Does anyone else think there is a lot of predicted grade inflation going on?

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Finally, someone mentions this issue, it's been annoying me loads lately. I guess it varies from school to school. I got AAAAA at AS but predicted A*AAA. At first glance I understand because I think I spread myself too thinly in my 5 AS subjects, leading to some UMS marks above 90 or 100 but those offset with some low 80s. However, looking at other peoples AS grades and predictions, from Bs and Cs to As and A*s, I feel like I've been mugged off

Reply 61

a-spiringmedic

hi i was just wondering if your ALIS predictions are considered in your A2 predictions?

Reply 62

Juno

Original post by Izzydizzy

Yeh, ah, but some schools don't over predict, or they will in some subjects and not in others. My school seems fine with inflating arts subjects but not maths & sciences. The whole system seems wrong. As I said, my problem is that my school don't cash in so I'm looking like an over predicted candidate potentially. Iyswim

You're just looking at one part of the application in isolation. Unis don't do that. They look at the whole package - achieved grades, reference, personal statement etc. If your previous grades are good, it makes it more realistic that you'll achieve the high predicted grades - but if someone got a C at AS and similar at GCSE it's obviously wrong.

If your school doesn't cash in it's unusual, so double check with them before sending your application. If they definitely don't, ask your referee to mention the school policy in your reference - and they could also mention your marks if you wanted to.

Original post by a-spiringmedic

hi i was just wondering if your ALIS predictions are considered in your A2 predictions?

This depends on your school. Not all schools do ALIS, and some will just do it for information purposes.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 63

loperdoper

Original post by joker12345

Why would it be extra pressure if you still applied to AAB universities? All it would mean is you'd have a better chance of getting in. See your point, but lots of people are predicted 2 grades up.

Not pressure as such, I'd feel a greater sense of achievement if I got A*AB when I was predicted AAB than just getting my predicted. Also, if my predicted are sufficient already (and actually, only one of my Uni's asks for AAB, the rest are all lower), why inflate them unnecessarily?

But I get why you think it's unusual. If I'm honest, I'm still in shock that I'm even looking at AAB predicted, when I always thought I'd get BBB.

Reply 64

acireric

Same feeling. BBCC to A*A*A sounds crap to me :s

Reply 65

crozibear96

I got AAAB at AS and (I think) I'm predicted AAAA (my B was one mark from an A and I'm going to be resitting my worst paper in it - in which I got a C). Slightly terrifying since I was aiming for CCCC at AS.

Since I joined TSR, I have seen an awful lot of grade inflation. My friend got a C in AS Chemistry, and she was told that it takes work to maintain your grade from AS and that going up a grade would require her to work her butt off. It was also added that the same goes for any subject, so this "going from a C to an A" stuff is pretty ridiculous to me.

Reply 66

harrypotterfan6

UNDER-PREDICTED PEOPLE YOU ARE NOT ALONE! My school is the same, hardly anyone has been predicted A* in my year. School policy to be stingy apparently. My friend achieved 100UMS in 1 unit and 97UMS in another and is being predicted an A, even though she is more than capable of an A*. I see others from different schools with A*A*A* predictions (when they got Bs and Cs at AS and are retaking a lot) and feel like I am disadvantaged. I really hope unis don't take predicted grades so seriously, because I'm sure if I was at another school I could have got an A*A*A* prediction (my AS were good enough for a realistic A*AA prediction) *sighs*

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 67

WishIHadRevised

Yeah I've noticed this as well. I think it's because a lot of people didn't get what they thought they would (e.g. I got a B and C in French and maths and I was predicted AA for them both!) but still, C to B is hard enough nevermind C to A. However I think the unis will cotton on to this and realise the game everyone is playing.

Reply 68

a-spiringmedic

predictions can also vary a lot on how you performed during the year? i'm pretty sure if you did badly and failed all of the topic tests then pulled yourself up at the end & got a high A at the end they won't be predicting you an A* because they might think because A2's are harder, it will be harder to do the same at A2.

Reply 69

clairrichards

I personally do not like this system with prediction thingy…just trying to motivate you and monitor you through social pressure.. I say, let us study and and work at our own pace...
However… unfortunately I do have to paly the game till I am off UNI.

Reply 70

Abzey_97

In some cases like mine its because its because I was very close to the next grade (2 UMS marks off a B in physics) or I am resitting a module that brought me down soo much ( got A,A, D in maths).

Just saying.

Im predicted AAB when I got BCCC ( dropped spanish in y13).
I havent predicted myself A*s but it is something I am workig towards as I can go through adjustment if I get much higher than predicted grades.

