GCSE results? No one will care in 5 years.

Poll

GCSE results? No one will care in 5 years. Agree?

Many students are waiting for their results to come out, which may have a significant affect on their 6th Form choices and future University applications.

Just thought it'd be interesting to voice your opinions. It may also provide those expecting 'bad' grades with a different perspective etc.

Do you agree with the Headmistress?
What's your personal experience (esp for those in uni, graduates etc)?

Links
Telegraph
Top headmistress: GCSE results? No one will care in 5 years. Girls must learn not to fret over exams.http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/womens-life/11002357/Top-headmistress-GCSE-results-No-one-will-care-in-5-years.-Girls-must-learn-not-to-fret-over-exams.html#disqus_thread

Dailymail
'No one will care about your GCSE grades in five years' time': Headmistress of £13,000-a-year girls' school tells pupils not to fret about exams. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2713307/No-one-care-GCSE-grades-five-years-time-Headmistress-13-000-year-girls-school-tells-pupils-not-fret-exams.html#comments

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Reply 1

_Constantine_

Original post by AlphaNick

Well I need an A* in Maths so I can do Further Maths A-level at my school, which will be highly useful in applying for Physics at Oxbridge...

So yeah, if I don't get an A* in Maths, I could regret it in 5 years time. We don't all have low standards.

True.

Reply 2

German123

To be honest i dont think GCSES are important as some people(teahers) make them out to be because at the end of the day its about having skills and using them effectively for what ever you are doing i.e bussiness.

Reply 3

tysonmaniac

While your precise results will not matter in a period of time, they matter in the short term (e.g. sixth forms, A levels), and those things end up mattering in the long term. So it is true that nobody will care, but it will still make a difference.

Reply 4

06shawm

There important in the short term but not in the long term.

Reply 5

newblood

Who cares where any of your grades get you in x years.

The results and end goals in life dont matter, they are a consolidation and testament of the hard work you put in throughout the year and how smart and effective you can be.

The final grades arent important in your sense of the word but to me they are as they mark a sense of accomplishment of my effort and varying levels of dedication

Reply 6

i-love-coffee

Original post by AlphaNick

It's not about low standards . . the truth is once your CV is full of your degree, extra-curricular and A-Levels, no-one asks you about your GCSEs. Perhaps if your aiming for Oxbridge, but otherwise they really aren't that important as long as you get at least 8 with Maths & English. And whilst you think your standards are so high, your only in your GCSE year! What makes you think you'll get the A Levels for Oxbridge?

Reply 7

suzywithaZY

If I want to do medicine, I pretty much need stellar GCSEs to get in. So yes, I will care about my GCSEs in five years' time.

Reply 8

Gorwell

Most of the universities I'm aspiring to require a good/outstanding set of GCSE results, so I will probably care. Even then- I would still care as they are qualifications I spent two years on.

Reply 9

Andaxay

You'd be surprised. I got an office job in 2012, seven years after doing my GCSEs and one of the first things the manager asked for were my GCSE results. True, likely no-one will care about your B in drama in five years' time, but basic ones such as maths and English can still count.

Plus I needed my results in the same year when I went back to college as a mature student. My advice would be to take them seriously as you never know when you might need them again in the future, especially if you're considering Oxbridge and/or medical careers.

Reply 10

Sulfur

GCSEs are useful for:

Moving up into A Levels
For some university degree entry requirements
To help get a good job (if you don't do higher education)

Yet, once they get you onto your A Levels they don't seem that important. Once again, if they help you succeed the entry requirements and get your degree, they aren't important anymore...

Degrees > A Levels > GCSEs, however GCSEs are still important DEPENDING on what YOU want to do in the future. Of course there's some people that do good without them, but aren't they more outliers (they're only a small sample from the main data)?

Reply 11

lilymoran

Lots of jobs specify C in English and Maths so you're doomed without. No amount of experience will compensate: your app will just get binned.

Reply 12

Angelo12231

Mcdonalds currently ask for your English and Maths - GCSEs are important mate, the smallest thing will have the biggest impact now and in the future.

Reply 13

bassbabe

I agree. They're only useful for apllying to colleges. After that they lose value.

Reply 14

username1118458

I chose Yes, not because I don't think GCSEs aren't important because they are, but because once you do your A-Levels and have a university degree (which will be in 5 years time for us) people won't care anymore about them, and they'll only really care about your degree and A-Levels.

That being said, if you get 10 U grades at GCSE then yes people will care in 5 years time. Though I'm assuming we're talking about the average student here.

Reply 15

lilymoran

Maybe if your parents can afford to pay thirteen thousand pounds fees a year - her school after all belongs to the private schools', Girls Day School Trust ( GDST) you will have the advantage of further financial help and connections after school and Uni, which belonging to a moneyed family may give you.

So she may be right for her audience.

For the rest of us who have no connections, no money to buy designer clothes for interview, no strings to pull, no parents who can pull in favours from friends, our certificates, our GCSEs etc. are all we've got to prove we are capable.

But she's not speaking to us and it would be highly irresponsible for a Head Teacher to speak so rashly to us.