Is it possible to still miss out on a spot at a top uni even if you got all the required grades?
Yes. Because unfortunately, students who are predicted straight A's then only apply for red-brick uni's or top universities then find that the scores of people applying for that course at that uni have got the same top grades and it comes down to their personal statement/ interview (if they had one) etc.
Those that are snobby about where they apply can end up with nowhere to go. It's always best to have a couple of less prestigious uni's on the list.
They could try year after year but then their life is effectively on hold until the year they finally stand out from the crowd - and with places and funding being cut and results getting better every year - it's unlikely to happen at all if they don't get in first time to the top uni's.
Finally that aching feeling in the pit of my stomach is gone:
English: A*
Politics: A
Law: B
Journalism: Distinction
Extended Project: A
I'm sooo happy (if a little annoyed at the B ruining the pattern, I was only a few marks off too, ah well) and will be off to Aberystwyth to study International Politics. Now, to the pub...
WELL DONE TO ALL!!!! A pass is a pass - and you done well to achieve even if you didn't get the grade you want. You should take a good pat on the back and be pleased that all that hard work has been worth it. Well done again
I took a gap year so I'm heading up to Edinburgh in September -- so see some of you there I hope! Would be funny if I bumped into some DSers whilst at Uni XD
Looking at the grades you have all achieved is amazing
Nice to see some fellow Southampton students (prospective and current) in here as well. It's a fantastic university. I'm about to go into my third year of sociology and social policy.
Just a word to those who didn't get into their first choice or didn't get the grades you wanted. Do not worry it isn't the end of the world, get onto the clearing service there's loads of places if you still want uni
Well done to everyone who got the grades they hoped for. If you didn't then don't worry - it's not the end of the world!!! There are tons of options for you.
Well done everyone!! I did an AS Level in Politics & Government back in 2007 and found it rather difficult. I've never understood the whole "AS/A Levels are easy" logic that some people say.
For those who have done well in History and Geography, any chance you could PM me with some tips? I'm thinking of studying both subjects in the next couple of years.
Rather than exams getting easier, could it be that teaching is getting better? I know that when I was at secondary school some teachers seemed to think that teaching us involved getting us to copy out of a text book. My little sister is 10 years younger than me and the stuff she does at school looks much more interesting.
Rather than exams getting easier, could it be that teaching is getting better? I know that when I was at secondary school some teachers seemed to think that teaching us involved getting us to copy out of a text book. My little sister is 10 years younger than me and the stuff she does at school looks much more interesting.
Nowadays there's the internet as well which probably makes life far easier, do they have multiple choice answers in exams?
WELL DONE TO ALL!!!! A pass is a pass - and you done well to achieve even if you didn't get the grade you want. You should take a good pat on the back and be pleased that all that hard work has been worth it. Well done again
So I should be happy with CDD? I'm bitterly disappointed (had CCC going round my head, positive thoughts making it happen), but I've got a year to upgrade one and/or both D's to get into the majority of my courses.
My C was for Theatre Studies. The D's were in Media Studies and French.
Well done to you all, whether or not you have decided to go Uni or not. I know Uni isn't for everyone.
8 years ago for me, it was optional whether you turned up to the College reception for your results. If you didn't then you would get them in the post. I went a crap college needless to say and for my uni course I needed a D, D.
I was eager to see if I got into uni - next step in my life, but was surprised how very little turned up at college. Back then, my grand-parents lived closer to the college than us, so we went there 1st and I made my way on my own, coming back to an house-full.
I turned up, found out I had B, C. Was happy but gutted in a way, as during the Uni applications form I was refused a better Uni as I was expected to get below C,C but for the better course B, C was sufficient. The better uni was same course more-a-less, but needless to say, I had gained a position in Uni which on my side of the family no one had yet done, but non-immeadiate only 1 person, and it felt great.
Secondly, my Grandad passed away in 2000 and saw me get into College and bought me a computer, but he didn't get to see me get into Uni, but it felt that his gift to me was worth it and paid for.
4 years later I came out with a 2:2 BSc Hons, due to resitting final year (personal family reasons), which was a shock to 1 of my old school teachers when I saw them out & about, when at school I got GCSE 'U' for my subject, as the school had all the town riff raft thrown in, and it was only at college when you could seperate yourself.
Congratulations to you all. Hope you are all happy.
You think you are nervous now waiting for the A-Levels, but boy wait until you are waiting for your Uni results.
Whilst it may be true for some, you have no idea why some of them may have failed.
Good luck to everyone. I don't miss this aspect of college one bit!
Maybe. But with the exception of circumstances outside of one's control (such as a death in the family or illness), I think it would be very difficult not to get a E on a paper that you have chosen.
Maybe. But with the exception of circumstances outside of one's control (such as a death in the family or illness), I think it would be very difficult not to get a E on a paper that you have chosen.
Agreed.
I personally think that if you know less than half of what you're being asked in an exam (whether that exam is A Level or otherwise) then by definition, you've failed it.
Rather than exams getting easier, could it be that teaching is getting better? I know that when I was at secondary school some teachers seemed to think that teaching us involved getting us to copy out of a text book. My little sister is 10 years younger than me and the stuff she does at school looks much more interesting.
I work in a college and know the exams are a lot easier.They are now not taught the subject,but are taught to pass the exam.
I await the usual group of youngsters paraded on TV saying how hard they have worked for the grades,forgetting that years ago we had no Internet,Computer,Calculators ,copy and paste etc.
