What is wrong with resits?

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You're using a bit of a forced definition of 'business' though. Business in common parlance (i.e. organised trade) existed well before the industrial revolution and before any university in the English speaking world at least. I'm too lazy to check Wikipedia for older universities elsewhere but I don't imagine they beat out organised trade either.

We were talking about "businesses" (plural noun) meaning companies and organisations, employers, a definition that originated during the industrial revolution when the first businesses were founded.

The definition is not forced at all, it is exactly pertaining to the subject matter - namely whether the purpose of university is or ever was to provide employees for businesses.

(Although the point regarding organised trade still stands - it was something undertaken by commoners, not the nobility who attended early universities)

Reply 41

Revilo1

Original post by The Mr Z

The resits system is often abused by applicants trying to improve their overall grade and hide a fundamental shortcoming in their ability.

For the purpose of a university this is deceitful, because the speed at which an applicant is able to gain knowledge and ability is much more important than that knowledge itself. Simply put, a candidate who could not get the required grades the first time round (excluding extenuating circumstances) is likely not up to the challenges of that course.

I never really considered testing how quickly someone can learn something, so (in that situation) it makes a lot of sense. But which do you think is more important - showing you are able to learn quickly, or showing you won't just give up instantly?

I am leaning slightly toward not giving up, but I'm not too sure...

Reply 42

Revilo1

Original post by deedee123

In a perfect world yes, but the reality is not everyone can get straight As and go to University, it's just not plausible. They need some way to differentiate between people that are academically capable and those that aren't as such, and i think re sits blur that line.

But surely the whole point of education is to improve people's abilities. For example - say someone, sitting their early module science GCSE, taken in year 10, gets mainly Cs. After this, they realise they need to 'up their game', and get mainly As in their later module exams. Clearly it is only fair that they can resit, and show that they have improved since then.

I agree that not everyone is academic, but there are plenty of people who can become more academic than they were during the last few years at secondary school.

Reply 43

SarahAlexis

I know a number of people (including myself) who have to resit AS modules in January (of our A2 year) or June when we're doing the A2 exams, we lost out on our grades because the grade boundaries were higher so there was no room for small errors as they cost a lot of UMS and because exam technique hadn't been stepped up from GCSE, it's frustrating as it means we can't apply to univeristy this year (some people have too many resits) even though we have the knowledge.

No matter how much people disagree, AS and A2 exams aren't about who is clever and who is not, it's about who knows the mark schemes the best and who has honed in on what the board are looking for. I know people with A*/As at A-Level who are thick as **** when it comes to general knowledge and can't hold an intellegent conversation, they just knew how to answer the question in such a way that got them a lot of marks; a skill that I doubt is going to help them beyond AS/A2. Resits in my situation will help me to get the grades I deserve (in terms of knowledge) and allow me to see where I went wrong (by ordering scripts back) and rectifying this and resitting and also carrying those skills into A2.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 44

deedee123

Original post by Revilo1

I don't know how your current education system works in England other than you're allowed resits as i'm from Scotland, I was talking about resits in general so i can't be specific about GCSES etc. Do universities know how many resits you've taken? You can resit highers in Scotland but you have to do the whole course for another year and it puts you at quite a bad disadvantage when it comes to university entry. Also I'm not saying you should only be educated if you want to go to uni just using it as an example.

Reply 45

Robbie242

I admit for AS and A2 resits should have 3 maximum across subjects, but for gcse resits to achieve a C to do stuff is perfectly fine... for example myself took the edexcel linear in November, failed... took the exam in march... failed, took the exam in june scored a B two marks from an A, the resits taught me each time I had to work harder and now I've started AS with the perfect revision ethic and I'm allready exceeding a few students who have being taught higher since the start of secondary school... but for alevels there should be the penalty of it showing up on your application...

Reply 46

deedee123

Original post by Robbie242

they don't even show up on your application?! and i saw someone moaning about how our scottish appeals system is unfair!

Reply 47

Robbie242

Original post by deedee123

they don't even show up on your application?! and i saw someone moaning about how our scottish appeals system is unfair!

No I'm stating whats already in place there is a section where you have to mention your resits and then its the unis judgement whether they want you or not.

Reply 48

deedee123

Original post by Robbie242

No I'm stating whats already in place there is a section where you have to mention your resits and then its the unis judgement whether they want you or not.

