GCSE's, A-levels, etc.

[Mandieta6]

This is a question to the englishmen here, or anyone who took the IGCSE's like I am about to. How important are these results? How have they affected your life? Do you feel like you should have studied more or that you studied too much?

Also, can you answer the same question about A-levels?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Vazza]

There wouldn't be much point doing these exams if they weren't important, would there?

GCSE grades are often taken into account for university applications, as you'll only have those, AS level and predicted A-level grades when you apply.

A-levels are obviously important, as if you're accepted to study at a university and don't get the required grades you most probably won't be allowed entry into the university/course of your choice.

Also, after you graduate from university, your A-levels will be still looked at by employers when interviewing, along with your university qualifications to weed out any "weaker" candidates from those who have applied, especially if the applicants have similar CVs.

 

[Sir Calumn]

GCSE's arent THAT important to be honest, so long as you do well enough to be allowed to stay on into 6th form they dont tend to be all that significant when it comes to University Applications.

A-Levels are critical though if you want to get into a good university. I did pretty well but I do wish I'd taken my revision and exams a little more seriously - the night before my Physics practical I stayed up til three in the morning getting high and watching 2001: A Space Odyssey, an experienc which really puts filling little tubes with water into perspective. Also I went into my Classics and English exams without having read the books we were supposed to have studied in their entirity - I still have absolutely no idea what happens in pages 100-250 of the Odyssey or the last half of the Handmaids Tale - but luckily there was a choice of questions and atleast one was on a bit I'd read, so it was all good.

 

[Tom]

Ok, simple stuff, if you're going to do A-Levels all you need is English, Science and Maths C+, simple as.

At A-Levels, it depends if you're going to Uni. If not, then aim for high grades, but try and do stuff out of college too, to show you havent just been instituitonalised all your life. E.g. get a regular part-time job.

 

[Mandieta6]

Thanks for responding, guys.

 

[Mandieta6]

How many A-levels should one take if he aims for a scholarship in a good british university? I know this depends on the college, but I wondered what would give you an edge, granted that you have the necessary subjects? I am aiming for 5, since that should make me a competitive candidate, but, is that too much?

 

[Tom]

Try taking 5 AS Levels, see how you do with that, if it becomes too hard go down to 4 in your first few weeks.

Normally, most people (apart from really intelligent people like Nick) drop one subject going into the second year. So if you take 4 at AS you might only carry on 3 into A-Level - that's what i did.

However, you can always take 4 and carry on 4, or do what a lot do, and take 5 at AS and then drop one, meaning you come out with 4 a-levels.

A lot of really good unis will ask for 3 A's or something like that, not TOO many ask for 4 A's i wouldnt think. Nick? Darren?

 

[Stotty]

All offers are based on 3 A levels. There really isn't point in lookin at 5 AS levels in the first year. You'll more than likely just be overloaded with work for no real gain.

I took 4 AS levels, and decided to drop one after a year and pick up an AS level in Futher Maths to help towards my degree in Maths, so i'll come out with 5 AS levels and 3 A levels.

I had a mixture of offers from Universities, mainly stuff like AAB etc although i think a few made offers based on my extra AS level aswell, but thats only specific to maths. Your highest offers are going to be AAB really, unless your applying to a competitive course at a really top university, or looking at Medicine in which case your going to need AAA. I dont no anyone thats had offers based on 4 A levels.

 

[Mandieta6]

Thanks for the input.

And by the way, I made a mistake, I meant 5 AS', mostly because we're already being forced to do Spanish Lit, which is a weak subject of mine, so I want to take something else to compensate. Is that a smart plan?

 

[champdave]

Most people do 4 or 5 AS levels and drop one for the final year as mentioned. There's the odd person like my sister who does 5 AS and A2's but that's really for the top universities. Although like Tom says, out-of-school stuff is very important for them too.

