NO GCSE'S and want to study A-levels
Hello,
As the title says, I have no GCSE's because i moved to italy during the start of year 9 (estenuating circumstances at home), I moved back to this country just this july.
The italian education system is different and they have no GCSE equivilent only A levels which take 5 years to complete.
I got in contact with my old school but since I'm sixteen, they won't enroll me to do the basic 5 GSCE's.
I have also looked at local colleges and they will only offer me BTEC's with basic GCSE's in mahts and english. Correct me if I'm wrong but I've been told that top universities frown upon BTEC's. I would like to study GCSE's A-levels and go on to study university.
Please help!! Any advice will be appreciated.
Leonardo
As the title says, I have no GCSE's because i moved to italy during the start of year 9 (estenuating circumstances at home), I moved back to this country just this july.
The italian education system is different and they have no GCSE equivilent only A levels which take 5 years to complete.
I got in contact with my old school but since I'm sixteen, they won't enroll me to do the basic 5 GSCE's.
I have also looked at local colleges and they will only offer me BTEC's with basic GCSE's in mahts and english. Correct me if I'm wrong but I've been told that top universities frown upon BTEC's. I would like to study GCSE's A-levels and go on to study university.
Please help!! Any advice will be appreciated.
Leonardo
Yes, I think that top universities do frown upon BTECs; they much prefer A-levels, Scottish Highers, IB, Pre-U, etc...
To enter university, you must have some qualifications in A-levels (Level 3) or equivalent (for example, nearly all universities require a minimum of 3 passes at A-level). To my knowledge, to study A-levels at college/school, you must have a minimum of 5 GCSEs or equivalent at grades A*-C.
Perhaps you could take a different Level 3 qualification which doesn't require GCSE or equivalent, or take A-levels through someone like ICS Learn (ICS also offer IGCSEs and GCSEs). Another alternative might be to start now with GCSEs and progress the 'usual' way. Starting university a year or a couple of years later is not unusual at all.
Good luck
To enter university, you must have some qualifications in A-levels (Level 3) or equivalent (for example, nearly all universities require a minimum of 3 passes at A-level). To my knowledge, to study A-levels at college/school, you must have a minimum of 5 GCSEs or equivalent at grades A*-C.
Perhaps you could take a different Level 3 qualification which doesn't require GCSE or equivalent, or take A-levels through someone like ICS Learn (ICS also offer IGCSEs and GCSEs). Another alternative might be to start now with GCSEs and progress the 'usual' way. Starting university a year or a couple of years later is not unusual at all.
Good luck
Original post by gordanj
x
I'm a mature student who wants to study A levels and I have been studying GCSEs full time at my local further education college on a 'return to education' course. Are you sure your local colleges do not offer part time/full time/evening GCSEs? English and Maths are obviously key subjects that you need to attain a GCSE in, equivalents just won't cut it, in my experience. If you can not find a class to attend I would perhaps consider studying them via Distance Learning but this route is harder as you are teaching yourself the subject, and the courses can be quite expensive.
Original post by Coke1
You can't do A-Levels without GCSEs.
Point blank.
Point blank.
you can sometimes depends on your circumstances...
Maybe try the IB?
Contact a college explain the situation. A friend of mine ha the same issue as she lived in Spain and had no GCSE's! She went to college did A Levels and is now doing psych at royal holloway
Don't listen to people trying to say you can only do A levels from GCSE! That's just the typical route ! What probably would help is if you can get a school transcript from Italy or report or some grades from class work to show you would be capable
This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App
Don't listen to people trying to say you can only do A levels from GCSE! That's just the typical route ! What probably would help is if you can get a school transcript from Italy or report or some grades from class work to show you would be capable
This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App
Hi I found myself in exactly your situation , I was born in England but I passed most of my life in Italy, last year I moved back from italy with no GCSE like you... this year I survived the great change and I am in year 13
, do like me, ask your previous school, liceo or istituto magistrale to give you the grades you got at thye end of the year ( I know how the italian bureucracy does not work but you have to do it), hope you read this, and it would be nice to stay in touch with you ... GOOD LUCK, AND WELCOME IN GREAT BRITAIN
, I was born in England but I passed most of my life in Italy, last year I moved back from italy with no GCSE like you... this year I survived the great change and I am in year 13, do like me, ask your previous school, liceo or istituto magistrale to give you the grades you got at thye end of the year ( I know how the italian bureucracy does not work but you have to do it), hope you read this, and it would be nice to stay in touch with you ... GOOD LUCK, AND WELCOME IN GREAT BRITAINNP. Buy IGCSE books and study them at home. IGCSE requires no coursework. You study the books and then when you feel ready to take the exams, you register at an examination centre as a private candidate. They will give you back your results in 3 months and you will have your IGCSE, which are like GCSEs but recognized internationally and a bit more difficult than regular GCSEs. When the exams are held depends on your exam board. There are two: Edexcel and CIE. CIE holds exams every year in October/early November and May/early June.
