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Entry to uni

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
edited March 27 in Work & Study
Ok this is sort of a quick question.

Whats the chances of me going to university without a GCSE in maths?

I really want to go but all the courses I've seen they all say you have to have it. what about mature students and stuff, who dont have GCSE's, they still go to uni dont they?

I got B's and C's in all my GCSES but an E in maths! And then when I retook it, i got another E! only special people can do that. I'm just really bad at that one particular thing and can't do it at all.

Thanks :)
Post edited by JustV on

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Think the major unis will look for them. I know one fella who's at our uni from across the sea and when they asked him for it he said he forgot but he did get a pass and they believed him so if you're travelling far, you could pull that scam off!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    If it says you need a GCSE in Maths, you will do. Even mature students tend to have it or an equivalent, as they take it now. You probably won't get away with lying about it, I know my uni askes people for evidence of their grades and if you don't have it, you get kicked out.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    It basically depends on what type of course you want to do. Obviously some courses will be more mathematically based than others, engineering for example but if you want to study something in the arts faculty, a language for example its possible that your lack of GCSE maths won't matter.

    I'm Scottish so I'm not entirely sure about the whole English school system but you haven't mentioned your A levels so I guess you are doing them just now? If you are still at school you should also have the possibility to see a careers advisor who can also advice you on looking at courses for uni.

    Good luck and don't worry too much.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    It totally depends on the course you're looking at. A friend of mine at Uni completed (and got a First in) an English Lit & Creative Writing degree without having an A-C in Maths. However this year she has started a PGCE and had to retake the Maths GCSE equivalency despite being educated to degree level now, so obviously it seems to come into play at some point down the line in most cases.

    You're best off contacting the Uni or department directly and finding out their stance on it. I know that if you take the equivalency test my mate did you get several chances to retake :thumb:
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    i don't have a gcse in maths (well i have a D. or rather 2 E'S and 2 D's to be precise...surely this must equal a C?!) and i'm in my 3rd year of a BA hons degree in criminology and social policy.

    i recommend trying to get a C - i found not having one restricted me a little and i wasn't able to go to the uni i wanted to go to (however it's worked out quite well). i guess i could've stuck at it but i'd done my gcse 4 times and did 3 years at college - it got to the point where i was so fed up of maths that i decided enough was enough.

    i will do it again at some point through an evening course or something as i think some employers will require it.

    it depends wholly on the university and the course you're doing. if you look on the individual university website and the course you want to do then it will probably state whether or not a maths gcse at C or above is required. :)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    i don't have a gcse in maths (well i have a D. or rather 2 E'S and 2 D's to be precise...surely this must equal a C?!) and i'm in my 3rd year of a BA hons degree in criminology and social policy.

    Oooh i'm so glad there is someone else like me. I thought I was a complete idiot for managing to get an E twice. I didn't try as many times as you but I also got sick of maths, i just really CANT do it. I totally give up!

    Silverhalo I'm 22 and have already done college and stuff :] I've got the right qualifications to get on the course i want to, everything except my maths GCSE. I want to do nursing or childrens nursing by the way, so its not like I want to do something very mathematically based like accounting or something. It does say it requires a C in maths (I've been looking at Salford Uni) but that'd be so frustrating, I've already left it kinda late to go to uni so if I had to wait another year while I retook a GCSE I'd probably give up on the idea.

    I guess the best thing would be to ring them? Maybe I should.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    the C in maths seems to be quite important. I've just entered 6th form and anyone who didnt get a C in maths or english has to resit. Best thing is to ring them and ask to see what they suggest.

    I wanted to go to nottingham uni, yet they want a B in maths GCSE and i got a C. When i asked them they said it was one of their minimun requirements. Along with AAB at A level. :rolleyes:
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I helped my sister with her maths as it is pretty important, its seen as a benchmark of your general ability, which in my opinion is wrong. Off the record from someone who worked at a university, he told me if I got an A in A level maths then I could go to whichever uni I wanted. And he was pretty much right (except oxbridge)
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