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How many A*s did you get at GCSE?

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Original post by JCM
GCSEs are, in no uncertain terms, definitely not a true reflection of ability. I made a complete cats arse of my GCSEs, yet I worked hard and passed my AS and A levels with comparative flying colours. I am now at university, and on course for at least a 2:1.

You're only as good as your last examination. If anyone fails GCSEs, it is not the end of the world. It makes things a little more complicated, but there are still routes to take.


Original post by yl95
No. It's a result of natural ability AND effort in most cases. Neither A Levels/GCSEs are the best indicators of ability. Admissions tests are a far better indicator - of course, people have bad days...like I did with the MAT...


Okay, I can see that comments I've made might have come across wrong. In my experience, since that's all I can go off, GCSEs were more important than A Levels (in getting into Oxford) because the number of A*s was added to my test score. This amalgamated result hence helped me to get an interview and then an offer. Of course, AS Level grades will have been taken into account at some point, but not in the initial "score-based" stage.

I apologise if my comments have been misleading.
Original post by x__justmyluck


I got A*A*A a*aaa. Good luck with your A levels :smile:.


Some great results! Thank you, hope your first year goes well :smile:
Original post by x__justmyluck
I'm at Catz :smile: which college is your offer from?


St Hilda's :smile:
Reply 83
Avatar for Marcum
Marcum
11
2A*s, 3As, 3Bs and a C. They were actually the best in my school, and yes it was an awful school, despite having lovely staff. It was the 88th worse school in the country and the average grade per GCSE for high attainers was a C-. However, I attend a good sixth form and my predicted grades for AS Physics, Maths, Chemistry and Biology are As, so hopefully there is a happy ending.
Reply 84
Avatar for Plainview
Plainview
2
10 A*s. 2 English, 3 Science, Maths, French, History, Art, Latin.
(edited 10 years ago)
4 including a Distinction* in IT. GCSES will only matter for you if you are aiming for the top unis, russel group and above.
4A*s, 5As, 3Bs.
To any pre-GCSE people lurking on this thread: REVISE. Don't be like me. Don't be lazy. I was predicted all A*s... Quite different to reality... :s-smilie:

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Reply 87
Avatar for a123a
a123a
14
10A*s (eng lit, maths, three sciences, history, business, ICT, pe, dt)
Original post by StarvingAutist
4A*s, 5As, 3Bs.
To any pre-GCSE people lurking on this thread: REVISE. Don't be like me. Don't be lazy. I was predicted all A*s... Quite different to reality... :s-smilie:

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Similar story to you...was predicted 8A* 2A minimum. Didn't get that...and I know that I would have achieved similar grades had I tried.
Reply 89
Avatar for nmanvi
nmanvi
14
1 A*.... not alot of As....
but my AS/A levels are good which is more important for uni
Original post by alexmufc1995
Okay, I can see that comments I've made might have come across wrong. In my experience, since that's all I can go off, GCSEs were more important than A Levels (in getting into Oxford) because the number of A*s was added to my test score. This amalgamated result hence helped me to get an interview and then an offer. Of course, AS Level grades will have been taken into account at some point, but not in the initial "score-based" stage.

I apologise if my comments have been misleading.


As far as I can recall, the Oxford Maths department don't give GCSEs a great weighting; they're used more for picking who to take in the borderline candidates. They place far more emphasis on the MAT score and the interviews. I know that it does say that in the Admissions Feedback sheet every year. I think the CS Department said something similar on TSR. Anyway, that still doesn't say that it is an accurate indicator of your natural ability. (I know that this depends on the subject at Oxford, and it certainly matters for Medicine.)
(edited 10 years ago)
0! Well I got 4 nearly 5 As in the sciences and music! I just never really worked out essays!
I don't know why people try to justify C grades...they'll say things like; "I got a C in that...but I'm really bad at that subject." or "The teaching was really bad" or "I didn't try very hard."
A C grade is fine if you ask me. It's a pass, isn't it? I think in this society people are getting very snobby about grades. You do not need to have all A*s in your gcses to succeed in life. Most employers ask for five gcses A*-C, so do further education colleges. When it comes to uni A levels are more important and you can get into uni even without straight As. Straight As are maybe important for people who want to go to Oxford or Cambridge, become a doctor or a lawyer or something (and even then I'd say you probably don't need straight As) ...
But for the average person top grades are not that important. They will not guarantee you a 'top' job, these days it's more about personality, confidence and relevant experience. Those grades will not guarantee you happiness or love. Or even money.
So unless you want to become a surgon, or a barrister, or the next Prime Minister, for goodness sake step down off your high horse and be proud to get a C!