I hope everyone who worked hard for their exam results is very proud of themselves today! Don't listen to the pompous media and rubbish that try to bring you down and tell you don't deserve them - let's see them take an exam! It's all bull, always trying to discredit our youngsters, then we're amazed if some of them rebel. It makes me laugh, and despair. So well done everyone today, you earnt your grades and hopefully you're all off to uni or doing whatever it is that you've planned to do - well done! Wish it was me all over again
I work in a college and know the exams are a lot easier.They are now not taught the subject,but are taught to pass the exam.
I await the usual group of youngsters paraded on TV saying how hard they have worked for the grades,forgetting that years ago we had no Internet,Computer,Calculators ,copy and paste etc.
I work in a college and know the exams are a lot easier.They are now not taught the subject,but are taught to pass the exam.
I await the usual group of youngsters paraded on TV saying how hard they have worked for the grades,forgetting that years ago we had no Internet,Computer,Calculators ,copy and paste etc.
But internet, computers and copy and paste aren't going to help you in an exam. I think kids (and their teachers)genuinely work hard while under a lot of pressure to do well.
I'm not sure, but I think the pass mark to get an E can be as low as 20%?
Depends if you mean 20% UMS or an unscaled "raw" mark. Anything less than 40% UMS would be a U grade, 80% and above would be an A, but that's a scaled mark, and you'd need to get a lot less in terms of a raw % (typically mid 60s for a lot of subjects) to actually end up with 80% as the scaled mark.
Well done everyone. Don't see why we have to have the endless exams getting easier debate (though I'll keep my opinions on that to myself for now) when there are students who have worked for a year or two - with university places hinging on them - for these qualifications. It's almost like "oh yeah you got an A but everyone does these days because you're not as old as I am and you're stupider and the exams are getting easier", extremely unfair.
Comments
Yes. Because unfortunately, students who are predicted straight A's then only apply for red-brick uni's or top universities then find that the scores of people applying for that course at that uni have got the same top grades and it comes down to their personal statement/ interview (if they had one) etc.
Those that are snobby about where they apply can end up with nowhere to go. It's always best to have a couple of less prestigious uni's on the list.
They could try year after year but then their life is effectively on hold until the year they finally stand out from the crowd - and with places and funding being cut and results getting better every year - it's unlikely to happen at all if they don't get in first time to the top uni's.
A harsh, ignorant generalisation yes.
Whilst it may be true for some, you have no idea why some of them may have failed.
Good luck to everyone. I don't miss this aspect of college one bit!
WELL DONE TO ALL!!!! A pass is a pass - and you done well to achieve even if you didn't get the grade you want. You should take a good pat on the back and be pleased that all that hard work has been worth it. Well done again
In my day, 1986, the pass mark for an E was 40%.
The 2 grades lower than that were an O and an F. I can't remember which way round they were.
Good choice! I am about to go into my second year at Aberystwyth. It's an amazing place!
Well done to everyone who got the results they wanted
I thought it was "N" for near miss - just missed the standard for an E - and "U" for ungraded.
I took a gap year so I'm heading up to Edinburgh in September -- so see some of you there I hope! Would be funny if I bumped into some DSers whilst at Uni XD
Nice to see some fellow Southampton students (prospective and current) in here as well. It's a fantastic university. I'm about to go into my third year of sociology and social policy.
Congratulations everyone!
For those who have done well in History and Geography, any chance you could PM me with some tips? I'm thinking of studying both subjects in the next couple of years.
Nowadays there's the internet as well which probably makes life far easier, do they have multiple choice answers in exams?
So I should be happy with CDD? I'm bitterly disappointed (had CCC going round my head, positive thoughts making it happen), but I've got a year to upgrade one and/or both D's to get into the majority of my courses.
My C was for Theatre Studies. The D's were in Media Studies and French.
8 years ago for me, it was optional whether you turned up to the College reception for your results. If you didn't then you would get them in the post. I went a crap college needless to say and for my uni course I needed a D, D.
I was eager to see if I got into uni - next step in my life, but was surprised how very little turned up at college. Back then, my grand-parents lived closer to the college than us, so we went there 1st and I made my way on my own, coming back to an house-full.
I turned up, found out I had B, C. Was happy but gutted in a way, as during the Uni applications form I was refused a better Uni as I was expected to get below C,C but for the better course B, C was sufficient. The better uni was same course more-a-less, but needless to say, I had gained a position in Uni which on my side of the family no one had yet done, but non-immeadiate only 1 person, and it felt great.
Secondly, my Grandad passed away in 2000 and saw me get into College and bought me a computer, but he didn't get to see me get into Uni, but it felt that his gift to me was worth it and paid for.
4 years later I came out with a 2:2 BSc Hons, due to resitting final year (personal family reasons), which was a shock to 1 of my old school teachers when I saw them out & about, when at school I got GCSE 'U' for my subject, as the school had all the town riff raft thrown in, and it was only at college when you could seperate yourself.
Congratulations to you all. Hope you are all happy.
You think you are nervous now waiting for the A-Levels, but boy wait until you are waiting for your Uni results.
Maybe. But with the exception of circumstances outside of one's control (such as a death in the family or illness), I think it would be very difficult not to get a E on a paper that you have chosen.
Agreed.
I personally think that if you know less than half of what you're being asked in an exam (whether that exam is A Level or otherwise) then by definition, you've failed it.
I work in a college and know the exams are a lot easier.They are now not taught the subject,but are taught to pass the exam.
I await the usual group of youngsters paraded on TV saying how hard they have worked for the grades,forgetting that years ago we had no Internet,Computer,Calculators ,copy and paste etc.
What are you comparing?
But internet, computers and copy and paste aren't going to help you in an exam. I think kids (and their teachers)genuinely work hard while under a lot of pressure to do well.
ABBBC
Can't decide if I'm happy, resitting some of the Bs because my teachers think I can do better, and tbh so do I.