Taking GCSEs early
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Re: Taking GCSEs early
It is preferred to take all GCSEs together and then A levels together. The one exception I'm aware of is if 4 including Maths and Further Maths are taken, then most universities will allow Maths to be taken in Year 12 but that needs checking as some will still set requirements on all the 3 taken in Year 13.
Re: Taking GCSEs early
I believe the current year 11 cohort at Wycombe High are the last year group to follow the schools regime of taking 2 GCSEs at the end of year 10. With the rest being examined at the end of year 11.
"Curriculum Overview 2017-2019
The current Year 11 students follow a three year Key Stage 4 in which they study 10 subjects. All students must study: English Language and Literature, Mathematics, Triple Science, and Citizenship. There is an element of choice over the remaining four subjects, however students must choose at least one language from French, Spanish and Latin and it is strongly advised that they choose one humanity from Ancient History, Geography or History. Details of all of these subjects can be found below. Two of the four Option subjects will be examined at the end of Year 10, all other subjects will be examined at the end of Year 11. Students also follow an Enrichment carousel in Year 11."
I have no idea why they have moved away from this model as it doesn't appear to be due to the change to linear exams as this cohort are not the first year group to do the linear exams. But something has changed their minds.
"Curriculum Overview 2017-2019
The current Year 11 students follow a three year Key Stage 4 in which they study 10 subjects. All students must study: English Language and Literature, Mathematics, Triple Science, and Citizenship. There is an element of choice over the remaining four subjects, however students must choose at least one language from French, Spanish and Latin and it is strongly advised that they choose one humanity from Ancient History, Geography or History. Details of all of these subjects can be found below. Two of the four Option subjects will be examined at the end of Year 10, all other subjects will be examined at the end of Year 11. Students also follow an Enrichment carousel in Year 11."
I have no idea why they have moved away from this model as it doesn't appear to be due to the change to linear exams as this cohort are not the first year group to do the linear exams. But something has changed their minds.
Re: Taking GCSEs early
Presumably the fact that the universities prefer it. I'm surprised they are still doing it to be honest, I didn't think any of them still did. Even when DD did her GCSEs in 2012 it was beginning to be frowned upon. The only things she did early were some of the science papers.
scary mum
Re: Taking GCSEs early
I can say with some authority that good universities, including Oxbridge, do not require early/big numbers of GCSEs. Big mistake all round. I am actually quite shocked to hear the lengths some people go to to try and leverage themselves/their children/pupils into 'top' universities. It really isn't necessary. A normal number of pretty good GCSE grades is all you need. No mystery. And for Oxbridge - if your face fits, they think they can work with you and you have a good day, you're in. I actually think some of the coaching and training people do for the interview is counterproductive - they can spot it a mile off. Forget the early GCSEs or the double figure ones too. Top 8 is all they care about, and they definitely do not have to be all top grade either.
If you're after Med or Vet Med you also need something extra; but it isn't more or early GCSEs.
If you're after Med or Vet Med you also need something extra; but it isn't more or early GCSEs.
Re: Taking GCSEs early
I suspect you are referring to Oxford; they have traditionally been GCSE heavy for courses like Medicine. I have some interesting GCSE stats for all offers made in 2016 for Oxford Medicine entry. Out of the 155 offers made, below were the number of GCSEs taken. Please also note they further allocate a 'GCSE calculated score' for each application, worked out based on the total number of GCSEs taken, subjects, grades achieved, and the school they attended.Eccentric wrote:One of my daughter's friends has taken 3 GCSE's early one in year 8 one in year 9 and one in year 10. She got A*'s in all 3. She is taking one of those as an extra A level in year 12. So she will have 15 GCSE's and 5 A' Levels (she is apparently taking 4 in year 13). Her parents are professors at Oxbridge, they interview for student entrance and seem to think that to get in she needs to stand out from the crowd and that means doing extra GCSE's early but not doing D of E etc. She doesn't do any of the extra curricular stuff my DD does. No sport, no music, no drama, no volunteering etc.
