Are exams getting easier?

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I know this is a reoccurring question but I thought I would state my views. I do think to an extent GCSEs have become easier over the years but have A-level exams? The reason I ask is because I tried an A-level Chemistry paper from 1972 today. I actually got an A and I thought it was pretty easy. I know this isn't representative of all exams. Also people (generally geriatrics) always say how, "exams were harder", in their day but I did an exam from, "their day", and it was pretty easy.

So what are your thoughts?

I dont think so. But what I do know is that its very demoralising studying hard for years whilst people are telling you that your qualifications are worthless.

Reply 121

Spungo

Original post by stefl14

Perhaps you misinterpreted me. Lots of people get a 100%. Perhaps what i should have said is that there is no way ABSOLUTELY ANYONE could get As in them succeed in them just by doing past papers.

Depends what you mean by only doing past papers I guess. You have to know the content in the course to actually start doing past papers, so it's not like any chimp can spend 2 weeks going through 10 years of past papers for an exam and get 100%.

Assuming you're not a complete chimp, the biggest difference in marks you're going to see is by doing past papers and familiarising yourself with the questions.
At A level, mathematical ability is quickly trumped by sheer time spent memorising, and it is very possible for someone to memorise the textbook, methods and tricks in past papers to get themselves an A or higher.

Reply 122

desijut

Original post by Moiraclaire

ok but they had no applied modules! No they'd need to do 33% more pure to make it equivalent.

It might be a little harder, but I reckon an A grade response is the same, getting an E would have been much harder then.

BRB going to swap M1M2/S1S2 for most of the further maths syllabus... ok then.

Original post by stefl14

June 2011 is very easy I admit. Jan 2012 is the mock we did and it was pretty difficult. The June 2011 one was 75/75 needed for full UMS but for Jan 2012 66/75 got you 100 UMS. The paper you looked at bucks the general trend of AQA papers getting harder VERY recently. Multiple people on this thread clearly agree as they have mentioned the AQA maths exams. And some of the grade boundaries being at their lowest in recent times despite the recent A* introduction tells the truth. On Jan 2012 everything is relatively simple but the last 2 caught a lot of people out.

There was an M3 paper (Edexcel) where Full UMS was 60/75. the only difference was that one question required trapezium rule and something else i cant remember but it was simple stuff that people had forgotten rather than a dodgy question, I admit i got 65/66 on it as far as i can remember but i was disappointed as i made some silly errors.

The thing is, in most a level papers, there's always a question or two that are more difficult but not to the level you're saying, it's pretty much the same.

Plus people always give excuses for dropping marks on their own exams rather than past papers.

What's the furthest you've taken/taking maths/maths related subjects to just out of interest?

Reply 123

Hulk Hogan

Some I think are. I did my ICT exam this morning without revising at all and did more than well. (I wasn't being a dick in not revising, due to coursework and AS I only needed 30% in the exam to get an A)

Others are getting harder. My Politics papers were a lot harder than any past papers I've ever saw.

Reply 124

Jimbo1234

Original post by Liam6993

Yes, they've got easier. But universities and employers now want much higher grades than they used to, so it evens itself out.

Not any more.
Only a genius could achieve 90% or higher in an A level only 5 years ago. Now thousands of kids get that each year which means that the truly gifted students can no longer stand out as they can't get 101% +.

Reply 125

brendonbackflip

It may well be easier, but I do think there are other factors that have been brushed aside. Firstly, the people who seem to jump to criticize have gone through A-levels, a degree, work etc. - obviously a lot harder than GCSEs. Looking at a question and thinking it's easier may just be because of being older and wiser. Honestly, I doubt these people would remember the exact questions they were asked when they were sixteen, so it'd be difficult to compare to today's. Also, maybe it's not the exams that are getting easier - things like the standard of teaching might have improved (it sounds like it, from all the horror-textbook stories from teachers and parents), things like that.

However, I'm in the middle of my GCSEs, so obviously I think they're going to be the hardest thing ever until my AS levels start. My main view is that my generation will be slating the GCSE levels in twenty years time for being "much easier than what we did", along with the young people being "rude and a disgrace to society" and things all teenagers get in any time period. :headbang:

EDIT: Just realized this applied to A-levels as well. Oh well, same points still apply to A-levels really.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 126

ColdKant

I recently sat a triple science chemistry exam - C3 edexcel
and it asked the formula for water, not only that but it also asked
how to evaporate something...

