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Does extra time in A-level exams make a difference?
Basically at the moment I am in the process of applying for extra time for my forthcoming summer AS exams. I have seen my GP about getting extra time from previous medical information, and it looks like I should fingers crossed get the extra 25% of time I am entitled to.
The key question is though, does the 25% extra time really make a difference? I didn't finish a single exam in January so I would hope that it will help. Has anyone been allowed extra time in the past and felt that it has been worthwhile in the long run?
Personally I think time limits should be far more lenient.
The key question is though, does the 25% extra time really make a difference? I didn't finish a single exam in January so I would hope that it will help. Has anyone been allowed extra time in the past and felt that it has been worthwhile in the long run?
Personally I think time limits should be far more lenient.
It really depends what you need it for, 25% extra would be another 15mins in an hour exam. If you were nearly finished in the hour but just needed to do abit more and read it through that would help, but if you were no where near done at the hour then another 15mins might not help that much.
I didn't have 'extra time', but I was allowed breaks if I needed them. I had a bone tumour in my spine during my a-levels and I found it very hard to sit still for the exam, sitting for any length of time was agony, I was also on so many pain killers I was really drugged up. I was allowed a rest break (to move around etc) 15mins every hour. Although this helped abit I found it broke my train of thought, so it took me longer to get back into writing when I sat down again.
Anyway, thats off the point, what I mean to explain by that is that 15 mins/hour seems to be the normal that colleges give for extra time/special circumstances etc. If you find that you need longer (I did) then you might be able to apply for more, and some colleges may be helpful with it.
Don't know if it would be relevent or helpful without knowing what you need the extra time for, feel free to ignore this if it isn't relevent! If you are really struggling to finish exams in the time, maybe you could work on improving your exam technique? Try doing practice exam papers within the time limit. Plan your answer before you start writing (if its long answers, english etc,) if you don't finish answering it the examiner marking it can take into account notes etc (if you don't scribble them out.)
Hope that is of some help, and that I havn't just waffled!!
I didn't have 'extra time', but I was allowed breaks if I needed them. I had a bone tumour in my spine during my a-levels and I found it very hard to sit still for the exam, sitting for any length of time was agony, I was also on so many pain killers I was really drugged up. I was allowed a rest break (to move around etc) 15mins every hour. Although this helped abit I found it broke my train of thought, so it took me longer to get back into writing when I sat down again.
Anyway, thats off the point, what I mean to explain by that is that 15 mins/hour seems to be the normal that colleges give for extra time/special circumstances etc. If you find that you need longer (I did) then you might be able to apply for more, and some colleges may be helpful with it.
Don't know if it would be relevent or helpful without knowing what you need the extra time for, feel free to ignore this if it isn't relevent! If you are really struggling to finish exams in the time, maybe you could work on improving your exam technique? Try doing practice exam papers within the time limit. Plan your answer before you start writing (if its long answers, english etc,) if you don't finish answering it the examiner marking it can take into account notes etc (if you don't scribble them out.)
Hope that is of some help, and that I havn't just waffled!!
I personally find that even 5 minutes of extra time can get me a long way in an exam paper. For example in Economics, I find it extremely difficult to say that I've finished the paper and have time to go over it after the hour has passed. I did a practice exam paper the other day and it was an essay question, and if I had 5 minutes more, I could have finished the rest of the page off, and probably got significantly more marks.
I think you should ask for extra time, and as you said, you didn't finish the exam papers, so hopefully by having more time, you'll be able to get the extra marks.
I think you should ask for extra time, and as you said, you didn't finish the exam papers, so hopefully by having more time, you'll be able to get the extra marks.
I don't think any more than 25% extra time is really necessary for me, as I have Dyspraxia, which is only a minor problem but does affect my coordination, particularly when in exams. I was entitled to extra time way in the Year 6 SATS, but never needed it so it was assumed for the Year 9 SATS and GCSEs that I didn't need it, although to be fair I actually finished all those exams, but A-level exams seem to be on a different wavelength due to their strict and unfair time limits.
I have dyspraxia too. I was given a choice to either get extra time or to use a laptop for my GCSEs (which I'll be taking this June). In the end I chose the laptop, because I'm a very fast typist, and I'd get far more done that way. It really helped in my mocks. But in my exams at the end of Year 10 (kind of mock mocks) I had 20% extra time instead, and I found it very useful.
