How do you do a gcse?

Answer 1

How I wish on the day of choosing my GCSEs aged thirteen someone would've told me what I knew now. So hopefully I'm going to stop people making the mistakes that I did and try to show you that GCSEs are important despite what people say.

Firstly if you or someone else is choosing your GCSE options, tell me which group do you fit under?

1) I would like to achieve the best grades I can.

2) I would like to do subjects I enjoy the most.

Think carefully, and make this the basis of your descision. Don't choose both, one MUST be more important than the other.

If you chose number 1, then think about:

1) The subjects you are best at.

2) Can you keep your interest going for 1.75 years?

3) And most importantly what is the teaching like?

If you want to get good grades stay away from the departments with lazy teachers seeing as they often don't work much harder in the GCSE years. Those lazy ones wont mark and guide you with the all important coursework and will just send it off without you knowing. Oh how I know that.

If you were at a school like me who stupidly gave out reports after option time, consider and ask your teachers how you are doing now, and how you'd cope with GCSE.

I also advise you to start thinking of the grades you want. These grades you'd like could be a long way off and you'll need to start working hard to achieve them. Don't ever leave revision/coursework until the last minute.

If you chose number 2, then you have little to consider. If you like the subject it is likely that you will excel however don't expect all the teachers to be so enthusiastic.

Whichever option you chose, TRY and not cut your options off and I know it's difficult but consider what career you'd like. If you have a slight idea that a textile teacher could be your thing, but don't want to waste your options - you may regret it so take it!

Also consider your A-level choices (yes, really), it will be very difficult to take Chemistry A-level if you haven't done it at GCSE.

Whatever you do, don't be stupid and take all the same options as you friends. Fair enough if these are the subjects you want to do, but even by choosing the same options you are not garanteed to get in their classes anyway and also that is the fun of year 10/11, most friendship groups are split up and all the year joints together meaning you can make new friends. I did and I'm not hugely sociable.

The subject guide:

You are very likely to be taking English Language, English Literature and Maths. Although schools have different policys on the science. My advice is to do at least 2 GCSEs in science whether that be Science Dual Award (covers all three sciences) or do two individual sciences. I would not advise you to take the single award, when applying for jobs and university they prefer you to have more knowledge than a single award can give. Don't be tempted by the schools idea of doing an easier GCSE and a single award to replace the double award.

Languages: I cannot stress how important these are to take. It is no longer the law for students to take them but often you do have to take them. If it is a choice then take a language GCSE unless you are terrible at them. Why? We have language shortages in both teachers, A-levels, degrees and GCSEs and guess what? Employers love you to have linguistic ability, it will make you 1000X more employable than someone without.

Hummanities: Traditional, respected and full of skills. These are great to carry on to further study and employers and universities alike will love to see these at GCSE and A-level.

Technology: These are good for the practical people among us, they may not be of much use to those who are not or not intending to do a practical job, however they do show other skills and creativity. Definitely tak

e if

you a

re planning an Apprentiship in building, Plumbing etc. Beware though, the technology subjects such as textiles mean a lot more work (which is harder too) than food technology.

Modern subjects: Media Studies, Psychology, Sociology and Child Development: In my opinion these subjects are used by school to get the less able/less interested more interested and most employers do not value them. The first three should be left until A-level (although I would rather argue degree level or not at all), they can't teach to indepthly so I feel there is little worth learning. Child Development is suited to those who want a career with young children and I shall not argue with that.

GNVQs: Approach with caution. The intermediate is worth 4 GCSEs and the Part 1 is worth 2 GCSEs.

These can be taken in all sorts of subjects, which are made to look fun by schools to attract more youngsters and thus try and improve the percentage of 5A*-C. These are NOT suitable for the very able, and the Distinction grade (worth either 4A's or 2A's) is very much out of reach to all students. If you are clever and thinking of taking a GNVQ, then don't...take 2 GCSEs in good subjects such as history and a language. However, if you are a level 4/5 student or even 5/6 student this type of course may be for you, particularly if you are thinking of entering work after GCSEs or A/AS-Levels. At level 4/5 you may find it a bit challenging, however trust me, if you work you will be rewarded with a pass (c), or even a (b). There is little way of failing if you work. At level 5/6 you wont find it challenging although the workload is heavy for any student.

Other GCSEs: Art is quite an easy GCSE or so I heard seeing as nothing can be wrong. It's a good GCSE to take, it's rather respected and shows you have creativity. PE isn't really much use unless you want to work in the sports sector when you're older in which it is a goo

d GCSE to take.

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Starting your GCSEs:

Anyone who says the workload is unmanagable is lying. You can put as much work in as you like but be warned, the more you put in the more you are likely to get out. There will be occassions when you have several subjects worth of coursework, but you can do it!

Homework:

You may find you get very little or lots of homework in the next two years. If you're teachers aren't strict you can decide not to do it, but beware this may lower their expectations of you and you may get little help when you really need it. Homework usually goes over the things you've learnt in class, and get a revision guide to help you with it - it's always easier that way! However if you prefer thirty mintues could be better spent doing some revision from a revision guide.

Top tips for coursework:

* Write English coursework on the computer in both draft and final plan. Why? It's so much more difficult writing it by hand seeing as you can't edit it so much, or change words so easily.

* Another best tip is to get hold of a markscheme for coursework. Visit the exam board websites (www.aqa.org.UK, www.wjec.org.UK, www.edexcel.org.UK, www.ocr.org.UK) and find the specification for your GCSE, this usually has markscheme contained in it meaning you can match your work to the points.

