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English Language GCSE
I can't decide if this should be in the general forum or the GCSE forum because it is a question about the qualification relating to uni entry rather than the academic subject it'self. So I apologise if it needs moving.
I know that all unis tend to have a requirement of English Language grade C or above, but some unis will accept Key Skills Communication level 2 instead. The problem I have is I got a D grade at the GCSE. I got a C at Literature but that doesn't qualify for some reason. So what should I do? Should I put Key Skill Communication on my UCAS form and hope that is enough? One uni I e-mailed said it would be but I don't know how many others will accept it. Or should I go take the GCSE again and put that on my form as a qualification still to be taken? If so would that form part of a conditional offer? Do employers look badly if this GCSE does not exist at C or above?
I don't want replies like "oh u got a D u shud reconsider uni" because it was one of my weaker subjects at school and the teacher I had for the first year and a bit didn't teach us properly due to many chavs disrupting every five minutes. Plus it is 6 years since I did it and I have a better attitude to work now and my English has probably improved. Also the subject I want to do at uni is computing related. I need genuine advice.
I know that all unis tend to have a requirement of English Language grade C or above, but some unis will accept Key Skills Communication level 2 instead. The problem I have is I got a D grade at the GCSE. I got a C at Literature but that doesn't qualify for some reason. So what should I do? Should I put Key Skill Communication on my UCAS form and hope that is enough? One uni I e-mailed said it would be but I don't know how many others will accept it. Or should I go take the GCSE again and put that on my form as a qualification still to be taken? If so would that form part of a conditional offer? Do employers look badly if this GCSE does not exist at C or above?
I don't want replies like "oh u got a D u shud reconsider uni" because it was one of my weaker subjects at school and the teacher I had for the first year and a bit didn't teach us properly due to many chavs disrupting every five minutes. Plus it is 6 years since I did it and I have a better attitude to work now and my English has probably improved. Also the subject I want to do at uni is computing related. I need genuine advice.
Because you got a D grade at GCSE it should certainly not stop you from applying to your chosen course. My advice would be to resit the English Language because unfortunately employers and universities do ask for a C grade or above at GCSE since it is one of the most common entry requirements.
You could just email all the other unis and if they say Key Skills Communication level 2 is enough, there's no need for you to take the GCSE. But now that you have a better attitude to work and your English has improved, I'd take the GCSE anyway as long as the extra workload won't have a negative impact on your A-levels. If the unis you want to apply to have said you don't need it, they're unlikely to make you an offer conditional on it, and if they do, they're likely to overlook it should you get a D again. But most employers want at least Cs in GCSE English and maths, and if your course is computing, a degree in it won't prove your English ability, so having the GCSE would help you.
SephirothXI
I can't decide if this should be in the general forum or the GCSE forum because it is a question about the qualification relating to uni entry rather than the academic subject it'self. So I apologise if it needs moving.
I know that all unis tend to have a requirement of English Language grade C or above, but some unis will accept Key Skills Communication level 2 instead. The problem I have is I got a D grade at the GCSE. I got a C at Literature but that doesn't qualify for some reason. So what should I do? Should I put Key Skill Communication on my UCAS form and hope that is enough? One uni I e-mailed said it would be but I don't know how many others will accept it. Or should I go take the GCSE again and put that on my form as a qualification still to be taken? If so would that form part of a conditional offer? Do employers look badly if this GCSE does not exist at C or above?
I don't want replies like "oh u got a D u shud reconsider uni" because it was one of my weaker subjects at school and the teacher I had for the first year and a bit didn't teach us properly due to many chavs disrupting every five minutes. Plus it is 6 years since I did it and I have a better attitude to work now and my English has probably improved. Also the subject I want to do at uni is computing related. I need genuine advice.
I know that all unis tend to have a requirement of English Language grade C or above, but some unis will accept Key Skills Communication level 2 instead. The problem I have is I got a D grade at the GCSE. I got a C at Literature but that doesn't qualify for some reason. So what should I do? Should I put Key Skill Communication on my UCAS form and hope that is enough? One uni I e-mailed said it would be but I don't know how many others will accept it. Or should I go take the GCSE again and put that on my form as a qualification still to be taken? If so would that form part of a conditional offer? Do employers look badly if this GCSE does not exist at C or above?
