in thinking that DD will get nowhere with these GCSE options...

[PosyPanther]

DD is 13, so, in my opinion still a child, she changes her mind about pretty much everything daily, school shoes, whose her best friend, her favourite colour, you get the picture...

She has just had the first leaflet from school about GCSE option next year and want to pick health and social care (double award)human health and physiology instead of additional science, child development, psychology and sociology. She says she wants to do social work or primary teaching (or win the X factor )

I think she's mad. She's in the top set at school, level 5 across the board at primary school and is working at solid level 7s now. I would much prefer her to take at least two science GCSEs, history and geography instead of psych and sociology and a language with one choice left for whatever she fancies (but I'd prefer a second language or triple science.)

I can't see that having History, geography, french, german, separate science would disadvantage her in applying for ANY degree/career pathway? How do I convince her that some subjects actually are better than others? Her teachers are insisting all GCSEs are equal but I can't see that sociology is as hard as German or Physics? I'm worried she's going to close doors at 13...

Whatever we all feel about particular GCSEs or A levels or Degree or BTEC or whatever choices in general, it is TOTALLY unacceptable to belittle a person on the thread who has already made their choices. 'Saving them a fortune'? Nonsense. 'A non-graduate with a non-job'? This is just plain nastiness frankly.

You are simply pouring scorn and trying to make yourself feel smug better about your own knowledge and choices.

If you really want to encourage snowy, don't please tell her what a waste of space her education is - NO education is that.

For fucks sake.

Snowy, you should be proud of yourself that you are getting an education. I speak as an educator and with the interests of young people like you in mind. I hope you will get the opportunities to open your mind to learning and see this experience as a springboard to adulthood and opening your eyes further. Unfortunately, that privilege hasn't been extended to some of the tactless people on this thread.

Well said Wilf

We don't actually know how useful Snowy's degree is, but if she gets an BSc (Hons) as she suggests she's doing well regardless of her specialism.

And whatever happened to education for education's sake?

My first degree was Music. Am I using it now? No. Do I regret it? Not for a second.

Have I done more "useless" courses at OU (Sociology comes to mind)? Yes. Do I use it in my job? No. Do I regret it? Not for a second.

This is anecdotal (and also about the Irish Leaving Cert) but way back in the 80s when I took it a classmate sat the Home Economics - Social and Scientific paper in the Leaving Cert without ever doing a single class or reading a textbook. She got an A.

I speak as an educator and with the interests of young people like you in mind.

Well of course you do, without people like her signing up to thousands of pounds of debt you wouldn't have a job hardly an impartial opinion is it ?

My first degree was Music. Am I using it now? No. Do I regret it? Not for a second

The question is tummy would you have spent £30k on it ?
It because people took degrees that they do not use that we've ended up with the tuition fees in the first place.
If 10% attended then university could be free.

Well, actually, yes I did incur high government fees for it (not going to tell you what if that's ok). But none of this takes away from the allegation that you have been cruel and unkind to snowy.

If it was your daughter, fine. If it's a stranger on a forum, not fine.

agree with OP, if her DD's that bright she should be going for the most challenging options. Bit shocked that the school aren't guiding her in this direction.

ok
I have no intentions of becoming a dietition i've never wanted to do that

to go into public health you need a relevant degree...ie something similar to my degree...i think i'm more qualified to tell you that than you...i've done a heck of a lot of research thankyou very much. I've been told by people in the proffesion that i'm on the right track...something tells me they know more than you!!!

previous students on graduation have gone on to do amazingly well in both public health and industry
and anyway people don't just go to uni based on their career of course i want a degree but it's a massive life changing experience, it's taught me so many skills that i would never have learnt anywhere else...those skills surely mean something?

you don't know me so please stop judging me I'm fed up of people judging me based on my uni of course i'm not at an amazing uni but i never ever would want to study along side intellegent snobs who think they're better than the rest of the world cos they're supposidly at one of the best uni's ever.

