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Refomed A-levels without UMS?

What's going to happen with the Supplementary Action Questionnaire where you have to give UMS scores if you're taking subjects that don't have UMS anymore? 3 of my 4 subjects will not have UMS. Will you have to give raw marks? How will the admissions tutors know the difficulty of the paper you sat to put it in context? How will you know whether you're making a competitive application without UMS averages to guide you?
(edited 7 years ago)
Was just about to ask there same question. For the reformed a levels I think you need to provide raw marks but again how can universities compare across exam boards? Does this mean that people who do harder exam boards are at an advantage

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Bumpity bump, anyone got an answer or should I ask admissions?
Reply 3
Original post by Abstract_Prism
What's going to happen with the Supplementary Action Questionnaire where you have to give UMS scores if you're taking subjects that don't have UMS anymore? 3 of my 4 subjects will not have UMS. Will you have to give raw marks? How will the admissions tutors know the difficulty of the paper you sat to put it in context? How will you know whether you're making a competitive application without UMS averages to guide you?


Original post by TheDescendant
Was just about to ask there same question. For the reformed a levels I think you need to provide raw marks but again how can universities compare across exam boards? Does this mean that people who do harder exam boards are at an advantage

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ASFAIK you tell them the grade you got and what you studied (units -> especially for the likes of History where there is a huge variety of papers to take)
Reply 4
Original post by Abstract_Prism
What's going to happen with the Supplementary Action Questionnaire where you have to give UMS scores if you're taking subjects that don't have UMS anymore? 3 of my 4 subjects will not have UMS. Will you have to give raw marks? How will the admissions tutors know the difficulty of the paper you sat to put it in context? How will you know whether you're making a competitive application without UMS averages to guide you?


You won't have UMS, and you probably won't have raw marks either. Raw marks aren't provided as standard.

That's one reason why Cambridge have added the Admissions Assessments for most courses. But they are also very used to assessing applicants without UMS... eg IB and Scottish Highers don't have UMS either.

No-one was ever admitted to Cambridge on the basis of UMS averages alone.



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(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by jneill
You won't have UMS, and you probably won't have raw marks either. Raw marks aren't provided as standard.

That's one reason why Cambridge have added the Admissions Assessments for most courses. But they are also very used to assessing applicants without UMS... eg IB and Scottish Highers don't have UMS either.

No-one was ever admitted to Cambridge on the basis of UMS averages alone.



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Of course, of course, but they are integral, right? What will become of the Supplementary Action Questionnaire for people like me who won't be able to complete it?

Also, you don't get raw marks? How will I know how well I did then, and if I will make a competitive application?
Original post by Abstract_Prism
Of course, of course, but they are integral, right? What will become of the Supplementary Action Questionnaire for people like me who won't be able to complete it?

Also, you don't get raw marks? How will I know how well I did then, and if I will make a competitive application?


you wont know what mark you got. But niether will your chosen Unis. Know one will know unless u get your script back
Original post by Abstract_Prism
Of course, of course, but they are integral, right? What will become of the Supplementary Action Questionnaire for people like me who won't be able to complete it?

Also, you don't get raw marks? How will I know how well I did then, and if I will make a competitive application?


I'm sure they'll provide something else besides the grade
Reply 8
Original post by Abstract_Prism
Of course, of course, but they are integral, right? What will become of the Supplementary Action Questionnaire for people like me who won't be able to complete it?

Also, you don't get raw marks? How will I know how well I did then, and if I will make a competitive application?


Original post by clairebear101
you wont know what mark you got. But niether will your chosen Unis. Know one will know unless u get your script back


SAQ - Supplementary Application Questionnaire :wink:

My understanding is your school can request the raw marks.

But the point is Cambridge is more than capable of figuring out if you are competitive or not. And everyone is in the same boat.

Blame Michael Gove ... oh wait :wink:
Original post by jneill
My understanding is your school can request the raw marks.


I'm really surprised about this.

I always thought that on your results slip you got a complete breakdown of the marks you got in each unit.

So, instead, you only get the final grade and absolutely nothing else?

I really am disappointed if that's the case - it would be nice to know, if I got an A, if I was just scraping the barrel or if I actually did quite well.

I was going to go by UMS averages to work out if it was worth putting in an app to Cambridge, but without it I'm not sure what I'll do. :/
Reply 10
Original post by Abstract_Prism
I'm really surprised about this.

I always thought that on your results slip you got a complete breakdown of the marks you got in each unit.

So, instead, you only get the final grade and absolutely nothing else?

I really am disappointed if that's the case - it would be nice to know, if I got an A, if I was just scraping the barrel or if I actually did quite well.

I was going to go by UMS averages to work out if it was worth putting in an app to Cambridge, but without it I'm not sure what I'll do. :/


But Cambridge doesn't use UMS averages so why do you need to? People get offers with AABD at AS-level.

If you like the course, apply. It's one slot out of 5 on your UCAS - the only way to be sure you won't get in is by not applying.
Reply 11
Original post by Abstract_Prism
I'm really surprised about this.

I always thought that on your results slip you got a complete breakdown of the marks you got in each unit.

So, instead, you only get the final grade and absolutely nothing else?

I really am disappointed if that's the case - it would be nice to know, if I got an A, if I was just scraping the barrel or if I actually did quite well.

I was going to go by UMS averages to work out if it was worth putting in an app to Cambridge, but without it I'm not sure what I'll do. :/


Original post by jneill
But Cambridge doesn't use UMS averages so why do you need to? People get offers with AABD at AS-level.

If you like the course, apply. It's one slot out of 5 on your UCAS - the only way to be sure you won't get in is by not applying.


Someone just repped me for this :smile: - so, @Abstract_Prism did you get your raw marks on your results slip?
Original post by jneill
Someone just repped me for this :smile: - so, @Abstract_Prism did you get your raw marks on your results slip?

I don't think the marks were on my results slip for the reformed subjects but I definitely remember finding them out somehow. I think I just asked my teacher. I got nearly full marks in Lit and although I wasn't able to submit that in the SAQ it was mentioned in my reference so they knew about it. So I guess I got around the system :ninja:

And the B was a B so.
Reply 13
Original post by Abstract_Prism
I don't think the marks were on my results slip for the reformed subjects but I definitely remember finding them out somehow. I think I just asked my teacher. I got nearly full marks in Lit and although I wasn't able to submit that in the SAQ it was mentioned in my reference so they knew about it. So I guess I got around the system :ninja:

And the B was a B so.


Ok - thanks for confirming it's not on the slip as standard. That's what I was expecting. :smile:

So what were you AS grades in the end? AAAB ?
Original post by jneill
Ok - thanks for confirming it's not on the slip as standard. That's what I was expecting. :smile:

So what were you AS grades in the end? AAAB ?

Distinction* in BTEC Applied Law + AAB (Politics, which was an A overall, had 98 UMS in one paper and 66 UMS in the other)
Whyyyyy did I call it the 'Supplementary Action Questionnaire' in the OP :colonhash:
Reply 16
Original post by Abstract_Prism
Distinction* in BTEC Applied Law + AAB (Politics, which was an A overall, had 98 UMS in one paper and 66 UMS in the other)


Oh yes, I forgot you had a BTEC. Excellent work sir!

Original post by Abstract_Prism
Whyyyyy did I call it the 'Supplementary Action Questionnaire' in the OP :colonhash:


For the lolz.

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