ALIS Test

13

We just did this today, apparently so that our school has an idea of what we should be achieving in our subjects. It was alright I suppose, though I hadn't done maths since my last GCSE Exam so was momentarily stunned by the graph questions :p:

Has anyone else done it?

Reply 1

Xrypto

6

Yep, load of s*** though, don't take any nonsense it tells you. Mainly schools use your GCSE's results and make a prediction for you target grades like for instance I will aparently get BCCC at As Level if I just do the work but they are pushing me to A/B's and even from that it doen't take consideration what are your strengths are eg if your bad at sciences but wonderful at english and you've carried on with English at As Level.

Reply 2

Tabris

16

Xrypto

Yep, load of s*** though, don't take any nonsense it tells you. Mainly schools use your GCSE's results and make a prediction for you target grades like for instance I will aparently get BCCC at As Level if I just do the work but they are pushing me to A/B's and even from that it doen't take consideration what are your strengths are eg if your bad at sciences but wonderful at english and you've carried on with English at As Level.

Quoted for truth. Apart from my school based full A-levels on them.

Reply 3

Hello_Kitty

12

We did that two weeks ago, I guessed every single maths question I think I knew the answer to about two of them! I never take any notice of what predictions those tests give you they aren't realistic at all.

Reply 4

Naranoc

OP

13

Phew! Our teacher was going on and on about them, exam conditions, important data across the nation blah blah blah :biggrin:

Reply 5

Inflation

19

What is the test? Just maths, or is it verbal/non-verbal reasoning, essya?

Reply 6

Naranoc

OP

13

There's different sections which you have to answer, with time periods allocated to each one (10 mins etc). There's a grammar section where you have to choose the words to put in each gap, a maths section and loads on non-verbal reasoning (e.g. what's the next pattern)

Reply 7

annamaria

4

s**t now im worried about this!

when I was doing it my friend next to me had impossible maths questions but I had piss easy ones - like really simple adding and some algebra. Does that mean they assumed im really bad and it will say i should get bad grades?!?!

I hate threads like this they make me scared :frown:

Reply 8

Kolya

17

Hello_Kitty

We did that two weeks ago, I guessed every single maths question I think I knew the answer to about two of them! I never take any notice of what predictions those tests give you they aren't realistic at all.

If you take it seriously then it can help the test become more realistic; the more correct data it has, the more accurate its predictions will be. Not taking the test seriously achieves nothing.

In my opinion, the ALIS test serves its purpose.

Reply 9

abc101

17

Basically a way for the school to rip you off! They charge you for the actual test and they charge you in Year 13 again! Pointless, imo - has nothing to do with how well you'll do. They just use it to give you target grades, but mine had changed by the end of the second term anyway I think.

Reply 10

Naranoc

OP

13

^ We didn't get charged for the test though :confused:

Unless your school is deliberatley trying to rip you off!

Reply 11

anon53

4

We didn't do an actual test, but my school uses the ALIS system to predict AS and A2 results based on the average GCSE score band - i.e. a point is allocated to each GCSE taken. An A* is worth 8, A - 7 etc and then this is divided by the number of exams to get an average. This system is still used at A2 and I've not receieved any info on target grades yet, but it dosen't seem to take into account AS grades (positive or negative), which is ironic.

Reply 12

coldplasma

16

I done the ALIS test 2 years ago, and I thought the time scale they expected you to do the maths questions in was ridiculous, and I expect an A/B in my A2 maths this august! :smile:

Reply 13

prash_s90

16

lol i got predicted BCCD from those stupid ALIS tests....utter rubbish, ille definately not get that (should get much higher)..

Reply 14

Creative

10

I honestly don't understand why they implement these kinds of tests and use the results as an indicator of what you're capable of achieving. I guess it just sets the bar for you, so you can beat those pointless predictions :P

Reply 15

Mos Def

17

Pure BULL ****, i am predicted CCCC, i'll let you know what i end up getting.

Reply 16

Original Legend

Dont listen to them!

Reply 17

crankycaz

2

Yeah, they're a load of rubbish really. Everyone who took it at my school got given sheets with graphs on showing how they should expect to do compared with similar people in the country. But if you looked at the small print at the bottom it says 'grades are estimated and can be a grade above or below actual result.' So really, when it predicts me a B, it's saying I could get an A, B or a C. Great, that's really helpful, thanks.

Reply 18

abc101

17

It's so stupid and pointless, it takes ages to do and the most annoying thing is they made us pay for it! 25 quid! It was a waste of time really, as they used it to give us our target grades - erm, hello, can't you do that from your GCSE grades? As in, A* in GCSE History, you should be aiming for an A at AS, you don't need a test to tell you that!

Reply 19

crankycaz

2

It was so annoying getting report cards, because they'd list what you were predicted to get based on the ALIS test and then a separate prediction based on your GCSEs. Mine looked like:

GCSEs: English (A) Physics (A) Music (A) Maths (A) German (B)
ALIS: English (A) Physics (B) Music (B) Maths (B) German (B)

What I found weird was that I'd got an A* in German but was still only predicted a B at A Level, which goes to show how difficult it must be to get an A in the blooming subject! What was annoying though, was the fact that my parents automatically looked at the ALIS line and asked why I had been predicted 'so low'...and I was like 'uh...it was a test that doesn't take into account things like what school you go to or how good your teachers are...etc'.

I think that is why the test isn't very accurate though - the ALIS is a base 'intelligence' test, if you like, but other factors and experiences are going to affect your actual grade in the end.

ALIS Test

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