AS General..

[United-Clowgon]

Anyone taking it? I'm thinking of taking it up in College but my info on it is not at it's best.

If you are could you give me an insight on it? Much appreciated.

[Adamm]

General Studies?

The most useless qualification you can ever get, ever.

[Melsia]

It's compulsory at my school so I'm taking it but I haven't had a lesson in it or anything... we were just told if we watch the news we have more chance of passing :S

[kk.]

General Studies?

The most useless qualification you can ever get, ever.
yet if i get an A in it i get into uni. Not so useless after all...

[Adamm]

Are you going to the University of Slough?

[kk.]

University of York, actually

[Tash.]

I did it, had 1/2 lessons a week and it was mainly just spent talking about things in the news. It didn't teach me anything, but don't let anyone tell you the exams are easy, especially the A2 ones (I did the whole A-Level in 1 year) because I failed the last paper. Got an A at AS, C overall so it's by no means easy. Useless in terms of what you actually learn but like kk. said it can be the difference whether you get into university or not (although not all universities accept it).

[United-Clowgon]

Thanks for the advice guys, even though i like watching the news/talking about what's happened ect, this course is sure not for me if it's not gonna really take me that far. :P

[kk.]

Are you going to the University of Slough?


University of York, actually
suppose i ruined your argument ay :P



Thanks for the advice guys, even though i like watching the news/talking about what's happened ect, this course is sure not for me if it's not gonna really take me that far. :P
Its an easy a level. I mean as far as i know, depending on your future profession, employers see '4 a levels at grade A' and think great. compared to just '3 a levels at grade A', which would you prefer? i know which i would. It takes no time really, i mean even if you dont grade in it, which is unlikely, you dont have to include it, but if you get a good grade, its a bonus. theres only things to gain from it

[United-Clowgon]

Ye, i guess your right! :P

[Bun]

yeah it's very useful. granted, only about half unis accept it, but uni is not everything. as far as employers go, it's another a level and as its general studies it shows them that you are capable of applying knowledge. in first year it was compulsory, we had like 12 lessons, one per week, before the exams. in second year it obvs wasn't compulsory but i took it cos it's an easy a level.

[Adamm]

It wasn't meant to be taken seriously, I don't even know if there is a University of Slough. Back on topic, however. As a general rule (haha), general studies is considered a nothing qualification.

[kk.]

No but what you were getting at was that I was likely to be going to a poor university. At least that's what it came off like.

It is a nothing qualification, youre right, but if you have the opportunity, and it's free, why not? You never know when it might come in handy lol

[Bun]

It wasn't meant to be taken seriously, I don't even know if there is a University of Slough. Back on topic, however. As a general rule (haha), general studies is considered a nothing qualification.
i liked the pun but it is an a level, most employers do see it as an a level.

[MrPinkPanther]

My Tutor works in a University admissions department and specifically told me not to do it and told me it would be more useful for me to take my S.A.Ts again. Pretty much somes it up for me.

I'm extremely surprised York accept it, what course is it for?

[kk.]

accounting and finance, (or as they call it, accounting, business finance and management)

[Adamm]

i liked the pun but it is an a level, most employers do see it as an a level.
Interviewer: How many A-Levels do you have?
Interviewee: 5
Interviewer: Really, that's fantastic, what are they in?
Interviewee: English Lang, Media Studies
Interviewer: Great
Interviewee: Business Studies, ICT
Interviewer: Excellent
Interviewee: and General Studies
Interviewer: General what?

Seriously though, I took it for 2 years, had 6 lessons on it throughout 2 years, failed both exams, didn't even try, in fact, I took the piss on the exam. Wrote letters of anger to the exam board for making me take the exam etc etc. I didn't want to do it because it's basically bull and they feed you the crap that it's important and you must do it but it isn't.

If it's compulsory, you might as well.

[kk.]

Interviewer: How many A-Levels do you have?
Interviewee: 5
Interviewer: Really, that's fantastic, what are they in?
Interviewee: English Lang, Media Studies
Interviewer: Great
Interviewee: Business Studies, ICT
Interviewer: Excellent
Interviewee: and General Studies
Interviewer: General what?

Seriously though, I took it for 2 years, had 6 lessons on it throughout 2 years, failed both exams, didn't even try, in fact, I took the piss on the exam. Wrote letters of anger to the exam board for making me take the exam etc etc. I didn't want to do it because it's basically bull and they feed you the crap that it's important and you must do it but it isn't.

If it's compulsory, you might as well.
so youre happy to throw away an a level? you do realise how lucky you are to be able to even take a levels, and have the knowledge to pass the exam...

[MrPinkPanther]

so youre happy to throw away an a level? you do realise how lucky you are to be able to even take a levels, and have the knowledge to pass the exam...
Guilt tripping really won't work in this instance. General Studies is the biggest load of rubbish I've ever seen and in all but very few instances is totally useless. My Brother took it when he was at College and got an "A" at AS without attending a single one of the classes or doing any revision which I think really shows the standard. Citizenship isn't a great deal better either :)

[kk.]

Guilt tripping really won't work in this instance. General Studies is the biggest load of rubbish I've ever seen and in all but very few instances is totally useless. My Brother took it when he was at College and got an "A" at AS without attending a single one of the classes or doing any revision which I think really shows the standard. Citizenship isn't a great deal better either :)
Its not so much guilt tripping. Its the fact that hes taken the attitude he has, as well as many others. You have a chance to get a qualification, with little effort, and you cant be arsed. Youre in the exam hall anyway, why not use your time wisely. I hope that it comes round and in the future theyll need that extra qualification that people are so willing to throw away, just so they can say, 'i got a U in general, arent i cool'.

Its not the fact of whether its useful or not, most are automatically entered into the exam and go to the exam anyway, but decide to do other things in the exam like doodling, or writing a completely off topic thing. Does it take that much more effort to write the actual content thats needed rather than throwing away something other people dont have the chance of doing, or something which could ultimately help you in the future..