I'm 13 - please help me choose my GCSEs!

[badger2005]

My mum uses mumsnet - this is her account. She said I can ask you this question because I'm stuck.
I have to choose my GCSEs in 4 days. I'll be doing maths, english, sciences, PoR, French - so I'm choosing my optional ones. I definitely want to do Art and Geography. But should I also choose Music or drama. That's the choice... please help me decide! Music or drama???
I already do some of both outside school. I go to a youth theatre group that I love, and I play the piano (grade 5) and love that too. What should I do?

Which do you enjoy best? My DD is doing art - if you want to do that, you'd better enjoy it, because it's a lot of hours, lol. Which do you think you could ace the best with the least amount of stress and effort?

Good luck with whatever you do.

I’d recommend music.

Drama is sometimes seen as a “filler” or “less serious” option, whereas music is seen as more academic or harder. So music would prob look better on your university applications in a couple of years (assuming you’re not applying for theatre!).

If the choice is between two creative subjects like yours, choose the one you like the most. Or if you like them equally, choose the one you think you will get a better grade in.

Do you have any idea what you'd like to do for a living? If not, then choose what you enjoy.

Music is more academic, but since you've got your grade 5 piano you'll be fine with the theory cause you'll have done it all recently anyway.

If you want to do music A-Level you'll need the GCSE, but you can do drama/theatre studies A-Level without the GCSE, so I suppose picking drama now closes off music A-Level.

I'd suggest music. If you end up in drama school then that piano could make such a difference to your career.

Music

Counts for more when you’re moving on to further education and if you play at Grade 5 already then it will be a good one for you. Did you know your music grade awards also count as UCAS points?

Drama is a risk because it’s marked both on individual performance and group performance. If you’re hoping for a top grade your mark is to an extent in the hands of others in the group. In connection with this you also need to consider that drama is often viewed as an easy “doss” option and so attracts a disproportionate number of pupils who are looking for a subject where they don’t have to do anything. Not great when they’re in your group..

They're both creative subjects so pick the one you like most, on the basis that it'll be easier to work for it. Would just note that drama might include elements of musicality but music probably won't include elements of drama

Did you know your music grade awards also count as UCAS points?

Only in a very small number of institutions and on a small number of courses. It’s misleading to tell kids this

Er, French is optional. You don’t need a foreign language at GCSEs at all. I say drop French and do both the two you want- music and drama.

Schools only push a foreign languages because it ups their Ofsted score if they can get more students completing the English baccalaureate mixture of GCSEs. But the English baccalaureate is not a qualification for the student and has zero impact on admissions to selective sixth forms for A levels or to universities or other higher education schools...ie Art school, drama school, etc.

I would say go with the subject you are most passionate about. People do say drama is an easy option, but they're wrong - the portfolio you have to create is demanding, you get a solid grounding in theory and the work involved in performing can be a huge boost for your confidence and translate to other fields as well. My DD2 did Drama as an option because it was outside her comfort zone and it was incredibly useful when she was doing her History A level because it gave her the confidence to really speak up and enter into debates.

You've got a solid academic portfolio there already so there's a rationale for going with something you want to do instead of something you feel you should do.

I agree with Music (and I did drama at university!)

For the same reason that you can study drama at A Level without the GCSE (I did) but you can’t with music.

See what you are loving in a couple years and hopefully the choice will be clearer at A Level.

Music definitely.

The issue will likely be that music and drama are taught in the same time slot.

Music is harder I'd say. You need to compose!

Music, as you are already G5 you’ll have the performance/playing side of it nailed.

Have a good look at the syllabus for each subject - make sure they are for the exam boards your school uses.

Do you know which plays they study for drama, or which pieces of music? Do any seem particularly interesting to you? Can you have a chat with the relevant teachers to help clarify what happens!

By the way, drama is not a doss! There is a lot of writing involved in analysing plays and performances.

Good luck!

If you've done grade 5 piano i should think music GCSE will be a breeze. You could ask your piano teacher for their opinion too, and also what grade they think you might get?
Plus, as other posters have said, if you do music it also gives you the option to do it at A level, and even further, if you love it.
Good luck!

Drama! Because it will help you develop your apolen voice and the way you hold yourself, which will be useful in meetings in later life. Music you can keep doing the grades separately.

If there is any chance you might want to be a professional musician then of course do music, but assuming you don’t plan to be a musician: my vote is for drama.)

Music. You can pick up drama at any time. TBH, you're either good at it or not. and if you like drama, you can join drama groups outside school.

Music is more academic, and you'll need GSCE if you decide to study it further. It will also give you a more rounded education in a way that drama wouldn't.
As someone said, you should find Music relatively easy if you're up to Grade 5 piano.

(Spoken voice, sorry for typos)

One of my kids did Drama GCSE, one of my kids did Music GCSE. Both thoroughly enjoyed the subjects.

If you love both subjects equally, you might want to choose by how good the facilities are at your school for each subject. Maybe look at how many students they usually get for that GCSE. Do they do lots of theatre trips, or music performances, etc

Good luck choosing.

Music

I did both, and I got more out of drama than I ever got out of music GCSE. I also had piano, plus other instruments I did outside school and they took me further as extra curricular activities than the music GCSE class ever could.

So I'd do drama and keep up the piano outside of school.

Music.

Glad to read that you are doing French in particular- other than Maths and English for me it has been the most valuable thing I still use.

For those saying drop the language, that might not help with options. Spanish was compulsory for DS's school and French was an option, so could choose not to do French but Spanish was already timetabled.