Criticism of early GCSE Maths

[daughter]

Tewks_Mom - sounds like your DS has some good options and the planned option is probably a good one for him. I don't know if you have older DC ... (sorry if I am telling you something that you already know). You mentioned him gaining extra UCAS points, it is perhaps worth knowing (I didn't understand this for a while) that gaining UCAS points or in fact UCAS points themselves are simply not relevant to more able pupils like your DS clearly is. Top/higher unis and courses do not make offers based on UCAS points they are all based on grades or IB points. I don't mean this in anyway against his potential extra maths qualification - but just that he is unlikely to be looking at a UCAS points based course. I know many parents don't understand this and think that maybe the 20 points you get from speech/music exam or whatever will be of some help. It won't unless you are applying to those type of unis ... generalistaion but often the ex-polys. Doesn't mean that any of it is not worthwhile just that the UCAS points themselves often are.
I hope this is helpful - I would be interested to hear other peoples views on it.

[tokyonambu]

Tewks_Mom - sounds like your DS has some good options and the planned option is probably a good one for him. I don't know if you have older DC ... (sorry if I am telling you something that you already know). You mentioned him gaining extra UCAS points, it is perhaps worth knowing (I didn't understand this for a while) that gaining UCAS points or in fact UCAS points themselves are simply not relevant to more able pupils like your DS clearly is. Top/higher unis and courses do not make offers based on UCAS points they are all based on grades or IB points.

But those self-same universities may, where relevant, be interested in the qualification. A post-GCSE maths qualification, especially for people where AS or A2 maths is not a requirement, is nonetheless valuable. Grade VIII in an instrument or two demonstrates motivation and commitment, whether or not they're applying to do music. It's not a matter of just totting up the UCAS points: as you say, the actual offer from the more selective courses will almost exclusively be based on A2/IB results. But the process of getting an offer will be affected by other things you bring to the party, and objective qualifications that the admission tutor can understand are good things to have.

[Tewks_Mom]

Thanks for the input. Actually this brings up my current concern that even if he academically scored enough for Oxbridge, Warwick or the like he does not have interests out of school (apart from swimming lessons and a 10 wk Saturday maths course) & I am afraid he wont get in where he wants. Or should this be another thread? Any thoughts please?

[Belinda]

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[Tewks_Mom]

He went on a 10 week Saturday course at the local University and maths professionals came and explained to them what they could do with maths (all of it above my head) and he said something about the use of numbers to write computer games. Thanks so much for your input it gives me something to research for him

[dinah]

For what it's worth, my experience of Unversity applications including Oxbridge has revealed some interesting realities. MT DD went foor Oxford and Cambrdge as an organ scholar -only organ scholars have this shot. She knew she was flying a kite as even thouhg she had Grade 8 distinction she did not have enough musical theory . She went to try it out as of she didn't get an offer she would still be able to apply again for the next round in her subject.At Cambridge they mentioned her results in every interview and at Oxford they never mentioned them. She was rejected by both for an organ scholarship.
She decided to apply again for the December interviews and chose Oxford. In her personal statement she did not mention anything extra curricula. All she wrote about was how she had come to love her subject , what she had read outside the syllabus and essay competions she had entered and never won or even been placed.
At the Oxford interviews they were only concerned about if she was 'teachable' likeable and academic .'Teachable' seemed to mean if you were challenged by the interviewer you you would shift your position in the light of what you had read or could pull a connection out of thin air. It meant digging your heals in if you had evidence and shifting your position and being able to move on and up if you did not.

A girl her year who had 2 Bs and a C at AS put on open application in for Law and has an offer .I am guessing the personal statement was about law and her interview showed she was passionate and likeable.They have spend a lot of time with you one to one.They do make mistakes I am sure but theydo know what they are looking for.
It may be a string of A *s but also it may be natural intelligence and a passion for a subject.
My DD had offers from Durham , St Andrew's , Royall Holloway ,Bristol and Oxford. None of them cared two hoots for anyhting otehr than what she wrote about her subject.It has to be so as he personal statement and nothing else in it.I get that she might not meet the offers but it was nice to be asked to the party even if you can't go but one thing is for sure they did not offer on anything other than a subject based application.

[magwich2]

Having helped DD1 with her application to Magdalen Oxford for history I would agree completely with dinah.

[yoyo123]

Thanks for the input. Actually this brings up my current concern that even if he academically scored enough for Oxbridge, Warwick or the like he does not have interests out of school (apart from swimming lessons and a 10 wk Saturday maths course) & I am afraid he wont get in where he wants. Or should this be another thread? Any thoughts please?

My daughter had very little to put down on her personal statement. She had played cello, but given it up at 14 (grade 2) and she spent most of her spare time working in a cafe. She was offered places at all but one of her choices and has just finished her degree at UCL.

None of them cared two hoots for anyhting otehr than what she wrote about her subject.It has to be so as he personal statement and nothing else in it.I get that she might not meet the offers but it was nice to be asked to the party even if you can't go but one thing is for sure they did not offer on anything other than a subject based application.

exactly, only in her case history,..Royal Holloway offered her a place with 2 Es.. so while outside interests may be the icing on the cake, the main thing is still the quality of the cake itself.

[daughter]

Agree 100% with Dinah and Yoyo ... exactly "our" experience.
The few extra curricular bits dd mentioned made up part of 1 sentence. There simply isn't room and only if you can manage to incorporate it into your academic interest do you have room to mention it. Referee managed to include D of E , but really I would encourage all( including my next 2 dc) to do " things" because you want to not because of personal statement or UCAS points.

[Tewks_Mom]

Thank you for the input. Ds will be thrilled as all he wants to do is academic work and play computer games (mainly designing his own levels and such like). Will keep my eye out for things he can do/attend in his area of interest