Do Universities prefer harder exam boards or not?

My school for all my subjects (science and maths) are OCR for A-levels. I personally think OCR is the hardest exam board, just wondering if universities actually take this into consideration because it's it's way harder to get an A than in Edexcel or AQA etc. Any opinions or comments? :redface:

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Reply 1

UPPSY

I reckon as long as the subject is sound and not some soft option wet head lazy choice then you should be fine good strong subjects english a science and possible a language good passes in these will show a well rounded intelligent individual

Reply 2

Jo2217

Original post by UPPSY

per-lease! its a bit snobbish isnt it. Just because a subject might not be the 'top-wanted' doesn't mean its a lazy choice. My friend wants to be a photographer and puts his all into his photography coursework which actually consists of alot of analysis and technical terms. At the end of the day its about grades not subjects unless they're connected to the subject you want to study at university. AQA or OCR are just as credible to one another. And its not as if the individual can choose their exam board anyway. it's what the school chooses.

Ask teachers their opinions on which is the hardest exam, for example my history teacher always enforces the Edexcel exam board because she says its the hardest.

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 3

Freerider101

Original post by anomynous

OCR is actually the easiest. You get 9 attempts at practicals for OCR chemistry and only 2 attempts at practicals for AQA physics.

Reply 4

anomynous

Original post by Freerider101

OCR is actually the easiest. You get 9 attempts at practicals for OCR chemistry and only 2 attempts at practicals for AQA physics.

Physics is different from chemistry, what are the usual percentage grade boundaries for AQA then?. Most of my GCSE subjects were AQA and only one which was OCR i did badly at :colondollar:

Reply 5

minime23

Trust me it wouldn't matter as long you focused and did well in your chosen subjects.

And OCR is actually easy compared to AQA :eek:

Reply 6

ginge4693

Original post by anomynous

If all your A-levels are with OCR, how would you know that they're the hardest?

Reply 7

wer343lit

I do think OCR is a bit harder, but it's VERY unlikely universities will care.

Reply 8

TShadow383

Move to scotland and do advanced highers instead :tongue:

That's the real solution.

Reply 9

rachlala14

Original post by anomynous

CCEA is a pretty killer exam board.

Reply 10

darkxangel

Original post by Freerider101

OCR is actually the easiest. You get 9 attempts at practicals for OCR chemistry and only 2 attempts at practicals for AQA physics.

9 attempts? i thought you only get 3? :confused:

Reply 11

soutioirsim

I don't believe that they are going to check EVERYONES exam board for EVERY single subject. Especially when some courses are getting easily 1000+ applicants.

Reply 12

Jing_jing

I highly doubt the universities are going to take the exam board into consideration as your raw marks are converted to UMS to ensure that you don't have an advantage by choosing an easier exam board.

Reply 13

wer343lit

Original post by Jing_jing

I highly doubt the universities are going to take the exam board into consideration as your raw marks are converted to UMS to ensure that you don't have an advantage by choosing an easier exam board.

Well, that's the "aim".

It wouldn't surprise me if there were slight difference between the boards, but at any rate, the universities won't care.

Reply 14

Zahra_H

Original post by ginge4693

If all your A-levels are with OCR, how would you know that they're the hardest?

You still would'nt know even if you had an exam from each board; they're different subjects, I don't think you can compare.

Reply 15

nikki_aiyana

I really doubt that the exam board of your subjects counts for much... you dont get a choice in the matter for one... plus there's so many people applying for each subject... uni's are more interested in the subjects, grades, target grades and your personal statement tbh :/ :smile:

Reply 16

Revisionbug

For A level biology this is soooooo false AQA biology is imo the most diffcult a level maybe ever. Not only in my opinion i know med students that got A* in maths further maths chemistry?physics but got A in biology im telling you right now maybe not for Chemistry i dont know but Biology A level AQA is the worst ever corrupt exam series ive ever seen or heard of pure evil i tell you pure evil. :angry:

Reply 17

limetang

They shouldn't do. Purely because your average student has pretty much no say over which exam board they happen to be sitting.

Reply 18

snikutsmullac

Whenever I've taken a qualification with OCR I've found it harder to get a good grade in than with other exam boards. I found that Edexcel were the easiest.

Reply 19

Ndella

I really doubt it lol. It's your talent at the subject that impacts your grades at the end of the day. I like OCR for History, but for English Lit, no way! I did quite well at the subject when my school used AQA at GCSE, but at A Level it screwed everyone's coursework grades over -_-