What do i do as a private candidate for igcse's?

Question

so my parents have agreed to let me be a private candidate for the igcse's (im in malaysia) but i hv plenty of questions and nobody to answer them for me. ;( please help.

1. on the application form, they had all sorts of options, like course mark carried forward.. and core syllabus or extended syllabus.. whats the difference and which ones should i pick?

2. i'll be homeschooled. can anybody help me find a proper booklist for the igcse's?

3. i will be accepted into sixth form colleges and universities....right? :)

any other advice about the igcse's from people who've done it as private candidates would really be appreciated! thank youu

Answer 1

1. 'Course mark carried forward' refers to the marks awarded for whatever coursework you do as part of the programme; to get the marks you'd have to find someone approved by the exam board to oversee and assess your work.

You don't say which exam board's IGCSEs you plan to do; however if it is Edexcel, you could probably safely ignore it as they don't allow their overseas private candidates to count any marks given for coursework towards their final mark.

Core syllabus and Extended syllabus refer to the two different levels of programme (akin to 'basic' and 'advanced'); you simply pick the one which refers to the programme you are studying.

2. They tend to change year-by-year. If you feel you must have an actual book list (rather than just learning around the syllabus), contact the exam board as they are the ones who decide on, set and mark the exams (and know what is coming up in them!). They are therefore best placed to recommend any books, texts to their own candidates (it is in the exam board's interest that as many candidates as possible pass their exams so you're likley to find them very helpful and accommodating (?sp...my mind's gone blank!).  

3. Yes. The IGCSE is studied in more than 100 different countries around the world, is widely recognised and is generally acknowledged to be significantly more academic than the 'bog standard GCSEs' available in UK Govt schools. The IGCSE is often more popular as it is considered to be heaps closer to the O Levels of the past. Indeed, increasing numbers of the very best private schools in the UK are abandoning GCSEs in favour of only offering their students the opportunity to do the IGCSE.

The best people to discuss your queries and concerns about the IGCSE with would always be the relevant exam board:

If you're sitting the Cambridge IGCSEs, try http://www.cie.org.uk/qualifications/aca... for a start.

If you're planning to go with Edexcel, they have a copy of their IGCSE Course Handbook for Private Candidates available at http://www.edexcel.org.uk/VirtualContent...

Looking around, the average number of IGCSE courses taken at any one time seems to be anything between five and ten. It's probably more important and relevant that you just do as many or as few as you want to do and are capable of handling without spreading yourself (or your time) too thinly.

Remember colleges and universities increasingly want to see more from applicants than just excellent academic results: they want to see that you also enjoy a full life and spend your days doing more than just studying!