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Extended Project: 1 Week to do it all!!! Any help/advice appreciated!

So me and basically all of my mates have been total idiots and left EPQ to the last minute. It's too late to drop it now, and the teacher said we can get it done in a few days if we knuckle down.

Does anyone have any tips on getting it done?

For evidence, don't you have to date everything? I'd rather not have everything dated for the same day, as it will show it was done last minute.

The actual dissertation won't take me long, but its all the evaluation and that crap which is bugging me.

I'm not lazy, I promise! My universities don't give credit for it formally, so I was wondering dropping it, but the college wasn't letting us drop things like EPQ and general studies until last minute. We were never actually told when we could drop it but when I asked it was too late :/

Anyway, it needs to be done now regardless which is a shame, since this time could be spent revising.

Since I'm going to be spending a good few hours/days on it, I want to ensure I get at the very least a B, if not an A, otherwise I've really wasted my time.

Any help is greatly, greatly appreciated by me and my friends!
Are you doing the EPQ with AQA?
Reply 2
Original post by Leviathan1741
Are you doing the EPQ with AQA?


I think its WJEC but aren't they pretty much the same?
Reply 3
Original post by .JC.
So me and basically all of my mates have been total idiots and left EPQ to the last minute. It's too late to drop it now, and the teacher said we can get it done in a few days if we knuckle down.

Does anyone have any tips on getting it done?

For evidence, don't you have to date everything? I'd rather not have everything dated for the same day, as it will show it was done last minute.

The actual dissertation won't take me long, but its all the evaluation and that crap which is bugging me.

I'm not lazy, I promise! My universities don't give credit for it formally, so I was wondering dropping it, but the college wasn't letting us drop things like EPQ and general studies until last minute. We were never actually told when we could drop it but when I asked it was too late :/

Anyway, it needs to be done now regardless which is a shame, since this time could be spent revising.

Since I'm going to be spending a good few hours/days on it, I want to ensure I get at the very least a B, if not an A, otherwise I've really wasted my time.

Any help is greatly, greatly appreciated by me and my friends!


- Your exams are pretty soon
- You school has written your reference
- EPQs never form part of an offer

Don't bother to hand anything in.
Reply 4
Original post by jamestg
- Your exams are pretty soon
- You school has written your reference
- EPQs never form part of an offer

Don't bother to hand anything in.


Damn, that's not the motivation I need haha!

The only thing is, if I don't get the required grades for uni and they are say 1 grade below, they are more likely to still take me on if I have a good grade in EPQ. If I drop it then it doesn't show anything positive.
Reply 5
Original post by .JC.
Damn, that's not the motivation I need haha!

The only thing is, if I don't get the required grades for uni and they are say 1 grade below, they are more likely to still take me on if I have a good grade in EPQ. If I drop it then it doesn't show anything positive.


Quite a few unis will take you on if you are slightly below the offer, A-level results are volatile.

You'll be able to get the required grades if you dedicate your time to your A-levels, not your EPQ.
Reply 6
Original post by jamestg
Quite a few unis will take you on if you are slightly below the offer, A-level results are volatile.

You'll be able to get the required grades if you dedicate your time to your A-levels, not your EPQ.


I've told myself both of those things, but I'm not sure if it is the right approach.

I think I could do it in a couple of days if I really get my head down, but then again that time could be better spent revising.
Reply 7
Original post by .JC.
I've told myself both of those things, but I'm not sure if it is the right approach.

I think I could do it in a couple of days if I really get my head down, but then again that time could be better spent revising.


EPQs should be completed over months. Yeah it's possible to do it in a week but will it really be the standard you want it to be?

With that week of work, how much time will you be diverting away from your studies of which your offer is based on? Quite a lot. Even 2hrs a day for a week is 14hrs. You could revise for at least a couple of your modules in that time.

As much as I think EPQs are great, I wouldn't really recommend continuing it.
Reply 8
Original post by jamestg
EPQs should be completed over months. Yeah it's possible to do it in a week but will it really be the standard you want it to be?

With that week of work, how much time will you be diverting away from your studies of which your offer is based on? Quite a lot. Even 2hrs a day for a week is 14hrs. You could revise for at least a couple of your modules in that time.

As much as I think EPQs are great, I wouldn't really recommend continuing it.


I completely agree, in hindsight, well, I wouldn't have ****ed up like this. The problem is all my friends are in the same boat, so we would feel secure having not done it as the rest of us were at the same point.

That being said, I've managed complete similar things in such a short space of time. I managed to re-do my A2 biology coursework up to the same point as a previous one, to a better standard, in the best part of a day. The previous coursework had taken me a year of what was really a half arsed effort, but still.

I suppose I'll see what I can do for the dissertation tomorrow. I've chosen a topic I'm very confident on and I reckon in a couple of hours I can get the dissertation completely boxed off to a good standard. The only issue then is to make sure all the trimmings that go with it, that make up essentially the bulk of the marks, are up to scratch.

