Should Predicted Grades be Abolished?

Just interested to see what the thoughts are, or whether I've got this totally wrong.

I've been thinking that predicted grades are a really poor system, especially when combined with the ability by some to put "pending" on UCAS. The people they are unfair to are:
- Those who go to schools which predict harshly,
- Those within schools with harsh teachers,
- Those who do well at AS, and whose achievement is diminished by those predicted higher grades than their AS's would suggest.

Wouldn't a fairer system be to scrap predicted grades, and force everyone to declare AS levels? If there's extenuating circumstances, these can be mentioned in the reference. That way, universities can use this information and apply it to all their applicants fairly, and thus not disadvantaging the above groups of people.

Reply 1

OriginofSymmetry

11

It isn't fair to us Scots. Our Highers are harder than your AS levels.

(I think.)

Reply 2

Solid_Snake_100

12

J234

Just interested to see what the thoughts are, or whether I've got this totally wrong.

I've been thinking that predicted grades are a really poor system, especially when combined with the ability by some to put "pending" on UCAS. The people they are unfair to are:
- Those who go to schools which predict harshly,
- Those within schools with harsh teachers,
- Those who do well at AS, and whose achievement is diminished by those predicted higher grades than their AS's would suggest.

Wouldn't a fairer system be to scrap predicted grades, and force everyone to declare AS levels? If there's extenuating circumstances, these can be mentioned in the reference. That way, universities can use this information and apply it to all their applicants fairly, and thus not disadvantaging the above groups of people.

No because once you cash your grades, you cannot do retakes. I see there is a major problem, but it has to be solved some other way i cant think of. Anyway, this system has always existed, even under the 2 year full A levcel course when AS didnt exist, this was the ONLY way of doing the grades.

Reply 3

misternite

3

You don't have to disclose your AS grades?

Reply 4

rkd

12

Solid_Snake_100

No because once you cash your grades, you cannot do retakes.

That stopped being the case as of last June.

I don't see a problem with the system - for one thing, some schools do AS and A2 at the end of year 13 and some people take full A-levels in a year, so they have no AS grades to declare. It doesn't give anyone a seriously unfair advantage, because at the end of the day, if they don't meet their predictions, they'll probably miss their offer anyway.

Reply 5

jh_1988_england

1

yes-throughout my school and college reports-my predicted grade was correct......once

Reply 6

Em_maK

13

they sure should be, mine were way off.

Reply 7

Solid_Snake_100

12

rkd

That stopped being the case as of last June.

I don't see a problem with the system - for one thing, some schools do AS and A2 at the end of year 13 and some people take full A-levels in a year, so they have no AS grades to declare. It doesn't give anyone a seriously unfair advantage, because at the end of the day, if they don't meet their predictions, they'll probably miss their offer anyway.

Really...hmm my school's been lying to me then.. :frown:

But no, basically if the grade is pending, then you can retake and hide your UMS score without the unis knowing. This is better for most people tbh, as a lot do do retakes.

Reply 8

jabed786

15

the predicted grades will be all I have, my AS grades are crap, I KNOW I can do better, jsut had a bad eyar for vaious reasons. Lots of people up there game in A2 so the predicted grades can help show that.

but I understand what you mean some colleges are stricter but I guess that's life =[

Reply 9

Felix Ross

I think they should..
In france, they look at the grades you get from test and mock exams (which we have on very regular basis), but then, you can get any grade at your french baccalaureate, they just don't care. Which I think is bad. What about a compromise, looking at the previous grades and appreciations, without predicted grades, but asking for certain grades at a levels ??

Reply 10

reubensutton

I got ADD in As and ABC in a2.
If I'd just used my as grades, i wouldn't have gotten into anywhere good.

Reply 11

Solid_Snake_100

12

Felix Ross

I think they should..
In france, they look at the grades you get from test and mock exams (which we have on very regular basis), but then, you can get any grade at your french baccalaureate, they just don't care. Which I think is bad. What about a compromise, looking at the previous grades and appreciations, without predicted grades, but asking for certain grades at a levels ??

