AQA A2 BUSS3, 13 June 2013

I'm worried about the timing, that's why I'm resitting - totally got in a muddle with how much time I was spending on each question. For everyone who is worried about the ratios - it's essential that you understand what they mean and how to use them rather than how to calculate them as the formulas are at the front of the exam.

Time is such a constraint! Why couldn't they just make it a 2 hour paper if it's 1 mark every minute.

Time is such a constraint! Why couldn't they just make it a 2 hour paper if it's 1 mark every minute.

I completely agree with you, timing messed me up in January, these high pressured exams are a joke

However to help with timings you should practice exam papers under time condition restraints, so timing isn't a major issue

Are the papers marked by actual business teachers or people with no background in business? I think its BS that if your answer isnt on the mark scheme, it would be written off as incorrect, so i hope that is not the case.

The mark scheme is so vague anyway. It's like 'here's some examples of what someone could write. Give em' a mark you think they deserve if you think the quality is good.' I have no faith in A-Levels to be honest, had a lot of trouble with my papers being marked wrong, least one every exam season. It's not robust at all. I jumped four grades on one exam, that's how robust it is. They should be marked by Business teachers though, yes. And they're thinking of bringing in a system where each question is marked by someone different.

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When i asked for my paper back from January, i felt as though it was marked wrong, or atleast very harshly. I didnt bother getting a remark because i would never of thought my grade would go up by more than 1 grade.

Same here - my paper is about fifteen UMS below the average on mocks and BUSS1 and 2. My teacher knows mine is marked wrong; he won't admit it. I push him and push him and he just tells me they're still looking at it and then tells me basically it's not worth appealing because it will take too long so might as well just retake. 60 people at my College out of about 100 scored significantly below predicted. College did nothing. I have no idea where I went wrong on that paper. First question I got 7, but my answer is identical to what should be awarded full marks. It makes me so angry. I'm actually going to sue AQA if this paper doesn't come back what it should. Absolutely sick of it. I have so much riding on this and they just screw you around. My cousin is an examiner, they take no care when marking at all. They just rush as fast as they can through them, be lucky if they spend more than two minutes on the whole paper marking.

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Maybe it was that particular paper? It seems strange that alot of people got below than expected. This time around im actually writing out full answers so im more prepared but its such a shame if our papers are not being marker properly, considering the amount of revision/practice goes into these exams.

practically everyone in my class under performed in this paper, so I think something must have happened universally, weird paper and bad marking kind of thing

Wouldn't surprise me if the system just added up the marks wrong. It's not exactly rare.

In saying all of that though, I definitely feel ready to destroy this paper since I'm so angry about the last one.

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AQA are a bunch of morons to be fair.

I moved up 3 whole grades in my AS ICT remark.

Any tips seeing as you feel ready? Im still going through the content but i just know exam technique is so important, but i've forgotten it all. I've been so used to the essay styles in BUSS4.

If you click on page four, there are loads of links to Tutor2U, they will help. I would just keep going through content, and practice exam papers, or at least planning a chain of argument on them and playing around with ratios/investment appraisal.

I'm a bit lost with Section B on BUSS4, any tips? I mean, do we have to research different companies and focus on different aspects or?

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Yeah, i've been using Tutor2U's revision presentations and the textbook just to get the content in. I've practised a decent amount on ratios/investment appraisal, but i really need to answer a few exam questions.

Erm, with Section B you just have to make sure that for each chapter, you have business examples to use in your answer. You need around 4-5. I think i used 3 in my section B answer though.

Also, when i did this exam in June, i answered the question directly with Business examples and it ended up sounding like a story so i got a D grade. You only use business examples to back up your point. Tutor2U have a really good structure in one of their blogs. I used that structure and moved my D grade to a mark of an A in January.

I posted my revision folder for BUSS4 in the BUSS4 thread with loads of business examples for section B, and loads of other things such as notes, and structure. Take a look if you can find it.

Hey guys, this exam is also scaring me. I got a D last time round
My unit 1 and 2 grades were both good so I need to improve on this

ThereforeI have a few questions...

1. What formulas should I memorise? Since they only give you some and not all
2. Any predictions? Or likely things that might come up?

Thanks guys