Reply 127

GreenLantern1

Original post by vedderfan94

LOL at harder. GCSE Physics papers from 1970 are harder than a level papers.

Pleases show me this paper! I will be amazed if you can and if it lives up to this reputation of it!

Reply 128

Larry31

GCSEs are getting much easier in my opinion. A-Levels however seem more to fluxuate than show a general trend. I mean I don't think they're easy at all, and anyone who did the OCR F212 paper this week will agree with me I'm sure! XD

Reply 129

stefl14

Original post by desijut

BRB going to swap M1M2/S1S2 for most of the further maths syllabus... ok then.

There was an M3 paper (Edexcel) where Full UMS was 60/75. the only difference was that one question required trapezium rule and something else i cant remember but it was simple stuff that people had forgotten rather than a dodgy question, I admit i got 65/66 on it as far as i can remember but i was disappointed as i made some silly errors.

The thing is, in most a level papers, there's always a question or two that are more difficult but not to the level you're saying, it's pretty much the same.

Plus people always give excuses for dropping marks on their own exams rather than past papers.

What's the furthest you've taken/taking maths/maths related subjects to just out of interest?

I'm not saying papers are incredibly difficult, just that they have been getting a little bit harder on the AQA board recently to refute the claim that A levels are universally getting easier. Even teachers have agreed that they've gotten harder on our board. I'm definitely not making excuses for my own performances as I'm pretty much guaranteed to get an A* now in FM and have already got an A* in normal maths.

In response to your last question do you mean what modules have i taken? If so then C1-4, M1,S1, FP1,FP3,S2 and am taking M2, FP4 and FP2 in the summer.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 130

nmudz_009

Original post by Liam6993

Yes, they've got easier. But universities and employers now want much higher grades than they used to, so it evens itself out.

Definately this. Even if exams are easier it's still difficult to get the really high percentages. Hence the A*.

Reply 131

stefl14

Original post by Jimbo1234

What a load of ****. Exams five years ago were not any harder than they were today. Exams 10 years ago were no more difficult either (at least in maths). The difference these days is that a lot more people strive for the really high percentages as it is more important to make yourself stand out.

Reply 132

GreenLantern1

Original post by stefl14

You;re right therre! In A-Level the only real differences in difficulty was well into 30 years back. And I do have to say while GCSEs are a lot easier A-Levels aren't exactly child's play compared to what they used to be (pretty similar for A-Levels in terms of difficulty - for the traditional subjects this is)

harder

Original post by ColdKant

I recently sat a triple science chemistry exam - C3 edexcel
and it asked the formula for water, not only that but it also asked
how to evaporate something...

yeah.. I saw that question... chemistry is too easy though :tongue:

Reply 135

Converse Rocker

Original post by pixelfrag

I will never understand how I got a C in a geography module with a huge amount of revision and full UMS when I did a resit with no revision. It's weird, I think luck plays a part in your marks too. Sorry I wasn't exaggerating xD I don't mean to come off as arrogant or anything but I think that there is clearly a HUGE step from gcse to a level that really shouldn't be there because it gives people a little shock sometimes (like it did to me)

I agree it's a big step to A level for sure, but I disagree that most people can walk an A* with little to no revision at GCSE.

Reply 136

poyyo

i think recently exams have been getting harder, well i think aqa maths has anyway

Reply 137

Jimbo1234

Original post by stefl14

You are aware that recent studies have shown me to be right?
Just go grab some past papers and have a look yourself.
Or are you honestly saying that all of todays kids are now geniuses due to living on facebook and having sex at a younger age?

Reply 138

sydney07

I think over the years as new theories are formed and new discoveries are found, people find it necessary to teach all the new stuff before university. Therefore, the GCSE and A-level courses will have more information in them, therefore, could be seen as harder....

But more recently, my A-levels have suddenly got a lot harder compared to past exam papers! (Maths AQA) hahaa

Reply 139

vedderfan94

Original post by GreenLantern1

Pleases show me this paper! I will be amazed if you can and if it lives up to this reputation of it!

Hmm I'll have to dig it out. I actually saw it at school. My physics teacher had lots of past papers for all levels. I remember having a look through a GCSE paper from the 70s (I was doing AS at the time) and thinking "Wow, this is harder than what I'm doing now". He got rid of a lot of the papers though and doesn't have the stacks he had now. Although I don't think he would have thrown away those papers.