It's just not fair!

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Well, we shall see how your cohort comes out. You're guinea pigs. Any reports about the importance of GCSEs at the moment is pure speculation.

Still unfair nonetheless
Congrats for getting a first,but atleast you had AS levels to show your progress/dedication/potential.We at GCSE don't have that luxury

Reply 41

Doones

Original post by AGBF

Isn't that too unfair.At least people could redeem themselves with their A Levels score and still get into Cambridge based on their UMS but now its their gcses which matter,half of the gcses that they have no passion for or they were forced.

Cambridge have said they will not be giving GCSEs any more emphasis than they do already (which is not a lot to start with).

They will also have the extra data from their new admissions assessments for most courses, although not Maths as it happens. That will still have a heavy emphasis on STEP.

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Reply 42

AGBF

Original post by jneill

Link?
Also what is "STEP"

Reply 43

Roving Fish

Original post by john2054

you've done well. i'm not a hater. are you in your final year? and what do you hope to do for a job after you graduate??

I am in my final year. I took my GCSEs in June 2010. I'm segway-ing into marketing and advertising. I'm just interviewing at the moment and waiting to hear back from some great interviews.

I think that people misunderstand that university couldn't be more different from exam-based assessment (GCSEs/A-levels). You can see the change as soon as I was doing my OCR Nationals (DD is Distinction Distinction [top grade at the time] btw).

A-levels aren't the only way to get into uni. :woo:

Reply 44

999tigger

Original post by AGBF

yeahhhhhh

Which.University(.com) reports that admissision managers will take GCSE's into consideration due to AS levels not being important/

It clearly is a disadvantage.Like i said,people who are good at certain subjects excel at it,whilst doing mediocre(or not as well) on other different subjects(Maths compared to shitty Art for example).So if the past cohorts of A level students were judge on their AS levels,and they managed to do excellent in them,it really is unfair that we are judged on subjects(GCSE) which we have no passion for.

I really think you have misinterpreted what they say. I have looked and i cant see any articles which indicate GCSE will be more important than A levels so unless you produce something which states that, then I dont believe you.

The fact AS phases out will affect most people, so its a level playing field. GCSE might assume slightly more relevance because there is no AS, but I dont believe it will be anywhere near as important as A levels and I would go back and check with your tutor, because I think youve misunderstood.

Cambirdge's views on GCSE at the moment

GCSEs
With the exception of those for Medicine and Veterinary Medicine (grade C or above in GCSE Double Award Science and Mathematics), there are no GCSE requirements for entry to Cambridge. Applicants have generally achieved high grades in subjects relevant to their chosen course, and most students who apply have at least four or five As or A*s at GCSE. However, there are always exceptions and one of the strengths of the Cambridge admissions system is its ability to assess all applicants individually.

Our research shows that post-16 examination performance is a much better predictor of degree success at Cambridge. While GCSE results are looked at as a performance indicator, this is within the context of the school/college performance and strong performance in Years 12 and 13 can make up for a less stellar performance at GCSE.

I dont see them overturning that to GCSE are now more importnat than A level.

There will be lots more things later in life that you'll experience which you may beieve just arent fair.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 45

dalegeorge1

Original post by AGBF

And isn't it unfair how unis will now judge on GCSE grades?

For example:

A maths person before this change could've been good at Maths but not that good at English/Humanities therefore he/she picked Maths based A levels and smashed them!

NOW:

A Maths lover is excellent at Maths,gets A*'s in his GCSE yet he gets C's and B's in Humanity subjects,and mediocre grades in shitty subjects like DT which aren't even relevent to what they are doing.

Isn't that too unfair.At least people could redeem themselves with their A Levels score and still get into Cambridge based on their UMS but now its their gcses which matter,half of the gcses that they have no passion for or they were forced.

My school forced us to pick Art and now i'm failing in it due to the fact that i am not a good drawer,my talents are best used to other subjects.

FORCED TO TAKE ART?! Was that even a thing..I've heard of being forced to do RE

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 46

sophie_daly

I completely agree, GCSE's gave little or no freedom to decide what you wanted to study and what you enjoyed, the majority of subjects where forced upon us. Whereas, AS Levels have provided us with a lot more freedom in the courses and direction we take, we are able to succeed in what we enjoy doing and may even want to pursue in further years in university. I find it very wrong, that all the hard work we put in this year for our AS exams ,will not contribute to anything and will almost be considered as a 'mock'

Reply 47

john2054

Original post by Roving Fish

Okay i agree that degrees are very different from what you have done before. I struggled with mine to be honest with you, and i will be lucky to get a 2.1/2.2 . I am also in my final year. But to be honest with you i don't think that graphic design, is the hardest degree in the world. Especially if you have a talent for it. What was your final year dissertation in??

