Do gcse grades matter?

OP

Debate & Current Affairs Helper, Study Forum Helper

Original post by Scotland Yard

People, for some reason, like to make GCSEs appear super important when in fact, they only usually have mild importance at most. You'll usually only be asked to have achieved at least a 6 in Maths and English and that's it. Some universities will use your GCSEs a little bit more, but they are few and far between. You can read about them here https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6033950

Conclusion: not that important, and those results are fine and you can still apply to top unis :smile:

Ok thanks!

Reply 3

erin11

Original post by ELEPHANTRAT

I am in year 11, and here are the grades I am currently working at/ probably will be. Would these be a problem when applying to top unis?
9- Maths, German, Art, Physics, Chemistry, Biology (right now top 8), Geography(low 9 so planning on making it more secure), English language
8- Computer Science- will try to bump this up
6- English literature(this is the one I'm worried about, I want to try to get a 7 at least)

your grades are fantastic, this is a really good position to be in at this point of year11. tbh unless youre wanting to apply to medicine/dentistry/oxbridge etc, GCSEs really do not matter!!! Im currently in year 13, I got grades 5-9 in my GCSEs and have 5/5 university offers from unis like KCL :smile:

Reply 4

vnayak

Original post by ELEPHANTRAT

I am in year 11, and here are the grades I am currently working at/ probably will be. Would these be a problem when applying to top unis?
9- Maths, German, Art, Physics, Chemistry, Biology (right now top 8), Geography(low 9 so planning on making it more secure), English language
8- Computer Science- will try to bump this up
6- English literature(this is the one I'm worried about, I want to try to get a 7 at least)

Even at Oxbridge, while GCSEs will be looked into, if you smash admissions tests, they will not look at GCSEs too closely because they too understand that you don't really have all the choice in the world to choose what you want to do.

Reply 5

OP

Original post by erin11

Original post by ELEPHANTRAT

I am in year 11, and here are the grades I am currently working at/ probably will be. Would these be a problem when applying to top unis?
9- Maths, German, Art, Physics, Chemistry, Biology (right now top 8), Geography(low 9 so planning on making it more secure), English language
8- Computer Science- will try to bump this up
6- English literature(this is the one I'm worried about, I want to try to get a 7 at least)

your grades are fantastic, this is a really good position to be in at this point of year11. tbh unless youre wanting to apply to medicine/dentistry/oxbridge etc, GCSEs really do not matter!!! Im currently in year 13, I got grades 5-9 in my GCSEs and have 5/5 university offers from unis like KCL :smile:

Oh, thank you. I have been worrying a bit because people are saying that some unis want most 9s, but if this is the case I can relax a bit :smile:

Reply 6

OP

Original post by vnayak

Original post by ELEPHANTRAT

I am in year 11, and here are the grades I am currently working at/ probably will be. Would these be a problem when applying to top unis?
9- Maths, German, Art, Physics, Chemistry, Biology (right now top 8), Geography(low 9 so planning on making it more secure), English language
8- Computer Science- will try to bump this up
6- English literature(this is the one I'm worried about, I want to try to get a 7 at least)

Even at Oxbridge, while GCSEs will be looked into, if you smash admissions tests, they will not look at GCSEs too closely because they too understand that you don't really have all the choice in the world to choose what you want to do.

Thank you)

Reply 7

vnayak

Original post by ELEPHANTRAT

your grades are fantastic, this is a really good position to be in at this point of year11. tbh unless youre wanting to apply to medicine/dentistry/oxbridge etc, GCSEs really do not matter!!! Im currently in year 13, I got grades 5-9 in my GCSEs and have 5/5 university offers from unis like KCL :smile:

Oh, thank you. I have been worrying a bit because people are saying that some unis want most 9s, but if this is the case I can relax a bit :smile:

You can relax a bit but I would say that getting as many grade 9s as possible in what you've selected will be more beneficial. Remember, GCSEs are used as evidence of work ethic.

Reply 8

OP

Original post by vnayak

Oh, thank you. I have been worrying a bit because people are saying that some unis want most 9s, but if this is the case I can relax a bit :smile:

You can relax a bit but I would say that getting as many grade 9s as possible in what you've selected will be more beneficial. Remember, GCSEs are used as evidence of work ethic.

