A Level Results tomorrow

[CHAPPERS]

Delighted to say that my single parent god-daughter got 3 A's and a B and is off to St Martins in September.

Say well done from me, won't you...

 

[¡Cereal Killer!]

AS results
*in the voice of the BBC bloke who does the classified football results*
Law - E
Psychology - E
ICT - D

I thought I would get low grades for pyschology and law but thought I would get a C for ICT but im not disapointed.
At least I didnt fail on anything.
Havent got all the exact amount of points for my papers only got a piece of paper just saying my overall AS result.
Will be retaking one of my psychology papers and hoping to push my grade up to a D maybe or at least get push my poins up so it will be easier to get a higher overall A Level score.

Will definititely be knuckling down for the A2 year as my girlfriend will be going away for a couple of months and can concertrate more on ICT and Pyschology as I have dropped law and will be picking up General Studies and humanities GCSE.

 

[Brighton Breezy]

Go on then, FHTB, where's your evidence?

This I'm looking forward to.

a) my teachers told me so when I was doing them.

b) I have seen mock papers for my friends little brothers on the same subjects I used to do.

c) I have seen the marking guide for said papers.

d) Some many not be EASY in the sense of the questions but many are now done on a modular basis meaning they are easier to prepare for.

 

[the full harris]

a) my teachers told me so when I was doing them.

b) I have seen mock papers for my friends little brothers on the same subjects I used to do.

c) I have seen the marking guide for said papers.

d) Some many not be EASY in the sense of the questions but many are now done on a modular basis meaning they are easier to prepare for.

In fairness to Richie, his point about the modular nature of the exams is true.

The exams are certainly very different now, not necessarily easier, but different. For example, when I did my Geography A-level in the days before all this AS and A2 malarkey, we had exams at the end of the two years and a coursework piece (with interview) and that's it. There were exams at the end of year 12 but they were internal, not external. It all hinged on very few things. Now, the module system makes for more frequent exams, each testing a more narrow section of knowledge. I'm not saying it's easier now but I would prefer to prepare for more exams with less to be known for each one than fewer exams with a wider band of knowledge required.

The other difference of course is the subjects people choose. Someone can now say 'I got 3 As' having done Sociology, Psychology and Media Studies. No disrespect to those subjects whatsoever but people who, in their day, took Maths, Chemistry and History are probably going to have found their A-levels harder. The number of kids taking Maths and the Sciences (the more difficult subjects) is falling and the number taking the social sciences etc. (the easier ones) are rising. Therefore... the overall difficulty is dropping. Sorry.

 

[Dandyman]

Say well done from me, won't you...

Of course, you ginger prince.

 

[brighton_girl87]

I hate people saying the exams are easy. Why not just congratulate them and leave it? So what if they are easier their still bloody difficult. Dont go putting the people who have taken the exams down, they have worked hard for their results its not fair to then say it was an easy result to get.

well done to everyone who got the results they wanted

 

[Dr Q]

Christ, when I got my A level results, they came by post (I think we even had to supply the bloody envelope), none of this collecting them from school, being filmed by god knows what news channel celebrating their A*'s in media studies and tourism or whatever.

Personally I think the modular system helps make the whole thing somewhat easier, plus also the fact that much more info/material is available via the internet. What did we use, er let me think ... oh yeah, something called a book!!

 

[Brighton Breezy]

So what if they are easier their still bloody difficult.

I rest my case...

 

[Lander]

Business Studies - U (i think, i'm sure, i didnt bother going to get it)

 

[¡Cereal Killer!]

I hate people saying the exams are easy. Why not just congratulate them and leave it? So what if they are easier their still bloody difficult. Dont go putting the people who have taken the exams down, they have worked hard for their results its not fair to then say it was an easy result to get.

well done to everyone who got the results they wanted

Agreed, I found all of my exams difficult (apart from my Football Develpoment/Coaching Studies one which WAS VERY easy and most people agreed because 9 out of 10 actually got the Coaching Certificate)
I hate the way they do Mocks though. They always seem easier than the real thing.

The one thing I hate about exams though is that they do so many in a short space of time and is VERY HARD to find time to revise for everything and there is a lot of things to remember.