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Reply 71

ETRC

Original post by Mathlover123

Oh yeah the system change, that does make it a bit harder. To be honest I feel sorry for the universities which could ultimately take on people who do not have the ability to be there.

It won't likely happen cos a BBCC will get an offer of A*A*A which is unlikely of them achieving it.

Reply 72

ETRC

Original post by sr90

When I did my UCAS, my teachers just asked me what grade I needed for uni :dontknow:

my teacher asked me what my highest grades needed are for my no1 uni and will predict that.
I got A's in AS so A*A*AA is reasonable for me but a few people with BBBB wants A*A*A predicted for their unis they are applying to which is a bit weird.

Reply 73

AgnosticVeggie17

I got ACC at AS.. it's not the greatest, I know, but that A in RS was almost full ums (95/100 and 98/100 in my papers) while I am retaking modules of both English Lit and Chemistry.
I have been predicted A*BB but I'm worried that it will look like over inflation :/ I want to study Philosophy and RS at university but i'm afraid that I won't get offers!

Reply 74

libbispr96

I got AABB at AS
Im predicted A*A*A. Im predicted 2 A*s as i achieved 195/200 UMS in English Lit and 185/200 in english language. My A is in hist which i only got a B in because i got an A in Unit 1 and a C in Unit 2. Resitting Unit 2 tho.
I think if you have demonstrated throughout your AS courses that you are a committed student the teachers will be willing to predict you a grade higher. :smile:

My best friend got 4Bs and she has been predicted 3As because her Bs were all 2/3 UMS marks off an A :smile:

Reply 75

username1042689

I think it should be done on UMS - mid B to high B is predicted an A, low B is predicted a B, 90% UMS is predicted an A*, etc. But it does depend on the student.

Reply 76

Nymthae

Original post by paradoxicalme

Our school tends to predict a grade up, since it's the second year of sixth form, you're into the swing of things and will learn from the mistakes you made at AS. Although BBBC predicted AAA does seem a little weird to me. Although if the Bs were really high Bs...

Pretty much described me there - got BBBC, dropped the C, was predicted AAA. I originally expected AAB from my exams, so I wasn't actually far out on the UMS, so wasn't bothering with any resits for two. The third B was made from A+A+C so my teacher was pretty certain i'd resit/they heavily pushed it. So, I got predicted AAA, although surprisingly I had to fight for the one that actually had the best UMS grade there, for some reason. My college's policy was to predict what you got at AS, with a bit of leeway where you needed it for offers/convinced teachers, although I think they were all a bit surprised/disappointed i'd not really done as well as it looked like I was going to.

Got AAA, life was good. I was worried about being taken seriously in my application though, as my GCSEs are alright, but not amazing, and they wouldn't see how close I was to a grade. Hey ho.

Reply 77

username1042689

Original post by EvasiveRose

In both subjects whilst one teacher was more than happy to predict me an A*, the other one refused for a number of reasons:
-I didn't get full marks was one of the comments :mad:

-I was a new student and they weren't sure if I could maintain the standard needed for an A*, etc
*Most of these reasons are pure rubbish but what really annoyed me was them stringing me along for three weeks telling me they'd think about it if I did well on my timed essays (received the highest in both English and History by 2-4 marks) after which they told me on the day I sent my UCAS off, 'Sorry, we've decided not to give you one'

Had to change my university options as the school wasn't budging

Sorry for the rant :colondollar:

That is the most bull**** thing ever. Good luck with Oxford - hope you smash your predicteds and prove the school wrong :biggrin:

It's especially ridiculous with how bloody hard it is to get that high a UMS in English. I got 176/200 and my teacher predicted me an A* because she thinks I can get one - but you're in a fantastic position for that.

Reply 78

sellerofdreams

I think underpredicting is more of a problem tbh. If your school refuses to predict you an a* despite 90 plus ums and you want to apply toa course which requires a* then you probably won't be considered even if you're sure that you can achieve the grades. Schools are ridiculous, you shouldn't be predicted below what you got at as and if you got 90plus that should normally be an a*.

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Reply 79

cwi111

I had to argue with my school's chemistry department as they were originally refusing to give out any A* predicted grades, so people applying for science courses at Oxbridge were basically screwed! The highest achiever dropped only a couple of UMS marks, and yet we still had to fight get that put up to an A*. They then decided to give the top 4 achievers an A* predicted - I was the lowest scorer of those 4 at AS, with UMS of 85%, but I'm pretty confident I can up that to an A* at A2 :smile:

But tbh, I reckon anyone with a predicted grade that's more than 1 grade higher than their AS is bound to be flagged up at the universities, unless they're doing a resit(s).
I feel sorry for the people going to schools that only predict what you achieve at AS - it seems really harsh :/