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GCSE Options

So I'm in year 9 picking my GCSE's and I am not sure to pick history or geography so can you pls help me ?
I'm getting so stressed about it. So can you pls tell me what you think is easier and why? Personally, I enjoy history more than geography but I'm scared that it will be too hard.

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Reply 1
I do both and history is more interesting but I find it harder because there’s a lot of content and some of the questions are worded weirdly. I’d say geography is easier because it’s more about knowing terms and processes. However I personally enjoy the human side and there’s still a fair bit of content to know! I’d say look what topics you do in history and choose then which subject you like more (because if you have topics in history you don’t like there’s no point taking it). Good luck with your choice!
I did both. Geography is good as there are more topics so if you don’t like something you move on quite quickly. History I found the medicine topic interesting so I did well in that paper but found the rest quite boring. Personally I struggled with remembering dates for history and found memorising geography case studies easier but it’s personal preference. Do history if it’s what you enjoy as you’ll do better if you enjoy it.
(edited 3 years ago)
if ur decent at history essays and remembering dates, id say history is easier and way more enjoyable
geography if u good at science
history if u good at english
Reply 5
Original post by remee.1811
So I'm in year 9 picking my GCSE's and I am not sure to pick history or geography so can you pls help me ?
I'm getting so stressed about it. So can you pls tell me what you think is easier and why? Personally, I enjoy history more than geography but I'm scared that it will be too hard.


Hello , I am going to tell you everything you need to know,

History being hard is a myth, people are always saying history is the hardest subject etc but it is actually not, if you like writing essays, if you like history and how we learn about the past, then history is for you. Personally speaking it is one of the most interesting subjects in GCSE you get to learn about how we are in this world today. You get to go to amazing trips as well, look so the grade boundaries are low if I remember right, to get a grade 9 in GCSE History you need 140 out of 197 (around this)

Geography is hard too, it is a boring subject if you ask me when you start your GCSE course it gets really boring, you have to learn about earthquakes, natural hazards etc. The questions in the papers for geography are really short, mostly 1,2 markers and the maximum is a 6 marker so you can probably tell that you need to learn all the content in depth as the 1 and 2 markers have to be a specific answer whereas history you would only need to have a broad understanding about events and just need to know your points.

Overall I believe that History is said to be really hard which is a myth, If it is someone who hates history and does not like learning about the past or does not like writing essays or generally writing then they are the ones who says history is impossible
The students who enjoy history and writing and are passionate towards it always say that history is not hard as if you have a clear mindset that you want to good in history you will never regret it and will get straight grade 7.8.9

Hope this helps
Reply 6
Original post by Mkm5
I do both and history is more interesting but I find it harder because there’s a lot of content and some of the questions are worded weirdly. I’d say geography is easier because it’s more about knowing terms and processes. However I personally enjoy the human side and there’s still a fair bit of content to know! I’d say look what topics you do in history and choose then which subject you like more (because if you have topics in history you don’t like there’s no point taking it). Good luck with your choice!

Thank you so much
Reply 7
I'm in year 11 and took geography, currently working at a high grade 8. I can't speak on behalf of history, since i didnt take it, although alot of my friends have.
Personally, I find Geography easy, the content is quite simple to understand, but theres quite a bit to remember, but this can be solved with an effective revision strategy. I haven't done paper 3 (since my GCSE's are still a mystery) but from what I have done, it's research based and should be the easiest paper considering you are given a pre-release beforehand. The content can get boring, but my teacher is amazing and I mostly used group study for geography (painfully 3 hours long but fun and effective). I would recommend it, but I guess I am biased.

From what my friends have said of history, there is quite a lot of content and it is essay based so you must be good at english to get a good mark. They've all enjoyed it quite a bit, so if you like it then go for it!
Good luck!
Original post by remee.1811
So I'm in year 9 picking my GCSE's and I am not sure to pick history or geography so can you pls help me ?
I'm getting so stressed about it. So can you pls tell me what you think is easier and why? Personally, I enjoy history more than geography but I'm scared that it will be too hard.

