Should I take a language GCSE while in my first year of Sixth Form?

I am studying Maths, Physics, Chemistry and Further Maths with high predicted grades and I am aiming for the top unis like Oxbridge to probably study Engineering.

I have always spoken Persian from birth as both my parents spoke it so I would say I can speak conversational Persian quite well. I also normally visit Iran every year to meet my family. However, I struggle with formal Persian and reading/writing, and I’m debating whether I should take the Persian GCSE this year. I have already told my teacher no, but now I am debating again over whether I made a mistake.

I did a past paper (November 2021) without the speaking, and got around a grade 8. Will it be worth the extra stress? Will it be useful for my application into the top uni’s?

(edited 6 months ago)

Reply 1

justabitstressed

3

Personally, I don't think it's worth the extra stress (as minimal as it may seem right now). Universities only consider your 8 best GCSE's, and if you've already got six 9's, that's really good as it is - most universities won't even look at your 6 in Spanish, unless you're doing a course that is specifically related to Spanish. The only benefit doing Persian will have is that, if you do get a 9, it will overtake any other non-9 grade, unless the course you do at university specifically requires a certain GCSE grade (eg. maths at grade 6 is a common one).

(This is also coming from someone who did three languages at AS (GCSE in native language, option E in Mandarin Chinese, and I'm also doing A-Level French).)

Hope that helps!

Reply 2

Emma:-)

Entertainment Forum Helper

19

Original post by maybemiro

I have got 11 GCSES, with six 9’s and one 6 in Spanish as my lowest. I am studying Maths, Physics, Chemistry and Further Maths with high predicted grades and I am aiming for the top unis like Oxbridge to probably study Engineering.

I have always spoken Persian from birth as both my parents spoke it so I would say I can speak conversational Persian quite well. I also normally visit Iran every year to meet my family. However, I struggle with formal Persian and reading/writing, and I’m debating whether I should take the Persian GCSE this year. I have already told my teacher no, but now I am debating again over whether I made a mistake.

I did a past paper (November 2021) without the speaking, and got around a grade 8. Will it be worth the extra stress? Will it be useful for my application into the top uni’s?

I would probably not do the extra GCSE.
You could if you really wanted. But you already have high GCSE grades and you are doing 4 a-levels and predicted high grades in those.
A language is a good extra skill though and something you can talk about as something extra on the side of your grades.

Reply 3

Muttley79

20

Original post by maybemiro

I have got 11 GCSES, with six 9’s and one 6 in Spanish as my lowest. I am studying Maths, Physics, Chemistry and Further Maths with high predicted grades and I am aiming for the top unis like Oxbridge to probably study Engineering.

I have always spoken Persian from birth as both my parents spoke it so I would say I can speak conversational Persian quite well. I also normally visit Iran every year to meet my family. However, I struggle with formal Persian and reading/writing, and I’m debating whether I should take the Persian GCSE this year. I have already told my teacher no, but now I am debating again over whether I made a mistake.

I did a past paper (November 2021) without the speaking, and got around a grade 8. Will it be worth the extra stress? Will it be useful for my application into the top uni’s?

No university requires a MFL GCSE ...

Should I take a language GCSE while in my first year of Sixth Form?

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