in my experience 5 Cs to get into sixth form. a B grade in maths and english is helpful. anything above is a bonus
with a levels seems pointless if not going to uni better of doing an apprenticeship or straight into work
seemed abit cheated really gcse mean jack chit and a levels basically jack chit
if knew this would have dicked around more took it less seriously

Reply 84

RuneFreeze

Original post by harrysbar

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

As far as I can tell, this is false. I don't know where this info is from but it doesn't mention it anywhere here: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/economics/undergraduate/degrees/l101#tab06

It says you need at least at least a B in Maths A Level, which makes sense. Nowhere does it mention GCSEs.

Reply 85

å¦ç”Ÿã®çˆ¶

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

Hi G. You are one quarter of your way through your GCSE course, and you're asking a very important question.

GCSEs have been designed to give you a good, sound all-round education at the age of 16. It is important that you do the best you can do during these two years, but I hope that you don't get too stressed about the exams at the end of them.

Now, nearly 100 posts have been written in response to your question. Many of them have talked about GCSEs as a stepping stone to what you might choose to do after you leave school.

When you finish Year 11, you can choose to go back to school to take A-levels or BTECs. You could do these courses at your local college, too. Of course, you could decide you've had enough education for a while, and try to find yourself a job.

Good GCSE results would be useful for each of these choices. In terms of looking to higher education (trying for a university degree, for example), it does help to get several GCSEs of grade C (4 in England) and above, especially in subjects like English Language, Mathematics and a science or two.

Again, the better these results can be, the more options you will have. But unless you are trying to get into a course with lots of competition for places, you don't need to stress too much about this.

Work consistently, listen to your teachers, and prepare well for the exams and you will get some worthwhile qualifications at the end whatever you choose to do with them later.

(edited 5 years ago)

Reply 86

Conniestitution

Yes, they matter, but it's not worth sacrificing your health and happiness for.

Ideally, you want a good set of passes. If you want to do BTECs, as long as you pass English and Maths there's likely a way for you to take your course. If you want to do A Levels, standard sixth forms or sixth form colleges tend to require five passes, with up to a grade 6 in the courses you want to take. Some sixth forms ask for higher. The very top universities ask about your GCSE results but the majority of Unis just want to see you've got some passes and a solid set of predicted grades.

Obviously, you should try in your GCSEs. But calm down for now. Take your end of year mocks, if things aren't going well you know you should spend some time working on things but if they do go well then you'll know there's nothing to worry about.

Reply 87

Vorpent

Yes, they are.

Many good universities will ask for things like 'english and maths at minimum of a B', and for some competitive courses at uni they actually USE gcses to shortlist people.

If you are not ambitious and want a mediocre degree from a lower tier university, then get bad GCSEs. But imo putting in the work now is very worthwhile.

Reply 88

harrysbar

Original post by RuneFreeze

The Maths A level requirement you are referring to is from the BSc Economics course (and at most sixth forms, you would need GCSE Maths at A or B to progress onto the A level in the first place). I was referring to the BA Economics where it clearly states at the bottom of the page that you need a B in GCSE Maths.

"Other requirements:
For all the BA degrees, a minimum of GCSE Maths grade B or grade 6, or equivalent. International Baccalaureate candidates who do not have GCSE Maths need to achieve 4 in Standard Level or Higher Level Maths or 5 in Mathematical Studies.
A Level General Studies is acceptable as one of the three subjects.
Previous study of economics is not essential."

I could also point to Bath Uni where they "strongly prefer" GCSE Maths at grade 7 (or A) for Psychology- Good Luck to anyone trying to get in there without at least a B, unless they have extenuating circumstances. "Your previous academic study is also important. For example, if you have taken GCSEs we prefer applicants with a strong set (such as grade A*, 8 or 9 in at least five relevant GCSEs or grade A or 7 in the majority of your GCSEs). We strongly prefer applicants who can demonstrate a solid grounding in mathematics (or statistics), such as those with GCSE grade A or 7 in Mathematics."

Or from the LSE website about all undergraduate courses "All applicants are expected to have at least grade B/grade 5 in GCSE English Language and Mathematics or the equivalent, although exceptions are made for applicants with extenuating circumstances".

