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Do GCSEs actually matter ?

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Reply 60

RazzzBerries

Chat Forum Helper

Original post by Decahedron

It is the most backwards system they could have made, opposite numbering :bird:

Exactly. I'm sitting them in May-June and honestly am wishing we could go back to the good old days. Employers are going to have to understand the new system too, when the first batch of students start looking for jobs. It's just time consuming and unnecessary. :dontknow:

Reply 61

Notnek

Original post by Decahedron

It is the most backwards system they could have made, opposite numbering :bird:

If they did it the other way around then people would have complained that lower numbers were higher grades :smile:

Reply 62

ChrisChristian

Many employers and universities looked after Gcse especially maths and English

Reply 63

username4454836

Original post by Notnek

If they did it the other way around then people would have complained that lower numbers were higher grades :smile:

Like we already have in university or how we rank anything, no.1 being the most desirable position?

Reply 64

username4426374

I got a 5 in English Language. I don't want to take English Language further, so would it be good for universities? I've heard that King's accept a C in English Language.

Reply 65

harrysbar

Original post by RuneFreeze

thank you 😋

show me somewhere other than medicine where you need a b rather than c in maths... obviously most places require 2 5s in English and maths

Economics at Sheffield Uni as just one example, I am honestly so bored by this ridiculous debate now which is no longer at all relevant to the OP, just people arguing for the sake of it. Good night

Reply 66

Notnek

Original post by Decahedron

Like we already have in university or how we rank anything, no.1 being the most desirable position?

Not everything. For example, throughout primary school the higher number is the higher grade so I can see why they decided to continue that system into GCSEs. University grades are different because they are ordinal numbers. If the GCSE grades were 1st, 2nd, ... , 9th then I would agree with you.

(My last off-topic post :smile:

)

Reply 67

MrMmstr

Original post by Gabbyyyxxx

I’m in year 10 soon to be in year 11 but I feel like everyone is over stressing about GCSES like I do understand because I’m stressing but sometimes I come to think of it do they actually matter? Please tell me ur opinions below

It's worth putting some effort in, as if nothing else, it gives you an idea of how to revise for A levels (what works for you), etc. If you want to get in to a decent sixth form, then they do matter, especially for Grammar sixth forms. Although that is not the be all and end all, it helps for getting decent grades at A level.
For uni, on the whole they are not the most important thing. Decent unis will look at them, as they basically want to see if you're lazy or not, and it also helps separate candidates. however, you don't need amazing GCSEs to get in to a good uni. As long as you get a couple of As and mostly Bs, then most unis will accept you provided your A levels are good.
They are not the most important thing. As long as you do well enough, then they won't hold you back. It's only if you come out with mostly Cs and Ds that it will be a problem.

Reply 68

x.emilye

Original post by barror1

tbh just going through the process it worth it. You have nothing to lose from applying!

That's true - you never know unless you try

Reply 69

x.emilye

Original post by Doonesbury

That's because there's more to an Oxbridge application than just GCSES.

Which course are you considering? And what is your GCSE profile?

E&M Oxford/Econ Cambridge - 11 9s, B in FSMQ, A in Astronomy (Year 10)

Reply 70

Doones

Original post by Notnek

I feel that people are focussing too much on uni applications in this thread. The OP is in Year 10 and they need to do well in their GCSEs if they want to do certain A Levels and if they want to do well in those A Levels it's important for them to be confident with the GCSE content. Getting into university is not the only reason why students should try hard in school.

GPWM, and the OP hasn't really returned to their thread to clarify their concerns...

Reply 71

Doones

Original post by x.emilye

E&M Oxford/Econ Cambridge - 11 9s, B in FSMQ, A in Astronomy (Year 10)

Well as I said there's more to it than GCSEs.

For Oxford you have the TSA, and Cambridge the ECAA, plus the rest of your application and interview etc.

There's no doubt it's competitive, but the guaranteed way to "fail" is by not applying in the first place. Just don't bet the boat on Oxbridge, there's lots of great universities out there and you have 4 other choices.

Reply 72

pizzapancakes26

GCSEs are not the most important- however they are a factor when applying to unis as most people have said, especially to Oxbridge. Among the many candidates applying, they will most likely pick the people with GCSEs on the better end of the scale, however if you are worried about your GCSEs, not to panic, this just may mean you will have to put in more effort into the other aspects of the application- your personal statement should be top notch, interview practiced and work experience should be done.

Reply 73

BillySmith101

No - It dont matter.

Also

No, technically you can get into uni without gcse's Multiple unis contacted me, offering a place and i dont have the best gcse's , i even got poor ucas points.

Reply 74

Doones

Original post by BillySmith101

Multiple unis contacted me, offering a place and i dont have the best gcse's , i even got poor ucas points.

Contacted you?

Also, were you a mature applicant?

Reply 75

BillySmith101

Original post by Doonesbury

Contacted you?

Also, were you a mature applicant?

I would say so, yes.
They contacted my college tutor asking if i want to join after my corse due to the progress i was making. However the corse that i was on didnt give out ucas points but they said they can make an acception

Reply 76

Kater Murr

You may find that some university courses - including postgrad degrees such as PGCEs - might have certain requirements for GCSE grades in certain subjects. Back when I was applying to study English Literature, a lot of universities asked for a pass grade in an MFL at GCSE - which I didn't have, since I didn't take one. And PGDEs, in Scotland, often ask for a B grade in both Maths and English. So, watch out for that.