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Can A grades be achieved without intelligence?

Poll

A grades

I'm not talking about someone with severe learning difficulties here, but more like your average student. Maybe Ds at GCSE. (not really no intelligence, but I suppose compared with the majority of people on here)
Can they get A grades at A level in the respected subjects with work?

(not sure if this has been done. feel free to delete, i couldn't find it though)

Oh and offtopic, are there any websites that have English Lit revision tips? Like, 'make a list of all the characters' kind of general lists.

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Reply 1

qin95

if you've got the determination and committment to the subject you're doing then i don't see why not. i dont know anyone personally like this though.
but i do know people that have got Bs in GCSEs, and then went on to get As in their AS and A levels...

Reply 2

Barry Scott

It really depends what the subject is. In the majority of subjects, no. In some (no offence), yes eg Business Studies, Music Tech etc.
After seeing some of the people that do well in these subjects, I can safely say no genuine intelligence is needed.

Reply 3

TomandJerry09

voted no, but i suspose if you do the work (ok, a heck of a lot...), anything is possible.

Depends on how you balance your social life, and other things really.

Reply 4

A Stranger in Moscow

Me and one of my best friends got B in GCSE Spanish and then B in A Level Spanish...
And she got a U in Maths GCSE but got ABBB or something overall.

Reply 5

Thaiprawns

Well I got an A grade for A level and I was Predicted D grades for GCSE.

Reply 6

A Stranger in Moscow

I suppose that if you have no creative intelligence but a really good memory then you can get As but wouldn't do well at degree level.

Reply 7

02mik_e

I think D's at GCSE is a bit excessive to go on and get A's at A-level in respected subjects. If the person has tried and got D's then no chance, but if they have just been lazy i don't see why they can't push for an A. one of my friedns got 5 A*-C passes in his GCSE's and got AAB at A-level. English Lit, Politics and i don't know what the other one is, now he is doing Politics at Bristol. :biggrin:

Reply 8

Rubix

You can get an A in any subject.
If you're not intelligent it will just take longer.
The A is still v much possible.

cors u can!! =)

i think it depends on whether you're a C/D candidate at GCSE purely because (a) you're lazy and aren't trying your hardest, or it's because (b) you're finding the subject difficult

if the reason is (a) then you stand a good chance. otherwise, its gonna be very very hard

Reply 11

Nimbus

I think so. :biggrin:

...at least for the subjects which requires a lot of memorising, if you have a good memory, and it doesn't really matter if you're extremely intelligent, as you just recall the facts and etc in the exam. :biggrin:

Reply 12

billyboymccoy

yeah but they wouldn't have much of a life. it depends which subjects as well. i'd say no for a language as it seems for them its something you've either got or not.

Reply 13

A Stranger in Moscow

I meant more 'slow-witted' rather than unintelligent. The D grade was just an example.

I know you can get A*s at GCSE if you're not very bright, but then the people who are tend to be lazy as well. So...

Change the scenario then: B grade GCSE student who put in quite a lot of effort.

Reply 14

The_Goose

i wouldn't say so. some people no matter how hard they try will always struggle and probably wont get A's. IMO you need some natural ability to gain A grades

Reply 15

GemmyMonster

I guess it depends..

I mean if you're awful at the arts but "average" at sciences, then going on the get A-Level chemistry or whatever.. yea.

But looking at most people who are looking at having a lot of Cs or below (except when there's a reason there, obviously if you've missed a lot for whatever reason it's different), then most aren't even going to college.