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Original post by rayofsunshine98
They may well be really low this year - I know AQA AS bio an A was only like 58% raw marks. As one of my teachers said, all we have to do is to beat everyone else.


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And I hope we all do that sucessfully! :biggrin:
Original post by rayofsunshine98
I did consider it for a short while, but I'm in a bit of a predicament with it... I've been having what one of my friends thinks is panic attacks but because I don't ever end up hyperventilating my other friends think I'm making it up. Plus when things are really bad at school I normally go and hide in the toilets. And I'm not close enough with mum to be able to tell her what is going on, and I haven't got the guts to go to the doctors and seek help at the moment, so I almost don't feel like I'm "disabled" enough to go. And the thing in the website that queens college sent me the link to said its for disabled students.


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Okay, bless you! I can understand why that would be super confusing as to what the heck is going on, I know *exactly* how you feel. With panic attacks, they can usually come on either randomly or in response to specific stimuli; have you ever noticed a pattern in what triggers them? Like, stress related, or social situation related, or just random bouts of anxiety? If it's stress related (without trying to belittle you AT ALL) that's normal in some cases, it's a weird side effect of puberty which 100% deserves to be treated through chatting through things with someone and working out how to cope with stress! If it's social situation related (being overcrowded, or being left alone! or meeting new people for the first time) then that could indicate perhaps a bit of social anxiety? which is also massively deserving of help and treatment, usually through CBT or something? However, if it's something completely random, or often something which is sort of random, like stepping on a crack in the street or hearing a loud airplane... that might be indicative of some kind of anxiety? For which there are tons of treatment options! Maybe take a little time to do some research and familiarise yourself with the different types of causes of panic attacks? But, without being condescending, massive hugs - it's really tough to deal with sometimes, especially if people think you're faking it for attention <3

In terms of the Cambridge transition event, they sort of require some kind of medical evidence, which in this case would be a diagnosis from your GP - is that a possibility? They do it completely confidentially, you don't have to tell your mum or anyone else, although if you did end up on medication it's worth telling someone just in case you have a bad reaction to it or something! (seriously, it can be so scary, I can't drink grapefruit juice with mine and I didn't realise for ages and kept having these awful reactions hahaha!)

If you want to chat through anything I'm always about. Plus, congratulations on Queens! Gorgeous college (although I have no clue ever where the apostrophe goes - sorry!)
Reply 2922
Original post by blue2337
Plus, congratulations on Queens! Gorgeous college (although I have no clue ever where the apostrophe goes - sorry!)


It's not as obvious as it seems....
http://www.queens.cam.ac.uk/life-at-queens/about-the-college/college-facts/that-apostrophe

But Queens' is the commonly accepted view.


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(edited 6 years ago)
Watching an "English Language tips" video whilst browsing the internet :redface: multi-tasking brought to you by 90s kids/babies
Original post by blue2337
Okay, bless you! I can understand why that would be super confusing as to what the heck is going on, I know *exactly* how you feel. With panic attacks, they can usually come on either randomly or in response to specific stimuli; have you ever noticed a pattern in what triggers them? Like, stress related, or social situation related, or just random bouts of anxiety? If it's stress related (without trying to belittle you AT ALL) that's normal in some cases, it's a weird side effect of puberty which 100% deserves to be treated through chatting through things with someone and working out how to cope with stress! If it's social situation related (being overcrowded, or being left alone! or meeting new people for the first time) then that could indicate perhaps a bit of social anxiety? which is also massively deserving of help and treatment, usually through CBT or something? However, if it's something completely random, or often something which is sort of random, like stepping on a crack in the street or hearing a loud airplane... that might be indicative of some kind of anxiety? For which there are tons of treatment options! Maybe take a little time to do some research and familiarise yourself with the different types of causes of panic attacks? But, without being condescending, massive hugs - it's really tough to deal with sometimes, especially if people think you're faking it for attention <3

In terms of the Cambridge transition event, they sort of require some kind of medical evidence, which in this case would be a diagnosis from your GP - is that a possibility? They do it completely confidentially, you don't have to tell your mum or anyone else, although if you did end up on medication it's worth telling someone just in case you have a bad reaction to it or something! (seriously, it can be so scary, I can't drink grapefruit juice with mine and I didn't realise for ages and kept having these awful reactions hahaha!)

If you want to chat through anything I'm always about. Plus, congratulations on Queens! Gorgeous college (although I have no clue ever where the apostrophe goes - sorry!)


It seems to be more with stress I think, but also sometimes with social situations - I had a few days in September last year when I could barely bring myself to go in the sixth form common room because the new year 12 group was a lot bigger and louder than the year 13s we had lost this time last year. But the thought of my exams certainly isn't helping. And it can be random things as well.

I must admit, I've been debating going to the GP when I've finished my exams this summer, but it's kind of hard because my grandparents are up there a lot, as are my parents. Although mum is saying how I need to go and get a meningitis vaccine this summer so I guess I could blame it on that. And haha I wouldn't have that problem certainly - I can't stand grapefruit juice! And the apostrophe is after the S 😝


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On the topic of grade boundaries for edexcel history, my teacher has explained that the A-E grade boundaries will be set at 80%, 70%, 60% of the raw marks (so 160, 140, 120) and so on. The A* could be anywhere above 160 so that around 7% of the cohort get the A*. This could be wrong but I know he works with edexcel very closely so hopefully is passing on the correct information!
Reply 2926
Original post by feb_baby
On the topic of grade boundaries for edexcel history, my teacher has explained that the A-E grade boundaries will be set at 80%, 70%, 60% of the raw marks (so 160, 140, 120) and so on. The A* could be anywhere above 160 so that around 7% of the cohort get the A*. This could be wrong but I know he works with edexcel very closely so hopefully is passing on the correct information!


