[Ras17]

... [if you get a C at AS]

I know it's possible to get a C at AS level and still come out with an A* without re-sits if you do well enough in your A2s.

For example:

60% AS + 100% A2 = 80% OVR = A... but since A2 exceeded 90% the overall grade is an A*

The max you can go to is 69% where:

69% AS + 91% A2 = 80% OVR = A... but since A2 exceeded 90% the overall grade is an A*

However if you were to get:

69% AS + 90% A2 = 79.5% OVR = B

There is no room for an A grade? You either get a B or an A* and the boundary between those two grades can be as little as 0.5% overall?

So [and I know that it's unlikely but for arguments' sake]:

Student 1's AS = 69% 69% 69% and their A2s = 91% 91% 91%, the student's overall grades will be: A*A*A*

whereas

Student 2's AS = 69% 69% 69% and their A2s = 90% 90% 90%, the student's overall grades will be: BBB

Student 1 would be considered to have outstanding grades, easily good enough for Oxbridge. Student 2's grades on the other hand would only be considered decent grades and struggle to even make a Russel Group university despite the OVR difference being 0.5% in each of the subjects.

Is that even fair? Maybe I've missed something here?

[Frankster]

Uber Mindfu.ck - I think you maybe right there...

[Xarren]

(Original post by Ras17)
... [if you get a C at AS]

I know it's possible to get a C at AS level and still come out with an A* without re-sits if you do well enough in your A2s.

For example:

60% AS + 100% A2 = 80% OVR = A... but since A2 exceeded 90% the overall grade is an A*

The max you can go to is 69% where:

69% AS + 90% A2 = 79.5% [rounded to 80%] OVR = A... but since A2 exceeded 90% the overall grade is an A*

However if you were to get:

69% AS + 89% A2 = 79% OVR = B

There is no room for an A grade? You either get a B or an A* and the boundary between those two grades can be as little as 0.5% overall?

So [and I know that it's unlikely but for arguments' sake]:

Student 1's AS = 69% 69% 69% and their A2s = 90% 90% 90%, the student's overall grades will be: A*A*A*

whereas

Student 2's AS = 69% 69% 69% and their A2s = 89% 89% 89%, the student's overall grades will be: BBB

Student 1 would be considered to have outstanding grades, easily good enough for Oxbridge. Student 2's grades on the other hand would only be considered decent grades and struggle to even make a Russel Group university despite the OVR difference being 0.5% in each of the subjects.

Is that even fair? Maybe I've missed something here?

Yeah. Thats how it works. And yeah, it is fair. Just don't **** up your AS levels

[cl_steele]

it is one of most stupid systems i have come accross i must say...

[Ras17]

(Original post by Xarren)
Yeah. Thats how it works. And yeah, it is fair. Just don't **** up your AS levels

It is fair? How so? You mean that 0.5% is good enough to distingiush between a student good enough for Oxbridge and one who'd struggle to make a Russel Group uni?

[Xarren]

(Original post by Ras17)
It is fair? How so? You mean that 0.5% is good enough to distingiush between a student good enough for Oxbridge and one who'd struggle to make a Russel Group uni?

That 0.5% distinguishes between a student that did no work during AS and a student that did work throughout the two years.

[Ras17]

(Original post by AshleyDig)
You're ignoring the fact that you could score better in your AS'... If you scored anything above 70% at AS and don't do so well in your A2's then it iss still possible to get an A grade.. They do exist

Yep, I know that, but they only exist from a B grade onwards.

If you get a C as AS, it's mathematically impossible to get an A overall.

[Ras17]

(Original post by Xarren)
That 0.5% distinguishes between a student that did no work during AS and a student that did work throughout the two years.

They both had 69% at AS though? And the student only did 1% better at A2...

[Extricated]

That's how the system works unfortunately :P

[oHellno]

To get an A* you still have to have to get 80% in the A-level overall, so I don't think your example works?

Oh unless they round up the 0.5%, then yes, that is stupid.

[oPJ_Lad]

My AS was BBC. Im now predicted A*AA. Don't worry about it too much, you can make it up in the second year - but advice is, don't put yourself in my position by where I need to get A* at A2 in order to get that C up to a good A.

[etothepii]

I cannot quite figure out how 69% at AS and 90% at A2 would give student 1 an A*?
Would they not need 70% at AS? (or 91% at A2)

Either way, yes, it seems quite stupid if you think about theoretically. Practically, however, what are the odds of that happening? Quite low, I'd like to think.

[michaelhaych]

This actually happened to me!!!

I got 69.5% in my Psychology AS and got 91.5% in A2.

Going into my final exam, I knew that it was impossible for me to get an A, 87/100 would have given me a B, 88/100 would have given me an A*

<<3 marks lower and I would have gotten a B!

[Ras17]

(Original post by michaelhaych)
This actually happened to me!!!

I got 69.5% in my Psychology AS and got 91.5% in A2.

Going into my final exam, I knew that it was impossible for me to get an A, 87/100 would have given me a B, 88/100 would have given me an A*

This post validated my point

[Ras17]

(Original post by etothepii)
I cannot quite figure out how 69% at AS and 90% at A2 would give student 1 an A*?
Would they not need 70% at AS? (or 91% at A2)

Either way, yes, it seems quite stupid if you think about theoretically. Practically, however, what are the odds of that happening? Quite low, I'd like to think.

"They don't round up; if the whole A level is out of 400 marks then each mark counts as 0.25%. Rounding up would result in 2 extra marks being given to you for no particular reason.

69%+91%=80%(A)
69%+90%=79.5% (B)"

- michaelhaych

Corrected

[Ras17]

(Original post by oPJ_Lad)
My AS was BBC. Im now predicted A*AA. Don't worry about it too much, you can make it up in the second year - but advice is, don't put yourself in my position by where I need to get A* at A2 in order to get that C up to a good A.

Oh, I've already done my AS's too. I was just curious about this.

[oPJ_Lad]

(Original post by Ras17)
Oh, I've already done my AS's too. I was just curious about this.

sitting my A2s as i speak, got one left

[michaelhaych]

(Original post by Ras17)
69% + 90% = 79.5%[rounded up to 80%] = A

They don't round up; if the whole A level is out of 400 marks then each mark counts as 0.25%. Rounding up would result in 2 extra marks being given to you for no particular reason.

69%+91%=80%(A)
69%+90%=79.5% (B)

[etothepii]

(Original post by Ras17)
69% + 90% = 79.5%[rounded up to 80%] = A

Oh, I didn't realise they'd round up. But, yeah, that's absolutely ridiculous when you look at it mathematically, unless we're all missing something quite obvious, which I very much doubt so.

[Ras17]

(Original post by etothepii)
Oh, I didn't realise they'd round up. But, yeah, that's absolutely ridiculous when you look at it mathematically, unless we're all missing something quite obvious, which I very much doubt so.

Actually, here's a better explanation :P

"They don't round up; if the whole A level is out of 400 marks then each mark counts as 0.25%. Rounding up would result in 2 extra marks being given to you.

69%+91%=80%(A)
69%+90%=B "

But the principle is the same. What can we do?