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PLEASE HELP ME!!!!! I got G grades in my GCSE exams

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
edited March 27 in Work & Study
help! I failed my GCSEs?
Hi, can anyone help. I have got myself into a very bad situation. I am 16 years old and due to missing about 4 years of school have only got G grades in my GCSEs (apart from getting a C grade in English) .I wondeed what my options are in terms of going to college? Do they have any courses for people in my situation? If so then what are they (called)? Can anyone tell me a bit about them? and what can someone progress to from these courses?
Also....I have heard they run a few random GCSE subjects (mainly English and maths) at college? please be honest...would doing GCSE courses at college be suitable for someone in my situation? If so then how many subjects and what subjects should I take? and for how long? Also I wouldn't have a clue how to put a timetable of these subjects together (how to link them) etc.... so what can I do about this??(expecially if they are at different colleges)Who would help me to link the subjects together??? If I got G grades in my GCSEs ....what sort of a grade do you think I'd get at the end of a few 1 yr GCSE course subjects sat at college?please be honest. and what could I progress to after the GCSE courses?
Can anyone out there help me? I feel really frightened about my future and no-one at home will help me.
Does getting G grades mean that I have no future worth living?
Or that I will never get a well-paid job?
PLEASE PLEASE HELP ME SOMEONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post edited by JustV on

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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Wrong forum, but anyway:
    - A fail is classed as a U (ungraded)
    - You can resit GCSEs at college; but normally only English, Maths & Science. However, it may be possible to resit other if you speak to the subject teacher (this is what I had to do when I wanted to resit a GNVQ ICT unit)
    - Quite a few people who get low GCSEs go on to do an NVQ, which is mainly coursework. This may be suited to you more than doing A-Levels
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'm sure you can still get some kind of college courses.

    Only GCSE maths and English are really all that useful much further on down the line. Depending on what you intend to do you may need a science retake too. You can do this either as a night course or something or at college.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    you could re-take some GCSEs. Do a years course.
    I re-took a few of my GCSEs at college as I did pretty shit at school too. I know LOADS of really intelligent people who didnt do particularly well at school.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    You may have got bad grades cos no one ever taught you how to take an exam - that's the problem I had.

    I got really good GCSE's overall but then at A-Level got much lower grades then predicted cos no one actually teaches you how to make the most of the hour or two you have in the exam room.

    When you get older you don't even say what grades you got on your CV - you just say xx number of GCSE's passed including Math & English - those are the important two to pass with an A to C.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    DiamondGeezer wrote:
    You may have got bad grades cos no one ever taught you how to take an exam - that's the problem I had.

    I found this as well. Also found that we never got taught how to structure questions.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Lots of colleges also offer courses for people who didn't do so well in their GCSE's that simply take a little longer to complete. I know my college offers them in the art department, beauty department, and social care for definete (no experience of anywhere else, but I imagine they'd do so in other areas), as my boyfriend, a friend from school and cousins friend both got similar grades to you and are still doing the courses exactly the same as everyone else.

    Basically, instead of taking a 2 year course, they do 3, and acieve either a First Diploma in the sbject, or an NVQ Level 1 (Which are GCSE level) before moving on to the full course.

    You can also resit GCSE's at college, mainly English/Maths/Science, but you'll probaby also be offered Key Skills along side your college course. :)
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    What you have to ask yourself is why did you fail the 1st time?
    If it was down to distractions or bad teaching then maybe college is the answer, if it was down to your own laziness then i wouldnt bother and try looking for work.
    I went into full time work with after leaving school because i hated education and had simply had enough. Four years of work in an office environment have taught me that you need some sort of qualifications to survive and get paid well but theres no point in taking them if you're not focused enough.

    Because i've made the choice to put myself in 'poverty' for a few years I find it a bit annoying seeing all these school leavers going straight into college because they simply dont want to get a job and think college is just a place to mess about and I know if i'd gone there straight from school i'd have been the same.
    I definately apprieciate it a lot more now, I'm determined to succeed and the years of working have given me valuable life and confidence skills which have also helped me a great deal.
    I re-took GCSE maths alongside my college course and passed that with ease (if you just do the work thats asked of you its pretty hard to fail tbh).

    Ok so the path i took might not be the one for you but i'll revert back to what i said at the beginning of this what seems to be a novel.
    What you have to ask yourself is why did you fail the 1st time?
    Remember, getting bad grades is not the end of the world, especially at GCSE level.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I suppose it depends on what your long term goals are. If you're wanting a decent job then you'd probably be better off re-taking some GCSE's at some point in the near future. Lots of people will say how unimportant they are, but tbh I disagree - to me, they are what are helping to get into my dream career - without my C Grade (and above) GCSEs, I'd have been screwed.
    If you're looking to go straight into work then you could try work based learning like an apprenticeship or something similar.

    I suggest you pop into your local Connexions office and have a chat with a personal advisor - They helped me look for college courses and things when I was a bit clueless a few years back.
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