GCSE Importance

aslco

aslco

aslco

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10 Feb 2008
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Hey guys im just interested into how much detial you put on your CV about your GCSE's. I know many of you have degree or atleast A-levels and im quite likley to go on to do uni, or atleast i hope i will.

Right now im sitting my final GCSE exams and im not too bothered by them as ive been told that at the end of the day as long as they launch you into the next level of education (i.e get 5c's to go to college) then its fine.

I am still trying to get good results but not busting a gut to revise like crazy. Im on A's and A*s after coursework but i have bad exam technique and expect a few of those A's to turn to B's.

So yeah, just how important are these exams?
 
Depends on your age, as your qualifications grow GCSE go down the pecking order. I still have them on mine as i am still in university on final year, but when i get my degree (fingers crossed) GCSE will be a very small part.

As for the GCSE themseleves they are bascally a guide to get you into sixth form and to sit you A'Levels as most colleagues/schools require 5 or more A-C grades inorder to get on course.
 
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I'd still put in some effort, yeah they get you into college.

But what happens if someone does the same A-levels as you, gets a similar grade as you... they'll look at other things like GCSE's etc.

They'll pick the other candidate over you if numbers are tight.

Better the grades, better chances of getting a place at uni of your choices.
 
Cool, so as i see it, if you've only done A-levels then GCSE still need to be shown quite clearly whereas if you have a degree you just put 'i passed 10 GCSE's'?

I ask this because i know one guy who on his CV put 'I have done my GCSE's' even before his degree was finished.
 
Makunouchi said:
Universities will consider them when you apply so.... they are pretty important.
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hardly. they care that youve got some but thats about it. deciding between people with the same A level results will be done by interview.


in 5 years since leaving school i dont think ive ever been asked to see my GCSE certificates once. even when ive taken them along to show off because im proud of them

on ucas form i had to say what i got but that was about it, was nothing in my course requirements about needing them
 
^^ agreed

The only definite qualification uni will see of yours when you apply is your GCSEs. Certain courses will check your GCSE results are up to par before reading any further along your UCAS form. Obviously down the line when you get your degree they don't count for much, although many people would want to see at least reasonable attainment in English and Maths if you didn't take those further
 
Education is important, at all levels, not just for the grades, but also for your general knowledge. You'll always come across a time in later life where you'll regret not getting the better grade you knew you could have got, or regret not knowing something you would have known, had you only studied that bit harder.

My general rule is, always apply yourself to the fullest.. apply that to your education, your job and your social life.
 
Ah, ok. I thought this might be the case. I had a look at some Uni sites and i see that as a basic apply grades you need say 1A 2B's at A-level (as an example).

However, i see some uni's do it on a points ranking.

For instance Leeds said for one of their courses they want you to have 3B's, yet newcastle said they wanted '47 points'
 
heeeed said:
^^ agreed

The only definite qualification uni will see of yours when you apply is your GCSEs. Certain courses will check your GCSE results are up to par before reading any further along your UCAS form. Obviously down the line when you get your degree they don't count for much, although many people would want to see at least reasonable attainment in English and Maths if you didn't take those further
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Huh? What about a-levels surely. Or did you mean to replace GCSE with A-level?
 
For me, i passed all my GCSE's A-C except Maths. Never really bothered with re-sitting as i was doing my A'levels fine and didnt get in the way. However applying for Univeristy became a problem. Doing a computing degree they all wanted C grade or above in Maths at GCSE. The University was really strict about this regardless what i had at Alevels. So i had to sit my GCSE's 2 years later while doing my A'level exams. Luckly i passed Even with over 400 UCAS points they still wanted Maths. So bascally try your best in the core subjects, English Maths & Science.
 
Ah cheers matey, yeah i should get B or higher in all of them, maybe even a sneaky demon A* in physics, but the last module is hard :(. However, im doing physics at A-level so i will have a bash.

Also the sixth form im going to, say 'we aren't letting you carry on without a C in maths and english, you may enter if you promise to resit and you actually achieve those grades.'

P.S. My sisters got 7A*'s and 3 A's --and-- 10A*s and 1 A :o.
 
For Uni, A-Levels would probably be more important that GCSE's. Just make sure you have at least English and Maths at GCSE.

Job wise it depends. Many jobs now look at experience rather than grades when hiring people.
 
As with most stages of education they are important for getting you to the next stage. A few years down the line (after a degree or whatever if you go for it) they won't be considered much but at every stage you should try your best, what if you stop at that point? You want to show you have achieved the best qualifications you could have gained up to that point.

When you say you have bad exam technique what do you mean? Exam technique only gets more important as you go through education so try and get yours to be as good as you can.
 
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