I disagree with this actually, because I am one of those people who does crap all year, then does last minute cramming and it works out.... this would just put a lot of pressure on students year round.

In all honesty, the only thing I can see completely solving the problem would be to shift ucas applications till after the january resits, and not allow people to resit in June, but clearly that is never going to happen.

Reply 12

Shayilalraya

i got BCCC at AS. was predicted ABBB (after intense begging) and ended up getting AAAB

Reply 13

Meteorshower

14

Solid_Snake_100

I disagree with this actually, because I am one of those people who does crap all year, then does last minute cramming and it works out.... this would just put a lot of pressure on students year round.

Yeah but you'd change that if it mattered wouldn't you? Universities would likely rather someone who was good at stuff all year round rather than someone who doesn't do much all year then crams. Not having a dig at you personally though.

In Scotland as far as i'm aware we don't usually have predicted grades. I have had to ask all my teachers for them for applications to English uni's. They all just gave me what I wanted XD

Reply 14

Anatheme

18

Felix Ross

I think they should..
In france, they look at the grades you get from test and mock exams (which we have on very regular basis), but then, you can get any grade at your french baccalaureate, they just don't care. Which I think is bad. What about a compromise, looking at the previous grades and appreciations, without predicted grades, but asking for certain grades at a levels ??

Agreed, the gap between what you get at school and for the final exam is sometimes huge, and it's quite unfair for those who get pretty good grades all the year and finish with a **** grade because one subject screwed the overall. Though I didn't put any predicted grades on my application so I'm not sure it was that important :colondollar:

Reply 15

gangsta316

13

Predicted grades and the personal statement should be abolished, although the latter not so bad. For a country with such great universities, the application system is quite bad. I hate it when teachers get away with predicting an A to someone who got a B at AS. I worry that one of these persons will get an offer that I would get otherwise. Neither of us win because the other person won't achieve the offer, whereas if I got the offer I would achieve it and be going to the university of my choice.

A better system would be to put all the AS grades and marks, and not "hide" anything.

Reply 16

necessarily benevolent

14

No I don't. I actually see the logic behind predicted grades. For one, AS grades mean nothing, it's just half way there if you like. If you're one mark of an A at AS or you're let down by one bad module (subjectively marked by an opinionated English Lit examiner :mad:

) it would be quite unfair if uni decisions were based on it, especially considering that it's not a full qualification as such. They're stepping stones, not awards (unless you're leaving it at an AS). Also, universities want to know whether an applicant is capable of fulfilling a standard offer, and the people who know the applicants' abilities in the subject better than anyone, the teachers, are the most suitable people to make them aware of this. Of course it has it's flaws as does everything but it's not fair for universities to base their decisions on half a course (and apparently most people step it up at A2 because they realise they've ****ed up their ASs).

Reply 17

200428

3

oh yeah...that's a brilliant idea. Universities *so* shouldn't be able to have an objective assessment of how well you are likely to do in your A levels given by people who have marked your work and have a fair idea, in order to aid their decision process. That would totally make the system fairer...

Reply 18

subterfuge

1

I think it should be compulsory to declare AS grades and recommended to also have predicted A level grades.
That way the universities could make their own predictions from the AS level results and could also see if the teachers thought they could do better than their AS level.

I think AS levels are a reasonable indicator of the A level grade for most people, after all, it is half the course (and the easier half).

If i was a teacher with a student begging for a higher grade than i thought they could get on their ucas form i'd get them to do a mock of an exam they were about to take/retake in jan and base any raise of it on that. Bit stressful for students perhaps, but at least i'm never actually going to be a teacher :p:

Reply 19

AntoineUK

I think they should keep them or take interviews for some ppl instead

Should Predicted Grades be Abolished?

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