The Student Room Group

Can someone explain the new A-level system?

Sorry if I am talking complete bull but apparently they are changing A-levels to linear instead of modular to make it harder (either one exam at the end of AS then another at the end of A2 OR one exam at the end of A2).

If it is true I am worried. It seems like when everyone does badly, they try to make everyone do better but when everyone improves they can't have that?!
If they do change the system, they're not going to make it harder to pass.
Reply 2
I guess I'm worried because it's hard enough getting A's when it's modular, so I have no idea about how I'll cope if our whole A-level is riding on 1 exam.
Reply 3
Original post by v1k2a3t4
Sorry if I am talking complete bull but apparently they are changing A-levels to linear instead of modular to make it harder (either one exam at the end of AS then another at the end of A2 OR one exam at the end of A2).

If it is true I am worried. It seems like when everyone does badly, they try to make everyone do better but when everyone improves they can't have that?!


They are looking at doing this for GCSEs for those starting 2 year courses from September 2012. No need to worry about GCEs yet.
Reply 4
Original post by v1k2a3t4
Sorry if I am talking complete bull but apparently they are changing A-levels to linear instead of modular to make it harder (either one exam at the end of AS then another at the end of A2 OR one exam at the end of A2).

If it is true I am worried. It seems like when everyone does badly, they try to make everyone do better but when everyone improves they can't have that?!


If you think it is a bad thing that A-levels *might* get harder, you're on another planet.

Grade inflation is real, has been real for decades, and is just making the whole idea of A-levels and UCAS a total joke.

Just consider this:

When I did my A-levels, the average offer for Medicine was ABB, and UCL offered CCC. Most universities would offer BBC or BCC for most courses (except med, vet and dent) AAA was extremely rare. The new universities would offer very low - sometimes CD - and this was first time around, not clearing.

So in what galaxy far, far away have A-levels not become stupidly easy? Students aren't smarter than they were - your average VI former is just as dumb as they were in the 1990s and 2000s.

How about thinking about all the people that might have older GCSEs and A-levels, before the A*, and earlier in the grade inflation? Someone with GCSEs like AABBCCCCC in the 1990s (when it wasn't possible to do better than A) might get 9 x A* today - yet on a CV they'll look the same, and if the recruiter isn't taking that into account - it's tough luck.
Reply 5
Original post by Data
They are looking at doing this for GCSEs for those starting 2 year courses from September 2012. No need to worry about GCEs yet.


Stupid science teachers telling us wrong -.-
Reply 6
Original post by Clip
If you think it is a bad thing that A-levels *might* get harder, you're on another planet.

Grade inflation is real, has been real for decades, and is just making the whole idea of A-levels and UCAS a total joke.

Just consider this:

When I did my A-levels, the average offer for Medicine was ABB, and UCL offered CCC. Most universities would offer BBC or BCC for most courses (except med, vet and dent) AAA was extremely rare. The new universities would offer very low - sometimes CD - and this was first time around, not clearing.

So in what galaxy far, far away have A-levels not become stupidly easy? Students aren't smarter than they were - your average VI former is just as dumb as they were in the 1990s and 2000s.

How about thinking about all the people that might have older GCSEs and A-levels, before the A*, and earlier in the grade inflation? Someone with GCSEs like AABBCCCCC in the 1990s (when it wasn't possible to do better than A) might get 9 x A* today - yet on a CV they'll look the same, and if the recruiter isn't taking that into account - it's tough luck.


I get what you mean about grade inflation (me and my mum have discussed this many times), but grade inflation or not, I would have been worrying if they were implementing the new system because the new A* grade means more med schools will be including it in their offers(I think I could get A's but A*s I'm not so sure). People go on about how hard A-levels are at the moment and I personally think it would be even harder if they did linear exams (I'm doing an AS course at the moment and I'm finding it quite hard).
Reply 7
I think there's talk of the A-levels changing aswell but that won't be for a few more years yet if it does happen. But They're changing the GCSEs.
But everyone* will be in the same position, surely? So your situation in terms of competition shouldn't really change, no?

Apart from people who are applying late/ as a mature student etc.

Quick Reply

Latest