* Get it done on time, if not before hand. To be honest, coursework can be fun and you'll feel very proud getting it done early and to a high standard.

* Use the internet. I do not encourage stealing coursework (and the teachers will know, honestly and you'll get unentered for all your exams) but looking at others' coursework can be helpful to getting an idea what it should look like. As I said don't copy, it'll be very noticable when teachers see it contain information which they haven't taught.

Social life:

Aft 14-16, the social scene hots up, and you'll

have to make your descision whether you want to be part

of it. Alcohol and other illegal activities will have started to go on and you'll also start to settle with the same group of good friends. "Playing out", will now turn into cozy mature get togethers or a 'p*ss up in the park'. So what do you do?

Firstly, your education should be made priority. And if you have good friends, they will understand that and hopefully have the same idea.

If you can successfully manage a good social life and GCSE life, then good for you. But if you feel like your social life is getting in the way of your GCSE life, it's time to stop it/limit it and concentrate on your GCSEs.

I wouldn't advise the "illegal activities route", you'll never be the studious year 9 you once where, and everything will seem so boring and pointless. You'll wont be able to go back, honestly - I've seen it happen.

If you're social life can involve studying at each others houses, then great!

A number one tip is to not listen to your friends when they say "I haven't done any revision", and think that makes it okay for you to not do any either. One they may be lying, and you'll know when they get 98%, two would you jump off a cliff if they did? And three, it's your grade and you should work for it!

Mock Exams:

Most schools have them at around Easter in year 10, and Christmas in year 11. Teachers will tell you to revise for them as if they were the real ones and you can do. Or you can not do, and hopefully you'll be disappointed and realise how much you have to work. Either way is a good way for motivating yourself to get higher grades.

Revision Material:

Firstly visit here: http://www.ldpride.net/learning_style.HTML . This is very useful and will show you how you learn best. If your an auditory learner, reading books may not be the best idea, but re

ading them out loud will help.

Books: CGP: I absolutely hate these books and I

know that they often miss parts of the syllabus out and add useless information in. The books practically underline everything, and the pictures/and jokes are both distracting and annoying. At £4.50, they test you on the useless stuff and they contain no practise exam papers.

Letts: These are expensive, but worth it. Often books contain both revision and useful practise questions however you can buy just revision guide and just practise papers. These books don't go too overboard in colour or pictures. The practise papers/questions contain answers which you can compare yours to and have an indication of what grade you will have got. They also show you how to improve on this grade.

BBC Bitesize: Like CGP books aren't syllabus specific meaning you'll get lots of useless things. These books don't go overboard on colour and pictures and contain brief comments from examinations with their practise questions.

Interactive CD-Roms: Visit www.amazon.co.UK for a selection of different CD-ROMS. These are good as they often contain revision plans which tell you what to revise and when (how many hours you do a week is up to you). There are revision material which combines pictures, sounds and interactive quizes aswell as proper exam papers. The only problem with these is they are no exam specific again.

Index Cards: Apparantly these are still available in WH-Smiths and contain ready printed material although I have yet to find them. However you can buy index cards and print your own revision material on these to make revision more managble.

Online revision: I assume you'll be used to using these sites before with your SATs. In order this is what I would recommend.

* www.schoolsnet.com

* www.s-cool.co.UK

* www.bbc.co.UK/revision

The first two are quite good, if not syllabus specific meaning you

could be learning things you don't need.

I cannot stress how useful it is to visit the exam board websites (as mentioned earlier) and look at past papers and markschemes. You can test yourself with these past papers which will be like yours and then check the markschme to see how well you did. Worship the markscheme and think of how the examiner will mark your test.

The actual GCSEs:

The time has likely to have flown by, and if you have been stupid and not revised whilst you were still at school it is likely you'll have study leave so use it wisely. Do not be stupid like I was and on the first week revise nothing because you have three exams which you 'cannot revise for' and also cannot learn anything else because the next exams are after half term. Revise a subject for half an hour a day, it makes it so much easier, you'll feel better and it is good to not have to cram so much. Remember, a bit of hard work wont harm you, you'll have ages off after they are over with no work to do at all!

When you are actually revising the best tip is to not worry about it sinking in, because worrying makes it so much harder for it to go in. Just keep reading it like it is you're favourite magazine and you'll be fine!

Comming out of exam believing you've messed it up is tough and very upsetting. But how many times have you come out of non-public exams and thought you'd messed it up but it wasn't so bad after all? Plenty? I have. You wont get your results back for another 2/3 months so there is no point in worrying.

Why are GCSEs so important?

My first paragraph mentioned their importance, and are you really still wondering how I could justify that? Not only do you learn so much of important stuff you usually need them to further your career.

* A full set of A*/A and a few Bs is required for the top 5 universities - otherwise you have a lot of explaining to do and will need a

lot of luck.

* A good set of GCSEs is needed for the other universities, and the same will apply above.

* C grades in maths, English and Science is required for all university degrees.

* At least 5A*-C's are needed to enter further education.

* 5A*-C's are needed for aprentiships.

* Apparently 5 GCSEs are needed to become a dustman.

Results day:

Results days are always on a Thursday. In 2004, it's on a 26th so 25th it'll be for 2005 GCSE results and so on.

Good results: Well done! Good results may give you more options in education and careers, so get informed!

Bad results: Thousands of youngsters do resits and go on to get very far. You can do a couple of GCSE resist amongst AS-Levels or whilst working and it is really worth the time for your future.

See you'll come so far from year 9-11, it's made me relive my school years over again. Now I just have to wait for the results.