Well thats my exscuse anyway

 

[Man of Harveys]

I hate people saying the exams are easy. Why not just congratulate them and leave it? So what if they are easier their still bloody difficult. Dont go putting the people who have taken the exams down, they have worked hard for their results its not fair to then say it was an easy result to get.

well done to everyone who got the results they wanted

Congratulations to everyone who's done well - it's a tricky time full of uncertainty, as I distantly remember it, but things always have a habit of turning out ok.

But it is both fair and necessary for everyone to point out that exams are not challenging students as much as they should, and that the growing skills shortage is being bemoaned by employers every day. Is it fair on young people for them firstly not to be properly educated, then not to be properly tested on it either? They're being short-changed as much as anyone.

 

[brighton_girl87]

I rest my case...

if you are moaning about my spelling, grammar etc dont bother Im dyslexic and I find it difficult to put what i want to say into writing correctly.

 

[Brighton Breezy]

if you are moaning about my spelling, grammar etc dont bother Im dyslexic and I find it difficult to put what i want to say into writing correctly.

It was only a joke. No harm meant.

I think most people on here will tell you I am in no position to pick people up on their grammer.

 

[Uncle Buck]

Not like you need decent grammar to be a journo....

 

[Brighton Breezy]

Not like you need decent grammar to be a journo....

See. I even spelt GRAMMAR wrong.

 

[Uncle Buck]

See. I even spelt GRAMMAR wrong.

You need us marketing bods to check your work....

 

[Brighton Breezy]

That is what my spellcheck is for.

I need IT bods to show me how it works...

 

[Uncle Buck]

That is what my spellcheck is for.

I need IT bods to show me how it works...

He only got a D....

 

[Tooting Gull]

Congratulations to everyone who's done well - it's a tricky time full of uncertainty, as I distantly remember it, but things always have a habit of turning out ok.

But it is both fair and necessary for everyone to point out that exams are not challenging students as much as they should, and that the growing skills shortage is being bemoaned by employers every day. Is it fair on young people for them firstly not to be properly educated, then not to be properly tested on it either? They're being short-changed as much as anyone.

Very fair. There is always a danger of this becoming a taboo subject, where the facts are obscured by an unwillingness to offend those who have worked very hard.

A Levels, and waiting for the results, are nerve-wracking and I wish all those who have taken them that they get what they want and deserve.

But the reality is that standards have been 'adjusted downwards', and as MoH says it is the students themselves who are being patronised and duped as much as anyone.

It is blindingly obvious that if suddenly a much higher proportion of the population are getting much better results (ie loads of A grades), than either a) everyone has got much brighter or b) the exams are easier. It isn't a).

And if that isn't sufficient to convince, then listen to the lecturers at universities. They readily admit that many of those being sent to them through the same admissions process are no longer at the level to cope with the study required.

The thing is, it is virtually impossible to have an unemotional discussion about this with an 18-year-old who has just taken the exams, or a parent of said 18-year-old. It has to be the education professionals, and, (regrettably), the govt choosing to do the right thing and protect the standards rather than go for the cheap fix of making everyone look better.

 

[Brighton Breezy]

Very fair. There is always a danger of this becoming a taboo subject, where the facts are obscured by an unwillingness to offend those who have worked very hard.

A Levels, and waiting for the results, are nerve-wracking and I wish all those who have taken them that they get what they want and deserve.

But the reality is that standards have been 'adjusted downwards', and as MoH says it is the students themselves who are being patronised and duped as much as anyone.

It is blindingly obvious that if suddenly a much higher proportion of the population are getting much better results (ie loads of A grades), than either a) everyone has got much brighter or b) the exams are easier. It isn't a).

And if that isn't sufficient to convince, then listen to the lecturers at universities. They readily admit that many of those being sent to them through the same admissions process are no longer at the level to cope with the study required.

The thing is, it is virtually impossible to have an unemotional discussion about this with an 18-year-old who has just taken the exams, or a parent of said 18-year-old. It has to be the education professionals, and, (regrettably), the govt choosing to do the right thing and protect the standards rather than go for the cheap fix of making everyone look better.

Spot on.

Nobody is having a pop at the students but I can understand why after months of work they get defensive when people hark on about their exams being easier.