Physics GCSE a year early??
Hello,
I'm considering doing Physics GCSE a year early because I am good at physics and if I do it early, I can focus on subjects I find more difficult in year 11. Has anyone actually done physics gcse a year early? Is it worth it? I've been working through CGP GCSE Physics and have almost finished the waves section and I plan to really study physics a lot this year. I'm going to be year 9 tomorrow so will 2 years of hard prep be enough to be able to do physics gcse in summer of year 10?
I'm considering doing Physics GCSE a year early because I am good at physics and if I do it early, I can focus on subjects I find more difficult in year 11. Has anyone actually done physics gcse a year early? Is it worth it? I've been working through CGP GCSE Physics and have almost finished the waves section and I plan to really study physics a lot this year. I'm going to be year 9 tomorrow so will 2 years of hard prep be enough to be able to do physics gcse in summer of year 10?
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Original post by .Vvoid.
Hello,
I'm considering doing Physics GCSE a year early because I am good at physics and if I do it early, I can focus on subjects I find more difficult in year 11. Has anyone actually done physics gcse a year early? Is it worth it? I've been working through CGP GCSE Physics and have almost finished the waves section and I plan to really study physics a lot this year. I'm going to be year 9 tomorrow so will 2 years of hard prep be enough to be able to do physics gcse in summer of year 10?
I'm considering doing Physics GCSE a year early because I am good at physics and if I do it early, I can focus on subjects I find more difficult in year 11. Has anyone actually done physics gcse a year early? Is it worth it? I've been working through CGP GCSE Physics and have almost finished the waves section and I plan to really study physics a lot this year. I'm going to be year 9 tomorrow so will 2 years of hard prep be enough to be able to do physics gcse in summer of year 10?
It's not a good idea - unis ike to see you can handle the workload. I doubt your school will be keen on this.
Original post by Muttley79
It's not a good idea - unis ike to see you can handle the workload. I doubt your school will be keen on this.
Its only one gcse out of like 9 i dont think its that deep.
Original post by BigJ123
Its only one gcse out of like 9 i dont think its that deep.
I assure you it is.
Original post by Muttley79
It's not a good idea - unis ike to see you can handle the workload. I doubt your school will be keen on this.
what on earth does "unis ike" mean I can't figure it out lol
Original post by .Vvoid.
what on earth does "unis ike" mean I can't figure it out lol
ike should be 'like' ... typo.
You really should not take any early.
If you're doing it a year early to add another subject to your list, that would look good to unis. If you're doing it early to reduce your workload next year, that would not look good because other applicants are capable of handling all subjects at once. I believe that's what Muttley is saying.
I did my GCSEs two years earlier but I did all of them at once. If I had spread them out, it wouldn't have looked good on my application.
I did my GCSEs two years earlier but I did all of them at once. If I had spread them out, it wouldn't have looked good on my application.
Is there something like a "further physics" you could do the next year?? Or a further maths gcse perhaps? Just thinking that you could justify (to unis) taking the gcse physics a year early if it was to add in something extra the next year.
With all respect to those that I'm contrasting, I would personally say (from experience) that it's perfectly fine to take it early. I say this for several reasons, as follow in any order:
- While universities consider GCSEs, they consider A-levels (or alternatives) with more weighting: which is important, because if you do brilliant at GCSEs but terribly at A-levels, the recent exams are the ones most likely to reflect your current (or future in this case) mindset. While good GCSEs are important, what they are really good for are for sixth forms, proving continued motivation (along with A-levels) and for future jobs and such if you go into another career path, etc.
- Alongside with the lesser weighting, doing 1 GCSE a year early (as the first reply said) is not likely to show a university that you're not good with large workloads: plenty of people do it. I don't know how many GCSEs you're doing, but that will still be 7/8 or more possibly in Year 11, which is more than enough to show that you can handle it: again, A-levels are much harder than GCSEs, so prove that you can manage a hard work load with them. Incidentally, universities even such as Oxbridge accept people doing an A-level a year before: e.g. for a Maths degree, Further Maths and Maths A-level (and 1 other) are common. The unis mentioned explicitly state that you can do Maths in year 12 (as is common when paired with Further Maths), and still be accepted - the same, of course, would apply to a GCSE - especially as a GCSE is a much lower workload than an A-level.
