The Student Room Group

I feel like crying - GCSE's

Hi.
So, I'm in Yr 10.
I've had a few GCSE module exams recently some where okay, some i'm retaking.

I go to a Grammar school, which pressures you to achieve A*'s (Example, my friend got one mark off full marks on her Chemistry Paper 1.. she was asked to retake.)

However, everyone seems to be getting higher than me and they all seem to be pressured to retake the highest of the highs. I feel like crying because of the amount of stress and times a teacher has said they have been disspointed in my marks. Even if I come out with B's in GCSE's, Or an odd C, is that still okay or will uni's look down on me because I went to a grammar school but got a C or B overal? Teachers are not happy with these marks, but unis will be?
:confused:

I'm also going to be going to 6th form in this grammar school too, but if i do get c's and b's in my GCSEs along with some A's and A*s, i'm worried they won't want me because they keep saying they are dissapointed etc?

Also, for people that keep saying that GCSE's mean nothing, well, they mean something to me.

Sorry for changing the post.
J :yep:

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Reply 1
Please tell me this is a joke? You want to cry because you're getting A's and B's and maybe an odd C? Grow up. My friend failed english GCSE but he's retaken it and he plans on going to a great uni.
Reply 2
No, i'm not crying about that. I'm crying because of the people who are putting pressure on me to do better, even when i think i am doing okay.
Reply 3
I wouldnt worry about it, you can't be entirely sure what your grades will be for the exams you think you've done badly on, so i wouldnt stress :smile: even if you come out with c's its not the end of the world, its about how well you've done, not how well everyone else has done.
Reply 4
Man up.
Reply 5
In the grand scheme of things GCSE'S mean basically nothing.
Reply 6
J24
No, i'm not crying about that. I'm crying because of the people who are putting pressure on me to do better, even when i think i am doing okay.


Honestly, don't worry! With those grades you will be accepted by many universities for many courses. Besides, exams are only a small part of life.

Just try your best; if you really need those A*s, then put in the work next year.

Good luck, and I hope you succeed! :rambo:
Reply 7
J24
No, i'm not crying about that. I'm crying because of the people who are putting pressure on me to do better, even when i think i am doing okay.

Don't listen to what others say and get stressed - you are doing okay :smile: just make sure you get A*/A in subjects you want to do for A-levels and it should be fine.. besides, you are in yr10 (just like me) - we have another year to prepare for our exams! cheer up :smile:
Reply 8
It's tough when you go somewhere high achieving but really, these are good grades. I promise. I know you know this in your head but you need to know it more deeply than that :tongue:

Unis will be fine with that. A lot of unis would be overjoyed at that! Depends where you apply obviously, but really they don't look at GCSEs that much, they want your A level results and if you can get the grades they require at that stage, it doesn't matter.

Try not to let the pressure of the school get you down. You're doing fine :smile: and any school that asks someone with nearly full marks to retake is being ridiculous.
If your like this during GCSE's...

I'd love to see how you are during your A levels.
Reply 10
Ignore them, GSCEs hardly count for anything anyway. Most jobs or courses require you to have at least a B in Maths and English, and maybe a science depending what you're doing.
You're achieving that already so it doesn't matter. The only reason you should want to do better is for your own sense of achievement, not to satisfy others.
J24
Example, my friend got one mark off full makrs on her Chemistry Paper 1.. she was asked to retake.


I'd tell them to **** off.
That sounds horrible :console:
Just try and stick with it and go somewhere more relaxed for sixth form? GCSE grades don't matter too much - so long as you've good B+ grades in those you want to take for AS/A2, and C+ in Maths and English you'll be fine :smile: I went to a grammar school too where A = not quite good enough and B = complete fail. Everyone was very disappointed with my grades (a mixture of A*-C) but I still got into sixthform and got offers from top 10 unis. Just try your best and you'll be fine :smile:
Reply 13
Oh my word...

You think you're having a hard time now?! Just you wait until A-levels... you will not survive if this is how you're acting over GCSEs, which as someone stated above, mean NOTHING!
J24
No, i'm not crying about that. I'm crying because of the people who are putting pressure on me to do better, even when i think i am doing okay.


My grammar school were like that.....and even worse in the 6th form. Just do what I did when your school are being unreasonable - get your mum to go and have a go at the deputy head :p:
Reply 15
Get some perspective love.
Reply 16
That's why I'd hate to go to a grammar school. Unnecessary pressure.

Anyway,
1) Your grades so far are fine.
2) You haven’t even done the main bulk of exams yet, just revise as much as you need to for them
3) GCSE's don't mean much at all, never mind individual papers. Just make sure you do well enough to do the A-levels you want to do.
4) Don't worry about other people, there’s always going to be someone better then you. There just tends to be more of them in grammar schools. You can only do your best.
5) Whoever it was that said your friend needs to resit to pick up the 1 extra mark is a ****. Complete waste of time.
Reply 17
I empathise with you. Although personally I went to a state school where they'd be thrilled with your grades, I did have some teachers who treated me or my friends like this. One girl got an A in a practice coursework essay and the teacher had a go at her in front of everyone and made he re-do it even though she was happy and many others in the class got less than that.

The main thing to remember is that if YOU are happy with your grades and the people that matter most to you are supportive (family and close friends) then you have nothing to worry about. I got very fed up at school of people saying 'you can do better' and being disappointed with a good result because they were expecting higher. It makes you feel rubbish when you haven't done anything wrong.

Try and stay positive and keep reminding yourself of how you're happy with your grades.
Plus bear in mind that you are only in year 10, you have a whole year before your final GCSE exams and most people, in my experience, improve results dramatically from their mocks in January before their exams, let alone in an entire year. This is one problem with a modular approach to GCSE. So it is likely that you will get higher anyway.

The entry grades for sixth form will depend on the specific school so you would have to look into that, on their website or ask sixth form staff. For example, my sixth form only required 5 C's or above, and a B in maths if you were doing that subject, and even then they were lax on those requirements. It might be worth looking at other sixth forms in the area though if you are unhappy there. If they are pressuring you too much it could be bad for you. You'll have to weigh up the pros and cons between going somewhere you'll be happier and could still quite easily do well maybe even better and going to a grammar school which could make it easier for you to get good grades.

Personally I think your grades are good and you have nothing to worry about, I would be very happy with them. I know it's a while away yet but were you considering uni? If so what sort of uni's were you aiming for? Cause those grades wouldn't hinder me at all at any of the unis I looked at, general average unis would think them good.
Reply 18
see my sigs

I'm still alive ! :biggrin:
I know it doesn't feel like it at the moment but GCSEs mean nothing. Seriously, in this day and age no one cares if you've got a degree let alone an A in a Biology paper.

Most of my GCSE grades were Bs (which is CRAP compared to what I was predicted and what friends/family got) but I went on to surprise everyone with my A-Level results and am now at a top 15 uni, unlike many friends.

Basically my point is: achieve what you want to achieve. Other people will always pressure you but it's your life.

Good luck with A-Levels =/

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