GCSE options - bearing on university if dd decides to go?

[Mummyoflittledragon]

Dd has chosen her options but is having a wobble. She has to do a language at her school. So her free options were History, PE and RE. She now wants to swap history for geography. Having a google around, RE, PE and Geography are cited as being in the top 10 easiest subjects. It’s unlikely btw she’ll do triple science but should be in line for the higher paper for all core subjects.

She scored really well in the end of year exams for RE and Geography (9 equivalents). Her history was a similar percentage to Geography but the school said it would be a lower grade, I forget which. Perhaps a 6?

Dh and I want to bullet proof her as much as possible for the future. PE is non negotiable for her. She has the option to swap the others around and also the possibility to do Geography and History rather than RE. But she’s finding history a bit boring at times, loved certain subjects etc and is perhaps less likely to achieve a very high grade due to the large content.

She has no idea what she wants to do. Having read up, History is for a range of jobs eg if you want to be a lawyer but RE would possibly cover this, Geography for fewer jobs town planners - she’s unlikely to be a geologist etc.

History seems to be more highly regarded than Geography or RE so should we advise her to do History and Geography rather than RE?

You’re thinking too far ahead. Settle her into subjects she enjoys and does well at.

She should do the subjects she enjoys and will do well in. A 9 in geography will always be better than a 6 in history. Universities aren't interested in what GCSE subjects a student has as long as they have maths and English.

I think you're over thinking it. History or geography is fine. My dd did History, but I'd have been equally happy with geography. Both perfectly respectable subjects. Let do what she enjoys - she'll work harder if she is interested.

RS isn’t as easy as it used to be - make sure you are looking at up to date info.

Choose subjects she enjoys. I’d say Geography is a good call. DS wishes he’d taken it at GCSE instead of History as he’d have quite like to have done it at A level - it fits well with Economics which he loves. DD chose it and will be doing it for A level next year. It’s so much more interesting than when I did it at school!!

Nobody cares. As long as she gets good grades it doesn’t matter unless they are access subjects eg it would be unlikely that she could true a level German without having gcse German

You are totally overthinking.

I don't know where you are getting your "easy" information from.

RE is not easy - there is a ton of content to remember and you have to learn lots of critical and analytical writing skills and apply them in a different way to other subjects. It's possibly easier to get a pass as you can get so far on general knowledge, but not to get an easier grade.

Geography is only easier than history if you are someone that does better at geography than history :) (My DD would not have got a better grade in geography that history even working twice as hard)

And PE is not a soft subject either - it's very rigorous with lots of content.

Your DC will also do better if she likes the subjects!

Universities will really not care which subjects (as long as they have maths, English, Science).

Thank you so much for your responses. I am overthinking it then. I had awful schooling with no careers advice and dh didn’t go through the British education so I’m running a bit blind with this.

As for where I looked @redskyatnight , I googled it and a list of the 10 easiest came up on a couple websites. Geography, RE and PE were all listed. She definitely does not want to do something involving History and is not an avid reader. She initially wanted to take it as she found the content at the beginning of the year so interesting but as time has gone on, this has waned. Good point about getting a 9 in a subject she loves rather than a 6 in History.

What does "easiest" even mean? I would guess that people looking for "easy" GCSEs are probably looking for the best chance of getting a 4, and it sounds as if your daughter is looking more at high grades, and that might be different. I'm quite sure that universities don't distinguish in difficulty between GCSEs. They might be slightly less keen if somebody has ONLY chosen practical subjects, but having a couple alongside a humanity and a language is fine.

Go with what she enjoys, just watching out for whether most of that is down to the teacher, since the teacher may be different next year. History is a massive syllabus, so they have to enjoy it. Geography also has a lot of learning, but it's more individual sets of facts, whereas history they have to know the facts and how they fit together into the broader picture.

I'm not convinced that any of the modern 9-1 GCSEs could easily be described as easy. Least hard might be better!

I'd absolutely go with what she's interested in as she has to study it day in day out for 2 years and all are good choices!

Teen I agree! No coursework/cant take key formulas in like you used to. Its very very fact heavy qnd being able to memorise a lot of detail.

Take a step back OP.

The very fact that she will be studying subjects that she wants to is the most important - that's how you stay engaged in education.

The best options for her to take at GCSE are the subjects she enjoys.

I agree definitely overthinking. As long as she has a range of subjects, the best advice is to pick what she enjoys.

Geography is not easy - again it has a huge content, much like history and RE.

However, geography is a highly regarded degree as it has a large range of transferable skills. Even if you don't end up in a career related to geography (of which there are many, including the developing 'green' sector) it will get you in to most of the general 'requires a degree' type careers.

Without a doubt she needs to choose subjects that interest her. If she does this, she stands the best chance of doing well.

Nobody at University level cares what subjects her GCSEs are in.
A levels yes but GCSEs, no.

