Choosing the Right Subjects for IGCSE
Ah, the IGCSEs. Everyone’s always making it seem like the most important part of our lives. I would agree that it’s quite intimidating at the beginning. Only when they finish do you realise they were quite elementary – but that’s because you’re then facing a bigger monster. AS Levels.
Anyway, AS Levels are for later. The topic of the matter is what subjects does one choose for their IGCSEs? So much to consider, and you’re led to think that this is going to set the path for your entire future (spoiler: it doesn’t). The good news is there is guidance you can receive to make sure you’re selecting the subjects that are best and most suited to you. And this article should cover it all.
Ideally, the two foremost aspects to consider are ‘how interested you are in a particular subject’ and ‘how in line your subjects are with your future’ (including education, employment, careers, goals, etc.). This article will discuss the two aspects in more detail, but how much weightage you give to these factors changes from person to person.
Let’s discuss interest first. With a little reflection, you should be able to find out where your interests lie. What areas pique your curiosity? Even if it’s just a little bit. Consider taking the subjects that revolve around these questions. It’s pure human nature to be driven by questions, and it becomes a matter of realising when you ask a question, and then connecting it to a respective subject area. Think about those slightly-nerdy videos or Tiktoks that you decide to spend more than a second on. That can prompt you to realise the questions you find intriguing.
Then, use your IGCSEs to answer some of your questions, and to subsequently delve deeper into more questions and more interests. Over the duration of your two years, you should be able to notice how you value some questions over the others. That becomes your more niche interest – and those subjects can be continued for the more-specific AS and A Levels.
Myself, I completed 10 IGCSEs – Maths, First Language English, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Business Studies, History, ICT, Arabic as a Foreign Language, and French as a Foreign Language. Before Year 10, I was overwhelmed by the selection of subjects, but I took my time to note down my areas of interests, and consequently took these ten subjects. But other than letting my curiosity drive me, I did also consider how in line my subject choices were with my future plans.
The thing here is that many students mistake that they need to have their entire futures defined to be able to choose their subjects now. The truth is, you don’t need to have a definite pathway outlined. At most, a subtle direction is enough to select a few key IGCSE subjects.
I was also undecided about my career at the beginning of my IGCSEs (trust me, it’s normal) but I had a few options. I was looking at law, medicine, architecture, and business as viable options. I chose subjects that would allow me to reach a clearer decision. So I combined History with Biology and Chemistry and Physics and Business and so on. This was complemented by the ounce of curiosity I had for these subjects, and I was also eager to learn under specific teachers at school.
Have you had a think about your future careers or goals? How can you help your future self by choosing the right subjects now? You don’t need to be 100% right. Plans change. You just need to be as right as possible for your current state of mind.
Essentially, these two aspects – ‘how interested you are in a particular subject’ and ‘how in line your subjects are with your future’ – should form the foundation of your decisions. But, there are a few special considerations to make for particular subjects. You may not be especially interested in them, or need them for your future, but there is reason to consider them.
Maths is easily one of the most popular subjects for IGCSE, in fact, it is made compulsory by several schools. I do feel like everyone questions if they should do Maths too – “Everyone’s doing it”.
The usual argument I hear for someone not taking Maths is about how “irrelevant” it is in real life, and how they wouldn’t be using the quadratic formula five years later, and so on. The truth is, Maths is less popular for the content you learn, and more popular for the skills you’re able to develop by studying the curriculum. Critical thinking. Problem solving. Analytical thinking. Logical arguments. Abstract thinking. The list goes on. These skills are seen as fundamental for a competitive future; and studying Maths is seen as a formal, structured, and reliable method of training your brain to develop these skills. Once you understand this purpose of learning Maths, it does get easier. And more exciting if you will. The little bit of struggling you may experience is reaffirmation of your brain exceeding its previous limits.
To conclude, I would highly suggest taking Maths. Think of it as a key subject that will help you do better all around.
Combined Sciences and Coordinated Sciences
There are people who take three Science subjects (Biology, Chemistry, and Physics), earning three qualifications for the three subjects. But, you should be made aware of two alternate options here.
One option is to take Combined Sciences. This is a single subject, earning a single award qualification, where the three sciences are combined into a single subject. It also follows that the content is significantly less – about one-third of the original subject. So Combined Sciences will have one-third of the original Biology syllabus, and the same applies to Chemistry and Physics.
The other option is to take Coordinated Sciences. This is a double subject, where you get two grades for the double award qualification. The content for each of the sciences here is about two-thirds of the original syllabi.
Depending on how intrigued you are by the sciences, you have the flexibility to choose a subject, or two, or three.
English as a First Language (FLE) vs. English as a Second Language (ESL)
I’ve had the luxury of experiencing both FLE and ESL during my IGCSEs. And with that, I can recommend both of these subjects depending on your goals of taking English and your current level (native speaker, intermediate, beginner, etc.).
ESL comes across as quite challenging for non-native English speakers or people in the process of learning English. It is quite a lengthy set of exams. In this case, it should be your priority to do best in ESL.
However, native speakers or people who consider English their first language will likely find ESL a breeze to go through. It does make for a relatively easy subject in this respect. FLE, a bigger challenge, then becomes an option to consider.
I would say FLE is very enlightening, rewarding, and almost sublime in the skills it’s able to deliver. The most fruitful result of studying FLE is how much more articulate you become at the end of the course. However, at the same time, the rewarding nature of FLE also suggests that it is quite the challenge. Being an essay-based subject, there’s a lot of subjectivity in the correction, which means there is no hard and fast rule to nail your essays. It’s more of learning and acquiring the necessary skills, and using them in the way best suited to you. This can be new and intimidating for a lot of students.
How do you know which one’s for you? Think about your aims, are you prioritising getting a good grade or the handy skills you get from FLE that can and will be used to enhance your abilities in other subjects too? Are you willing to take the challenge that FLE provides? It will be worthwhile, but only if you’re able to pay enough attention to it.
Modern Foreign Languages
Once again a very popular offering, learning languages is considered to open up your brain in unimaginable ways. It’s known to enhance your cognitive abilities. There are many added benefits in being multilingual; including easier access in the corporate world, avoiding language barriers in foreign countries, gaining a better ability to look at a situation from multiple perspectives, and more. At a minimum, I would recommend taking at least one foreign language. French, Spanish, and German are amongst the most common ones.
The ICE Certificate
In many ways, the IGCSEs are purposed for students to experiment different subject areas. That’s how you can make the most of your exams. I would encourage taking a range of subjects, and Cambridge also endorses taking a broad variety of subjects for the IGCSEs – by awarding students with an ICE Certificate for passing at least seven subjects, spread across five subject groups:
- Group I: Languages
- Group II: Humanities and Social Sciences
- Group III: Sciences
- Group IV: Mathematics
- Group V: Professional and Creative
To qualify for the award, a student must at the minimum take two Languages (two Group I subjects), one subject from each of Groups II to V, and a seventh subject in any group.
Being awarded the ICE Certificate is a reflection of having taken a variety of subjects in your IGCSEs, and hence is recommended.
Ultimately, it is true that you have to sit with yourself for quite some time to choose the subjects you are willing to study. Doing this will prevent you from changing your mind in the middle of a course, which is simply unnecessary and inconvenient. Having the direction of what’s important to you is the only power you need to choose what’s right for you. At the end of the day, it’s about making the most of your IGCSEs to strengthen your interests, develop them, and act on them.
