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How many people get 3 A*s or more at A-level?

I think that's true to an extent, but now I think about it, within the essay subjects, a lot of it comes down to essay writing skill. The people I know who get the really top marks in essay subjects like History and Englit are usually not the ones who are actually the best in the class, but they're the ones who know exactly what the examiner wants and somehow articulate it every time, despite paying little attention in class a lot of the time haha. This is the biggest flaw in the exam system, but somewhat off what you were originally talking about ahaha

I agree with this. With English lit you could have a perfect understanding of the book but if your exam technique isn't what the question requires then you're not going to get a high mark.

Reply 21

Benniboi1

OP

9

Original post by Obfuscator

I think that's true to an extent, but now I think about it, within the essay subjects, a lot of it comes down to essay writing skill. The people I know who get the really top marks in essay subjects like History and Englit are usually not the ones who are actually the best in the class, but they're the ones who know exactly what the examiner wants and somehow articulate it every time, despite paying little attention in class a lot of the time haha. This is the biggest flaw in the exam system, but somewhat off what you were originally talking about ahaha

Haha its off topic but I completely agree! :tongue:

I've always thought GCSE's a more a test of time management than anything else and to an extent I think it's true for Alevels as well. In the summer if I end up with more A*s at Alevel than I got at GCSE then I can't help but think this even more as doing less subjects has made Alevels seem slightly easier on the whole than I think I found GCSE's (which might sound stupid) but I'm quite bad at organising my time, I find it much easier to just have 3 text books than a shed load of text books, an art book, a camera and a blank canvas :biggrin:

Reply 22

pk550

10

I only got 1 A in my GCSEs and ended up with 3 A*s in my A-levels.

Reply 23

spocckka

14

I got 3A*s and a B, and I'm one of the worst of my year at uni, despite working harder. A-Levels mean nothing.

Reply 24

nm786

2

Original post by pk550

I only got 1 A in my GCSEs and ended up with 3 A*s in my A-levels.

How did you do it?
Any tips? :colondollar:

Reply 25

TheRandomer

18

They spend less time on TSR :wink:

Reply 26

planetconwy1

13

Not many, but id imagine quite a few come close.

I was collectively 5 UMS marks away from 3A*s at A-Level.

Work really hard

Original post by spocckka

I got 3A*s and a B, and I'm one of the worst of my year at uni, despite working harder. A-Levels mean nothing.

What course you doing and where?

Reply 29

1platinum

10

It's hard to obtain figures for candidates with straight A*, but something like 8% of A level entries are awarded an A*. However I reckon only about 1% of A level candidates achieve 3 A*'s or more.

Reply 30

tehforum

20

Original post by somethingbeautiful

GCSE's nationally:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-16730017

A-Levels are trickier to find info for (no idea why). I can find Local Authority Data but not overall national data.

Liverpool for example:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/education/school_tables/secondary/11/html/341.stm

Government A-level data (search by region):

http://www.education.gov.uk/cgi-bin/schools/performance/group.pl?qtype=GR&f=MVa1PhOftn&superview=p16&view=&sort=l_schname&ord=asc

Helpful: http://www.education.gov.uk/performancetables/16to18_05/howtoread.shtml

This article from 2011 claims that the national average for A* is 8% and national average for A is 18%

http://www.times-series.co.uk/news/9210795.A_levels_results_exceed_national_average/

So 3 A*s would be
(0.08*0.08*0.08)*100?

0.05% of the population?
1/2000?

Reply 31

mucgoo

8

Original post by tehforum

So 3 A*s would be
(0.08*0.08*0.08)*100?

0.05% of the population?
1/2000?

If you've got one A* your much more likely to have a second and third.

Reply 32

spitss

G=ε E(I/i)
Where G = grade
E = effort from 1 to 10
I =intelligence from 1 to 10
i = interest from 1 to 2

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 33

tehforum

20

Original post by mucgoo

If you've got one A* your much more likely to have a second and third.

Why?

I'm assuming uniform distribution, and that they are independent.

It gives a rough estimate.

Reply 34

1platinum

10

Original post by tehforum

Why?

I'm assuming uniform distribution, and that they are independent.

It gives a rough estimate.

There's more than 1 in 2000 that get 3 A*'s. I think 1 in 100 is a more appropriate estimate.

Reply 35

spocckka

14

Original post by Az_016

What course you doing and where?

Engineering at Durham.

Reply 36

Benniboi1

OP

9

Original post by 1platinum

There's more than 1 in 2000 that get 3 A*'s. I think 1 in 100 is a more appropriate estimate.

I really doubt its anything like 1 in 100, I'd say more like 1 in 1000

A large percent of college's and sixth forms will have nobody who gets 3 A*s or more

Reply 37

1platinum

10

Original post by Benniboi1

I really doubt its anything like 1 in 100, I'd say more like 1 in 1000

A large percent of college's and sixth forms will have nobody who gets 3 A*s or more