if you think you're going to make me drop out of uni based on your five minutes of research into the wrong career then you're very wrong. I've been researching into my chosen career since I was in year 10 so since I was 14/15. I'm very glad my parents are much more supportive than you and i'm very very very glad i don't have you as my parents!

you're welcome, snowy

Snowy, your post seems to be partly in response to me. I was not suggesting that there was anything wrong with your degree course or that you are doing an unsuitable course for your chosen career. I was addressing the original issues of what is the best choice of GCSEs for a teenager who is not yet certain of what professions they may choose to enter in adult life. I still think they shouldn't specialise so much and close off options at 14. That is not to say that your degree subject would not be a good choice for them when they are older.

There seems to be a lot of people on this thread who believe that criticism of GCSEs such as Health and Physiology is a criticism of degree level courses in the same areas. It isn't, although in your case I can see you have been criticised by other posters, but I don't think that reflects the general opinions on the thread; most people are talking about choices at 14, not the validity of degree choices.

You are going into the proffession are you bloody hell.

yep we have people from various industries (for those who want to go into sensory analysis/food product development) and people who work for our local PCT or charities come in and explain how we get to the point they're at...many of them have done my exact course and are now earning a decent wage....

why act so suprised that I'm researching something I have cared about since I was 14?

As an "intellegent" snob i'm taking the piss.

well my insults are a lot softer than the ones you've thrown at me!!

This isn't sport any more, lets shake hands and wish you all the best snowy91, it's not her fault is it ?

ok you know about nutrition etc but there's plenty of people who don't...and i know there is because half of them go to my mum's school
and anyway you probably learnt about it at some point from some form of campaign..be it as a child/teenager/student in school/college/uni or whatever you just didn't realise it at the time
clearly there are people who need to know otherwise we wouldn't have the obesity problem we have now!!!

i want to help those people understand more...ideally I'd love to work in a children's centre providing resources/info/support for parents struggling to know how to cook nice healthy meals for their kids who arn't getting that....

FFS stop taking your issues regarding the education system out on snowy.

This is really bitchy.

Leave off snowy. Outrageous. Do you feel good now mamatomany and le queen. You say (yes, I'm that old), but you are acting like a spoilt nasty immature brat. If thats what money does to you le queen, i feel sorry for your children - with their beckoning glittering, highly paid careers curtesory of grammar school and top uni's coupled with a vicious tounged mother, they dont stand a chance of being nice, well mannered and compassionate.

Quite literally unbelievable.

Snowy ignore and good luck with your studies :)

Mamatomany - i apolgise - i am on a moblie and way behind - i just read your post to snowy.

snowy
and anyway you probably learnt about it at some point from some form of campaign

Really - so the reading of research papers, scientific articles, cookery books general science education, the salutatory effect of obesity and it health implications in our family and friends, application of basic common sense and my parents teaching me to cook - had no effect it is all down to some campaign I can not remember. Cool.

snowy
i want to help those people understand more...ideally I'd love to work in a children's centre providing resources/info/support for parents struggling to know how to cook nice healthy meals for their kids who arn't getting that....

They do this at our local children centers and there is a lack of cooking ability in some parents and a fear of trying. It is very worth while but the people who do this currently do not have degrees, ( it came up in conversation) though they are lovely, very informative friendly people who are making a difference.

I really hope things work out for you snowy - I am sure you will eventually grow up and find a very fulfilling career.

i'm going to F off now...

errm they do actually have degrees they're registered nutritionists my mum works in a childens centre with a registered nutritionists

this is what you've taught me...

i shouldn't have even gone on to a levels i should have given up a long time ago so i shouldn't be a university at all simply because i don't get extremely high grades. my school was clearly terrible in encouraging me to go to 6th form college and my college was terrible for encouraging me to go to uni. my parents are awfull parents who are supporting me to end up living off them. I'm a worthless pile of rubbish simply because i don't get high grades. public health campaigns are pointless since you have a nutrition related educational background. if you don't go to the best public school in the UK then you may as give up on your life