Yeah, of course! I meant that I've been overthinking too much and I will calm down a bit now)

Reply 9

swanseajack1

19

Original post by ELEPHANTRAT

You can relax a bit but I would say that getting as many grade 9s as possible in what you've selected will be more beneficial. Remember, GCSEs are used as evidence of work ethic.

Yeah, of course! I meant that I've been overthinking too much and I will calm down a bit now)
GCSE grades dont matter to universities and that includes most Russell Group ones. There are a few who look at them but they are basically few and far between. What universities do tend to insist on is that you have 5 passes at 4 or C and above including English Language and Maths. For some course they ask for higher in these subjects particularly Maths for courses with high Mathematical content such as Economics, Computer Science and Psychology. Most then require grade 6 but a few ask for grade 7.

Nobody other than a couple of London universities ask for above a 7 and wont care if you have 1 grade 6. The nonsense students talk about especially in private schools isnt true and it isnt helped by some schools pushing students to achieve top results to make their schools look good.

Your GCSEs certainly wont disadvantage you and universities primarily look at A level results and sometimes other tests like STEP, LNAT or their own admissions tests.

Reply 10

cherrycosmos

17

Original post by ELEPHANTRAT

I am in year 11, and here are the grades I am currently working at/ probably will be. Would these be a problem when applying to top unis?
9- Maths, German, Art, Physics, Chemistry, Biology (right now top 8), Geography(low 9 so planning on making it more secure), English language
8- Computer Science- will try to bump this up
6- English literature(this is the one I'm worried about, I want to try to get a 7 at least)

no GCSES do not matter. I got an average of 6 and i still managed to get 5 offfers from uni. Some courses will tell you to get a grade 6 in GCSE english but i don't think many will be asking for grades 8 or 9

Reply 11

OP

Original post by swanseajack1

Yeah, of course! I meant that I've been overthinking too much and I will calm down a bit now)

GCSE grades dont matter to universities and that includes most Russell Group ones. There are a few who look at them but they are basically few and far between. What universities do tend to insist on is that you have 5 passes at 4 or C and above including English Language and Maths. For some course they ask for higher in these subjects particularly Maths for courses with high Mathematical content such as Economics, Computer Science and Psychology. Most then require grade 6 but a few ask for grade 7.

Nobody other than a couple of London universities ask for above a 7 and wont care if you have 1 grade 6. The nonsense students talk about especially in private schools isnt true and it isnt helped by some schools pushing students to achieve top results to make their schools look good.

Your GCSEs certainly wont disadvantage you and universities primarily look at A level results and sometimes other tests like STEP, LNAT or their own admissions tests.

Do you know if English literature matters in general? some people say it does, but I thought that it's only English language that you actually need to pass?

Reply 12

vnayak

Original post by ELEPHANTRAT

GCSE grades dont matter to universities and that includes most Russell Group ones. There are a few who look at them but they are basically few and far between. What universities do tend to insist on is that you have 5 passes at 4 or C and above including English Language and Maths. For some course they ask for higher in these subjects particularly Maths for courses with high Mathematical content such as Economics, Computer Science and Psychology. Most then require grade 6 but a few ask for grade 7.

Nobody other than a couple of London universities ask for above a 7 and wont care if you have 1 grade 6. The nonsense students talk about especially in private schools isnt true and it isnt helped by some schools pushing students to achieve top results to make their schools look good.

Your GCSEs certainly wont disadvantage you and universities primarily look at A level results and sometimes other tests like STEP, LNAT or their own admissions tests.

Do you know if English literature matters in general? some people say it does, but I thought that it's only English language that you actually need to pass?
Depends on the university. Best thing to do would be to look at a range of universities and see what they say on their applicant pages.

Reply 13

swanseajack1

19

Original post by vnayak

Do you know if English literature matters in general? some people say it does, but I thought that it's only English language that you actually need to pass?

Depends on the university. Best thing to do would be to look at a range of universities and see what they say on their applicant pages.
Unless it is an English course lit wont matter. The main requirements are English Language and Maths. Sometimes they might require another subject as Science for Science courses but mainly it is only the 2 gcses that are looked for

Reply 14

OP