A Levels are Meaningless. Can you honestly Disagree?

Platocrates

Ok, just for example, do you have less faith in a young doctor because his exams were "easy", than you would an old doctor because he went through the "hard" route?

Seeing as doctors go through several years of medical training at university, which afiak hasn't got easier, I have the same faith in both.

SithMaster

I was aware of the implication first time thankyou...

Was that aimed at me?

Reply 122

SithMaster

There are two forms of intelligence... that which we are taught and that which we are born. I was meerly pointing out that standards have slipped somewhat since the 1970's...

Just think of all those people... living in complete ignorance...

There is no such thing as taught intelligence. You are referring to knowledge. Intelligence is something we are all born with, but just at differing levels.

Standards may well have slipped since the 1970s, however, if it was that bad, then surely the most academic professions would have slipped in quality too. Can you say that is the case?

Reply 123

SithMaster

Wez

Seeing as doctors go through several years of medical training at university, which afiak hasn't got easier, I have the same faith in both.

Was that aimed at me?

Yes. It was. :smile:

Reply 124

SithMaster

Platocrates

There is no such thing as taught intelligence. You are referring to knowledge. Intelligence is something we are all born with, but just at differing levels.

Standards may well have slipped since the 1970s, however, if it was that bad, then surely the most academic professions would have slipped in quality too. Can you say that is the case?

But teachers allow us to refine our crude intelligence into a more useful and effective tool. Does this not "improve" on our intelligence?

Reply 125

SithMaster

Yes. It was. :smile:

You might really want to re-read it.

It says: "Anyone who thinks that A levels are NOT getting harder are pertained to lunacy and need a brain transplant..."

See why we said you might want to re-think it?

SIthMaster

Secondly I would like to point out that the biggest culprit for an increase in A grades are these pathetic, newly introduced A levels such as media studies. I DONT CARE IF IM CAUSING OFFENCE!!

13.7% of entrants get an A in Media Studies. The average % of pupils getting and A in a given subject is 22.4%

So how on earth can subjects such as Medea Studies be the cause of an increased number of people getting As at A-level?

Reply 126

People hating on Media Studies are just ignorant snobs.

Reply 127

Why do people generalise?

What does it achieve?

Reply 128

Because it is logisitically impossible to individualise.

Simple.

Reply 129

PrinceOfCats

12

My maths teacher who went to Cambridge, and who is soon to retire was showing me the paper SHE sat when she went to college (it must be a teacher thing to keep them as souveniers). By god it was impossible; not a fraction of it compared to a modern version of the same topic. Irrefutable evidence I tell you!!

Because maths, that highly popular subject, is clearly representative of all A-levels.

Reply 130

PrinceOfCats

Because maths, that highly popular subject, is clearly representative of all A-levels.

Lol.

Maths is probably the most pointless subject I have ever taken. Unless you want to be an academic what's the point?

P.S. Going to do high level monkey work in the City is even more pointless, so don't even come with that argument.

P.P.S This is not directed at Prince of Cats.

Reply 131

Platocrates

Because it is logisitically impossible to individualise.

Simple.

Why not say "I think that most/some/many/a few/the majority of people who hate meda studies are ignorant snobs"?

Reply 132

Wez

Why not say "I think that most/some/many/a few/the majority of people who hate meda studies are ignorant snobs"?

Because I think that there is NO reason for ANYONE do do so.

Reply 133

PrinceOfCats

12

P.P.S This is not directed at Prince of Cats.

Who is, incidentally, a crusader against the ancient occupation of simians being usurped by the frightening half-breeds, part man/part number-monkey, known as 'Chartered Accountants'. (Not to mention a fan of talking about himself in the third person.)

Reply 134

kizer

15

Wez

Either way, it doesn't stop taking 6 A-levels being fairly pointless, which is what I was getting at. :smile:

But why? If you can do 6 A Levels in the time it takes others to do 3, why is it pointless? You learn more and achieve more. You can't say for all cases it is pointless to do more, some people are good enough to cope easily. A guy at my school a few years ago did 10 easily - doing 3 would have been ridiculous for him. He found time to be one of the best mathematicians in the country and go to the IMO for Britain.. In less extreme cases it is easy to see how doing 6 A Levels would be good too.

Reply 135

I see no problem in doing more A levels.

If you love learning, and think you can handle it, do it.

Reply 136

kizer

But why? If you can do 6 A Levels in the time it takes others to do 3, why is it pointless? You learn more and achieve more. You can't say for all cases it is pointless to do more, some people are good enough to cope easily. A guy at my school a few years ago did 10 easily - doing 3 would have been ridiculous for him. He found time to be one of the best mathematicians in the country and go to the IMO for Britain.. In less extreme cases it is easy to see how doing 6 A Levels would be good too.

If someone really wants to do 6 A-levels, good for them, but for getting into Oxbridge it seems quite pointless. 3 or 4 are enough. Why not do something more fun? (unless 6 A-levels is someone's idea of fun, in which case they should do the 6 A-levels).

Reply 137