AIBU to worry Business Studies GCSE may affect future university choices?

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DS has chosen his options for GCSE and I'm concerned the Business Studies GCSE is not accepted by some universities. When completing UCAS applications for my DD recently, some of her uni choices stated they didn't accept some subjects - things like Business Studies, Media Studies etc.

DS's GCSE choices so far are:

English Language
English Literature
Maths
Physics
Chemistry
Biology
History
Geography
PE
And the last option is yet to be decided.

DS wants to do Business Studies (Edexcel). He'd consider Computer Science (also Edexcel) but doesn't really enjoy it - and everything I've read online suggests it's dull and hard to get a high grade in.

I'd love him to continue with his MFL (Spanish), but he checked out mentally a while ago when he realised he wouldn't have to choose an MFL for GCSE. He has some dyslexia which affects his spelling and doesn't languages even though, he seems to be naturally pretty good at them when he tries. He also has ADHD (medicated) and is far more motivated in the subjects he enjoys.

Uni applications look at the average of your top 8 GCSE grades, so I'm thinking about his chances of getting the best grades he can. He wants to do something like Economics or Architecture at Uni.

why isn’t architecture AI proof?

Don't try to cajole him into CS or a MFL if he doesn't actually want to do those. They're unlikely to offer him any significant advantage and are more likely to distract from his other subjects and use up the finite amount of "this is rubbish but I have to force myself to do it" energy he has available.

Unis factor in the top 8 GCSEs and ignore the rest - at worst some unis will automatically toss business studies into the ignore pile. But the GCSE average just isn't that significant in comparison to A levels, so I would preserve his positive-attitude towards school over the possibility that if really pressured he could force himself to get a slightly better grade on CS or MFL than English.

Why is this? I didn't know that unis were that interested in GCSE subjects

Yes my sister did eco omics degree as LSE. She didn't do it at A level or GCSE though

It would be one of 10 gcses . It wont matter

I’m not too sure about that. The Computer Science GCSE is about to be completely replaced and updated so those choosing it now will end up with a defunct GCSE. It’s the reason I took it off the table for DS.

@clary

You can be sceptical, and we all can be exasperated at things that don't make sense to us - but reality is Uni admissions these days is that they are very competitive. And specifically - as OP mentioned Economics - it's SUPER competitive.
Unis that count numbers of GSCEs and put a significance to number of top marks for a 8-9-10 GCESs - do that in order to sort through a huge number of applicants. And - they design the system that makes sense to them.

I have no reason to make thigs up. And neither is the person upthread that confirmed that Business Studies do not count as a GSCE at his Russel Group Uni for applications to Economics. (and I presume for any other competitive subject).

I do not know if PE GSCE counts - if it were my kid - I'd call the admissions Dept of a few Unis to confirm. Most Unis don't have a comprehensive list of what counts and what does not. Some would say - No General Studies, etc.

In the case of my DC's GCSEs - they took school's GSCE courses that they didn't realise would not be counted. And only found out when it was too late. It was for a different uber-competitive degrees at Russel group too.

Generally - I'd say Business Studies at GSCEs level are not useful at all. Teaching business to teenagers before they have any/much experience of real world - or understanding of basic economics is not really possible. Hence - whoever created this qualification had to make it so watered down as to not be challenging/academic enough for Russel group unis to consider them comparable to the traditional GSCEs.
Traditional subjects/sciences give kids the tools and building blocks to go to Uni and study applied subjects like, say, economics or business.

My daughter did Business Studies, it was her easiest subject but gave her a rest. She is now at Durham.

I did business studies and PE gcse.

i studied economics at Cambridge.

a levels are much more important.

So @Sashya which GCSEs and which courses and which unis? I am not exasperated just interested.

I know for sure that some unis for some courses look at best GCSE grades. In fact I said so. And I know enough YP who have applied to know that econ is very competitive esp at certain unis.

I can confirm to anyone who is concerned that PE GCSE counts at Leeds, Nottingham, Newcastle, Sheffield and Loughborough.

Op, gently, if he’s not likely to score high in English, the kind of universities who are not accepting business studies also would be looking at top GCSEs. I would suggest if he’s good at art, perhaps opt for that as it’s different and respected, and make sure he works hard on his English

As others ready said - one does NOT need to take Economics A-level to study Economics at Uni in the UK.
But - one stands NO chance at LSE, and most other top Unis in the UK - if they don’t have both Maths and Further Maths.
And many unis do also count number of top grades at GSCEs - for the courses they accept.

