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There’s no denying the importance of GCSE examinations. Not only will they determine your options for the immediate future, but they can also affect whether or not you can attend university.
While not all GCSE exams are created equal (some are much more important for your future than others), they can all swing the pendulum one way or the other when it comes to whether or not you’re admitted to a university.
If you are looking to improve your university application you should of course first focus on improving your grades, particularly in the respective subject that you plan on pursuing after you finish secondary school.
This will ensure that you achieve the grades that you are capable of so that you secure your place on your desired course, whatever that might be.
In this article, we’re going to break down just how important GCSEs are, how they can potentially affect your future career path, and how they play a role in the university admission process.
What are GCSEs?
GCSE, or General Certificate of Secondary Education, refers to a series of exams that students usually take at the age of 15 or 16. It signals the end of secondary school study (hence the name) and acts as a gateway to the sixth form.
The subjects for the GCSE exams vary, and there are typically between 5 and 12.
As previously mentioned, the GCSEs bridge the gap between secondary school education and the sixth form, the last stage of education before university.
The GCSEs are a great way of helping you to determine the subjects that you are good at and can even indicate areas that you might be interested in working in after you leave school.
Though it is also important for students to note that these are by no means the be-all and end-all of your career, whatever that may be.
If you decide that you want to pursue an apprenticeship after graduating from school then there will certainly be less of a need to perform in these exams.
On the other hand, if you are looking for a way to improve your university application you should of course focus on attaining the maximum grades possible in your GCSE and A-level exams. After all, this is the main point of entry in which a student will enter university after finishing their secondary school education.
There is certainly no way around meeting the minimum grades and additional minimum entry requirements that your preferred course or university might have set for its candidates.
There are a number of different things which you could adopt throughout your final years at secondary school in order to help give yourself an edge over other students that might be applying for the same course.
How you go about improving your university application will depend on what exactly it is you intend on studying, or whether you intend on study in the UK or abroad. The GCSEs will certainly help you a lot and provide you with a solid education across a variety of different subjects.
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Maths is one of the most important GCSEs to pass.
Getting into Sixth Form
For that reason, it’s important, if you want to continue with your education, that you do well in the exams. The grades required by the sixth form at different schools or colleges vary, but it’s likely that you’ll need at least 4 or 5 C grades to get in.
You’ll want to study your A-levels somewhere that is best suited to your educational needs since A-levels are the main assessment criteria judged by universities when it comes to their entry requirements.
If you fail to meet the requirements set by schools and colleges for the sixth form, it isn’t the end of the world, as there are a number of alternative options such as Functional Skills courses, which can bring you up to a passing grade in Maths, English, and ICT.
However, it’s in your - and your bank account´s - best interest to do well on the first attempt at the GCSE exams. Doing well on your GCSEs can open up more options for where you study the sixth form, and ultimately, which university you end up at.
To answer the common question: can you get into college with no GCSEs? Yes. There are alternative routes to college and sixth form, which include Functional Skills courses.
It is important that you realise the number of options that are out there if you don’t manage to achieve your desired grades in the exams.
The reason so much emphasis and importance is placed on these exams is that they are solid indicators to schools and universities of how well you are likely to perform - academically speaking - going forward.
Impress yourself with your GCSE results, and you will prove that you are ready for higher education. Skills such as independent learning, and a strong work ethic, are crucial in convincing universities to take you on at a future date.
Having a plan B
Maths and English GCSE results can have an impact on your choice of a university degree course, as well as your future job. Many universities and workplaces require a minimum C grade in both… BUT don’t worry if you haven’t achieved this; you do have a few options.
Please get in touch with your sixth-form institution as soon as possible if you intend to continue your studies (A-Levels, Level 3) after this level. In addition to studying for your advanced level subjects, your college might allow you to retake the GSCE; some might even provide further assistance.
You should talk to your present English or Math teacher if you don't plan to continue your studies or if your institution doesn't provide GCSE retakes. Your school might let you take retests there or might suggest other organizations that do.
Please get in touch with your sixth-form institution as soon as possible if you intend to continue your studies (A-Levels, Level 3) after this level. In addition to studying for your advanced level subjects, your college might allow you to retake the GSCE; some might even provide further assistance.
