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A* at A level question thread

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Reply 1180
Original post by Reminisce
I currently have and am doing these maths modules which will make up my Maths A Level, Further Maths A Level and AS Additional Further Maths. My Maths A Level has been certificated but it is on my Statement of Entry for JUNE 2012 so I assume my school is re-certificating it to allow for modules to be transferred. Therefore, I have found this combination which I think satisfies the criteria for an A* in both Maths and Further Maths.

"-" means that the exam is this summer.


Maths:
C1: 100
C2: 96
C3: 100
C4: 100
M1: 97
D1: -

Sum: 493 and C3 and C4 are over 180UMS

Further Maths:
FP1: 100
DE: 93
S1: 100
M2: 98
S2: 96
FP2: -

Sum: 487 and S2, DE and M2 are over 270UMS

Additional Further Maths
M3: -
NM: -
FP3: -

I think that the system works to maximise the grade in maths then further maths then add further maths then maximise UMS. Does this combination abide by the rules of how the Maths A Level works and thus give me an A* in both already regardless of my final exams?


I'm not familiar with DE, but if it counts as an A2 unit then it looks OK. You can check at:
http://www.jcq.org.uk/attachments/published/1047/GCE%20Maths%20rules%20guidance%20for%20centres%20Sept%202010.pdf
Reply 1181
How much do I need 2 get an A*?!
c1-90
C2-76
S1-70
M1 ~
C3 ~
C4~
I'm going to get the results for '~' in august, is it impossible?!
Reply 1182
Original post by Doni
How much do I need 2 get an A*?!
c1-90
C2-76
S1-70
M1 ~
C3 ~
C4~
I'm going to get the results for '~' in august, is it impossible?!


No, you need to get at least 180 across C3 and C4 and at least 64 in M1 (less if you do better in C3 and C4).
Reply 1183
I'm so confuused. For Citizenship A2, it says the grade boundary for an A* is 77% for Unit 4. What does this mean?! I thought it was always 90 :'(
Reply 1184
Original post by lauren_a
I'm so confuused. For Citizenship A2, it says the grade boundary for an A* is 77% for Unit 4. What does this mean?! I thought it was always 90 :'(


It is always 90% UMS, this is unlikely to be 90% of the raw marks - for this it will vary for every exam and be more for Maths papers and less, possibly much less, for many other subjects.
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 1185
Original post by Data
It is always 90% UMS, this is unlikely to be 90% of the raw marks - for this it will vary for every exam and be more for Maths papers and less, possible much less, for many others subjects.


Ok so if I get 77 raw marks I can still get an A*...because it counts as 90& UMS? :s-smilie:
Reply 1186
Original post by lauren_a
Ok so if I get 77 raw marks I can still get an A*...because it counts as 90& UMS? :s-smilie:


Put simply, you need to get at least 180/200UMS on the A2 units. The raw marks needed for this are irrelevant.
So, it is possible to get a B (234/300) at AS and still get an A* at A level, if you get A* average in A2?
Thanks
Reply 1188
Original post by Lightingspeed
So, it is possible to get a B (234/300) at AS and still get an A* at A level, if you get A* average in A2?
Thanks


Yes.
Original post by Data
Yes.


thanks:smile:
Does coursework count as part of the 90% in A2? Since it is part of UMS?
Reply 1191
Original post by Anthony Soprano
Does coursework count as part of the 90% in A2? Since it is part of UMS?


Yes. You need 180/200 (for 4 unit A levels) or 270/300 (6 unit A levels) from the A2 units whether they are exams or coursework.
Original post by Data
Yes. You need 180/200 (for 4 unit A levels) or 270/300 (6 unit A levels) from the A2 units whether they are exams or coursework.


Many thanks :smile:
Reply 1193
How does it work for Edexcel Economics, where unit 3 counts for 40% of A2 and unit 4 counts for 60%, are the grades weighted when determining A*s as well?
Original post by Mtice
How does it work for Edexcel Economics, where unit 3 counts for 40% of A2 and unit 4 counts for 60%, are the grades weighted when determining A*s as well?

Yes. It is all about UMS.

In economics, you need 180/200 UMS on unit 3 and unit 4 combined to get an A*. You could get 80/80 and 100/120, or you could get 60/80 and 120/120, both would be awarded an A* (higher scores will also get an A* obviously). The weightings for UMS therefore also carry over to the weightings for the awarded grade.
Apologies if this sort of thing has been asked dozens of times already but I am panicking quite a bit about chemistry. I really messed up my unit two exam and my overall AS UMS score is 228/300 (B).

Is it still possible for me to get an A* at A2 with this score? And if so what kind of score would I have to get at A2 (I imagine it'll be very high).
(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by DrSwitched
Apologies if this sort of thing has been asked dozens of times already but I am panicking quite a bit about chemistry. I really messed up my unit two exam and my overall AS UMS score is 228/300 (B).

Is it still possible for me to get an A* at A2 with this score? And if so what kind of score would I have to get at A2 (I imagine it'll be very high).


You need a total UMS of 480 that includes 270/300 from your A2 exams.
So from your A2 exams/practical you need 252 UMS for an A or 270 UMS for an A*
You can make it easier to achieve an A if you resit one or more AS exams.
Original post by gdunne42
You need a total UMS of 480 that includes 270/300 from your A2 exams.
So from your A2 exams/practical you need 252 UMS for an A or 270 UMS for an A*
You can make it easier to achieve an A if you resit one or more AS exams.


Thank you!
Reply 1198
I don't really know how to explain this, but I'll try...

For A2 English langauge (AQA), the c/w is 20%, so 80 ums, and the exam is 120 UMS, so 30% of the A-Level.

Do you need to get 90% UMS across the A2 exams (180 UMS), or an average of 90% across exams.

You could get 100% on the coursework, so 80 ums, but 80% on the exam, so 96 ums. That would give you 176 UMS, so not 90%, but you got 100% on one unit and 80% on the other, so that averages out on 90%. So which do you need to get an A*?

Sorry, is that clear?
Original post by jwf13
I don't really know how to explain this, but I'll try...

For A2 English langauge (AQA), the c/w is 20%, so 80 ums, and the exam is 120 UMS, so 30% of the A-Level.

Do you need to get 90% UMS across the A2 exams (180 UMS), or an average of 90% across exams.

You could get 100% on the coursework, so 80 ums, but 80% on the exam, so 96 ums. That would give you 176 UMS, so not 90%, but you got 100% on one unit and 80% on the other, so that averages out on 90%. So which do you need to get an A*?

Sorry, is that clear?


It's all about the UMS not about % (your calculation of average % isn't sensible as the components are not equally weighted)
For a 400 UMS A level You need a total UMS of at least 320 for the full A level which includes at least 180 UMS from your A2 coursework and exam combined.

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