No, sorry but your teacher is definitely wrong. It's *extremely* unlikely raw boundaries will mirror the prior UMS cut-offs.

Boundaries haven't even been set yet and won't be released until the results are also released.
http://qualifications.pearson.com/en/support/support-topics/results-certification/grade-boundaries.html
(edited 6 years ago)
Original post by feb_baby
On the topic of grade boundaries for edexcel history, my teacher has explained that the A-E grade boundaries will be set at 80%, 70%, 60% of the raw marks (so 160, 140, 120) and so on. The A* could be anywhere above 160 so that around 7% of the cohort get the A*. This could be wrong but I know he works with edexcel very closely so hopefully is passing on the correct information!


No, your teacher is entirely wrong.

The exams are norm referenced. Thus, until the entire cohort is marked, no-one knows what raw marks will translate into what UMS and grade. It's just unhelpful guesswork unless you definitely know you got every question wrong, or every question right - in which case you can confidently predict a U and an A* respectively.
(edited 6 years ago)
Original post by SteamboatMickey
I am indeed! Ive enjoyed my subjects (lit and language more than I thought when I enrolled at sixth form) for the last two years but ahh so many essays and so much content :tongue: I kind of wish I had chosen politics or something which offered less subjective mark schemes and widely ranging questions :lol:

I am doing Hamlet, Paradise Lost, Dolls House, 1984, and Handmaids tale. My offer is for Grey's college.

I'm in the middle of doing flashcards for everything but section 1 paper 1 for language. :smile:

See I would feel confident with the standard humanities offer but A*A*A is just frightening. I can do History so I feel I might be able to get an A* in that. I can do lit and language to an A grade level but I don't know if I'll be able to do either to an A*. My teachers think I can but honestly.... they're far too subjective!


Woah, Paradise Lost! Do you study the whole poem or just a few books?
(edited 6 years ago)
Reply 2929
To all students who are taking literature A-Levels (or equivalents): what is your way of studying/revision?
Original post by Reality Check
No, your teacher is entirely wrong.

The exams are norm referenced. Thus, until the entire cohort is marked, no-one knows what raw marks will translate into what UMS and grade. It's just unhelpful guesswork unless you definitely know you got every question wrong, or every question right - in which case you can confidently predict a U and an A* respectively.


I see, how frustrating (to receive the wrong information) - How is the system different to the system that is still being used for say, maths?

Thanks :smile:
Original post by feb_baby
I see, how frustrating (to receive the wrong information) - How is the system different to the system that is still being used for say, maths?

Thanks :smile:


You're welcome :smile:. In the terms we're talking about, nothing has changed - the exams have always been norm referenced, and so no-one has been able with certainly (or sometimes even accuracy) to predict the raw marks required for each grade boundary. However, the old exams obviously had a wealth of data from previous years, from which predictions could be made (and the boards even provide a tool so teachers can 'mark' mocks more accurately). However, the new specifications and new teaching means this previous data is really not applicable to this cohort - who knows what raw marks are required?!
Reply 2932
Original post by feb_baby
I see, how frustrating (to receive the wrong information) - How is the system different to the system that is still being used for say, maths?

Thanks :smile:


Maths has UMS, for this year. Most other A-levels, ie the linear, reformed ones, do not.

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Original post by Doonesbury
Maths has UMS, for this year. Most other A-levels, ie the linear, reformed ones, do not.

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So for history, will it just be raw mark grade boundaries?
Thank you
Reply 2934
Original post by feb_baby
So for history, will it just be raw mark grade boundaries?
Thank you


Yes indeed.
The past few weeks have been so tough (personally, not academically) I might just stop stressing and accept whatever happens on the 17th :redface: I don't have the faith in myself to get A*A*A but I've worked really hard so whatever I get I deserve and that's that :redface:


I'll be stressing like always in an hours time....
Original post by SteamboatMickey
The past few weeks have been so tough (personally, not academically) I might just stop stressing and accept whatever happens on the 17th :redface: I don't have the faith in myself to get A*A*A but I've worked really hard so whatever I get I deserve and that's that :redface:


I'll be stressing like always in an hours time....


I'm trying to take on this approach, after all if I can't get my offer with even with this amount of effort I probably wouldn't fare at all well at Cambridge where it will only get harder! I've also accepted going to my insurance (or not to uni at all) doesn't mean I'm a failure. All we can do is our best!
Original post by feb_baby
I'm trying to take on this approach, after all if I can't get my offer with even with this amount of effort I probably wouldn't fare at all well at Cambridge where it will only get harder! I've also accepted going to my insurance (or not to uni at all) doesn't mean I'm a failure. All we can do is our best!


Completely agree! :smile:
Is it true that if you've met the conditions of your offer, Cambridge send you an acceptance letter 2 days before results day?
Feel really bad after one exam... Nailed some of my others, but screwed up the first of the reformed a levels. 35% down the drain, think the A* isn't possible anymore- it wasn't difficult just me having an off day. Just hoping I can scrape an A