With a good mix of effort and basically just BS, I think I can produce a viable piece of work.

Plus, the teacher did say that a pupil last year did hers in 3 days within the last week, and I think she got a B (or maybe an A), but no lower than that.

Edit: I know it may seem like I've completely sidetracked your advice, but I think what you've said has made me realise more the situation I am in and thus motivate me to actually get a f****** move on and get it finished. Whilst it may not be the best option in your eyes, I know myself that I work best under pressure, and will be more productive doing EPQ under pressure, than forgetting about it and casually revising for other subjects.
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 9
Original post by .JC.
I completely agree, in hindsight, well, I wouldn't have ****ed up like this. The problem is all my friends are in the same boat, so we would feel secure having not done it as the rest of us were at the same point.

That being said, I've managed complete similar things in such a short space of time. I managed to re-do my A2 biology coursework up to the same point as a previous one, to a better standard, in the best part of a day. The previous coursework had taken me a year of what was really a half arsed effort, but still.

I suppose I'll see what I can do for the dissertation tomorrow. I've chosen a topic I'm very confident on and I reckon in a couple of hours I can get the dissertation completely boxed off to a good standard. The only issue then is to make sure all the trimmings that go with it, that make up essentially the bulk of the marks, are up to scratch.

With a good mix of effort and basically just BS, I think I can produce a viable piece of work.

Plus, the teacher did say that a pupil last year did hers in 3 days within the last week, and I think she got a B (or maybe an A), but no lower than that.

Edit: I know it may seem like I've completely sidetracked your advice, but I think what you've said has made me realise more the situation I am in and thus motivate me to actually get a f****** move on and get it finished. Whilst it may not be the best option in your eyes, I know myself that I work best under pressure, and will be more productive doing EPQ under pressure, than forgetting about it and casually revising for other subjects.


Haha don't worry!

All I can say is good luck and hope it all goes well for you!
Reply 10
Original post by jamestg
Haha don't worry!

All I can say is good luck and hope it all goes well for you!


Thanks, and thanks again for the kick up the backside!

I'm full of motivation to get it done now, but being so late now isn't the time. I plan to start, and hopefully finish the dissertation tomorrow and make some good progress with the evaluation. I hope this motivation hasn't gone by morning haha!
Original post by .JC.
So me and basically all of my mates have been total idiots and left EPQ to the last minute. It's too late to drop it now, and the teacher said we can get it done in a few days if we knuckle down.

Does anyone have any tips on getting it done?

For evidence, don't you have to date everything? I'd rather not have everything dated for the same day, as it will show it was done last minute.

The actual dissertation won't take me long, but its all the evaluation and that crap which is bugging me.

I'm not lazy, I promise! My universities don't give credit for it formally, so I was wondering dropping it, but the college wasn't letting us drop things like EPQ and general studies until last minute. We were never actually told when we could drop it but when I asked it was too late :/

Anyway, it needs to be done now regardless which is a shame, since this time could be spent revising.

Since I'm going to be spending a good few hours/days on it, I want to ensure I get at the very least a B, if not an A, otherwise I've really wasted my time.

Any help is greatly, greatly appreciated by me and my friends!


Hi I'm in a similar situation. Well I only have 3 days to do my whole EPQ after exams. No revision to do tho and I'm on study leave aswell. Any tips? Did you manage to do it? How did you date everything on your production diary ie. did you say it was last minute?
Reply 12
Original post by iamsherlocked1
Hi I'm in a similar situation. Well I only have 3 days to do my whole EPQ after exams. No revision to do tho and I'm on study leave aswell. Any tips? Did you manage to do it? How did you date everything on your production diary ie. did you say it was last minute?


I actually dropped it in the end.

I emailed my teacher and she said that I could drop it but would have to pay as it was after the official deadline. I spoke to the college and said I was never told that there was a deadline, or that you would have to pay, and when they said I had to pay, they told me 'if you had asked before this date etc. you could have dropped it for free', when I had already asked before that date. As such, I dropped it for free.


I emailed my universities and they said plainly that they don't even look at it.


If the universities you've applied for don't recognise it i.e. they haven't offered you a lower offer subject to you achieving a certain grade in EPQ, then drop it. If they have, then just try your best to finish it using all the time you have in the next few days.

It may be a little late now to drop it though, but I'd ask to see if you can and also email your universities to check that they're fine with it.
does it matter if you fail the EP? I mean would unis take it into account? :s-smilie:
Original post by manningA15
does it matter if you fail the EP? I mean would unis take it into account? :s-smilie:


No but obviously a D/E isn't gonna look great on your UCAS form. It can help you get a place at some unis with if you get an A for example.
Reply 15
How did it go? Did you all do okay?
Original post by TEMBOB
How did it go? Did you all do okay?


I got predicted an A for EP
Original post by TEMBOB
How did it go? Did you all do okay?



I got predicted an A for EP
how did it go? im in the same position as you lol

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