Don't know where you are but if the IB is an option I'd definately look at it - it's a lot broader than A levels and takes care of out of school things as you're forced to do community service etc to pass it. In the IB you do 6 subjects, usually 3 at Higher Level and 3 at Standard Level (except weirdos like me who choose to do 4 HL's / 2 SL's) where a HL is about A2 level and SL is about AS level. I've found from speaking to people at uni that I've covered more in my Maths / Physics / Chemistry HL than they did doing Maths / Further Maths / Physics / Chemistry at A2 so the old "IB is less in depth per subject than A2" card played by Oxbridge is a bit of a red herring. The IB is in my eyes the better qualification for 6th form, and UCAS kind of backs me up - my sister got 5 A's at A2 and got 600 UCAS points overall, and I got 42/45 in IB (7,7,7,6 at HL, 7,6 at SL) and I ended up with just about 700.

Rambled on too much

 

[ShiftyPowers]

If you don't think GSCE's are important, look at Lee Stewart. Stay in school kids.

 

[easyeasyeasy]

In my experience I didn't find the results of my GCSE's, or indeed my A-Levels important as I only ever wanted to go to the local uni to do a degree, as I didn't feel like moving away to study. I wanted to do a computing degree and found that CDE in my A-Level results were fine, they would have let me in with just 2 A-Levels, and in the end I graduated with honours (a 2:2 but its still a degree!). In truth, it all depends on what you want out of your education - if you want to go to a top uni, it's the A-Level results that counts to even let them consider you. There is more to it but some others have already given their input so no need for me to repeat it.

Oh yeah I did not go to Hallam btw !!!!!!!!!

 

[champdave]

If you don't think GSCE's are important, look at Lee Stewart. Stay in school kids.

Haha true. If you don't stay in school you'll become a Geordie who supports Manchester United

Oh yeah I did not go to Hallam btw !!!!!!!!!

What did you do at uni if you don't mind me asking?

 

[easyeasyeasy]

What did you do at uni if you don't mind me asking?

I did Internet & Multimedia, thought I spent more time propping up the bar than actual study

 

[Daz]

A lot of really good unis will ask for 3 A's or something like that, not TOO many ask for 4 A's i wouldnt think. Nick? Darren?

Only the obvious Oxford and Cambridge have i heard of it actually being an advantage to do 4 full A-levels. Though i have known people to get 4 A's for the sake of it.

For the IBM Gap Year employment i was looking at, they wanted AAB - which is what most (non-Oxbridge) top Uni's ask iirc. But i ended up pulling out of the IBM race and i'm off to Nottingham Trent Uni in October... to get shot.

I've never heard of anyone doing FIVE AS-Levels though... at my College you could only choose 4, with most people dropping one for A2.

Talking of A-Levels, had my second to last exam today A-level Business Studies is so complete bull****, i knew 3 formulas going into the exam and general vague knowledge on everything else and i'm actually pretty confident i got at least a mid-B.

 

[Sir Calumn]

I did 6 AS levels (though one was the easier general studies the other five were proper hardcore subjects) and didnt find it much of a strain - I carred them all through to A Level. I think it all depends on how you work - if you rely heavily on revision or out of school work then it may overload you a bit. If you want to get into a really top university you'll need three or four A-Levels with grade A predictions, even though your offer will most likely be AAB. I know some people who thought it better to do four, so they could **** one up and still make their offer, and others who thought it was better to really focus on the three. Personally I am a firm believer in quantity over quality, that you will always have one or two bad exams, but that's far less damaging if you're taking six subjects rather than three. I would say if you want to get into a really top university you should be doing four AS's, then you can drop one after they've made their offer, if you want to.

 

[Daz]

There's no way that i could have done more than 3 A2 (which was technically 2 with Double ICT) as i'm just completely useless when it comes to commitment; i rarely do homework, leave everything to the last minute, can't revise...

So i've got some things to sort out before Uni

 

[Sir Calumn]

I'm exactly the same, but luckily I have an amazing memory for facts am and just damn intelligent

****, I did two exams on the Odyssey and have still never read the thing in it's entirity. If I had been asked questions on books 10 - 18 I would have been totally screwed as I have absolutely no idea what happens then.

 

[Daz]

heh, i wouldnt say i was dumb either i'm obviously not up to the ohsomight Sir_Didier_Drogba level, but my targets are AAB. Once you've mastered the art of bull****ting around keywords exams become much easier

 

[champdave]

Lazy A level students, I did 6 subjects on top of obligatory community service and philosophy/sociology. And a nice 4000 word essay in the summer holidays