OCR Biology A Exam Thread (Breadth - May 26, 2016 and Depth - June 7, 2016)

Don't worry, the specimen papers are never representative of the actual papers, and the grade boundaries should be lower this year anyway. The actual exam will be easier than the specimen so that result is not a be all and end all, also, yes, most people are doing badly on those papers

I thought the same, grade boundaries may be lowered because we don't have enough resources such as past papers and this is a new specification so students may give weak answers to questions due to the structure and expectations. However, I am concerned about this at the same time because the government wants harder exams, so do you reckon the actual exam will be easier than the specimen?

Did anyone else do really badly on the breadth paper? Most people got U's and the highest grade was a D. Please tell me it's not just my school.

Did anyone else do really badly on the breadth paper? Most people got U's and the highest grade was a D. Please tell me it's not just my school.

Hopefully Good luck

Hehehe U too u a fellow medical applicant ?

They will be easier, they always are. No reason to get complacent though.
Also grade boundaries will be decreasing due to no upper sixth students retaking the exams as well

How did u know 😱😂 well I've always wanted to do medicine but recently been doubting whether i can get the grades...😫

hahaha its because you do the exact same subjects as me bio chem maths and psychology but listen if you've got decent gcse grades and ok AS grades then its more than doable

Ah hopefully, how'd u do at gcse?

um i did ok but not the best 4A*s 5As and a B wbu? im relying on the ukcat to help me out

Haha I feel like we are very similar 😄 5A*s 4As and a B

omg hahahah thats so cool XD what unis do u wanna apply to im thinking keele st georges plymouth and hull

Did anyone else do really badly on the breadth paper? Most people got U's and the highest grade was a D. Please tell me it's not just my school.

nice, and tbh I'm quite undecided but going to be visiting some unis with social mobility foundation. I'd love to apply for Birmingham but their requirements are pretty high

Don't worry! Everyone in my year got under 60%, and the majority of my year is really good at biology- so we were all shocked too. Just don't stress too much, because remember our year is the first to sit the papers on the new spec, so they can't make things as hard as you'd expect. Still, that doesn't mean you should be laid back due to "lower grade boundaries," just do your best and work, work, work!

4/6 people in my class got U's, i'm quite relieved that it seems to be quite common and its not just my school lol. However i've started revision way too late for all the content

hahahahha Dude trust me dw u cant do this and trust me believe in yourself btw my friend who got ABBB at AS got an offer

Same! I hate "apply your knowledge" questions, as well as the odd practical question that nobody understands lol.
Also, don't you feel like there is WAY too much maths in the new biology spec? I mean, shouldn't we be tested on our knowledge of biology, not mathematics! I especially find it hard because I don't even take maths for AS; it's so hard. D:

Thanks for the vote of confidence Hopefully we ace our AS' (even if i do need to revise 24 hours a day up until the exams)