GCSE engineering

[lljkk]

How academic is or isn't GCSE in engineering? TIA

[bojorojo]

Not an expert but if a young person is interested in engineering then it cannot be a waste of time. However Maths and Sciences plus other academic GCSEs should be studied as well. I would see engineering as a niche extra. A bit like PE GCSE for people who want to be Doctors. No harm in it but not essential.

My DH did Engineering A level back in the day which included a weekly session at a university engineering dept. It was considered vocational but with a strong academic element back then and welcomed by universities! It is a great game that engineers hardly ever do any principles of engineering prior to starting a degree these days.

[lljkk]

Ta, DD is at a school where they do 11-12 GCSEs & she's really struggling for final choice.

[PettsWoodParadise]

A school DD is likely to be attending from September is an Engineering specialist girls grammar and they do two level 2 Cambridge National modules which are the equivalent to one GCSE and then can do level 3 at A level. I think it is a great opportunity. I haven't investigated the GCSE exam boards offering it but I imagine it would complement maths and physics well.

[StepAwayFromTheThesaurus]

Ds1 is doing GCSE Engineering. It's a mix of academic and practical. He's much better at the academic bits than the practical.

He goes to a STEM specialist school where all the (GCSE) students do engineering.

They aren't offering A-Level engineering for next year, but a different level 3 qualification that's apparently pretty rigorous. He's not taking it though because he's much more interested in maths, physics and computer science.

[bojorojo]

If anyone wants to go to the very best universities to study engineering, then A levels are best, not BTECs. Definitely Maths and Physics. Further Maths often useful for some universities and MEng courses. Choose a 4th subject that fits with the engineering discipline. If you are aiming lower, BTEC may be fine but remember BEng courses will often take the undergraduate longer to qualify as a Chartered Engineer. Depends what the DC want but be careful about what they choose to put them in the best possible position.

[bojorojo]

lljkk . If Engineering is an 11 th GCSE, believe me, it won't matter if it is academic or not! If it is enjoyable or not might be far more important! Lots of schools near me are reducing to 10 GCSEs as the expectations have been raised - exams at the end of the course and more difficult syllabi. No-one needs 12 GCSEs!

[lljkk]

DD refuses to do any GCSE only for fun. That would be lovely, but no chance.

[bojorojo]

Sounds like a lot of angst coming up then with all those subjects!