On 20/01/2016 21:32, Roland Perry wrote:

The biggest problem was
getting the school to agree to let her drop General Studies (which was
virtually compulsory), but simply a way to easily increase a school's
league table results - however clearly cuts no ice with the major
universities.

In my day (mid-1990s) General Studies was compulsory at my school, and
when I enquired about not doing it - or at least not turning up to the
lessons, and just sitting the exam - I was told that this was not
permitted (in retrospect, I wonder if they could/would really have
kicked someone out over it?). There seemed to be a sincere belief that
universities would choose an applicant with lower grades in proper
subjects but with General Studies over someone with better grades (and
possibly also Further Maths) but without General Studies.

Are (were?) there any universities where this was actually the case, I
wonder?


--
Arthur Figgis Surrey, UK