As long as she gets good grades in maths, English and the sciences then no university is going to care about any other GCSE subjects as long as she has at least 5-8 (depending on the university) and if she is applying for a particular area such as music or art they would look at GCSE grade in conjunction with predicted A level/Btec grades.

RS is not an easy subject, it is very philosphy/ethics based as well as requiring a lot of knowledge of religions. Students who are good at essay type/critical analysis subjects like my daughter tend to do very well, students like my son who are more practical/mathematical perhaps don't.

I'm told the current PE syllabus is quite science heavy.

Ultimately she should choose the subjects she thinks that she will get the best grades in taking into account enjoyment and natural aptitude.

Thank you for all your posts. Excuse me if I don’t reply individually. I have developed a migraine. But I really do appreciate you all taking the time to write very considered responses.

I am going to take your very wise advice and tell my dd to choose the subjects she feels most at ease in. She loves all of the ethics / analysis / debate topics and can write reams. RS is perfect for this.

Very good point about the PE syllabus. I think my dd is already setting herself a big challenge with PE because of the scientific knowledge required as biology is not her strongest discipline of the 3 sciences and she will need to put in a lot of study there. This would probably be time better spent than learning a lot of historical facts, which she won’t enjoy doing and is likely to put her off history.

I had such little care taken over my education and I just want it to be easier for my dd but right now I am putting obstacles in her way. I can see that the modern GCSEs are far harder now than when I sat my exams and that I’m worrying unnecessarily. Many many thanks.

OP as others say, she should do what she enjoys and will do best in. Universities are not fussed as long as she has English and maths. Science obv also useful if planning to teach primary. The grades*, if anything, are more important than the subjects. The main thing to avoid, as PPS say, is dropping subjects she may wish to continue with post-16, as this may be difficult with, for example, MFL or computing.
BTW I see she plans to take PE which is great – I would look to ensure she does at least one and if possible two sports outside school – my DS played footy for a local team and competed for hi county at athletics. But you may already be all over this, in which case happy days.

*Even the grades are not crucial unless looking at very high-ranking unis
**Tho I have known a student pick up history for A level after not taking it at GCSE

History can at the schools I know be picked up again at A level. Have a look as well at the syllabus offered because it might be that she enjoys different periods/ types of history and it depends what options her school have chosen. If none of them are likely to be her future career then I would go for the ones she enjoys the most and that she finds easiest.

Definitely subjects she enjoys so that if she wanted to increase her grade then spending time working at the subject will be much easier for her than a subject she doesn't like. I have just coaxed Ds2 through English Lit GCSE which to be fair to him he came willingly despite hating it because he knew it would be over at some point. But he made no effort to hide the hatred outside of our revision sessions together. My degree is English Lit.

History and Geography are both well regarded humanities. It’s best to do the one they like best and will do best at.

Those I know who do both say History is harder. There’s more lengthy long answers and the level of nuance in judgement for top levels is harder. However, it doesn’t make Geography any the less well regarded.

GCSE choices are low level. They won’t determine the degree you can do. It is unlikely though that you’ll take either Geograohy or History at A Level if you didn’t do for GCSE…not impossible but unlikely. So it’s important to go for what you enjoy and will do well in, as presumably you won’t do something for A Level you don’t enjoy or do well at.

RS isn’t an easy option and the grade boundaries are higher. That’s one of the key things….it’s not just about the content covered or skills but the differing levels needed to get the grades and how they differ. The fact they are higher in RS suggests it’s easier and more possible to get higher marks, which is why you have to do better to get L9. The writing skills in one humanity really should help others so I’d be surprised if someone was L9 in Geog and only L6 in Hist.

These are the results of end of year 9 exams and the first time dd has ever sat a formal exam. Perhaps the discrepancy is exam technique, which can obviously be worked on as her History and Geography teachers thought she would do very well at GCSE in either subject.

DD’s school also advised it is best to do 1 if not 2 activities out of school. Dd has this covered. I’m sitting in the car waiting for her atm actually. The team sport she will do through school as there aren’t enough days to both train and play rugby or football for example.

Bench, dd is the same with English Lit. She didn’t bother to reread the book for the exam. 🙄 It was LOTF so not much content… 3 hours 12 mins for the average reader! I have a humanities based degree and English Lit A level so I spent a couple of hours with her discussing the book, finding quotes to help her through the exam. I am pretty sure I will need to do the same for GCSE. Whatever it takes really.

It is really reassuring she can pick up History at A level if she wants to. Thanks all.

I hope you have managed to beat your migraine @Mummyoflittledragon.

When DD was choosing her GCSE options she was given a little booklet with all the GCSE choices. Under the PE heading the first sentence was "don't choose this subject if you don't like writing essays"
GCSE PE is much more academic than many people think it is and involves a lot of biology as well as being able to partake in a sport.

Thanks @RampantIvy it is a bit better today.

And just as an end comment to this thread, I’ve told dd she can choose the option she prefers. Therefore she won’t be doing history. Thanks again.