I defo recommend History
Reply 9
Original post by QueenKagami
I defo recommend History

thx
Reply 10
Original post by Kushi_
I'm in year 11 and took geography, currently working at a high grade 8. I can't speak on behalf of history, since i didnt take it, although alot of my friends have.
Personally, I find Geography easy, the content is quite simple to understand, but theres quite a bit to remember, but this can be solved with an effective revision strategy. I haven't done paper 3 (since my GCSE's are still a mystery) but from what I have done, it's research based and should be the easiest paper considering you are given a pre-release beforehand. The content can get boring, but my teacher is amazing and I mostly used group study for geography (painfully 3 hours long but fun and effective). I would recommend it, but I guess I am biased.

From what my friends have said of history, there is quite a lot of content and it is essay based so you must be good at english to get a good mark. They've all enjoyed it quite a bit, so if you like it then go for it!
Good luck!

Thank you I really appreciate this
Original post by remee.1811
Thank you so much


I would read the exam specification and see whsat you'll be learning. It will also explain the exams/assessments.
Original post by Mkm5
I do both and history is more interesting but I find it harder because there’s a lot of content and some of the questions are worded weirdly. I’d say geography is easier because it’s more about knowing terms and processes. However I personally enjoy the human side and there’s still a fair bit of content to know! I’d say look what topics you do in history and choose then which subject you like more (because if you have topics in history you don’t like there’s no point taking it). Good luck with your choice!


Hi, im also in year 9 and and picking my options. im planning on doing both history and geography, but i was worried that it might be too much work, because im also taking art, which is very time consuming. How do you find your workload and are both subjects very time consuming? thanks
Original post by og-icon
Hello , I am going to tell you everything you need to know,

History being hard is a myth, people are always saying history is the hardest subject etc but it is actually not, if you like writing essays, if you like history and how we learn about the past, then history is for you. Personally speaking it is one of the most interesting subjects in GCSE you get to learn about how we are in this world today. You get to go to amazing trips as well, look so the grade boundaries are low if I remember right, to get a grade 9 in GCSE History you need 140 out of 197 (around this)

Geography is hard too, it is a boring subject if you ask me when you start your GCSE course it gets really boring, you have to learn about earthquakes, natural hazards etc. The questions in the papers for geography are really short, mostly 1,2 markers and the maximum is a 6 marker so you can probably tell that you need to learn all the content in depth as the 1 and 2 markers have to be a specific answer whereas history you would only need to have a broad understanding about events and just need to know your points.

Overall I believe that History is said to be really hard which is a myth, If it is someone who hates history and does not like learning about the past or does not like writing essays or generally writing then they are the ones who says history is impossible
The students who enjoy history and writing and are passionate towards it always say that history is not hard as if you have a clear mindset that you want to good in history you will never regret it and will get straight grade 7.8.9

Hope this helps

Hey! I'm also planning on taking both history and geography as well as art and mandarin. You mentioned that you have to be good at writing essays? Although i enjoy writing essays and my work is quite good, it usually takes me a very long time to complete my work, and my time management is quite poor. Do you have any tips on improving my time management, or any advice about my subjects? Thanks
Original post by ccthebella
Hey! I'm also planning on taking both history and geography as well as art and mandarin. You mentioned that you have to be good at writing essays? Although i enjoy writing essays and my work is quite good, it usually takes me a very long time to complete my work, and my time management is quite poor. Do you have any tips on improving my time management, or any advice about my subjects? Thanks

Hello, yes history is all about writing, in your exam there will not be any short questions, mostly 4.8.12.16.24 markers e.g. the highest is I think 60 markers, in order to do good at them you need to know the STRUCTURE that is probably the most important thing but most people mess that part up.

Well I think you are in Year 9, if that is true then you do not really have to worry about essay-writing and time management yet, when you go in Year 10 then that will be taught to you, if you could tell me what topics you are doing in History GCSE and the exam board then I might be able to help, if you do not know yet that is fine as well. But what my point is that you cannot really do anything now your in Year 9 as the things you are learning about right now will not be a topic in GCSE

If you want to get better at time management and essay skills then what I suggest you do is, search up exam questions on google on what you are learning about and time yourself when writing them.