I don't want replies like "oh u got a D u shud reconsider uni" because it was one of my weaker subjects at school and the teacher I had for the first year and a bit didn't teach us properly due to many chavs disrupting every five minutes. Plus it is 6 years since I did it and I have a better attitude to work now and my English has probably improved. Also the subject I want to do at uni is computing related. I need genuine advice.
Apply; there isnt a good reason not to.
The uni I e-mailed about it was Liverpool and they suggested talking to a careers advisor about whether or not I should re-take it. The Key Skill would be accepted by their uni but they couldn't give much advise abut elsewhere. Having said that Liverpool is in my top two choices. I'm more worried now about what employers would think of the Key Skill. I'm thinking they would be more interested in English ability than a computer science admissions tutor. I read a report recently where bad English (or was it spelling?) is one of the things employers hate most.
I could probably handle the workload of the GCSE because I'm doing a BTEC and while it's got a lot of coursework it's only 6 units over the year. I can't remember exactly what the GCSE contains but the thought of memorising that book of poetry again scares me. I also might have to teach the subject to myself and the thought of that is quite scary too. I should probably wait until I get back in college and see a careers advisor like the uni I e-mailed suggested.
Would it look good on a personal statement if I put that I was retaking it considering I'm applying as a mature student? Surely it would show more commitment to studies.
I could probably handle the workload of the GCSE because I'm doing a BTEC and while it's got a lot of coursework it's only 6 units over the year. I can't remember exactly what the GCSE contains but the thought of memorising that book of poetry again scares me. I also might have to teach the subject to myself and the thought of that is quite scary too. I should probably wait until I get back in college and see a careers advisor like the uni I e-mailed suggested.
Would it look good on a personal statement if I put that I was retaking it considering I'm applying as a mature student? Surely it would show more commitment to studies.
SephirothXI
The uni I e-mailed about it was Liverpool and they suggested talking to a careers advisor about whether or not I should re-take it. The Key Skill would be accepted by their uni but they couldn't give much advise abut elsewhere. Having said that Liverpool is in my top two choices. I'm more worried now about what employers would think of the Key Skill. I'm thinking they would be more interested in English ability than a computer science admissions tutor. I read a report recently where bad English (or was it spelling?) is one of the things employers hate most.
I could probably handle the workload of the GCSE because I'm doing a BTEC and while it's got a lot of coursework it's only 6 units over the year. I can't remember exactly what the GCSE contains but the thought of memorising that book of poetry again scares me. I also might have to teach the subject to myself and the thought of that is quite scary too. I should probably wait until I get back in college and see a careers advisor like the uni I e-mailed suggested.
Would it look good on a personal statement if I put that I was retaking it considering I'm applying as a mature student? Surely it would show more commitment to studies.
I could probably handle the workload of the GCSE because I'm doing a BTEC and while it's got a lot of coursework it's only 6 units over the year. I can't remember exactly what the GCSE contains but the thought of memorising that book of poetry again scares me. I also might have to teach the subject to myself and the thought of that is quite scary too. I should probably wait until I get back in college and see a careers advisor like the uni I e-mailed suggested.
Would it look good on a personal statement if I put that I was retaking it considering I'm applying as a mature student? Surely it would show more commitment to studies.
Obviously I'm not an employer, so take this with a pinch of salt, but not all of them will have heard of Key Skills and not all of those who have will respect them, whereas all employers have heard of and respect GCSEs. All employers will want to know that any potential employee has a solid grasp of the English language. Bearing that in mind, I do think it would be a good idea to resit if you can.
I can't remember the GCSE course vividly either and it probably depends on exam boards, but I think the only poetry I did for language was 2 poems that I had to compare for a piece of coursework. The poetry anthology was only for literature. Does your college not offer GCSE English resits? If not, is there somewhere else you could go, maybe as an evening class? It would be quite hard to teach yourself, firstly because of the 40% coursework component, and secondly because the subject relies quite heavily on discussion.
I'd imagine it would look pretty good on a personal statement because it's an extra qualification you don't exactly need. You could write about how you've realised the importance of education more and more since leaving school and are now determined to improve your communication skills or something like that.
I agree with the others, that it would probably be a good idea to resit and get at least a C but more likely higher. I won't go into it further, as Kellywood gave reasons and such for that.
