Suggestion for people choosing GCSE's
I don't know if it was just my school or my teacher or the course itself but....
If your thinking of choosing Graphic Products for GCSE and it's AQA I really don't recommend you study it.
From my own experience, the coursework is horrible (again i don't know if it's the school, the course, or just me) but it took so long, there is so much evaluation, designing boring stuff, it just wasn't fun at all. The coursework is a huge proportion of the grade so it takes up the majority of the two years (or at least it did for us) and by the time we'd finished we had very little time to revise for the actual exam, we all got stressed, and foremost we all got the blame for what little time we had.
It's probably down to a poor teaching schedule from our DT department, but if i were you I wouldn't recommend choosing it, it wasn't interesting at all and I dreaded every lesson. Fortunately, I thought the paper was quiet easy, so hopefully I'll still get a good grade with that and the coursework combined.
If your thinking of choosing Graphic Products for GCSE and it's AQA I really don't recommend you study it.
From my own experience, the coursework is horrible (again i don't know if it's the school, the course, or just me) but it took so long, there is so much evaluation, designing boring stuff, it just wasn't fun at all. The coursework is a huge proportion of the grade so it takes up the majority of the two years (or at least it did for us) and by the time we'd finished we had very little time to revise for the actual exam, we all got stressed, and foremost we all got the blame for what little time we had.
It's probably down to a poor teaching schedule from our DT department, but if i were you I wouldn't recommend choosing it, it wasn't interesting at all and I dreaded every lesson. Fortunately, I thought the paper was quiet easy, so hopefully I'll still get a good grade with that and the coursework combined.
Original post by gaslight182
I don't know if it was just my school or my teacher or the course itself but....
If your thinking of choosing Graphic Products for GCSE and it's AQA I really don't recommend you study it.
From my own experience, the coursework is horrible (again i don't know if it's the school, the course, or just me) but it took so long, there is so much evaluation, designing boring stuff, it just wasn't fun at all. The coursework is a huge proportion of the grade so it takes up the majority of the two years (or at least it did for us) and by the time we'd finished we had very little time to revise for the actual exam, we all got stressed, and foremost we all got the blame for what little time we had.
It's probably down to a poor teaching schedule from our DT department, but if i were you I wouldn't recommend choosing it, it wasn't interesting at all and I dreaded every lesson. Fortunately, I thought the paper was quiet easy, so hopefully I'll still get a good grade with that and the coursework combined.
If your thinking of choosing Graphic Products for GCSE and it's AQA I really don't recommend you study it.
From my own experience, the coursework is horrible (again i don't know if it's the school, the course, or just me) but it took so long, there is so much evaluation, designing boring stuff, it just wasn't fun at all. The coursework is a huge proportion of the grade so it takes up the majority of the two years (or at least it did for us) and by the time we'd finished we had very little time to revise for the actual exam, we all got stressed, and foremost we all got the blame for what little time we had.
It's probably down to a poor teaching schedule from our DT department, but if i were you I wouldn't recommend choosing it, it wasn't interesting at all and I dreaded every lesson. Fortunately, I thought the paper was quiet easy, so hopefully I'll still get a good grade with that and the coursework combined.
I did GCSE Graphic Products with AQA and I really enjoyed it. Of course the coursework is the majority of the two years - that's the same with all DT subjects. The fact of the matter is that there really isn't a lot you have to learn for the exam. We were also rushed at the end to cover the content but it's definitely not impossible to cover it. Plus, the grade boundaries are insanely low in the exams - you only need to get something like 65% to get an A* if I remember correctly.
Original post by Chlorophile
I did GCSE Graphic Products with AQA and I really enjoyed it. Of course the coursework is the majority of the two years - that's the same with all DT subjects. The fact of the matter is that there really isn't a lot you have to learn for the exam. We were also rushed at the end to cover the content but it's definitely not impossible to cover it. Plus, the grade boundaries are insanely low in the exams - you only need to get something like 65% to get an A* if I remember correctly.
Yeah it's something like that. I think the frustrating part for most people is learning all the different types of paper, plastics, board, machines etc.
On this note: don't take Business Studies unless you want an easy GCSE - it's the most mundane and simplistic course, ANYONE can get a GCSE in it. Not to mention I recall that Universities don't consider Business Studies to be at all worthy of its status, that is, to replicate my own belief.
Original post by gaslight182
Yeah it's something like that. I think the frustrating part for most people is learning all the different types of paper, plastics, board, machines etc.
In comparison to other subjects, there really isn't that much to learn though, is there? Annoying sure, but it's not exactly difficult to memorise various different board types.
Original post by Chlorophile
In comparison to other subjects, there really isn't that much to learn though, is there? Annoying sure, but it's not exactly difficult to memorise various different board types.
No it wasn't difficult, it was just boring. For us, they were very misleading on what we were told we would be learning, and they made out that throughout the year it would very practical, making lots of different stuff such as shirts, CD covers etc. The only thing we made were stationery boxes for the coursework.
Original post by gaslight182
No it wasn't difficult, it was just boring. For us, they were very misleading on what we were told we would be learning, and they made out that throughout the year it would very practical, making lots of different stuff such as shirts, CD covers etc. The only thing we made were stationery boxes for the coursework.
Our project was really practical, I'd say 90% of our lessons were essentially completely practical.
I'll sum up my opinions on my subjects in a few words -
Geography - Only take it if you REALLY like it
Music - If you can't play an instrument to a good standard I recommend against it
Computer Science - Only take it if you REALLY like computers
German - If you didn't work hard in yr7 -y9, it's hard to catch up but not impossible.
