We'd like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum. This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are - or become - political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.

GCSE choice time!

1246

Comments

  • ~daisy~_2
    ~daisy~_2 Posts: 2,566 Forumite
    my daughter is planning to choose double science geography german catering and art
    she wanted to do triple science but didnt want to use 2 options on it
    she should get the pe gcse type thing tho from her swimming commitments - not sure if its a full gcse tho ?
    she just sat her first gcse last week - money management type thingy

    she just got an excellent yr 9 report so willing to let her go with her choices as i know she will work hard at things she enjoys and feel her choices are a good mix really
    :j MFi3 wannabee :j
    mortgage owing 04.07 £36,000
    mortgage owing 07.10 £0 !!!!
  • chewmylegoff
    chewmylegoff Posts: 11,466 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    you don't need law gcse, law a-level, or a law degree to be a solicitor or a barrister in this country (although obviously the law degree helps as you need to do a conversion course without it). further, most people with a law degree do not become solicitors or barristers.

    it is pretty futile trying to map out a career at GCSE stage. but if a professional career is envisaged, what is most important at GCSE is getting good grades, and then choosing solid subjects and getting good grades at A-Level, so that you get into at least a top 10 uni, and then get a minimum 2.1 degree. this will keep the most doors open.
  • Oldernotwiser
    Oldernotwiser Posts: 37,425 Forumite
    Sorry, but that is wrong. The vast majority of Unis will accept Diplomas at level 3, even for Law! Indeed, some are welcoming them as they promote self study and extended writing and emulate Uni courses to a far greater extent than traditional subjects.

    What the universities say and what they do are very different things - they may be accpeted but not necessarilyin a competitive situation.

    In addition, I specifically said "good universities"; as you'll see from the following, only between 40 and 55% of the Russell Group universities are accepting them.

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2009/may/06/diplomas-top-universities

    I wouldn't want my child to risk it or recommend them for my more able and ambitious clients.
  • alm721
    alm721 Posts: 727 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    Sorry, but that is wrong. The vast majority of Unis will accept Diplomas at level 3, even for Law! Indeed, some are welcoming them as they promote self study and extended writing and emulate Uni courses to a far greater extent than traditional subjects.

    Also, as we have established, subjects studied at level 2 will not have a significant impact on acceptance in to Uni - what is studied at level 3 dictates this.


    I'm pretty sure most diplomas offered in schools at ks4 are only level 1 and 2. Level 3 is not something you would do until 6th form anyway. Also I would be wary of the 'most universitys thing'. I think it maybe depending on the type of degree/uni you go for but I'm pretty sure that the vast majority prefer the standard GSCE A level route. They may accept diplomas but I think in most cases more weight would be given to A-levels.
  • whitfreak
    whitfreak Posts: 276 Forumite
    ~daisy~ wrote: »
    my daughter is planning to choose double science geography german catering and art
    she wanted to do triple science but didnt want to use 2 options on it
    really

    The A Level sciences are designed to follow on from the double science gcse. So if she wants to pick up a science in 6th form there shouldnt be a problem. I went down that route similar reasons, ended up doing only sciences at A Level and Physics at Uni.
  • Hiya,

    I'm doing law at uni now (Oxbridge, if that helps...). I'd echo the others in strongly suggesting that your daughter go for traditional, 'academic' subjects, so it's great that that's what she seems to have chosen. Law GCSE (as with Law A-level) will make no difference at all, from what I can tell. As long as she does this, and as long as she has a decent range of subjects, what she chooses to focus on in particular doesn't matter. I did RS at GCSE and did neither Geography nor History and this stood me in perfectly good stead. If your daughter prefers Geography to History and thus is more likely to get an A* in it (as well as enjoy herself more doing it!) then she should go for that - a couple of people said to me that History was a desirable subject for law but, honestly, most of the 'traditional' subjects (from sciences to languages to maths to essay-writing subjects) give you good analytical skills and that's what's needed. History isn't necessary and she'd be doing herself a disservice choosing a subject she doesn't like, IMO.

    Good luck to her! Feel free to PM me if I can help further :)

    A x
    Live on £4000 a Year Challenge member
    Target: £3000 for academic year 2009/10
    Spent: £845.61; Remaining: 2154.39 :rolleyes:
  • i think taking MFLs as GCSEs because they widen the range of universeties.
  • Also they are useful because they mean you can work abroad
  • She would be best to choose traditional cirriculum subjects like english lang, lit, seperate sciences, geography etc. She may change her mind about what she wants to do, and these subjects will allow her to choose more A'Levels which again will count for Uni applications. Avoid wishy washsy subjects like politics, philiosophy etc, they are a waste of time at GCSE, A'Level and Uni - they count for nothing and she will struggle to do anything constructive with them. They are better done as a hobby.
  • Artytarty
    Artytarty Posts: 2,642 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    If she does drama (good GCSE and not a soft option)land goes for a interview for law tell her to be careful.
    They may well ask her if she thinks the drama will be useful.
    This is a !trick" question.The wrong answer is " yes, a lot of the law is acting, in court and so on"
    The RIGHT answer is " NO. Law is about the pursuit of the truth and justice, drama is about acting"
    Sorry, a bit off thread but might be useful to someone!
    Norn Iron Club member 473
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 348.2K Banking & Borrowing
  • 252.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 452.3K Spending & Discounts
  • 240.8K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 617K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 175.6K Life & Family
  • 253.9K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16K Discuss & Feedback
  • 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.