UMS confusion

So... I've been looking at my the UMS marks I need to get a certain grade and my AS marks have confused me.

For AQA Geography, I got B overall. However, I got a B in unit one and a C in unit two - the UMS marks found here:http://store.aqa.org.uk/over/stat_pdf/UMS-GRADE-BOUNDARIES.PDF state that I would have got a C with 134 so how did I get a B?!

Is it because these are 2015 boundaries as I can't find the 2014 ones? Or is it because I have calculated these without my actual marks and just from what the ones given on the document?

I'm only asking for help to understand the A2 UMS marks I need.

Thank you!

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 1

RhymeAsylumForever

Yeah you answered it yourself, grade boundaries change so your paper last year must have had lower grade boundaries so you got more UMS.

Reply 2

emma9612

Thank you!! Hopefully the boundaries are kind again this year!

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Reply 3

Compost

Original post by emma9612

You appear to be confsued between UMS and raw marks. UMS grade boundaries are fixed:
80% or more - A (so 320 for A level, 160 for AS)
70% or more - B (280 for A level, 140 for AS)

Reply 4

emma9612

Original post by Compost

You appear to be confsued between UMS and raw marks. UMS grade boundaries are fixed:
80% or more - A (so 320 for A level, 160 for AS)
70% or more - B (280 for A level, 140 for AS)

Sorry but that explanation still made no sense as to how I would have got a B in AS Geography as it would only add up to 134 - which would be a C. Or have I completely just confused myself again?!

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Reply 5

emtheelf

Look at the grade boundaries for 2014 to get an idea of what sort of marks were needed for each grade June 2014
http://filestore.aqa.org.uk/over/stat_pdf/AQA-A-LEVEL-GDE-BDY-JUNE-2014.PDF

What's likely to have happened is like me with Biology AS last year - I got CCA but got a B overall because the exam I got the A in was weighted higher and both the C grades were just off the B requirement.
The maximum scaled mark of the second Geography paper/coursework (I don't take it so I'm not sure what it is) is only worth 50 marks maximum. The fact you got a B in Unit 1 is the reason you got a B overall - because it is worth more marks it's also worth more UMS. You'll have to double check the UMS but that's likely the reason why.

I'm not sure why the UMS is at 134 as that would always be a C. Perhaps double check your UMS on the grade slip you were given last year and add up from the start again?

Reply 6

emma9612

You'll all be chuffed to find out that it wasn't as complicated as I made it seem - all I needed was my actual marks from the AS exams to work it out.

I got 108/140 in unit 1 (B) and 36/60 in unit 2 (C) so added together it would be 144/200 which coincidentally equals a B in the UMS boundaries so because I was 4 UMS marks off an A, the B was a high B.

Thanks for your efforts trying to help me but it's sorted in the simplest way! Oops!

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