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GCSEs or A Levels?

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
edited March 27 in Work & Study
Hi.

Just wondering if you can give me some advice.

Basically, I left school a few months early due to health problems so I never got the chance to take my GCSE exams and I never went to college.

Now I'm 19 and I'm ready to get back into education, but I'm not sure where I should start. Should I finish off my GCSEs or start on my A Levels?

I'm really just wondering what you think is the most important? Do you think it's better to have A Levels or GCSEs?

If I'm being honest, I really want to start on my A Levels and skip my GCSEs, but I need some advice.

I appreciate your help on this.
Post edited by JustV on

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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Most colleges insist you have a minimum of four GCSEs at A-C grade to begin A-level course, don't they?

    Have a look at the job/recruitment pages in your local papers - many employers ask for GCSEs but never specifically say must have A-levels.

    In conclusion, I'd go to GCSEs first. Depending what grades you were at when you had to leave school, you might be able to do fast track courses, where you take the whole two year course in a year? I think they're designed for people who didn't get the four A-C grades they needed to begin college..
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    You need GCSEs, or equivalent, as a basic minimum before you progress to anything else.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Finish your GCSE's you won't be able to progress further without them.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I would definitely say do GCSE's first, like everyone else said, you will more than likely need GCSEs to enrol on an A-level course. Some people find it a big step going from GCSE to A-level and especially if you haven't studied for a while so it's definitely worth doing them first. Also, some colleges let you do both the As level and A-level in one year depending on how you work so if you do GCSE's you could look at doing your A-level in one year.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    as every1 has said you seriously do need GCSE's to do A levels!
    Do GCSEs at college it'l only be a year and they're well easy!
    Good Luck
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    in answer to your question, its better to have a levels than gcse's. but gcse's for a basis for further education. you could quite simply take them within a year and then move onto a levels if you wanted to. gcse's like maths and english you need if you want to progress further... and you'd certinally need them if you wanted to apply to a university course later on. so, my advice is pretty much the same as everyone else's... do the gcse's and build it up from there. :yes:
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