Are GCSE's really important...?

Question

Like thousands of teenagers all over the UK, I'm worried about my results.

I was just wandering how important GCSE results are going to be, especially as I want to study further in sixth form and university, to become a doctor.

I really just want an outside opinion, not from my teachers or parents that tell me my life depends on them >_<

Thanks!

Answer 1

If you go on to further education, GCSEs are not remotely important, other than as a stepping-stone to the next level. I have ten of them, four a levels, a BA, and an MSC - people only care about the last two. I rarely even bother to include the GCSEs on a CV.

If you *don&#039;t* carry on, however - they are extremely important.

Your employer will look for the most relevent qualification - which, if you have degrees/vocational training, will not be GCSEs.

Answer 2

It&#039;s a hard question to answer as I don&#039;t know what you want to do with your life, you may want to become a professional by that I mean a banker a solicitor an accountant or a doctor, nurse, paramedic but other wise I&#039;d say not that important i left school with out them and i haven&#039;t done to bad i have been a warehouse manager for a big DIY Retailer and am currently a supervisor at a print finishers but am looking to go into courier work as it is fairly well paid. my honest opinion is the harder you work the more you get out of it. I have qualifications from collage which was harder because every one thinks your thick!.  

Answer 3

Don&#039;t let your teachers and parents blow them out of perspective because you&#039;re not going to die if you don&#039;t do amazing.

Your life doesn&#039;t depend on them, but your career as a doctor might... Medicine courses are very competitive and generally only take candidates with top grades and huge amounts of work experience.

But please don&#039;t stress about them, whatever happens life will go on!

x

Answer 4

They&#039;re an independently and internationally recognised collation of grades which can often help an employer on which candidate to hire, and also determines whether you are to get on the course or not. That&#039;s what I think, I&#039;m in the same shoes as I am 16 as well.

Answer 5

The relative importance of GCSEs depends. As a springboard to A-levels, they are vital. A college won&#039;t admit you to the scientific courses you will need unless you did well in the corresponding GCSE.

Then the A-levels are important to qualify you for admission to your Medicine degree.

You must do well in the GCSEs but if you don&#039;t (you should have results by now) you can always take the ones you need again and improve the grades.

It is possible to get admitted to some degrees without good A-level or GCSE grades, but this won&#039;t really apply to Medicine and other science courses, where bad grades may indicate the course would be beyond you. They are meant to prove you are capable.

Answer 6

I&#039;s important to get 5 A-C including English and Maths. That&#039;s all employers and universities ask for.

A college may want you to have a higher grade for you to study an A Level in that subject but that&#039;s it.

In 2 years time all that will matter is your A Levels and a few years after that it will be your degree.

BTW I am a teacher and I think to much stress is put on young people - all for the sake of league tables.

Try not to be too stressed, if you have passed well done, if you haven&#039;t you can redo them.

Oh yeah, that&#039;s the other thing, employers and universities don&#039;t care if you took your GCSE&#039;s at age 16, age 10 or age 35.  

Answer 7

yh they do matter but only if you want to go in a top uni i.e birmingham uni wants 6 a* in gcse&#039;s that is a fact but it is a top uni

Answer 8

If you want to be a doctor, then they are really really important. Your life depends on them. You can&#039;t even get into sixth form without a C in Maths, English and Science. They can open a lot of doors, they can close them too.

Answer 9

If you want to be a doctor then yes. Otherwise not really. In a few years it doesn&#039;t matter for most people.