- When looking at your GCSEs, a major influence on the universities will be your actual grades. They're not going to cast you out for doing 1 GCSE a year early (sixth forms and unis often state that they want at least 5 GCSEs done in year 11, to show your aptitude, so you'd be well above the threshold.)
- Finally moving onto firm positives: so long as you are aligned with my previous point (bear in mind it changes regarding the place though), grades trump the date you do them. If you get physics out of the way in Year 10, as you said in your post, it would leave you a lot more time for your other subjects in Year 11, causing less stress, giving you more time, and hopefully then higher grades for your subjects in year 11. You wouldn't need to bother about replacing it, because having another GCSE at grade 6 (as an example) would not be worth having the original amount of GCSEs, but at grades 7/8. As the old saying goes, quality over quantity - and it certainly holds true, especially for university programmes.
As an example for that, the Oxford uni access programme requires, I think 8, GCSEs at grade 7 or above. If doing Physics the year before allows you to focus more on your others and get a 7/8/9, that is worth much more than doing them at the same time and not being able to get in.
- More concisely, it would be good for both your grades and mental health doing it in the way you suggest - the negative impacts would be generally minimal. There's a lot of dislike over doing 1/a few a year early, but that I think is unfounded.
- If you think you can do well with it, there's not really a point in leaving it. Note, too, that it can also show your prowess in a subject, though again (as the date is) that would not generally be considered.
I realise this was quite a long post, but I just really wanted to outline my thoughts and all the benefits. I'm not a professional in this sort of thing, but I do have experience with it, and I would basically say go for it. I would be interested to discuss why others think it's not a good idea, but I note as of yet there's no actual evidence (and also, I doubt that it would overwhelm the evidence I have put out here), though I would of course reverse my opinion if the opposite were the case.
I hope this helps you, whatever you do
Best of luck with everything!
P.S. feel free to PM me if you have any further questions regarding this
- While universities consider GCSEs, they consider A-levels (or alternatives) with more weighting: which is important, because if you do brilliant at GCSEs but terribly at A-levels, the recent exams are the ones most likely to reflect your current (or future in this case) mindset. While good GCSEs are important, what they are really good for are for sixth forms, proving continued motivation (along with A-levels) and for future jobs and such if you go into another career path, etc.
- Alongside with the lesser weighting, doing 1 GCSE a year early (as the first reply said) is not likely to show a university that you're not good with large workloads: plenty of people do it. I don't know how many GCSEs you're doing, but that will still be 7/8 or more possibly in Year 11, which is more than enough to show that you can handle it: again, A-levels are much harder than GCSEs, so prove that you can manage a hard work load with them. Incidentally, universities even such as Oxbridge accept people doing an A-level a year before: e.g. for a Maths degree, Further Maths and Maths A-level (and 1 other) are common. The unis mentioned explicitly state that you can do Maths in year 12 (as is common when paired with Further Maths), and still be accepted - the same, of course, would apply to a GCSE - especially as a GCSE is a much lower workload than an A-level.
- When looking at your GCSEs, a major influence on the universities will be your actual grades. They're not going to cast you out for doing 1 GCSE a year early (sixth forms and unis often state that they want at least 5 GCSEs done in year 11, to show your aptitude, so you'd be well above the threshold.)
- Finally moving onto firm positives: so long as you are aligned with my previous point (bear in mind it changes regarding the place though), grades trump the date you do them. If you get physics out of the way in Year 10, as you said in your post, it would leave you a lot more time for your other subjects in Year 11, causing less stress, giving you more time, and hopefully then higher grades for your subjects in year 11. You wouldn't need to bother about replacing it, because having another GCSE at grade 6 (as an example) would not be worth having the original amount of GCSEs, but at grades 7/8. As the old saying goes, quality over quantity - and it certainly holds true, especially for university programmes.