I didn't take art, but apparently it's one of the most stressful and coursework heavy subjects around. Only take it if you LOVEVVEE it and it is VITTAALLLL
this is all in my opinion
Geography - Only take it if you REALLY like it
Music - If you can't play an instrument to a good standard I recommend against it
Computer Science - Only take it if you REALLY like computers
German - If you didn't work hard in yr7 -y9, it's hard to catch up but not impossible.
I didn't take art, but apparently it's one of the most stressful and coursework heavy subjects around. Only take it if you LOVEVVEE it and it is VITTAALLLL
this is all in my opinion
Original post by Chlorophile
I did GCSE Graphic Products with AQA and I really enjoyed it. Of course the coursework is the majority of the two years - that's the same with all DT subjects. The fact of the matter is that there really isn't a lot you have to learn for the exam. We were also rushed at the end to cover the content but it's definitely not impossible to cover it. Plus, the grade boundaries are insanely low in the exams - you only need to get something like 65% to get an A* if I remember correctly.
I also did it and thought it was a brilliant subject, the coursework wasn't even that hard to get A* in and the exam doesn't require much knowledge at all. So I don't know what OP is getting at. If I had any desire to do a DT career after doing Graphic Products I'd probably do Product Design A-Level too after how much I enjoyed it.
Original post by Strom
I'll sum up my opinions on my subjects in a few words -
Geography - Only take it if you REALLY like it
Music - If you can't play an instrument to a good standard I recommend against it
Computer Science - Only take it if you REALLY like computers
German - If you didn't work hard in yr7 -y9, it's hard to catch up but not impossible.
I didn't take art, but apparently it's one of the most stressful and coursework heavy subjects around. Only take it if you LOVEVVEE it and it is VITTAALLLL
this is all in my opinion
Geography - Only take it if you REALLY like it
Music - If you can't play an instrument to a good standard I recommend against it
Computer Science - Only take it if you REALLY like computers
German - If you didn't work hard in yr7 -y9, it's hard to catch up but not impossible.
I didn't take art, but apparently it's one of the most stressful and coursework heavy subjects around. Only take it if you LOVEVVEE it and it is VITTAALLLL
this is all in my opinion
I originally chose Art and dropped if after 2 months, could stand it!
I will comment on my choices:
CIE geography:
Easy common sense 60%. 20% consists of case study which can be pain but I came up with a random one and made them sound serious and all researched in every mock exams and came out with 6/8 points lol. I did prepare for real ones though. Another 20% is some technical words for physical geography. Personally found it easy, paid attention in class and barely revised but I came out with As in mocks. Dunno about real one but the grade boundaries of CIE are low except for maths so not worrying much lol I recommend geography if you're doing CIE - geography GCSE looks good on paper but not as much of work as history/science imo.
CIE history:
Hated it the first year, loved it in the second year. We did cold war stuff in 1st year. It is more interesting than the 1919-1939 period imo but the teacher sucked so hard first year lol. Anyway, history took most of my revision time. I lack the ability of memorising people's names and dates (can't even remember best friends' bdays) so yup, you know. Sooooooo much to write in exams and time limit felt quite short for me. I finished writing a second before time was up in all 3 history exams. I didn't enjoy the past papers as they were all long. But I still recommend this subject to new GCSE students if they're serious about education. I didn't know anything about world history until I took history GCSE. Now I know quite a lot about important modern history. Also I learnt valuable skills in history more than in any other subject. I learnt how to argue two sides, I learnt how to write essays in general, I learnt to pay attention to every detail in a source and compare, evaluate them. All of which wasn't familiar to me in year 9 (wasn't even in British system lol).
CIE French:
It was compulsory for mw but I think most school have language as option.
Found it easy myself but that is because I live in France. I think it is quite hard for people just starting French as GCSE years start. Exams are very simple. I think people might struggle with continuous writing paper but you can practice it so yeh. Can't really comment on this.
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CIE geography:
Easy common sense 60%. 20% consists of case study which can be pain but I came up with a random one and made them sound serious and all researched in every mock exams and came out with 6/8 points lol. I did prepare for real ones though. Another 20% is some technical words for physical geography. Personally found it easy, paid attention in class and barely revised but I came out with As in mocks. Dunno about real one but the grade boundaries of CIE are low except for maths so not worrying much lol I recommend geography if you're doing CIE - geography GCSE looks good on paper but not as much of work as history/science imo.
CIE history:
Hated it the first year, loved it in the second year. We did cold war stuff in 1st year. It is more interesting than the 1919-1939 period imo but the teacher sucked so hard first year lol. Anyway, history took most of my revision time. I lack the ability of memorising people's names and dates (can't even remember best friends' bdays) so yup, you know. Sooooooo much to write in exams and time limit felt quite short for me. I finished writing a second before time was up in all 3 history exams. I didn't enjoy the past papers as they were all long. But I still recommend this subject to new GCSE students if they're serious about education. I didn't know anything about world history until I took history GCSE. Now I know quite a lot about important modern history. Also I learnt valuable skills in history more than in any other subject. I learnt how to argue two sides, I learnt how to write essays in general, I learnt to pay attention to every detail in a source and compare, evaluate them. All of which wasn't familiar to me in year 9 (wasn't even in British system lol).
CIE French:
It was compulsory for mw but I think most school have language as option.
Found it easy myself but that is because I live in France. I think it is quite hard for people just starting French as GCSE years start. Exams are very simple. I think people might struggle with continuous writing paper but you can practice it so yeh. Can't really comment on this.
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