All traditional ‘classical’ subjects would count.
Certain applied subjects might not.

Can you link to any uni saying they don't count certain GCSEs? I've never come across this and no one on this thread so far has provided any actual examples.

It's STEM subjects at top Russel Group Unis in the South of England. Schools that London private school kids would be applying to from schools don't offer PE as a GCSE option.

My nephew is at Cambridge and that was one of his GCSEs. His A levels were maths economics and politics.

looking at that list your son has enough solid subjects that a couple of fun ones won’t matter.

I just want my kids to do things they are happy doing.
I also spent last weekend at Exeter uni where my daughter has an unconditional offer. The weekend before she was at Durham uni where she has another unconditional offer.
She also has her own limited company as a horse groom. Shock horror she also did the GCSE and L3 BTEC BS
Your probably someone I would not ask for advice because your advice sounds very limiting to alternate roots for kids who can't go down the normal roots.
Also just to horrify you more she has a grade 4 in English GCSE and has still been accepted in to top tier unis.

There’s no such thing as a defunct GCSE. If anyone is remotely interested in CS, maths is the key. It’s a straightforward GCSE for anyone with a modicum of interest in the subject but barely the beginning.
although I suspect we take very different approaches at home as my kids chose their own GCSEs. None were “off the table”.

I’m an academic at a Russell group and can confirm we do not give a flying fuck about GCSE results, I’m not even convinced anyone checks those. When you apply through UCAS they check level 3 results and that is all that matters. You could fail half of your GCSEs but get all A* in A level and be fine. Maybe not on a competitive course in Oxford but only because you’re against the best of the best.

Also just to confirm, we also don’t care what a 14 year old chooses to study for GCSE! It doesn’t matter at all. My DS wants to do economics at LSE or Oxford and he chose computer science and photography for GCSE because they were the best of the bunch. He has to do Spanish (everyone does) and he selected geography between that and history (couldn’t have both). A level he’s doing economics, maths, further maths and geography.

If it’s one of many GCSEs business will be fine with a good mark. He should go for it if he enjoys it. For those optional subjects grade probably counts more than anything.
if he wants economics at uni, maths and (if he’s from a school where it’s offered) FM are the most important at A level.

I wasn’t aware of the changes to Computer Science GCSE so thanks for that info. Pearson Edexcel say they are not updating their course for now but I wonder which exam boards are.

@aCatCalledFawkes Congratulations to your DD. I’m interest in what subject your DD is studying because DS is also likely to achieve a lower grade in English compared to maths and the sciences.

It doesn't work like this. It’t not a list that Unis publish.

For eg - my DC took 13 GCSEs in their school - some of which, as it turns out were ‘school directed’. Those couldn’t be uploaded directly to UCAS, only mentioned as something ‘additional’.
We had no idea, until my DC was filling out their UCAS form last year.

Their specific Uni course had a numerical score made up from additional Exams DC had to take; A-level predictions; GSCEs grades and interviews. DC was lucky to have enough GSCEs that counted as proper GSCEs, counting for that particular course.

🤷🏻‍♀️

I didn’t get that either. The majority of jobs/careers will be changed by AI, but it doesn’t mean they’ll disappear.

However, I wouldn’t recommend studying architecture unless very passionate about it. It’s a long and expensive degree (think study trips abroad, hundreds of £ in printing etc.) with little time for a PT job while studying. Then you’ve got another 1-2 years of studying and working in order to become registered.

From a financial point of view, the return on investment is pretty poor (long degree, most companies expect long working hours for a slightly above average salary, with minimal or non existent benefits).

If OP’s son is more inclined towards economics anyway, he’s better off doing that.

@Sashya You say... It's STEM subjects at top Russel Group Unis in the South of England. Schools that London private school kids would be applying to from schools don't offer PE as a GCSE option.

I’m with @clary and believe you’ve misunderstood something somewhere but given you’re convinced please link to the Russel Group Uni in the South of England that does not count GCSE PE or GCSE Business Studies for their STEM course.

Can you provide a link then? I’m assuming you’re referring to ICL, UCL or KCL? Cant think of any other top RGs in the South that offer STEM. Except I can’t see where on their websites any of those say they don’t accept PE or BS at GCSE.