GCSE options confusion - uni angle?

[rainydaysandmondaysagain]

DD is in Year 9 and has to choose her options very soon. She's in the top stream, and is predicted 8s and 9s in everything. She has to do RE, and so only has three options - History is a must for her, it's her favourite subject, and she's also really excited about Drama.

In her final option block she has the choice between German, Art and Textiles. She loves all three, and all three teachers say she'll do well (8/9) if she chooses their subject.

If she were a year older, she'd have had to do the language because of the EBACC requirement, but this doesn't affect her now.

Everybody at school keeps telling her to go with her gut, but she doesn't know what she wants to do - she'd do all three of them if she could!

Are universities likely to look down on someone who did Drama plus a second creative subject? Would they prefer students who've done a language, or are they just interested in the grades, regardless of the subjects?

A level choices currently look likely to be History as a definite, plus a currently undecided combination of Philosophy/English/Psychology/Law/Politics, if that makes a difference. She doesn't really know what she wants to do for work, beyond somehow be involved in History!

Universities do not give a monkeys. They’re not really that interested in GCSE grades either.

I believe that Art requires an awful lot of hours study.

If she's doing drama then would probably suggest German for a steadier workload. Plus, German is now relatively rare so could make her stand out more. Assuming of course similar potential grades.

Edited to add. Languages go well with History.

Universities will not care. The only thing that matters at this stage is does she need to do a particular subject to be able to continue it at A level. You have history covered. Drama GCSE is a lot of written work, it's an extension of English Lit with some other elements and so will be good preparation for any essay based A level.

The only thing I will say is to be aware of workload. Drama contains a group practical element so necessitating rehearsals often in your own time. Art coursework can be VERY time intensive so just be aware of that.

Drama plus Art sounds like a massive time eater. Both are heavy on the hours required outside of lessons.

Third hand info, but I don't think textiles is quite as much extra hours required.

So, German or textiles get my vote.

Interesting you say that about textiles. My daughter went to a specialist vocational dance school and despite the intensive hours those kids did (dancing each night until 6pm plus Saturday mornings) Textiles was a very popular GCSE option.

Thanks all, this is really interesting. German sounds like it might be the best bet in terms of workload alongside Drama...

No, unis absolutely do not care what GCSE subjects you did (or indeed what grades you get*) as long as you got the grades they look for in Eng lang and maths (this can be anything from a 4 (most common) up to a grade 7 (usually in maths for a course like econ if not taking A level maths, but some unis such as UCL ask for 6s in Eng and maths for all courses).

Drama, art, textiles, German, all good. Might be an idea tho to avoid two GCSEs with CW (eg drama and art, or textiles and drama) – art in particular is a massive thief of time, but also textiles can eat up your free time if you let it. Of course as an MFL specialist I would say German all day haha. An MFL is never a bad thing to have studied esp if you will get a good grade.

*Caveat: GCSE grades do matter for Oxford and Cambridge, and also for certain subjects such as medicine, but that sounds unlikely from her A level plan!

All three of those subjects can easily be studied as an adult (I've done it!) So she can at least know that she won't be irrevocably closing any doors. German has the virtue of having lots of high-quality free online resources, although only a minority will be tailored to GCSE. It also has a certain scarcity value.

Has she got any long term plans?

I don't think there's a wrong answer. It sounds like she's super bright and will do brilliantly whatever she chooses.
Personally I would choose German because I did languages and I think it's a great option. Speaking other languages really expands your mind and your horizons. It opens up possibilities of continuing languages at a-level and university and doing exchanges and language trips. Doing a language also really helps with English writing skills.

No, universities wont look down on someone who hasnt done a language, unless of course she wants to do it at A level and uni.
I wouldnt recommend art and drama though, mostly because of the amount of coursework. My Y11 is doing drama and the devising (and accompanying log) and acting parts have taken a lot of her time. Her friends are doing art and they have been working solidly on it for the past 18 months, and still were missing classes last week because their portfolio wasnt finished. I dont think the 2 together would have been feasible, at least not at the detriment of other subjects. The workload in textile at our school didnt seem an issue, but I'd check with current students at your school. Id personally recommend doing the language.

My first dd did art gcse and I’d say that it was that one which she put the most effort in to at home- however it wasn’t an issue as it was like a hobby for her but if you’re aiming for the high grades yes you’ll need to put in the hours at home. My second dd did textiles and that was much less work at home but now she’s in her final two terms the coursework is now in full swing and she is having to bring the written part home although the practical is all done in school- a big change from her sisters art coursework which was a portfolio constantly worked on at home. Universities don’t care about the courses but some very competitive ones do care about the grades, my eldest has to have a good number of 8-9 grades for her uni course but totally depends on what your dd wants to study and which uni

Unless she wants to do art, German or textiles at uni, they won’t give a toss what she does. Do what she enjoys.

My daughter is also keen to pick drama and art photography- does anyone know if that’s the same principle for art photography eg a lot of additional hours? We had an options evening but this wasn’t mentioned, they just said they have a weekly after school club where they can go to do their coursework.

It does, and some talent! Mine is in for eights and nines apart from art textiles where no matter what she does she’s predicted a seven which she is really irked about. Teacher is full of praise and says she can do no more, she’d have to be better at drawing apparently to get higher.

Agree with all the others re checking workload for art plus drama (ask existing y11 students, not the teachers!).

As an aside, there’s no actual need to fulfil the Ebacc requirements. If your school is saying this, that’s just them saying it - it’s possible they might want this but it’s not actually necessary.

On of my daughters did three “creative” subjects at GCSE (music, drama and textiles).

It didn’t stop her getting offers from all universities she applied to (Exeter, Birmingham, Leeds, Nottingham and Southampton). Her degree was not related to the arts in any way.

She did do French GCSE, but I don’t think the universities particularly cared about that (or indeed any of her GCSEs other than English and maths).

Personally, I think languages are important, so I’d encourage German, especially as so few people study it these days, and especially if she is likely to do well in it.

a friends child faced a similar challenge so she choose to do one outside of school.

If she really wants to do German she could study that outside school with a tutor and sit the exam with school. Whereas drama and textiles have components that mean they really need to be done in school for the GCSE. due to assessments

@Fifthtimelucky how did she find the courseworks - were they spread out in terms of deadlines?

I did history art and french for my GCSEs and it was a nice balanced combination. Didn't impact on my university applications at - except for that I took French and History as my degree, at a good Russell group uni.

@rainydays

I don’t remember I’m afraid and neither does she (GCSEs were nearly 10 years ago), but she is here at the moment and says she doesn’t remember it being an issue.

Specs are all very different from 10 years ago tho (changed for exams in 2018 for most subjects) so that might make a difference.

If she is looking at more than one with CW then you can check the specs for this year's deadlines.

Dc does drama art and product design. Nearly dud photography as 3rd option but put off by the amount of digital manipulation - prefers actually taking pictures.
Quite a few of the ones doing drama also do art.

My eldest does both drama and art (and German).

Art is loads of homework, probably more than all her other subjects put together, but she has enjoyed it and is considering A level. On the plus, her final exam is in March so that's one GCSE out of the way before the summer term.

I believe textiles has a lot less course work.

Drama has felt a lot less labour intensive and I wouldn't let the coursework put you off. It's 60% coursework and 1 final paper, but hasn't felt that intensive in the way that art does. The work seems more spread out and she's found it probably one of her easiest subjects.

She's loved German too.

One thing that helped her decide was to have subjects you look forward to doing when you see them in your timetable, which art and drama both were for her.