Ahh okay

Reply 49

AncientRemedy

I'm in favour of resits. Like you said, sometimes we have an off day perhaps to due illness or grieving so it is nice to be able to have a second chance to take the test when you feel more refreshed. Not only that, but for me and many others we screwed up our first AS Exams in January 2011 since we was knew to the exam process at College, re-sits made the results seem less daunting and took off the pressure of having to do better in the coursework/next exam.

That being said (and I only got where I am due to a resit) they are equally a bad thing and I can see why people frown on them. As I mentioned before it takes the pressure off the course, and although that can be beneficial some people use it as an opportunity to slack off and use it as a "fall-back". As well as that, people also re-sit exams to improve their grade and it feels as though they are often given too many chances to improve. Whilst that doesn't seem bad, it isn't exactly fair to those who got their expected grade and can't retry to get a little higher.

Reply 50

Revilo1

Original post by deedee123

For GCSE you can resit each modular exam individually, and I believe it is the same at A level. Also, you only have to pay to have a resit if it is after the final exams - I think - as I have resat several exams while doing my GCSEs and, so long as the school enters you before a certain point, there is no charge. After a certain number of resits you do have to pay. Again, I don't know specifically :colondollar:

I could try and find all the specific details for you, if you like. Although Google will probably do a better job :biggrin:

Reply 51

Revilo1

Original post by AncientRemedy

That being said (and I only got where I am due to a resit) they are equally a bad thing and I can see why people frown on them. As I mentioned before it takes the pressure off the course, and although that can be beneficial some people use it as an opportunity to slack off and use it as a "fall-back". As well as that, people also re-sit exams to improve their grade and it feels as though they are often given too many chances to improve. Whilst that doesn't seem bad, it isn't exactly fair to those who got their expected grade and can't retry to get a little higher.

But surely in life you are given plenty of chances to improve, aren't you? It's not like if you don't do particularly well in your first job as, say, an accountant, you will never be allowed to become an accountant. It seems unfair to expect everyone to do their best on their first go.

Also, I wouldn't say it is particularly unfair - if you get your predicted grade, you are still allowed to resit to try and do better. I achieved my target grade in English, but was allowed to retake because my English teacher reckoned I could do better. I didn't have to pay for this resit, either.

Reply 52

Kiss

Original post by Solid.Snake

I was just about to make a similar comment but you beat me to it! :rolleyes:

Maybe it was a good idea you didn't beat me.......

Reply 53

wateva

resits are for ***** who didn't work hard enough for the real exams.

Reply 54

Hopple

Original post by Revilo1

I think that resits are a good idea, as they allow people to do well regardless of whether they happen to be having just a bad day on their exam day (e.g. ill, stressed etc.). I also find that I do better in exams when I know that I can resit them - it takes some of the pressure off, and stops me stressing so much, so I can focus on the actual stuff I need to learn rather than worrying about what will happen if I mess up.

Just wondering what everyone else thought about resits, especially with the new ebaccs. Having to resit an entire course, rather than just the smaller module test you screwed up, will probably encourage most people not to bother resitting.

If resits were free then fine. They're not, so unfairly favour richer kids for as long as they're allowed.

Reply 55

Revilo1

Original post by wateva

resits are for ***** who didn't work hard enough for the real exams.

I love constructive, mature debate. :rolleyes:

Reply 56

Revilo1

Original post by Hopple

If resits were free then fine. They're not, so unfairly favour richer kids for as long as they're allowed.

I have taken several resits during my GCSEs, and haven't had to pay a penny. Is this any different at A level? And besides, it's not like they cost thousands of pounds - for worse off students there is still a bursary, which should at least go some way towards covering any resits if they do cost money.

Further education as a whole favours the rich though anyway - someones got to pay to look after someone who is a student. And their part time job at the Co-op isn't exactly going to cover everything.

Reply 57

marcus2001

Irritates me when people use 'having a bad day' as an excuse..

If you are prepared adequately, the knowledge is literally there, and you will be able to answer the question.

Reply 58

Cutmeloose

Original post by marcus2001

Irritates me when people use 'having a bad day' as an excuse..

If you are prepared adequately, the knowledge is literally there, and you will be able to answer the question.

I think that usually is talking about people who have personal issues going on. Irritates me how people assume that everyone has a cushy life, where getting 3 As is their only priority.

Reply 59

Hopple

Original post by Revilo1

There were some people saying as high as £25 back when I was doing A Levels, presumably some of that goes to the school. That's a sizeable amount of EMA (back when it existed), and could really hurt a low income family in the short term, and in the long term if those costs carry over.

Further education as a whole favours the rich though anyway - someones got to pay to look after someone who is a student. And their part time job at the Co-op isn't exactly going to cover everything.