ChemistryNerd13| My GCSE Journey

Day 21 and 22

Sorry I couldn't update these days. I was out with family. I am still working on photosynthesis and plants. If you are wondering why I am taking so long on each biology topic, it is because I'm going to ensure that everything has been learnt. In the biology I did in May, I made the mistake of just making notes and thinking that I had learnt everything. This time, I'm making flash cards and mind maps as well to ensure my knowledge of the topic.

How is everybody's summer going? I know this thread isn't busy at the moment so hoping somebody is in the same position.

I will hopefully have finished photosynthesis later today!!😊😊

I have done almost no work for the past two days, so I guess I'm in the same position as you lol. I am *trying* to force myself to do work, today, at least!

Yeah. I just keep reminding myself that the work now is optional which means I don't feel guilty if I don't get something done. Next year will seriously be fun aha!!😂😂☺️

Well, I still feel somewhat guilty when I slack all day, I don't want to start next (academic) year still behind on C1/P1 XD

What do you mean behind? Like your teacher hasn't covered the course or you've not got round to revising it? How much do you enjoy science.. I seriously love it and was wondering if you just liked maths but not science or both?

I mean behind as in gaps in my knowledge and my notes; pretty much my fault for not paying attention in Year 9, and not making enough notes when the information was fresh. I have mixed feelings towards science, there are some topics that interest me, like those in P2 and C2, but there are some that I find mind-numbingly boring, like some topics in B2 and C1 o.o

I have been pondering take Biology/Chemistry/Physics for my fourth A-Level option, if I have one (as AS has been scrapped). Otherwise, yeah, my main interests lie within CompSci, Maths and the humanities. (History, Philosophy, etc., purely because I like arguing things, and I find the content of History interesting) I am, however, slightly put off by the amount of dedication required, because I don't want a subject that distracts from Maths/Further Maths, since I will definitely need those for doing CompSci and/or Maths at uni.

Yeah. I enjoy science more than all other subjects. I firstly enjoy revising it and also find it genuinely interesting. Maths is a subject I like doing and I normally get grades I'm happy with. Although I don't know about taking it to a level as I want to move school and don't know what their maths teachers are like.i don't know how you do history or those subjects, I just HATE essays. Lol and my R.E teacher marks me wrong on exams for giving my own opinion. If your good at ICT, you could probably help me with It because I'm aiming for an A* and it will take lots of effort.😂I've heard of computer science people at uni doing...

Maths
Further Maths
Physics
Computer Science

For a level.

I mean behind as in gaps in my knowledge and my notes; pretty much my fault for not paying attention in Year 9, and not making enough notes when the information was fresh. I have mixed feelings towards science, there are some topics that interest me, like those in P2 and C2, but there are some that I find mind-numbingly boring, like some topics in B2 and C1 o.o

I have been pondering take Biology/Chemistry/Physics for my fourth A-Level option, if I have one (as AS has been scrapped). Otherwise, yeah, my main interests lie within CompSci, Maths and the humanities. (History, Philosophy, etc., purely because I like arguing things, and I find the content of History interesting) I am, however, slightly put off by the amount of dedication required, because I don't want a subject that distracts from Maths/Further Maths, since I will definitely need those for doing CompSci and/or Maths at uni.

Oxbridge and other uni's dont require you to do Computer Science at A level. What you NEED is maths; some Cambridge colleges require you to have further maths, while Oxford strongly recommend you to have further maths; They also recommend taking another science subject, so it may be a good idea for you to take physics.
Since I also want to do CompSci at Uni the alevels I'm taking are

maths
further maths
physics
(Economics) I might not take this, it depends on how I feel

I know that Maths, and maybe Further Maths, are the only real requirements, it's just that I'm pretty confident that I can get a good grade (A/A*) in computer science. I was considering taking Physics for AS, but I'm aware that has changed now and I'm not sure if my school offers AS courses as they stand now, but I'm really unsure whether I can do well in Physics AS (I'd want an A).

I know that Maths, and maybe Further Maths, are the only real requirements, it's just that I'm pretty confident that I can get a good grade (A/A*) in computer science. I was considering taking Physics for AS, but I'm aware that has changed now and I'm not sure if my school offers AS courses as they stand now, but I'm really unsure whether I can do well in Physics AS (I'd want an A).

By what I heard, AS physics does not focus as much on the equations at GCSE but more the mechanics element in maths (M1) so if you can do mechanics well then apparently it's okay to take.

Theres many other elements to physics than mechanis, eg quantum physics and electromagnetism

By what I heard, AS physics does not focus as much on the equations at GCSE but more the mechanics element in maths (M1) so if you can do mechanics well then apparently it's okay to take.

I looked at a few past papers from the exam board I'd be with if I were to do Physics (Edexcel), and it seems far more mathematical than GCSE Physics, so I may actually consider it, although that is the old AS/A2 course so it may have changed for the linear spec.

Forgot to reply to your other post: RS is literally all writing about your personal opinion, especially the essay-based questions. On OCR, I believe you get marked down, for not including your own opinion in the argument questions, (12 markers: how far do you agree?). Did you ask why your personal opinion would cause you to lose marks? (where it is not appropriate, I'd understand the teacher not giving marks, but not taking them away) IT isn't too hard, it's mainly remembering things. I'd recommend looking at the spec for IT and just googling the concepts, most of the topics in GCSE are straightforward, so they should be easy to pick up.

I don't see why a change of school would prevent you from taking Maths, wouldn't that prevent you from taking any subject? XD If the teacher isn't very good, try to teach yourself out of class, and get ahead of what your class is doing.

For R.E, the exam said 'Do you agree or disagree giving reasons for your answer?' I Said I disagree and she marked me wrong for not agreeing. Despite giving valid appropriate reasons!😂

ICT is bad for me because my teacher literally taught us NO theory. I mean Nothing to do with Theory. The exam is 2 hours and I just don't think I can get the A*. Like the 2016 paper asked for the definition of an actuator?? Here's a paper from 2015:
http://www.rewardinglearning.org.uk/common/includes/microsite_doc_link.aspx?docid=16685-2
The teacher now left for maternity leave.

Sorry, let me explain the maths thing. I currently attend a high school. I am going to move to the Grammar school for AS and apparently the maths teachers rush through work and don't help a lot. Although the other teachers are apparently good.

Don't worry, she's likely wrong (ironic, lol), and you are [normally] not obliged to take either side, although occassionally it's easier to argue either side, even if you don't entirely agree or disagree with the statement.

Tbh that IT paper looks far more like CompSci than the paper I did. I found the specification, and you might want to look at it.

Well, it's up to you at the end of the day, it really depends what you want to persue, tbh.

Thanks for finding the specification. Looks like a pile of information to learn!!😂

Specifications sometimes make it look like that, but some of the bullet points could probably be addresed with a single sentence! XD (definitions, for example)