GCSE Options

[Dragonsandcats]

My ds is now finalising his GCSE Options. He’s academic, will be predicted 7-9’s for his GCSE’s. He is planning to do History, Psychology, Art and Photography. He would have taken Spanish but loves photography and is desperate to do this. Spanish snd Photography are in the same option blocks. He enjoys art and isn’t keen on any other options. School are pushing him towards Spanish as he’s considering medicine for a career. Does anyone really know how appointment a language is for uni applications? Obviously his a levels will be bio, chemistry and then something else academic so i was hoping that gcse’s wouldn’t matter too much other than overall grades. Thanks for any advice.

How is he planning to do biology and chemistry a levels without doing them at GCSE?

Art and photography are both gcse's that have massive coursework and portfolio elements. I'd strongly suggest he switches one out - for spaidh or something else.

PS might be worth reporting your thread and asking it be moved - this board is mainly A level and Uni conversations.

Apologies, the ones i referred to were his options subjects. He’ll also take maths, both english, bio, chem and physics.

Ah right, that makes sense. In all honesty I do think that Spanish would make more sense if he’s going to do art as well - two coursework subjects would be very heavy and in all likelihood not in his best interests. Photography can always be done alongside as a hobby and even utilised in his artwork.

A language is generally not important.

(My DS dropped a language at gcse and was applying for medicine.)

UCL used to require one a long time ago but seem to have dropped it.

I’d warn him off doing photography and art. Possibly one or the other but they both take loads of time to complete the coursework and seem to suck any enjoyment out of the subject.

Same - I think art and photography would be too similar, both pretty intensive and coursework heavy. I don’t imagine medical schools / uni options are particularly bothered as long as the a level results in appropriate subjects are excellent, and likely he’s got some way of demonstrating commitment - volunteering or something in an appropriate field? (I am just guessing here).
But Spanish or another language would be more useful - he’ll be interacting with people who speak all sorts of languages in medicine (and other careers) and one small step towards better communication would be useful I think.

Yeh as others say, MFL not needed at all, but I would caution against photography and art. If he only “enjoys” art that might be one to swap - it’s a massive thief of time unless you love it. What else is in the art option block?

Nothing academic in the block that’s he’s fussed about- maybe food tech?

And thank you everyone for your comments.

Food tech is great and tho there is coursework, it's less time consuming than art. Look up a few threads on here about art to see what I mean.

Or how about geography? Business? Computing?

Do they offer psychology or sociology at gcse? Our school doesn’t unfortunately but those are good supportive subjects for medicine.
Im wondering if their rationale for suggesting Spanish is get their ebac quota rather than it being best for him. Albeit two art subjects will be time consuming as others have pointed out. He needs to choose subjects where he’ll get his best grades - is Spanish one of those?