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Do you think the A level reforms are unfair?

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Reply 20

username2713253

Original post by alow

I would assume so, yes.

What about if the teacher likes you, despite your practical being bad they pass you.

Reply 21

alow

Original post by Shazen

What about if the teacher likes you, despite your practical being bad they pass you.

I very much doubt that would happen. Anyway, it doesn't count towards your grade and as long as you are working safely there's no reason you shouldn't pass.

Reply 22

username2713253

Original post by alow

I very much doubt that would happen. Anyway, it doesn't count towards your grade and as long as you are working safely there's no reason you shouldn't pass.

Yeah that's true. What did they do on your turn? As in, what kind of practical assessments did you have?

Reply 23

alow

Original post by Shazen

Yeah that's true. What did they do on your turn? As in, what kind of practical assessments did you have?

Look at the specification for your course.

Reply 24

HopelessMedic

Original post by RedSquirrels

So you're saying that your predictions were more strenuously obtained, and that makes it unfair? Tbh I reckon you've done better, as your better prepared for the real thing. Anyway, who gives a s*** about predictions?

Posted from TSR Mobile

Universities, for some courses predictions are the most important part of your application and therefore an be the difference between getting an offer and being rejected.

Reply 25

username2713253

Original post by alow

Look at the specification for your course.

Ok thanks.

Reply 26

04MR17

Volunteer Section Leader

Original post by APersonYo

I had to study 3 AS levels;whereas my cousin was just set mocks for 2 of his subjects and his teachers told them what to study and as a result he had more time to study for his maths AS level. As a result, he got predicted A*AA. On the other hand, I didn't have as much time to study for my maths AS level, but I still gained my A* prediction in the subject. But I had to sit a real chemistry and biology AS to obtain my predictions which were incredibly more difficult.

That isn't the problem. The problem is the way that some school don't follow the linear route like they're supposed to. You didn't have to sit a real AS biology and chemistry, the school unfairly made you do it.

Reply 27

alow

Original post by 04MR17

They're very good preparation for the final A Level exams though.

Reply 28

AAls

It's fair for everyone who is actually taking the AS-levels but unfair in the sense that people who don't do them get ******** predictions. I know a school that used the actual AS exams as mocks a few weeks after the real thing...

As someone said earlier, some teachers would just tell the students of what topics to revise. People who did OCR Sciences this year will know about having to revise the whole textbook twice before each exam. It reminds me of GCSE controlled assessments, mostly fake and easy for anyone to cheat.

Reply 29

APersonYo

Original post by RedSquirrels

Yeah, I guess I am better prepared for the real thing.

Reply 30

APersonYo

Original post by aals

it's fair for everyone who is actually taking the as-levels but unfair in the sense that people who don't do them get ******** predictions. I know a school that used the actual as exams as mocks a few weeks after the real thing...

As someone said earlier, some teachers would just tell the students of what topics to revise. People who did ocr sciences this year will know about having to revise the whole textbook twice before each exam. It reminds me of gcse controlled assessments, mostly fake and easy for anyone to cheat.

thank youu literally meee

Reply 31

corbynlover69

Original post by alow

Then his teachers have put him in a worse position as he won't be prepared for his exams next year. Predictions don't mean much if you screw up the real exams.

Most A Level sciences previously definitely had practicals, which you had to fill in a short exam which was marked (for 20% of your A Level). They were easy enough that if you spent half an hour studying for them it was basically easy full marks, if someone did poorly on them it was no one's fault but their own.

Predictions dont mean much? what about for getting offers and interviews lmao

Reply 32

alow

Original post by corbynlover69

Predictions dont mean much? what about for getting offers and interviews lmao

Did you even read the whole sentence?

Reply 33

APersonYo

Original post by corbynlover69

Predictions dont mean much? what about for getting offers and interviews lmao

Yep, I'm struggling with getting my A prediction in biology;whereas my cousin has got it due to an easier mock.

Reply 34

corbynlover69

Original post by alow

Did you even read the whole sentence?

yes getting an offer is the important part then if you do mess up your real exams and miss your offer by a grade you will prob still get a place

Reply 35

manlike99

Completely agree with you

Reply 36

04MR17

Volunteer Section Leader

Original post by alow

They're very good preparation for the final A Level exams though.

Not when there are fundamental differences in course content (e.g. different texts in English etc.) and mocks are just as good preparation.

Reply 37

APersonYo

Original post by 04MR17

Not when there are fundamental differences in course content (e.g. different texts in English etc.) and mocks are just as good preparation.

I think the AS is slightly better preparation as the question style especially in biology has drastically changed and there are a lot more experiment questions than there were before. But you do raise a good point, it was quite unfair of the school, they could just stick to a linear system?

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 38

champ_mc99

I don't prefer them since they took out ums. Apparently 20 marks above the A grade boundary is still not good enough for an A* prediction. :angry:

Reply 39

TheConfusedMedic

It's better to get realistic predictions instead of eg. A*A*A* & applying to courses with v high requirements and then in the real thing only achieving ABB and not getting into uni at all.