So my answer to the stread starter would be that it does not matter. And I think you could possibly lower people's self esteem by making out that A* grades are important and inviting people to share how many they got. It's not a measure of how good you are as a person, or even, I would argue, a measure of intelligence. They're just GCSE grades. Emphasis on the JUST.
Original post by StarvingAutist
4A*s, 5As, 3Bs.
To any pre-GCSE people lurking on this thread: REVISE. Don't be like me. Don't be lazy. I was predicted all A*s... Quite different to reality... :s-smilie:

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The reality is that you did very well. 4A*s, 5As, 3Bs? And you're saying that's not good enough??

You are exactly the type of person I'm talking about in my post. Be proud of yourself! You did so much better than millions of others in the world... :smile:
Original post by Ellismall
I don't know why people try to justify C grades...they'll say things like; "I got a C in that...but I'm really bad at that subject." or "The teaching was really bad" or "I didn't try very hard."
A C grade is fine if you ask me. It's a pass, isn't it? I think in this society people are getting very snobby about grades. You do not need to have all A*s in your gcses to succeed in life. Most employers ask for five gcses A*-C, so do further education colleges. When it comes to uni A levels are more important and you can get into uni even without straight As. Straight As are maybe important for people who want to go to Oxford or Cambridge, become a doctor or a lawyer or something (and even then I'd say you probably don't need straight As) ...
But for the average person top grades are not that important. They will not guarantee you a 'top' job, these days it's more about personality, confidence and relevant experience. Those grades will not guarantee you happiness or love. Or even money.
So unless you want to become a surgon, or a barrister, or the next Prime Minister, for goodness sake step down off your high horse and be proud to get a C!

So my answer to the stread starter would be that it does not matter. And I think you could possibly lower people's self esteem by making out that A* grades are important and inviting people to share how many they got. It's not a measure of how good you are as a person, or even, I would argue, a measure of intelligence. They're just GCSE grades. Emphasis on the JUST.


To get a C grade, you need 40-50%. I really don't think that that's anything to be celebrating about, to be honest.
Sure, those grades won't guarantee you money but it kind of has a domino effect.
Good grades --> good university --> better career prospects in general.
(edited 10 years ago)
None. 6B, 5C. A dullard in TSR terms but meh, got me where I want to be.
10A*s, didn't get any As as I'm not a noob
Original post by Ellismall
The reality is that you did very well. 4A*s, 5As, 3Bs? And you're saying that's not good enough??

You are exactly the type of person I'm talking about in my post. Be proud of yourself! You did so much better than millions of others in the world... :smile:


I try to be proud, I do, but it's disappointing knowing I could have done better.
Ah well- c'est la vie :biggrin:

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Original post by LiamMcMorrow
No but you are penalising others and lowering people self-esteem!

Anyone who has their self-esteem lowered by this needs to grow a backbone.
Original post by yl95
To get a C grade, you need 40-50%. I really don't think that that's anything to be celebrating about, to be honest.
Sure, those grades won't guarantee you money but it kind of has a domino effect.
Good grades --> good university --> better career prospects in general.


As other people have said, gcse grades don't always play a big part in getting into uni. And if you keep up with current affairs you'd know that more and more graduates are struggling to get a decent job due 1.) there being a lack of jobs and 2.) the graduates having no experience because they've been in education their whole life. More people are choosing to take apprenticeships these days and I think you'll find that those people who only managed to get a 'rubbish' grade C in their gcses are becoming apprenctices for big companies and leap frogging the university students into high paid jobs, the same jobs the graduates will struggle to secure when they come out of uni with their first class degree.

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