The only problem with extra time is (and I'll try and say this so it makes some kind of sense) you have to make sure you write essays, etc, at the same pace you would if you had the normal amount of time. I had a tendency in my extra-time exams to spend five minutes or so fiddling with details in a paragraph, whereas if I hadn't had the extra time I'd have just left it and moved on. In the end it wasted a lot of time, time which I could have spent on doing more productive things in the exam (making new points, etc).
But once I'd cracked that problem it really helped me. I had time to answer all the questions (before I often left the last one half-finished or not finished at all), and my grades improved significantly (Bs and a couple of Cs to A*s). I'd say it's definitely worth applying for.
Your hand aches twice as much after all that extra writing though!
The only problem with extra time is (and I'll try and say this so it makes some kind of sense) you have to make sure you write essays, etc, at the same pace you would if you had the normal amount of time. I had a tendency in my extra-time exams to spend five minutes or so fiddling with details in a paragraph, whereas if I hadn't had the extra time I'd have just left it and moved on. In the end it wasted a lot of time, time which I could have spent on doing more productive things in the exam (making new points, etc).
But once I'd cracked that problem it really helped me. I had time to answer all the questions (before I often left the last one half-finished or not finished at all), and my grades improved significantly (Bs and a couple of Cs to A*s). I'd say it's definitely worth applying for.
Your hand aches twice as much after all that extra writing though!
For essay related subjects, then yes
completely off topic, but there are loads of people at my college who get extra time because of bad handwriting, and i know for a fact that loads of them purposely make their handwriting worse than it really is. i was going to do that as well, but i guess my morals are just too damn high lol. anyway, doesnt that strike you as being incredibly unfair
alison_141288
completely off topic, but there are loads of people at my college who get extra time because of bad handwriting, and i know for a fact that loads of them purposely make their handwriting worse than it really is. i was going to do that as well, but i guess my morals are just too damn high lol. anyway, doesnt that strike you as being incredibly unfair
how is that allowed
Did your college get permission from the exam board? Otherwise that would be wrong
It really does depend on the subject. For instance, I sat my first AS module in Electronics in January, and I had about 45 minutes to spare without extra time. With extra time, the exam would have been 113 minutes, leaving me with over an hour spare. For something like History, or English Lit, I could imagine the time being very useful. however, since not only do those exams need more time due to their essay tasks, they require more time to check over. Looking at your subjects, extra time, even though it could be a bit annoying when finishing an exam early, would probably help significantly.
it reaaaaally hepls. for that extra time you will be able to look through your answers again. But just to be on thesafe side try to train yourself to finish it 10 mins b4 the exam finish.
Did your college get permission from the exam board? Otherwise that would be wrong
When I asked about extra time last summer (recovering from a dislocated shoulder) the exams officer told me that schools can award 25% without exam board consultation for minor things. Any more time needs to be checked out with the board though.
Zakatu
anywho, i don't see why people with dyslexia should get more time, if it makes you less quick at writing, then that is your ability level.
anywho, i don't see why people with dyslexia should get more time, if it makes you less quick at writing, then that is your ability level.
At my last school i got assessed for learning disabilities and it turned out that i have a sort of dyslexia i think. I understand everything fine and am( apparently) clever, however i can't get it onto paper for the life of me. I find it really hard to place my thoughts onto paper. So i get 25% extra time in my exams, it helps ALOT as it allows me to plan better so i can structure my essays and work out how im going to say whatever it is i have ot say. My spelling is absolutly appalling so it also gives me time to go over and check what i say is coherant as i often leave words out of senteces aswell, silly words such as 'the' and 'they went' , little things like that make a differance. I found that at my last school where i was for GCSEs they gave me more help for having learning disabilities, however at my new school they know i have them and make allowances when neceassary as timed essays in class are a nightmare.
xxxx
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Mustard-man
how is that allowed
Did your college get permission from the exam board? Otherwise that would be wrong
Did your college get permission from the exam board? Otherwise that would be wrong
im not sure if they got permission but in each of my classes, there are about 3/4 people who get extra time for bad handwriting, and there was one guy i was friends with who got extra time for the same reason at my old school
Wilko_777
The key question is though, does the 25% extra time really make a difference? I didn't finish a single exam in January so I would hope that it will help. Has anyone been allowed extra time in the past and felt that it has been worthwhile in the long run?
it'll help if u go in thinking u only have an hour and work at that speed, then you canuse the 15mins to check and finish something, it wont help if i go in thinking you have 75mins coz u'll probably work slightly slower if u constantly prey on having extra time same when u do practice papers etc. dont do them wirth extra time becuase you wont finish even with the extra time.
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