This is what I am doing.
This is what I am doing.
(edited 11 years ago)
You could try self teaching yourself and then doing your GCSE's with a private exam centre, colleges/sixth forms will usually only allow you to do GCSEs if you have at least 3 or 4 at grades D-E otherwise they'll most probably make you do Level 1 BTECs or if you're lucky Level 2. There's not much you can do but hunt until you find a place that'll offer you a chance.
Original post by gordanj
Hello,
As the title says, I have no GCSE's because i moved to italy during the start of year 9 (estenuating circumstances at home), I moved back to this country just this july.
The italian education system is different and they have no GCSE equivilent only A levels which take 5 years to complete.
I got in contact with my old school but since I'm sixteen, they won't enroll me to do the basic 5 GSCE's.
I have also looked at local colleges and they will only offer me BTEC's with basic GCSE's in mahts and english. Correct me if I'm wrong but I've been told that top universities frown upon BTEC's. I would like to study GCSE's A-levels and go on to study university.
Please help!! Any advice will be appreciated.
Leonardo
As the title says, I have no GCSE's because i moved to italy during the start of year 9 (estenuating circumstances at home), I moved back to this country just this july.
The italian education system is different and they have no GCSE equivilent only A levels which take 5 years to complete.
I got in contact with my old school but since I'm sixteen, they won't enroll me to do the basic 5 GSCE's.
I have also looked at local colleges and they will only offer me BTEC's with basic GCSE's in mahts and english. Correct me if I'm wrong but I've been told that top universities frown upon BTEC's. I would like to study GCSE's A-levels and go on to study university.
Please help!! Any advice will be appreciated.
Leonardo
I moved here from Thailand to do A-levels when I was 16. I did not take GCSE's - in fact, I did not even know what they were! It was not a problem for me; on the contrary, the courses I had taken were evidently more advanced than GCSE. The school was happy enough to give me a place based on my past school results.
It is therefore not unrealistic to start A-levels without first doing GCSE, as long as you can show that you have studied the subjects to an acceptable degree.
Original post by Coke1
You can't do A-Levels without GCSEs.
Point blank.
Point blank.
False. Period.
Original post by Sarah543
NP. Buy IGCSE books and study them at home. IGCSE requires no coursework. You study the books and then when you feel ready to take the exams, you register at an examination centre as a private candidate. They will give you back your results in 3 months and you will have your IGCSE, which are like GCSEs but recognized internationally and a bit more difficult than regular GCSEs. When the exams are held depends on your exam board. There are two: Edexcel and CIE. CIE holds exams every year in October/early November and May/early June.
This is what I am doing.
This is what I am doing.
===
Hi Sarah543, my sister (also Sara) is considering taking the same IGCSE path. Could you direct us on where to find available course lists, (& venues for course instruction/tutoring) and course notes.
I'd be interested on what your opinion is on what the best sites/venues are and which to avoid.
Thanks in anticipation of your advice.
Wish you all the best in your academic goals.
Best regards
Hasad
Hi Leonardo,My son’s and daughter have moved back and forth between the Italian and Uk system.Don’t despair, my middle son left school at age 16 having taken no Italian exams except the licenza media (at 14yrs), he started school in the Uk and did his AS and A2 exams at 17 and 18 and got into university with NO GCSEs! The 6th form he went into were very understanding and thought that his years in the Italian system were a bonus as he was able to add Italian A level to his other subjects.Deborah
Hi, I'm almost in the same situation now!! I came here 8 months ago and in June I did English and Maths GCSE. I got a 5 in English but a 3 in maths so i was thinking to translate my Italian grades as I had an 8 in maths in Italy and use that as my final qualification. Right now I'm waiting for the English equivalent. Do you think I will be accepted in Uni in UK if I do this? I'm 18 now.
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