As an example for that, the Oxford uni access programme requires, I think 8, GCSEs at grade 7 or above. If doing Physics the year before allows you to focus more on your others and get a 7/8/9, that is worth much more than doing them at the same time and not being able to get in.
- More concisely, it would be good for both your grades and mental health doing it in the way you suggest - the negative impacts would be generally minimal. There's a lot of dislike over doing 1/a few a year early, but that I think is unfounded.
- If you think you can do well with it, there's not really a point in leaving it. Note, too, that it can also show your prowess in a subject, though again (as the date is) that would not generally be considered.
I realise this was quite a long post, but I just really wanted to outline my thoughts and all the benefits. I'm not a professional in this sort of thing, but I do have experience with it, and I would basically say go for it. I would be interested to discuss why others think it's not a good idea, but I note as of yet there's no actual evidence (and also, I doubt that it would overwhelm the evidence I have put out here), though I would of course reverse my opinion if the opposite were the case.
I hope this helps you, whatever you do
Best of luck with everything! P.S. feel free to PM me if you have any further questions regarding this
(edited 7 months ago)
I think it should be fine as my friend did her two language gcses this year and got really good grades in them so now she can focus on other subjects this year. The school supported her and she had extra tutoring sessions but most of it she learned over the summer between year nine and ten. The uni you go to won’t know that you did it to lessen your workload so I don’t see the problem with it
Original post by Muttley79
I assure you it is.
Brother your not gonnq get rejected from somewhere because u took gcse physics a year early.
Original post by sailhorsegirl
Is there something like a "further physics" you could do the next year?? Or a further maths gcse perhaps? Just thinking that you could justify (to unis) taking the gcse physics a year early if it was to add in something extra the next year.
What if Physics is not a grade 9? It's pointless.
Original post by .Vvoid.
In my school, I have to do RE GSCE in Year 10 and also I plan on doing astronomy gcse in year 10 (independent study) so will this make the early physics gcse look better? (as in early not to cope for the workload)
I think that should be fine even without the extra subject via independent study. Your school already took a spot with a compulsory subject. As long as you aren't sitting in an interview saying you did it 'to reduce the workload' 😂. That's what I had on repeat in my head while reading your post. I was asked in two interviews why I took mine early and that wouldn't have been a good answer. If you're ever in that situation, you can just say it's because you love Physics.
Just ensure you can get a good grade in it.
Original post by Muttley79
What if Physics is not a grade 9? It's pointless.
Gotta take risks in life brother
Original post by BigJ123
Gotta take risks in life brother
I'm a female teacher ... just trying to alert re UCAS and possible issues.
Original post by Muttley79
What if Physics is not a grade 9? It's pointless.
Of course I'm aiming for Grade 9, the only satisfactory grade there is.
Original post by .Vvoid.
In my school, I have to do RE GSCE in Year 10 and also I plan on doing astronomy gcse in year 10 (independent study) so will this make the early physics gcse look better? (as in early not to cope for the workload)
NO - do not take more in Year 10 - it will look worse.
Your school's data will be affected so I doubt they will want you to take science early. Why are you taking additiona GCSEs - that doesn't help either.
Original post by {Moss}
With all respect to those that I'm contrasting, I would personally say (from experience) that it's perfectly fine to take it early. I say this for several reasons, as follow in any order:
- While universities consider GCSEs, they consider A-levels (or alternatives) with more weighting: which is important, because if you do brilliant at GCSEs but terribly at A-levels, the recent exams are the ones most likely to reflect your current (or future in this case) mindset. While good GCSEs are important, what they are really good for are for sixth forms, proving continued motivation (along with A-levels) and for future jobs and such if you go into another career path, etc.
- While universities consider GCSEs, they consider A-levels (or alternatives) with more weighting: which is important, because if you do brilliant at GCSEs but terribly at A-levels, the recent exams are the ones most likely to reflect your current (or future in this case) mindset. While good GCSEs are important, what they are really good for are for sixth forms, proving continued motivation (along with A-levels) and for future jobs and such if you go into another career path, etc.
Doing GCSEs early can and does cause issues - just because it didn't for you doesn't mean it is OK
(edited 7 months ago)
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