Secondly, I think you should probably find an evening class or something because 40% was cw, 20% of mine was speaking and listening i think and how you would do that at home, i dont know..?
Secondly, I think you should probably find an evening class or something because 40% was cw, 20% of mine was speaking and listening i think and how you would do that at home, i dont know..?
Unfortunately the information on the subject on the college website is two years old so it's hard to say if I could study it there. Back then they had a Monday afternoon class for it but afternoon would be no good to me if it's Mon-Wed. They also had an evening class for it but the description says:
You will produce four written coursework assignments: original writing, a media-based piece, a comparison between pre-1900 and post-1900 texts and one based on a Shakespeare play. You will undertake three oral assessments. There will be two written examinations, one of which will be largely based on a variety of poems from the AQA Anthology, which look at different cultures.
but according to Kellywood the one using the Anthology is English Literature. The course title just says English. Is it possible that's both Language and Literature? I don't remember taking more than two exams at school for Language or Literature but it's been a while.
I assume they still run the evening course because I attended the college when I left school(and dropped out soon after >.<) and they didn't give me a choice about re-taking it, they made me. Ironically that was partially why I dropped out. I assume they still hold that policy, it's the same with Maths but I'm good there. They do offer a home study for the subject, I assume you can still get help somewhat.
I would ask the college for information but last time I e-mailed them about a course I still await a response 3 weeks later. I suppose I could call the tutor for the class assuming it hasn't changed since the old information, or wait until September.
As much as I dislike the idea of re-taking the subject Kellywood made some valid points and it would only have benefits. The only thing to lose is a few hours free time a week that would otherwise be spent doing nothing. I know it's unlikely, but if I got an E would that D then be no good? Although one would say a D is no good anyway. I feel like I ranted on forever here. I can type a lot but when it comes to oral assessments I'm terrible!
You will produce four written coursework assignments: original writing, a media-based piece, a comparison between pre-1900 and post-1900 texts and one based on a Shakespeare play. You will undertake three oral assessments. There will be two written examinations, one of which will be largely based on a variety of poems from the AQA Anthology, which look at different cultures.
but according to Kellywood the one using the Anthology is English Literature. The course title just says English. Is it possible that's both Language and Literature? I don't remember taking more than two exams at school for Language or Literature but it's been a while.
I assume they still run the evening course because I attended the college when I left school(and dropped out soon after >.<) and they didn't give me a choice about re-taking it, they made me. Ironically that was partially why I dropped out. I assume they still hold that policy, it's the same with Maths but I'm good there. They do offer a home study for the subject, I assume you can still get help somewhat.
I would ask the college for information but last time I e-mailed them about a course I still await a response 3 weeks later. I suppose I could call the tutor for the class assuming it hasn't changed since the old information, or wait until September.
As much as I dislike the idea of re-taking the subject Kellywood made some valid points and it would only have benefits. The only thing to lose is a few hours free time a week that would otherwise be spent doing nothing. I know it's unlikely, but if I got an E would that D then be no good? Although one would say a D is no good anyway. I feel like I ranted on forever here. I can type a lot but when it comes to oral assessments I'm terrible!
SephirothXI
but according to Kellywood the one using the Anthology is English Literature. The course title just says English. Is it possible that's both Language and Literature? I don't remember taking more than two exams at school for Language or Literature but it's been a while.
I took OCR, so maybe the AQA course does involve poetry for language. I think that probably is just language because I've never known any schools or colleges to offer literature resits and I definitely did 2 exams for language. I know with A-levels, you can resit an exam as many times as you want and the highest mark always counts, so if the same rule applies to GCSEs, you'd keep your D. I'm not sure whether that's the case though.
I thought AQA English had the poetry for the Literature? Weird... Silly me.
It does - and for Lang. For English paper 2, candidates are required to study one or both clusters from a set of poems from different cultures. This forms part of the section A of the paper two exam. I think students write about one named poem and then another poem of their choice based on those in the given cluster. I only did it last year, so still remember.
For the Literature element, it is either Heaney/ Clarke or Duffy/Artmridge (sp), I think and I think there is a requirement to write about 4 poems on this exam, but it is a separate exam / qualification.
For the Literature element, it is either Heaney/ Clarke or Duffy/Artmridge (sp), I think and I think there is a requirement to write about 4 poems on this exam, but it is a separate exam / qualification.
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