The Student Room Group

What happens if your GCSEs grades are low can you still have a good career

So can you still have a good career choice like dentistry , pharmacy , optometry if you have avera gcse grades like 4,s and 5s and 6s

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1

most likely not
you need good grades to be able to do A levels and those careers require lots of further education

Reply 2

Original post
by Azzz128
So can you still have a good career choice like dentistry , pharmacy , optometry if you have avera gcse grades like 4,s and 5s and 6s

what year are you in? If you are in year 11 then you should try hard to achieve above 6 for most subjects..but mostly you need a 6 in english language, maths, chem, bio and physics. For other subjects eg history, you would be fine with a 5 but as I said aim high so you can do the sciences as A-levels. I really believe you have a chance!

Reply 3

Original post
by Azzz128
So can you still have a good career choice like dentistry , pharmacy , optometry if you have avera gcse grades like 4,s and 5s and 6s

if your are in year 12 and doing another A-levels or Btec something without science then I would say resit your gcses in science, english and maths and take a gap year after you finish your course to sit your A-levels or ask your school to resit the year to do A-levels in science if you achieved better grades in science. :smile:

Reply 4

Original post
by reallycringename
most likely not
you need good grades to be able to do A levels and those careers require lots of further education


Yeh but what about btec is it not possible

Reply 5

Original post
by userr456
if your are in year 12 and doing another A-levels or Btec something without science then I would say resit your gcses in science, english and maths and take a gap year after you finish your course to sit your A-levels or ask your school to resit the year to do A-levels in science if you achieved better grades in science. :smile:


I’m doing applied science which is btec which includes biology chemistry and physics

Reply 6

Original post
by Azzz128
I’m doing applied science which is btec which includes biology chemistry and physics

hm no you cant really do dentistry with btec but for pharmacy can, if after completing your btec you take a year off and sit A-level chemistry then thats the only way universities would accept your btec.
As long as you have grade 5 and above in maths and english - otherwise you could retake them too but some unis for pharmacy are okay with a 5

Reply 7

Original post
by reallycringename
most likely not
you need good grades to be able to do A levels and those careers require lots of further education

Total nonsense.
Plenty of people with 'average' GCSEs get places on degree subjects, like Med, Dent, Pharm, Law etc etc every year.

Reply 8

Original post
by Azzz128
So can you still have a good career choice like dentistry , pharmacy , optometry if you have avera gcse grades like 4,s and 5s and 6s

YES.

Look at courses like :
Medicine with Foundation Year MBChB | University of Leicester
MB ChB Gateway to Medicine | Study at Bristol | University of Bristol
BDS Dental Surgery with Integrated Foundation Year - University of Plymouth
Pharmacy MPharm
BSc (Hons) Medical Science | Bournemouth University
etc etc

You can resit GCSE Maths and English - usually the only vital GCSEs - in Sixth Form to get any higher grades you need. Ask your school, its normally very straightforward.

Reply 9

Original post
by McGinger
YES.
Look at courses like :
Medicine with Foundation Year MBChB | University of Leicester
MB ChB Gateway to Medicine | Study at Bristol | University of Bristol
BDS Dental Surgery with Integrated Foundation Year - University of Plymouth
Pharmacy MPharm
BSc (Hons) Medical Science | Bournemouth University
etc etc
You can resit GCSE Maths and English - usually the only vital GCSEs - in Sixth Form to get any higher grades you need. Ask your school, its normally very straightforward.

McGinger to the rescue again!

Reply 10

Original post
by userr456
hm no you cant really do dentistry with btec but for pharmacy can, if after completing your btec you take a year off and sit A-level chemistry then thats the only way universities would accept your btec.
As long as you have grade 5 and above in maths and english - otherwise you could retake them too but some unis for pharmacy are okay with a 5


What about university Huddersfield for optometry

Reply 11

Original post
by McGinger
YES.
Look at courses like :
Medicine with Foundation Year MBChB | University of Leicester
MB ChB Gateway to Medicine | Study at Bristol | University of Bristol
BDS Dental Surgery with Integrated Foundation Year - University of Plymouth
Pharmacy MPharm
BSc (Hons) Medical Science | Bournemouth University
etc etc
You can resit GCSE Maths and English - usually the only vital GCSEs - in Sixth Form to get any higher grades you need. Ask your school, its normally very straightforward.


So for Huddersfield university which offer optometry , I’m doing applied science btec in college right now , unfortunately I only failed science by 3 marks what can I do to do optometry in Huddersfield university

Reply 12

Original post
by Azzz128
So for Huddersfield university which offer optometry , I’m doing applied science btec in college right now , unfortunately I only failed science by 3 marks what can I do to do optometry in Huddersfield university

GCSE requirements are not usually flexible and so Unis wont accept an application if you don't meet the specified requirements - in your case, I assume, science GCSEs. Again, it may be worth talking to your school about resits. Is there a reason why your GCSE grades were low, was anything happening at the time?

Reply 13

Original post
by McGinger
GCSE requirements are not usually flexible and so Unis wont accept an application if you don't meet the specified requirements - in your case, I assume, science GCSEs. Again, it may be worth talking to your school about resits. Is there a reason why your GCSE grades were low, was anything happening at the time?


Yeh I’ll end up resitting but I’m doing applied science is that the same as GCSEs ? I don’t think so . And yes I was extremely ill and had severe tooth pain and didn’t have enough time to recap on revision :frown:

Reply 14

Original post
by Azzz128
Yeh I’ll end up resitting but I’m doing applied science is that the same as GCSEs ? I don’t think so . And yes I was extremely ill and had severe tooth pain and didn’t have enough time to recap on revision :frown:

Applied Science is a level 3 qualification so it isn't the same as GCSEs.

Reply 15

Original post
by McGinger
Total nonsense.
Plenty of people with 'average' GCSEs get places on degree subjects, like Med, Dent, Pharm, Law etc etc every year.

Yes but 4s and 5s are hardly average. 4 is a pass and 5 is just above it. In my school you needed at least a 6 to continue with A levels and if we're being realistic it's incredibly hard to get degree subjects like you mentioned. you must be doing a hell of a lot outside of school.

Reply 16

Original post
by reallycringename
Yes but 4s and 5s are hardly average. 4 is a pass and 5 is just above it. In my school you needed at least a 6 to continue with A levels and if we're being realistic it's incredibly hard to get degree subjects like you mentioned. you must be doing a hell of a lot outside of school.

I have 35+ years experience of working in University Admissions.
I suspect that you don't.

Reply 17

i’ve just been offered uni places for pharmacy and only got 5s in maths, english, and science and the rest of my grades were 4s so it’s definitely possible but my BTEC grades are good, i’m predicted D*D*D which is equivalent to A*A*A

Reply 18

Original post
by McGinger
I have 35+ years experience of working in University Admissions.
I suspect that you don't.

Sorry Mr hot-shot. Didn't mean to make your 35+ years of qualifications seem not as important as they are. Good to know McGinger over here is representative of everybody working in uni admissions xP

Reply 19

Original post
by m.ayr3s
i’ve just been offered uni places for pharmacy and only got 5s in maths, english, and science and the rest of my grades were 4s so it’s definitely possible but my BTEC grades are good, i’m predicted D*D*D which is equivalent to A*A*A


This has made me feel so much better as a person who didn’t try as much in highschool , I’m in my first year of college doing applied science and Willy my very best to achieve D stars , any tips ??

Quick Reply

How The Student Room is moderated

To keep The Student Room safe for everyone, we moderate posts that are added to the site.