Baccalaureates may seem very similar to GCSE's, but they hold differences that are considered better at teaching students in a more all-round, breadth kind of way. In this article I will discuss them, and why you may choose a Baccalaureate degree vs. GCSE education. What is a GCSE? GCSE stands for the General Certificate of Secondary Education, and usually taken by pupils aged around 14-16 in secondary education. They are studied over the course of two years and after completion, students can decide whether to leave school education or continue on to do their A-Level qualifications. Although you do get to choose most of your GCSE options, there are some compulsory subjects which are known as the core subjects: