View Full Version : A-Levels
gettin2dizzy
19-08-10, 06:34 PM
Anyone get their results today?
It's nonsense about them getting easier... The girl on channel 4 just wants to go to uni for 'a more better job' :lol:
maviczap
19-08-10, 06:38 PM
It's nonsense about them getting easier... The girl on channel 4 just wants to go to uni for 'a more better job' :lol:
Dat is Youf speak mate
the_lone_wolf
19-08-10, 06:41 PM
The girl on channel 4 just wants to go to uni for 'a more better job' :lol:
Perhaps she dreams of becoming a Berber gambler...
Weirdfish
19-08-10, 06:47 PM
One in twelve apparently scores more than 90% either they're getting easier or youngsters are getting a helluva lot cleverer! Lol.:D
gettin2dizzy
19-08-10, 06:55 PM
One in twelve apparently scores more than 90% either they're getting easier or youngsters are getting a helluva lot cleverer! Lol.:D
In what though. Travel and tourism? Media? Breathing? :lol:
The best students will get the best places at uni. Always. You could give every student the exam paper the day before and I bet the ranking of the students wouldn't change much.
In what though. Travel and tourism? Media? Breathing? :lol:
The best students will get the best places at uni. Always. You could give every student the exam paper the day before and I bet the ranking of the students wouldn't change much.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-11023939
This guy sounds pretty smart. For one thing he took more subjects than most...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-11023939
This guy sounds pretty smart. For one thing he took more subjects than most...
Yet he comes from Germany and only got an A in German? :confused:
maviczap
19-08-10, 07:00 PM
One in twelve apparently scores more than 90% either they're getting easier or youngsters are getting a helluva lot cleverer! Lol.:D
Yep, the last intake at our place were well above average in the brain cell deprtment (not) :smt013
gettin2dizzy
19-08-10, 07:05 PM
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-11023939
This guy sounds pretty smart. For one thing he took more subjects than most...
I remember going to assessment centres (2 day long interviews) where there were loads of people super-qualified but weird. They bounced form interview to interview as their CV was strong enough to get them that far, but their complete lack of social skills prevented them from going any further. I'd imagine the same applies to this kraut. Clever but a weirdy-beardy.
my current experiment is to resit an a -level i did 10 + years ago. Whilst the content hasnt changed the modular format does make it easier to study and do the exam. I have done 2 x 1.5hr exams with 8 q in each paper.
I think the first time round it was 2 papers in the 2nd year 2- 3hr each maybe. So far my results are well up on first time round. :)
maviczap
19-08-10, 07:17 PM
but their complete lack of social skills prevented them from going any further
I also find this common in youngsters who spent their teenage years locked away playing computer games.
kellyjo
19-08-10, 07:23 PM
I also find this common in youngsters who spent their teenage years locked away playing computer games.
+1 My ex can tell you everything there is to know about quantum physics but you wouldnt put him in a room of nice people, he'd end up being rude and derogatory cos he doesnt know how to get along woth folk.
He thinks our kids should spend all their time playing wii, xbox, gamecube, playstation, ds..... and only breaks from that to watch tv.
He slags me off because i take them bowling, swimming, rowing, parks and always have their friends over for tea/ sleepovers.
They may not end up with a Nobel prize each but hopefully they'll be popular and have some common sense, and hopefully end up nothing like him!!
Edit - bit of a rant & derail sorry, hes just really ****ed me off - AGAIN
Sid Squid
19-08-10, 07:31 PM
Perhaps she dreams of becoming a Berber gambler...
:D.
my current experiment is to resit an a -level i did 10 + years ago. Whilst the content hasnt changed the modular format does make it easier to study and do the exam. I have done 2 x 1.5hr exams with 8 q in each paper.
I think the first time round it was 2 papers in the 2nd year 2- 3hr each maybe. So far my results are well up on first time round. :)
I look forward to seeing your English Language result.
allantheboss
19-08-10, 09:34 PM
I got results, A's and B's going to Landaaan next year to read Medical Science!
They ARE getting easier! I've lived in France and speak fluently, and still didn't get straight A's every time. In a French lesson, our miffed teacher gave us a new syllabus paper to do, to see how easy it was. In the listening paper, there was someone speaking, with the prose ALSO written on the paper, and if that wasn't enough, all the question's answers were written in the prose, so it was just a question of copying from left page to right page, no deduction of information, you could copy letter for letter (not allowed in previous syllabuses), and if that wasn't enough, the last question asked for 3 points mentioned by the orator. The answer to this question was 3 bullet points written at the end of the prose! THE QUESTION WAS IN ENGLISH! "What are the 3 points made at the end of the prose?" And there are 3 BULLET POINTS on the opposite page, at the end!!! And this is meant to prove intelligence..
allantheboss
19-08-10, 09:56 PM
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-11023939
This guy sounds pretty smart. For one thing he took more subjects than most...
I was in a boarding house with a Chinese guy who got 5 A's at A-level (before A*'s existed, last year), was good at sport and music etc, and he didn't get into any good Uni's because he had bad interview technique we reckon. One of the country's brightest!
Yet he comes from Germany and only got an A in German? :confused:
I lived in France, speak more fluently that some of the teachers, and it took me 3 re-takes and 2 re-marks to get an A in AS-level oral exam. Apparently I was not "spontaneous enough" because I am fluent, and I lost big-time marks for that. If it was a matter of measuring skill in speaking the language, I would have probably gotten close to 100% first time around!
This is the 28th year in succession that results have improved.
I took A levels in 1979. I must be fikkkk.
yorkie_chris
19-08-10, 10:32 PM
So back in't day, were you taught a subject and then examined on it?
Way I remember it, most of my school time was spent learning how to pass exams.
Yes I was - bloody hard they were too - I didn't do that well, but peeps who have read my posts and can put 2+2 together will understand why. C, D, D.
lukemillar
20-08-10, 12:08 AM
I took A levels in 1979. I must be fikkkk.
Nah, just old. :wink:
Jamesy D
20-08-10, 12:18 AM
Took my AS levels this year, can't get the results until Saturday as I'm currently in France 'enjoying' time with my family. I can tell you they weren't easy, and I got special dispensations cuz I'm fik (actually I'm dyslexic, but yeah).
Dreading opening that envelope. Even though I'm considering not going to university, I still want to do well.
Back in 1981 I thought my A levels were bloody difficult, certainly on a par with the final exams for my City and Guilds papers. Somehow I scraped Bs in two subjects: English and Design Technology. When I was at school I'd managed to get Bs in all five of the O levels I sat, passing English Language a year early. My ambition was to get selection for training as an officer and I just about got the exam results I needed to do that, but a major bike crash whilst I was in the process of selection put paid to my plans.
My three younger kids admittedly aren't the most clever, but two of them have passed 12 GCSEs each with 3 As and the rest at B and C. My son took 10 GCSEs and got Bs in 7 and the other three at grade C. My eldest got 12 as well, with nine of them at grade A and the rest at grade C - she really is the clever one, obviously she got her brains from her mother. Today my youngest daughter popped in to see me with her A level results: two Cs and a D, which she is very happy with, and rightly so because she's worked hard for them and that's enough to get her into the uni of her choice doing the course she wants to do. My son later called me to say he'd acheived passes in five AS levels. This evening I am feeling very proud of him and his sister.
The standards of teaching may well have improved, but the exams are most certainly easier. When I look at the number of passes each kid acheives nowadays I think "You'd have needed to be a complete genius to have even come close to that in my day".
kids are no brighter than they were 10, 20 , 30 years ago its just the marking system is more lenient.
lukemillar
20-08-10, 01:32 AM
The standards of teaching may well have improved, but the exams are most certainly easier. When I look at the number of passes each kid acheives nowadays I think "You'd have needed to be a complete genius to have even come close to that in my day".
Yep - I'm always amazed at the number of A levels people do. In my day, 90% of students did 3 A-levels (unless you also count the AS level in General Studies :lol:) A few did 4, but no-one, not even the most exceptional students did 5 (this was maybe 15 years ago now?). Things have definitely changed in the A-level system.
ravingdavis
20-08-10, 05:38 AM
My cousin got his results yesterday...
A* in maths
A in Latin
B in history
So pleased for him. he got his first choice uni, newcastle, to study pure mathematics.
I still think that an 'A' is really a 'B', and an 'A*' is an 'A'.
It tells you something when they have to invent a new highest grade to differentiate.
MattCollins
20-08-10, 07:34 AM
English is a non-compulsory subject in these parts now. Kids are getting through (ie passing grades - no such thing as a fail grade any more) with appalling literacy and going on to get university degrees. There was a time when a matriculation certificate (A Level) and a uni degree were actually worth something. Now they come in every packet of Weaties. It is a disservice to the oldies and those who paid attention in class.
if a levels are indeed easier surely the students are going to get a bit of shock when they go to uni to do the more applied courses? BTW dont get me started on uni courses being easier and how you can compare grades from one polytechnic uni to another uni ;)
Let's not forget it's not the students of today, or the last 28 yrs, that set the syllabus, or marked the papers. Nor is it them that have a vested political reason for seeing an increase in pass rates.
Those that have a pop at today's youngsters should be considering who decided what they learn, and how they learn.
The students of today have, in the main, done very well with what has been put before them in spite of not because of the system.
I've coached, and managed, youngsters in sport for donkey's years and the lack, or otherwise, of social skills is no different today than it was 20 yrs ago. Those that generalise with their criticisms would do well to take a step back and have a think.
Have a pop at the system, not the kids - rant over. And relax Bri.
So back in't day, were you taught a subject and then examined on it?
Way I remember it, most of my school time was spent learning how to pass exams.
Nail, Head, Hit
The amount of times I've asked the kiddies about something I learned in school at 14 just as they were about to take their GCSE's and A levels to have them say " We don't need to know that for the exam".
I'd sit and ask what various things in the room were in German and I'd get the same " We don't need to know that"
Same with Chemistry, Physics, etc.
No, But you need it for LIFE!
C
yorkie_chris
20-08-10, 08:49 AM
.. and a uni degree were actually worth something. Now they come in every packet of Weaties.
Ok I'll bite ;)
My BEng was bloody hard work... but don't get me started on the knit your own yoghurt artsy degrees. Bah.
The southern A Levels have always been easy - Highers are tradtionally harder ( runs and hides) LOL
though I've sat the same school exams every year since I left ( my mum was chief invigilator) so i got the papers once the exams had been sat and my ex teachers used to mark them for me.. I managed to pass English CSYS 4 years later without reading a single text?
But the same as always there's some many subjects for them to chose now and you are taught to pass because they are trying to cram so much in.
Though A* - WTF why not just have A B and C what with a strange scoring systems, different education systems and different grades no wonder the employers are confused??
Though saying all that I wish everyone who is waiting for the result the best of luck. I can still remember it being tough at the time.
MattCollins
20-08-10, 12:34 PM
Ok I'll bite ;)
My BEng was bloody hard work... but don't get me started on the knit your own yoghurt artsy degrees. Bah.
As well it should be if it is done right.
I have met too many engineers whose degrees at least in terms of their jobs are not worth the paper that they are printed on.
I'd agree. Some of the artsy stuff with questionable real world value just seems to suck funding and positions out of the already meagre resources available to many universities.
EDIT: My big beef however is the literacy level of some university graduates since the dropping of the compulsory English language subject to gain entrance.
my current experiment is to resit an a -level i did 10 + years ago. Whilst the content hasnt changed the modular format does make it easier to study and do the exam. I have done 2 x 1.5hr exams with 8 q in each paper.
I think the first time round it was 2 papers in the 2nd year 2- 3hr each maybe. So far my results are well up on first time round. :)
You my friend, have far too much time on your hands!
it took me 3 re-takes and 2 re-marks to get an A in AS-level oral exam.
Why would you be allowed to re-take an exam three times? In my day (which really wasn't that long ago!), the mark you got first time round was the mark you got, not 'can I have another go please until I get the mark I want' :confused:
lukemillar
20-08-10, 07:18 PM
Ok I'll bite ;)
My BEng was bloody hard work... but don't get me started on the knit your own yoghurt artsy degrees. Bah.
I did pretty well out of weaving yoghurt for 3 years. Any degree has it's merits; all depends on what you do with it. I will say that probably 80% of the guys/girls on my course are now doing absolutely nothing related to their degree!
Think yourselves lucky, those poor Pakistani students didn't even reach C level.
I fang you, i'm here all week!
christopher
20-08-10, 07:38 PM
Way I remember it, most of my school time was spent learning how to pass exams.
Snap. Didn't learn much in a practical sense, it was quite simply how to pass the exam... people weren't too interested if you could apply what you were learning so long as you could explain in it a way that the examinars could mark you highly for.
Which is the main reason I didn't bother with further education and went straight into full time work. And the only thing holding me back career/money wise now is my lack of wanting to go into anything that resembles a management role, so personally don't regret the decision for a moment!
Think yourselves lucky, those poor Pakistani students didn't even reach C level.
I fang you, i'm here all week!
Badum-tish!
allantheboss
20-08-10, 09:44 PM
Why would you be allowed to re-take an exam three times? In my day (which really wasn't that long ago!), the mark you got first time round was the mark you got, not 'can I have another go please until I get the mark I want' :confused:
I wish it were that way, but marks can fluctuate so much, so what you get might be 20% of what you deserve. First time I got 1 mark off an A, secondly a low B or C, then thirdly a high A, and I did no more revision that previously. All exam technique obviously, because the 1 person who speaks French had to re-take 3 times!
(ME)
MattCollins
21-08-10, 02:08 PM
I wonder about how much manipulation there is of the final grade.
Probably entirely different here, but to give you an idea of what I am talking about... When I did Y12 it was 5 subjects each worth 20 points. Half the grade came from the years work and the other half from the final grade. Due to differences with teachers and grading the years grades were adjusted around some statistical magical number (median?) adjusted to a particular spread of grades to even things across the state. Due to differences in exams from year to year these were also manipulated in a similar fashion. It was quite possible to score say a 16 in the final paper and receive a 12 or a 20 as a final grade depending on which side of the magical line the student is on and how compact the spread is. I cannot even pretend to understand it although it was explained to me in a lot of detail (foggy memory) by a teacher who sat on the board of examiners.
I remember at Uni you couldn't score 100% in a multiple choice. If there were 5 choices, the best you could get was 80% as theoretically you could score 20% by answering 'A' to each question.
I remember at Uni you couldn't score 100% in a multiple choice. If there were 5 choices, the best you could get was 80% as theoretically you could score 20% by answering 'A' to each question.
Erm, if you get all the answers correct through knowledge rather than guesswork then 100% is guaranteed, surely?
On topic, I struggle to understand how we can see this continuously improving trend of A level results year on year - what sort of statistical distribution are we ending up with? Is anyone mapping it and comparing?
At the end of the day it's all relative.
gettin2dizzy
21-08-10, 03:48 PM
At the end of the day it's all relative.
Exactly. How many students were taking 6 A-levels 20 years ago? :rolleyes:
Students don't have time to learn 6 subjects to A* level so they have to find shortcuts through exam technique. The most able students will always do the best.
allantheboss
21-08-10, 04:38 PM
I wonder about how much manipulation there is of the final grade.
Probably entirely different here, but to give you an idea of what I am talking about... ........
I'm not sure if this is what you're asking, but nowadays, they use something called UMS, which takes the highest-scoring student that did the exam, and gives them 100%, then each succesive number of marks works downwards, so if the highest mark was 95/100, this would be classed as 100%.
Theoretically speaking, if all students agreed to answer no questions in the paper, they'd all get 100%, be unintelligent, and studying in London.
