GCSE results are upon us

[Remotew]

Anyone else suffering from the jitters? DD has been for a couple of days now and now me. Coping strategies welcome.

DS1 has been grumpy all day, a sure sign that he is feeling a bit stressed out. I have absent mindedly bitten my nails to the quick so I'm not feeling too calm either!

English Lit is the one we are both worrying about as timed essays are not his forte. He is banking on his A* coursework to get him through.

Good luck to everyone and the DC's of course. Will check to see if anyone posts tomorrow once we have found out.

cortina i think its more like 5 % 1986

Just reading with a little interest as Hubby going into his school tomorrow for his students results!

FWIW - he was written off at school - he finally left when he moved to ireland at 14/15, just stopped going. He didn't do any gcse's, but in the end went to St Andrews. he won best british student in the UK award for Russian and is now a very popular History teacher and Head of citizenship!! Not that he would recommend leaving school early...........ahem!!!

Good luck to everyone's DCs for tomorrow x

I'm gettinbg my results tomorrow(Yes. I'm 16 and stalk Mumsnet. What of it?) and I'm not letting myself get too worried. Can't change it now, anyway. I have a twin brother who's predicted 12 A*s though, so a lot, lot of pressure.

I completely disagree with some of what's been said here about GCSEs. GCSEs are NOT the first thing universities look at. They look at your predicted grades first and foremost. GCSEs are only a tiny part along with your personal statement, module grades, predicted grades. etc. Some universities in particular, like Durham and Cambridge do expect good GCSEs, but you're not automatically ruled out because of bad GCSEs if everything else is good. I have a friend that got into Cambridge a couple of years ago. She had only one A* at GCSE and average results besides. Her PS and AS modules were great, however. It's not the end of the world if your GCSEs aren't what you expected.

If anyone tries to invalidate what I've said because I'm only 16, I will lynch them.

I hope you'll be proud of your DSs/DDs whatever they get. It's no wonder teenagers get so stressed and pressured when some of you lot consider GCSEs so important. Obviously they're not unimportant, but they're certainly not the be all and end all.

Good luck to all your DCs! It'll be over soon!

Just found this thread and I'm not sure if I feel better or worse now .

DD1 is picking up her results tomorrow (have been considered important enough to drive her there but have to wait in the car park while she goes in with her mates ).

I asked her to predict her own grades this evening based on how much work she really put in and it looks like quite a mixed bag.

As long as she is happy with what she gets and has passed enough to get into 6th form then that's good enough for me.

I would never write anyone off as an academic failure at 16. I left school in 1985 with 2 O Levels (grades C&D) and 3 CSEs and have never been out of work (even in the 80s rececession). I work in an executive role and applied to do a part time degree in 2002 just to prove to myself I could do it.

After 6 years of study, whilst running a business and keeping hearth and home for my family I graduated with First Class Honours.

Good luck to everyone's DCs - they'll find their own way eventually and hopefully have a great time getting there.

Good luck dust!

You speak a lot of sense. I'm so glad you're not taken in by ignorant propaganda - all the time you hear people picking rules out of thin air and claiming the Russell Group won't accept this, or Oxbridge won't consider that ... and almost always, as in this thread, it is incorrect.

Tidy, please don't feel sad! Some people have shared some mistaken myths on this thread, which is a pity. However, if you look at the admissions criteria actually published by universities, it makes a lot more sense. I hope your DD gets the results she was wanting tomorrow.

Thanks LRD we have been looking at her chosen course at a variety of Unis (including RG)and you are quite right. Her chosen subject is music so there is far more emphasis on the A Level music result and her theory and practical grades than anything else.

Obviously she will also have to get through auditions too but she is not looking to do medicine at Oxbridge so a string of A*s is not the be all and end all.

Dust good luck to you, your attitude to your results (and the 'competition' from your brother does you proud - hope you get what you want.

Good luck to everyone this morning!Ds still asleep!have decided that this is possibly the most stressful period of parenting I want to be beamed back to weaning and toddler music!!The thought of doing this for the next two years with ds1 and then with 2 more dcs is not a pleasant one.

Good luck everyone!

If anyone has read the Telegraph this morning, or listened to Radio 5, they may be enlightened.

It makes a good story

im feeling sick here to ds1 is getting his today , but he already has a collage place to study catering not based on exams so can relax .

Ds2 is picking up as well today he took his maths early

Mme, you need to read past the headline in that article.

For example, 'Leeds said students applying for dentistry needed six GCSEs, including Cs in English, maths, chemistry and biology.'

Well, you don't say. There has always been a minimum requirement to matriculate at any UK university, which is A-C passes in English and Maths (and something else?). It's rather different from claiming, as you have done, that 6A*s are needed for the Russell Group/Oxbridge in general.

I know I'm hammering on about this but it is so sad when people say (twice on this thread) that their child has no chance of Oxbridge because he or she is not getting straight As or straight A*s.

Good luck .

feeling tense only an hour to go .......

dust

you come across as very grown up an dmature .I hope your parents are proud of your attitude

Just dropped him off....waiting for the call now,so want him to do well for himself ,it would be such a good confidence booster for him ,he always has such a downer on himself

My DP resat his English GCSE this year because he starts and access course this September (obviously relying on today's result) so Ithink I feel a little bit of your pain.

Good luck to your DCs. And actually, they do only need 5 GCSEs A*-C to get into a good university. A levels are really the main thing. Don't panic

My DS1 woke up at ten came downstairs, had completely forgotten that it was results day!!!!
He's off to meet up with all his friends now and I'm waiting for the phone to ring! Still have a couple of finger nails left but not for much longer! Good luck all.

So nervous just posted this in the 2004 thread oops!

well glad that's over - not as bad as it could have been.ok for college.ahhhhhhh the relief...

My DD2 can pick her results up from 12.30 till 3.30.She is just glamming getting herself ready.
I think i'm more stressed then she is.At least the course she wants to do at college has 3 entry level.So even if she fails (which she will not)she can go in on a lower level,then the one she has been accepted for.

my DS1 is a very happy bunny, 2 As, 7 B's and a C in German (he only got a u in his German mock!). Very chilled boy

Holy crap! DS got 8 A's, 1 B plus a B in his AS! May actually explode with joy!

He's gutted not to get any A*'s but I shall hug that nonsense out of him when he gets home.