Reply 48

Futurebright17

[QUOTE=hxfsxh;63729709]No-one can confirm it because they're not. They're only harder :lol:

Core GCSE's are very important if you are applying for a competitive course where offers are few and far between the deciding factor would/could be narrowed down to GCSE's.
A lot of Uni's give a Math and Literacy test even if you already have maths and English.
For my nursing interview if you got 3 wrong in maths you couldn't go on to the interview same for the literacy test. Can you imagine having you application withdraw and having to reapply because you missed out by 1-2 marks!
Certain questions you couldn't use a calculator. They make it a bit harder each year because a lot of people want to go uni more than ever due to normal jobs not paying very well and poor career prospects......

Reply 49

AGBF

Original post by 999tigger

I really think you have misinterpreted what they say. I have looked and i cnat see any articles which indicate GCSE will be more impprnat than A levels so unless you produce something which states that then I dont believe you.

The fact AS phases out will affect most people, so its a level playing field. GCSE might assume slightly more relevance becayse there is no AS, but I dont believe it will be anywhere near as importnat as A levels and I would go back and check with your titor, becayse I think youve misunderstood.

Cambirdge's views on GCSE at the moment

I dont see them overturning that to GCSE are now more importnat than A level.

Thanks then.Does it matter if you fail 1 gcse ?(but get atleast 5 A*-A with a B in English but two of the A* are maths releated)

Reply 50

999tigger

Original post by AGBF

Thanks then.Does it matter if you fail 1 gcse ?(but get atleast 5 A*-A with a B in English but two of the A* are maths releated)

You see where im ccoming from now. You could have misinterpreted, im just not convinced till you link me to a decent sourse i,e unis saying it.

As it stands things that matter.

A levels.
Entrance exams
PS
Interviews

AS

Then GCSE at th bottom, unless the uni says otherwise. I think thats fine, you cnat change it, and you can work hard on the major areas they look at. the chance of you being turned down for failing 1 GCSE especially if its not subject related are tiny imo.

Reply 51

Bernie2016

Can anyone actually just tell me what is happening with a levels? Im doing them next year and i dont have a clue what is changing O.o

Original post by AGBF

Apprantly A level reforms means GCSE is now MUCH more important to unis but isn't it unfair,i mean some of our gcse options were forced upon us and others we picked as young immature people.Atleast with A levels you pick when your mature and have passion for the subject.But yh now top universities will judge based on GCSE's,and its so unfair tbh

I've been told that GCSE matters much more due to AS being removed(more or less) and that is what univeristies will judge you by :frown:

At least everyone is in the same boat and people actually have to work now.
Mind you, your spelling is interesting, so we'll see how english goes.

Reply 54

fire_and_ice

Too bad, so sad. The only thing you can really do is get over it.

Reply 55

username2337813

Original post by Bernie2016

Can anyone actually just tell me what is happening with a levels? Im doing them next year and i dont have a clue what is changing O.o

You don't take an AS that contributes to the A level. They are now standalone, linear qualifications.

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Reply 56

AGBF

Original post by balanced

At least everyone is in the same boat and people actually have to work now.
Mind you, your spelling is interesting, so we'll see how english goes.

Hypocrite much?

Also,i don't wish to do an English course,but economics.So yeah,why do these irrelevent subjects (Like art,citzenship)matter more?Not everyone is cut out for arts.Not everyone is cut out for maths.Not everyone is STEM material.So why shall UNIS judge based on GCSES(Half of which were forced)..

Don't judge okay.Its the internet,i can spell however i want.What did you get in Degree English foo

Reply 57

username2269391

Original post by john2054

what is your degree grade average Java?

last year was 66% which in my uni is a 2:1 and I'm probably gonna graduate with the same

edit: when you say grade average Java do you mean in my Java module? cuz I got a first in that :colone:

Reply 58

john2054

Original post by JavaScriptMaster

last year was 66% which in my uni is a 2:1 and I'm probably gonna graduate with the same

edit: when you say grade average Java do you mean in my Java module? cuz I got a first in that :colone:

Yes 60% upwards is a 2.1. I will be lucky to scrape a 2.1, but that is what i am aiming for nevertheless. What is your major in again?