GCSE option query: Geog or Psych?

5

For context, the core subjects I'm doing are:
- Maths higher, Stats, FM
- Triple Science higher
- Eng lit + lang
I've been told that having a fleshed-out set of GCSEs is useful to have at this stage, but I'm not a fan of the creative subjects my school offers. I'll be taking 4 options, and I'm planning on taking Latin, Psychology, CS, and Business. I'm interested in chemistry and biology quite a bit, and apparently having more traditional subjects like geography are more attractive to science-specialised sixth forms/colleges. I like geography a lot, but have been looking at the psychology gcse specification and I think I'd like it a lot as well. Which out of the two do you think I should pick? Any comments are welcome.

(edited 1 year ago)

Reply 1

gruezome

OP

5

I've got about a week until i have to submit my final devised options.. I was just wondering which has more content. My school does both under AQA, geography has 3 papers, whereas psych only has 2. but is there too much content in psychology? I dont want to take a subject that will be too much. anyone who took either or both, any comments on if they're similar or different would be v helpful. I'm fairly good at articulating content and writing but I have a lot of subjects rn..

Reply 2

klafow

14

that's a crazy amount of subjects, good luck...
i only took geography, but i think psychology involves a lot more essay writing than geography and probably has more content - geography paper 3 is a synoptic paper which combines your knowledge from the first two papers and puts it to a new context, so technically its not any new knowledge
i'd suggest taking geography
although i've got to say, in the end having good grades is more important than the subjects you get the grades in
so pick what you think you're best at, regardless of what sixth forms may want
and in the end when applying to uni they care about gcse grades and not subjects

Reply 3

chloex56

11

i did aqa psychology at gcse, if you’re wanting to do psychology at a level i highly recommend it as many of the content at gcse is at a level so it gives you a boost when starting a levels, personally id say psychology as even though geography is seen as sort of easy it can become boring, psychology is really interesting and makes you think a little further than you would and the topics are not difficult, and realistically there’s the same amount of content learnt in both, id say psychology is just that bit more exciting

Reply 4

klafow

14

yeah icl i agree i got tired of geography after a while, it was a bit boring

Reply 5

Evie2505

2

Original post by gruezome

For context, the core subjects I'm doing are:
- Maths higher, Stats, FM
- Triple Science higher
- Eng lit + lang
I've been told that having a fleshed-out set of GCSEs is useful to have at this stage, but I'm not a fan of the creative subjects my school offers. I'll be taking 4 options, and I'm planning on taking Latin, Psychology, CS, and Business. I'm interested in chemistry and biology quite a bit, and apparently having more traditional subjects like geography are more attractive to science-specialised sixth forms/colleges. I like geography a lot, but have been looking at the psychology gcse specification and I think I'd like it a lot as well. Which out of the two do you think I should pick? Any comments are welcome.

At my school, you're required to pick history or geography, and apparently that's quite common. So, I'd go with psychology- it'll be a more rounded set of GCSEs, rather than only going for the ones that people find traditional. Also, my friends do geography and most of it is things that I learnt in year nine (e.g. longshore drift and things like that), so I would go with psychology, it's probably going to teach you more useful things, depending on the career you want.

Reply 6

gruezome

OP

5

I've gone with psychology, thanks for all the info so far, I really appreciate it. I do really enjoy geography, but we had a few taster sessions of a GCSE unit and had a few discussions with my geog teacher and I've quickly realised that whilst I really enjoy the subject, I don't think I would love it in an exam situation.. I saw the pre-release booklet and got immediately put off tbh. It was basically a 50/50 anyway but thanks once again :smile:

)

Reply 7

klafow

14

Original post by gruezome

I've gone with psychology, thanks for all the info so far, I really appreciate it. I do really enjoy geography, but we had a few taster sessions of a GCSE unit and had a few discussions with my geog teacher and I've quickly realised that whilst I really enjoy the subject, I don't think I would love it in an exam situation.. I saw the pre-release booklet and got immediately put off tbh. It was basically a 50/50 anyway but thanks once again :smile:

)

honestly fair enough. good luck!!

GCSE option query: Geog or Psych?

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