You should talk to your present English or Math teacher if you don't plan to continue your studies or if your institution doesn't provide GCSE retakes. Your school might let you take retests there or might suggest other organizations that do.
You can get your paper remarked if you feel it has been marked incorrectly. You need to ask your school or exam centre to submit an EAR (enquiry about results) by 20th September 2014.
Bear in mind that your score could go down as well as up, and the remark score is final, so if you’re just a few marks above a grade boundary this is a risky approach. The general rule is that the more subjective the subject is, the more chance the score could change.
Cheat the system
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English literature and maths are the big ones.
It goes without saying that all of the GCSEs you take on are important, and you should try and get the best grade possible to increase your academic opportunities.
However, if you’re overwhelmed by having to study so many subjects and are struggling to focus, then concentrate your efforts on the most important subjects: English and Maths.
Most universities demand a GCSE pass in both English and Maths. If you have passed all of your other GCSEs, but failed to make the grade for these two subjects, then that could detrimentally affect your university application when the time comes.
That’s why when it comes to studying, be sure to allocate extra time to these two subjects, and you’ll give yourself a great chance later down the line when it comes to applying to university.
Other skills and experience also come into things for university applications, but the first thing the institutions are likely to check is your grades since these are the strongest indicators of how you will get on in further education.
Even if you miss the mark with English and Maths the first time around, then you can retake the exams, or have a go at one of the Functional Skills courses, which will count as the equivalent of a C grade should you pass level 2.
GCSE Lifelines
If you’ve already finished your GCSE exams and you’re reading this guide worrying that your life is over, and your academic reputation is in tatters, don’t fear.
If you are determined to go to sixth form and university but didn’t do as well as you’d hoped in the exams, then you have a couple of options.
Re-sitting exams
Aside from taking a Functional Skills course, which could provide you with the pass grades you need in the important subjects, you can opt to resit the exams.
It sounds like a pain to go through it all again, but it really is worth coming out of secondary school with GCSE grades that you are proud of. Especially if you have your mind set on a university, you’ll want to give yourself the best chance possible of getting in, leaving nothing to chance.
Remark
Your second option, although not guaranteed to make a difference, is asking your school for a remark. This option should only really be considered if you feel hard done on an exam, and truly believe that the mark should have been higher.
If this isn’t the case, then resitting the exams you weren’t happy with would be the best option.
Check for tutoring classes in the UK here.
How can GCSEs affect the university you study at?
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Which university you go to depends on a series of factors.
We have discussed all the ways in which GCSEs can affect your potential route to university, but it goes deeper than that, and there are even more things to consider regarding the effect of GCSEs on further education.
The grades determine likely A-Level results
Not all universities require the same of aspiring students, meaning some will be out of reach if you haven’t performed as well in your GCSEs as your peers.
For example, Russel group universities, which have a reputation for accepting the best students, have high A-level requirements. This places a lot of importance on your GCSEs since you will have to show to these universities with these marks that you can attain such high A-level results when the time comes.
The lower your GCSE grades are, the less faith these top universities will have that you can reach their high standards, and meet the A-level results they ask for.
UCAS points also come into the equation, and you can find out here if GCSEs factor into then.
This applies not only to Russell Group universities since all universities usually have to go on is your GCSE results.
Think of it like placing a bet. Who do you think is most likely to do well in their A-levels? Who are you most likely to put your money on?
The candidate who has proved past success academically through their GCSE results, or the one who got low marks across the board but claims that next time round it will be different.
Again, going to university without GCSEs is also possible, but much harder to pull off. Especially since university entry requirements can be quite strict.
To get a clearer idea of what GCSEs will serve you well for your chosen career path, this BBC Bitesize article should shine some light on the situation.
What does this mean for you?
Put simply: take some time to seriously consider what you would want to study at university, or what career path you’d like to pursue, and then with a bit of research you’ll soon figure out which GCSEs are most important, and what grades to aim for.
If you are still unsure of what you would like to do after you finish school, it is certainly best that you keep your options open and do your very best in your GCSEs. Who knows, you might change your mind in future years, it would help a lot if you had strong results to fall back on in such cases.
In a nutshell, GCSEs are incredibly important to get into university. If you lose your certificates, don’t worry, that can be resolved. So study hard, and resit the exams if you have to since they could impact your future academic and career options.
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