The Student Room Group

Work experience for Secondary School

What work experience options are open for those that haven't done GCSEs?
What A levels are good?
I want to do: Maths, Futher Maths, Economics and physics/chemistry and (possibly) mandarin?
Most A-Levels need GCSEs in order to do them, at the very least passes in Maths and English so I'm not sure how you'd go about doing this. For example, in order to do maths at my sixth form you needed a B or A at GCSE and to do sciences you needed Bs.
Reply 2
Original post by DrawTheLine
Most A-Levels need GCSEs in order to do them, at the very least passes in Maths and English so I'm not sure how you'd go about doing this. For example, in order to do maths at my sixth form you needed a B or A at GCSE and to do sciences you needed Bs.


I am predicted 9 for maths and 9 for science and 7/8 for english I just don't know if i should do physics or chemistry and my mandarin depends on how well i cope with next year.
Original post by Angel_Chen
I am predicted 9 for maths and 9 for science and 7/8 for english I just don't know if i should do physics or chemistry and my mandarin depends on how well i cope with next year.


Oh okay I thought you meant you haven't got any GCSEs and wanted to do A-Levels without them. It makes more sense now.
Reply 4
Original post by DrawTheLine
Oh okay I thought you meant you haven't got any GCSEs and wanted to do A-Levels without them. It makes more sense now.


sorry i should have clarified, It's on my bio
Original post by Angel_Chen
sorry i should have clarified, It's on my bio


Yeah you don't look up the person's profile unless they're a troll really. Best to be explicit and clear when you post otherwise it'll be confusing.
Reply 6
Original post by DrawTheLine
Yeah you don't look up the person's profile unless they're a troll really. Best to be explicit and clear when you post otherwise it'll be confusing.


kk, thanx for the advice. Have you done ur A levels
Reply 7
Original post by Angel_Chen
What work experience options are open for those that haven't done GCSEs?
What A levels are good?
I want to do: Maths, Futher Maths, Economics and physics/chemistry and (possibly) mandarin?


You don't need any work experience.

Pick 3, or at most 4 A-levels. It's all about quality not quantity.

And if you are a native, or near native, Mandarin speaker there's little point doing an A-level in it.
Original post by Angel_Chen
kk, thanx for the advice. Have you done ur A levels


Yes I have I'm a first year at uni
Reply 9
Original post by DrawTheLine
Yes I have I'm a first year at uni


did you do a science and if so what did you think of it?
Original post by Angel_Chen
did you do a science and if so what did you think of it?


Yeah I did 3 sciences - geography, biology and psychology. Psychology was my favourite and I loved it. Geography was okay, just a bit tedious but it was farly "easy" as in I didn't have to work as hard for it but biology was really difficult and it was my worst one. A lot of content involved.
Original post by DrawTheLine
Yeah I did 3 sciences - geography, biology and psychology. Psychology was my favourite and I loved it. Geography was okay, just a bit tedious but it was farly "easy" as in I didn't have to work as hard for it but biology was really difficult and it was my worst one. A lot of content involved.


I don't particularly like biology and i'm not doing geography gcse. But thanks if i like maths, but prefer chemistry over physics at gcse and don't particularly understand physics which should i take? Chemistry or Physics?
Original post by Angel_Chen
I don't particularly like biology and i'm not doing geography gcse. But thanks if i like maths, but prefer chemistry over physics at gcse and don't particularly understand physics which should i take? Chemistry or Physics?


If you prefer chemistry and don't understand physics you should take chemistry.
Original post by DrawTheLine
If you prefer chemistry and don't understand physics you should take chemistry.


but there's more maths at a level in physics and there's quite a bit of overlap, also chemistry apparently is really hard and different to gcse.
Original post by Angel_Chen
but there's more maths at a level in physics and there's quite a bit of overlap, also chemistry apparently is really hard and different to gcse.


I can't decide for you. You said you prefer chemistry and you don't understand physics. Therefore logically you should choose chemistry. It's up to you. If you feel like you'd prefer physics at A-Level then take it, but it's impossible for me to decide for you.
I am in a similar position to you. I got the grades that you are predicted for GCSE last year and take the same options you want to the, but do Spanish instead of mandarin. I want to go into the financial industry which I assume is similar to yourself. I wouldn't recommend doing a language unless you have a genuine passion for the language, country, and culture itself, rather than doing it for business purposes. I find that these are required for the motivation required to succeed at doing a language at a level. However, the other options are amazing. Physic and Further maths are a challenge which I personally like, and economics is interesting but very hard due to the essay style of writing. Good luck with your GCSEs
Original post by IsaacDuthie
I am in a similar position to you. I got the grades that you are predicted for GCSE last year and take the same options you want to the, but do Spanish instead of mandarin. I want to go into the financial industry which I assume is similar to yourself. I wouldn't recommend doing a language unless you have a genuine passion for the language, country, and culture itself, rather than doing it for business purposes. I find that these are required for the motivation required to succeed at doing a language at a level. However, the other options are amazing. Physic and Further maths are a challenge which I personally like, and economics is interesting but very hard due to the essay style of writing. Good luck with your GCSEs


Thanx, I'm chinese and my mum's a mandarin teacher so it's easier for me. I'm just going to see if I can do the A level as the As was quite easy. I'm actually quite worried about the essay writing in Economics, and that is why none of my other A level options are essay based, but I find economics interesting.

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