It leaves my daughter feeling very inadequate.
Number of Students Total GCSEs
2---------------------------------15
4---------------------------------14
18--------------------------------13
39--------------------------------12
48--------------------------------11
39--------------------------------10
4----------------------------------9
13--------------------------------Not published
More than 40% had 12 or more, and around 72% had 11 or more. And looking at the interview record form they use, the academic section clearly lists the number of GCSE's, the contextual calculated GCSE score, and then further score from 0 to 4 on academic potential based on the following areas: Problem solving, intellectual curiosity, communications skills and other factors.
Looking at the above stats, it's difficult to establish what role higher number of GCSEs played in the actual offer. It could simply be that these candidates just happened to be the bright ones Oxford were looking for, and would have made the offer irrespective of the actual number of GCSEs taken. Or, as you point out, they maybe looking for candidates who 'stand out' from the rest in terms of the academic load they can manage.
DS1 took 11 and our school told us they were all mandatory, so we never asked a further question on dropping some, or adding more. And, as other posters have pointed out, most universities, for the purpose of offers, only consider top 8 with some specifying the core subjects. I also, personally, don't see any advantage gained by taking them early, as far as admissions to university courses are concerned.
Re: Taking GCSEs early
MSD - that data is based on the old GCSEs so was not worth your time copying and pasting it.
The vast majority of schools have reviewed the number of GCSEs being studied ...
The vast majority of schools have reviewed the number of GCSEs being studied ...
Re: Taking GCSEs early
You perhaps missed the point G55. It has nothing to do with the GCSE specification - old or the new. We were discussing how the interviewing panel views additional GCSEs, based on some pertinent observations from Eccentric. And, the point I tried to put across, by posting those stats, was that it appears candidates with higher number of GCSEs were more likely to get an offer, for that particular course. And, that fact doesn’t change with the new GCSE specification - schools can review the number of GCSEs being taken, but they surely can’t stop candidates from taking additional ones, independently, if they wish to. And, if they do, would they then be viewed favourably for offers, was the real question. However, I pointed out in my previous post, it isn’t necessary that higher number of GCSEs were the reason for those offers - those candidates might have fit the bill irrespective of the additional numbers.Guest55 wrote: MSD - that data is based on the old GCSEs so was not worth your time copying and pasting it.
Re: Taking GCSEs early
No, you are misinterpreting the data - taking additional GCSEs does not make it more likely to get an offer - you are seeing causation where there is none.
Re: Taking GCSEs early
Taking GCSEs early is always going to be a topic of debate and I sit on both sides of the fence here. DS1 dropped a GCSE and did 3 A levels whilst DS2 took Maths at the end of yr10 and is now doing 4 A levels and will continue with all 4. They were/are at the same school which also actively encourages them to do lots of things outside of the classroom too and these extra curricular activities are seen as just as important.
Having just been to an Oxbridge admissions advice evening where the speaker was a college admissions officer I definitely got the impression that, although of course grades are important, being able to demonstrate a genuine passion for your subject was just as important. I certainly didn't come away with the impression that an excessive number of GCSEs or A levels were required but I did come away thinking that being able to demonstrate that you have actively explored your subject independently outside of the classroom was.
Having just been to an Oxbridge admissions advice evening where the speaker was a college admissions officer I definitely got the impression that, although of course grades are important, being able to demonstrate a genuine passion for your subject was just as important. I certainly didn't come away with the impression that an excessive number of GCSEs or A levels were required but I did come away thinking that being able to demonstrate that you have actively explored your subject independently outside of the classroom was.
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad !
Re: Taking GCSEs early
If universities are only looking at best GCSEs aren't the kids in grammars and high performing comprehensives at a disadvantage as most independents certainly in our area have gone down to 9 GCSEs .
Hmmm.... time to reflect on this for the schools ?
Hmmm.... time to reflect on this for the schools ?