Jamesy D
22-08-10, 06:33 PM
Got my AS results yesterday. Extremely pleased with some, not so happy with others.
General Studies - A (Doesn't really count)
Politics - A
History - B
Biology - C
Phy Ed - C
It's enough to get me through to next year, but I'd have preferred an A in History... I only missed it by two UMS points. :(
ravingdavis
22-08-10, 10:53 PM
Got my AS results yesterday. Extremely pleased with some, not so happy with others.
General Studies - A (Doesn't really count)
Politics - A
History - B
Biology - C
Phy Ed - C
It's enough to get me through to next year, but I'd have preferred an A in History... I only missed it by two UMS points. :(
Congrats mate! Them be some good grades!
Just get them finished into A2 level with those grades and your laughing.
First time I got 1 mark off an A, secondly a low B or C, then thirdly a high A
But why did you retake the exam when you got an A first time? And why were you allowed to retake the exam?
I did my highers a few years ago.
The younger teachers teach you to pass you're exam.
The older old-school style teachers teach you everything in the course, teach you about things that aren't even in the course but are worthwhile in their opinion and are generally worth their weight in gold.
My results for highers were;
Physics: A
Chemistry: B
Maths: B
Technological Studies: B
I didn't find them easy, but I actually worked for them, unlike some people.
All were taught by proper old school teachers, proper teaching methods, weren't afraid to give you a mouthful and put you in you're place.
The problem with teaching nowadays (and most things that are sh!te) is the red tape holding them back from installing some order into their classes.
All this treats, special allowances, helpers for kids who don't have learning difficulties but are badly behaved little cants is a bag o sh!te.
Also since we are education bashing, the fact that everyone is expected to go onto further education after school is absolute b0llocks, I was seen as stupid for wanting to get a job rather than go to uni. We can't have everyone who leaves school going to uni or college, but thats what the school pushes you to do.
/Rant
+1 My ex can tell you everything there is to know about quantum physics but you wouldnt put him in a room of nice people, he'd end up being rude and derogatory cos he doesnt know how to get along woth folk.
Intelligence doesn't give you common sense.
I've worked with some very clever blokes. Could read a book from front to back, then renounce every word.
Ask them anything to do with common sense though, they couldn't find their way out of a paper bag.
Jamesy D
23-08-10, 03:11 PM
Just get them finished into A2 level with those grades and your laughing.
We can but hope! I was actually really quite surprised with my politics grades, especially as I got 88 and 94/100 in either exam. I was predicted C's by my teachers!
I was originally going for straight B's in A2, but I might try for an A in politics, keep the B going for history and drag up my (frankly awful) Biology grade to a B.
Not that it really matters, I doubt I'll be going to uni, no matter how hard my school push me for it, and how everyone scoffs at me. Another three years of exam stress, coursework and deadlines? Nooo thankyou! That just aint my cup of tea sir! I'll take the Army over that any day...
ravingdavis
24-08-10, 01:53 PM
Fair enough, but just be aware that you will end up going through exams and stress while in the army as well... Its not an easy way out. If your getting grades like that you should be thinking of trying for a commission too.
Jamesy D
24-08-10, 02:13 PM
RMAS has always been my target, if I wasn't going for a commission I'd probably have gone to Harrogate last September like a lot of my friends did. Sometimes think that's what I should have done, actually.
And I realise I'll never fully escape exams and stress... but at least in the forces the exams and stress have some meaning, rather than giving you nought but massive debt and a little bit of paper. Or worse, not even getting the paper.
I'm still going to apply for uni, but use my gap year to figure out if I really want to go or not, that is if I get a place.
ravingdavis
24-08-10, 02:25 PM
Yeah fair enough. As long as you know that you will be held back for three years for promotion upon completion of your commission if you do not have a degree and you will always be considered at a slight disadvantage from other officers with a degree.
With that said you have to do what is right for you and uni isn't for everyone. I'm now in about 20k of student debt but don't be afraid of student debt as it cannot spiral out of control and become unmanageable, in other words it is safe debt.
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