But there will be hundreds of examples. As people on here have stated, Bs at GCSE are also often required to progress onto certain A level courses, such as Maths and Science, (or even As in some cases)

(edited 5 years ago)

Reply 89

nulli tertius

Original post by Gabbyyyxxx

Its called "age and stage".

GCSEs are important to your immediate future. How well you do in them will have an important effect on what your choices are at age 16. They will have some effect on what you can do at 18. English and maths GCSE may have an impact on getting your first job. When you are 30, you probably won't be able to list all your subjects and their grades. They are then that unimportant.

Reply 90

Ðeggs

GCSES matter for the next step of your life. Whether you want to go to college and need 5 grades 9-4, or need a grade 7 to do a subject for a level, they do matter for the next step after GCSES. After that though they don’t really matter.

Reply 91

jinkx9

extremely! especially for medicine & dentistry. They're one of the biggest contributing factors that determine whether you get an interview or not

Reply 92

BLACKSareBETTER

Original post by Gabbyyyxxx

You need grades to do the A levels u want but apart from that they are pointless. Theyre really easy too not as hard as people say

Reply 93

mjhmichael18

I failed every single GCSE I did with the exceptions of Maths and Science originally. I don’t think I am going to get into a top university because of this and the A-Levels I have chosen but I don’t mind as long as I do do well there. I don’t really care if the university I go to is a Russell Group University or not.

Reply 94

Alexty28

Depends on what you want do in the future. My GCSEs were very low standard, pretty much all C's and a few B's. However when I got to A Level I managed to achieve A*AB for my predicted (A* in History even though I got a B at GCSE History) and have been made offers from all 5 of my choices. All of my choices being Russell Group Unis including places like Manchester and Birmingham.

However as most people will point out if you want to go into subjects such as Medicine or Dentisrty, or want to attend the very top Unis such as Oxford, GCSEs are more important.

Reply 95

nonotyoutoo

Original post by Gabbyyyxxx

the teachers only pressure you to do well because their jobs / pay and school rankings depends on you doing well.

you're basically doing your GCSEs for your teachers.

if it was solely for yourself, you wouldn't stress about it at all. a level is far more important and only maths you need to build a bridge between gcses / a level, every thing else you can pick up in year 12 no problem.

Reply 96

arigziegler

If you want to do medicine, they kind of matter because only a few unis don't take them into account

Reply 97

Arran90

Strictly speaking, GCSEs are a relic of a previous era. An era when large numbers of 16 year olds left school and started employment, so they (or previously O Levels and CSEs) were the only qualification they had.

Now that education is compulsory up to 18, it brings into question the purpose of GCSEs other than a stepping stone qualification. Other countries where education is compulsory up to 18 do not have a clearly divided two-stage system of qualifications like Britain has. There are times when I think that there is no reason to have to take GCSEs in a large number of subjects any more, and that GCSEs should be cut back to English language, mathematics, and possibly foreign languages, because all job applicants in the future will have a level 3 qualification or an apprenticeship.

GCSEs are not required to study A Levels at college if you talk to the admissions tutors nicely although they tend to only offer places to home educated applicants rather than those who attended school unless there are particular circumstances surrounding the applicant.

Reply 98

harrysbar

Original post by Arran90

GCSEs are not required to study A Levels at college if you talk to the admissions tutors nicely although they tend to only offer places to home educated applicants rather than those who attended school unless there are particular circumstances surrounding the applicant.

That may be the case for your college but it certainly isn't the case for most colleges or school sixth forms. Most do require good GCSE passes in about 5 subjects, and some are a lot fussier than that

Reply 99

alexa_g62

when I was doing my GCSEs a lot of people told me they don't matter but trust me they do, when u get to alevels they base everything off ur GCSEs grades like wat ur going to get in the end for teachers references if u get wat I mean also a big thing no me told me when ur apply for taster courses for uni which u should do in year 12 some taster courses ask for ur GCSE grades they will only accept u if u have 7's or 6's in math science and English.Before they didn't really matter, after u did them no one would ask u or even care but now they do, don't listen to people who tell u they don't matter cuz I listened and although I didn't fail it still affecting wat I do now.ps this could be only cuz im doing sciences and medicine.