If you tell me what you are learning right now and what you are going to do at GCSE and exam board I can help you might telling you what to do now, I will give you websites too

Hope this helps x
Reply 15
Original post by ccthebella
Hi, im also in year 9 and and picking my options. im planning on doing both history and geography, but i was worried that it might be too much work, because im also taking art, which is very time consuming. How do you find your workload and are both subjects very time consuming? thanks

Well I’ve made most of my flash cards and mindmaps as we went through it so it’s not too much. We don’t really get set a lot of homework so you can choose how much you want to do throughout year 10 and start of year 11. But geography is one where you can cram last minute (although I wouldn’t recommend cramming all the time lol) but history I think you have to know more stuff in detail because they may ask you an eight mark question on even the smallest things so I find it can be a bit stressful at times. However it’s totally doable (it’ll just get a bit tough nearer the end when you have to revise everything) and then you can still have time to do your art coursework throughout year 10 and 11. Hope this helps and good luck with your subjects!
Original post by Mkm5
Well I’ve made most of my flash cards and mindmaps as we went through it so it’s not too much. We don’t really get set a lot of homework so you can choose how much you want to do throughout year 10 and start of year 11. But geography is one where you can cram last minute (although I wouldn’t recommend cramming all the time lol) but history I think you have to know more stuff in detail because they may ask you an eight mark question on even the smallest things so I find it can be a bit stressful at times. However it’s totally doable (it’ll just get a bit tough nearer the end when you have to revise everything) and then you can still have time to do your art coursework throughout year 10 and 11. Hope this helps and good luck with your subjects!

Thank you so much! this is really helpful!
Original post by og-icon
Hello, yes history is all about writing, in your exam there will not be any short questions, mostly 4.8.12.16.24 markers e.g. the highest is I think 60 markers, in order to do good at them you need to know the STRUCTURE that is probably the most important thing but most people mess that part up.

Well I think you are in Year 9, if that is true then you do not really have to worry about essay-writing and time management yet, when you go in Year 10 then that will be taught to you, if you could tell me what topics you are doing in History GCSE and the exam board then I might be able to help, if you do not know yet that is fine as well. But what my point is that you cannot really do anything now your in Year 9 as the things you are learning about right now will not be a topic in GCSE

If you want to get better at time management and essay skills then what I suggest you do is, search up exam questions on google on what you are learning about and time yourself when writing them.

If you tell me what you are learning right now and what you are going to do at GCSE and exam board I can help you might telling you what to do now, I will give you websites too

Hope this helps x

Hi! thanks so much for replying! My exam board for history will be Edexcel.
Paper 1: Thematic study and historic environment
Crime and Punishment in Britain, c. 1000-present
Whitechapel, c. 1870-c. 1900: crime, policing, and the inner city

Paper 2: Period study and British depth study
Anglo-Saxon and Norman England, c. 1060-c.1088
Superpower relations and the Cold War, 1941-1991

Paper 3: Modern depth study
Weimar and Nazi Germany, 1918-1939
Thank you so much! I havent had that much information given to me about websites and revision tips for history so this is really useful!
Original post by ccthebella
Hi! thanks so much for replying! My exam board for history will be Edexcel.
Paper 1: Thematic study and historic environment
Crime and Punishment in Britain, c. 1000-present
Whitechapel, c. 1870-c. 1900: crime, policing, and the inner city

Paper 2: Period study and British depth study
Anglo-Saxon and Norman England, c. 1060-c.1088
Superpower relations and the Cold War, 1941-1991

Paper 3: Modern depth study
Weimar and Nazi Germany, 1918-1939
Thank you so much! I havent had that much information given to me about websites and revision tips for history so this is really useful!

Hiii, considering your exam board is edexcel, I cannot fully help you as mine is AQA but definitely use BBC BITESIZE and also you can learn the exam structure from youtube, I recommend you get the cgp history book too :smile:
Original post by og-icon
Hiii, considering your exam board is edexcel, I cannot fully help you as mine is AQA but definitely use BBC BITESIZE and also you can learn the exam structure from youtube, I recommend you get the cgp history book too :smile:

Ok! thank you so much! x

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