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grade boundairies

why does grade boundaries sometimes say a higher max mark than it actually is? It says 335 instead of the actual max mark: 300.
Original post by malakiebind
why does grade boundaries sometimes say a higher max mark than it actually is? It says 335 instead of the actual max mark: 300.

Can you give us a specific example?

I'd imagine that what you're seeing is the impact of the one-off modifications they've made this year due to Covid.

In some cases, those modifications would have impacted the total mark for a particular subject (for a particular exam board). So if your max mark refers to this year's exams, but you're looking at boundaries for a previous year, you could see this sort of discrepancy.
in your opinions do you think grade boundaries will be lower this year
Original post by DataVenia
Can you give us a specific example?

I'd imagine that what you're seeing is the impact of the one-off modifications they've made this year due to Covid.

In some cases, those modifications would have impacted the total mark for a particular subject (for a particular exam board). So if your max mark refers to this year's exams, but you're looking at boundaries for a previous year, you could see this sort of discrepancy.


https://qualifications.pearson.com/content/dam/pdf/Support/Grade-boundaries/A-level/gce-subject-grade-boundaries.pdf
this is 2019 exams with no COVID. howveer in teh mathamaics section it says raw:335 when the total marks is actually 300
Original post by malakiebind
https://qualifications.pearson.com/content/dam/pdf/Support/Grade-boundaries/A-level/gce-subject-grade-boundaries.pdf
this is 2019 exams with no COVID. howveer in teh mathamaics section it says raw:335 when the total marks is actually 300


Thanks for this. It really helps to see a specific example. I agree that the specification, here, says that "The Pearson Edexcel Level 3 Advanced GCE in Mathematics consists of three externally-examined papers." and "Each paper is: 2-hour written examination | 33.33% of the qualification | 100 marks". So, definitely 300 marks in total.

What I can't work out is where you see that "it says raw:335". For "A level Mathematics", code "9MA0", I see 300 raw marks:

Pearson Edexcel A level Mathematics Grade Boundaries 2019.JPG

Are you looking at a different A level?
Original post by DataVenia
Thanks for this. It really helps to see a specific example. I agree that the specification, here, says that "The Pearson Edexcel Level 3 Advanced GCE in Mathematics consists of three externally-examined papers." and "Each paper is: 2-hour written examination | 33.33% of the qualification | 100 marks". So, definitely 300 marks in total.

What I can't work out is where you see that "it says raw:335". For "A level Mathematics", code "9MA0", I see 300 raw marks:

Pearson Edexcel A level Mathematics Grade Boundaries 2019.JPG

Are you looking at a different A level?

apologies, its Economics A at A level. that says 335 when its 300
yeah I've checked multiple times and noticed its 3 papers consisting of 100 marks each.
Original post by malakiebind
apologies, its Economics A at A level. that says 335 when its 300

Original post by malakiebind
yeah I've checked multiple times and noticed its 3 papers consisting of 100 marks each.

OK. Economics is three papers, 100 marks each - but they're not weighted equally. According to the specification here:

Paper 1: 100 marks: 35% of the total qualification
Paper 2: 100 marks: 35% of the total qualification
Paper 3: 100 marks: 30% of the total qualification

To make the 100 marks in Papers 1 and 2 "worth more" than the 100 marks in Paper 3 they must weight them. The specification doesn't actually mention they weighting they use, which is odd. However, if they used a weight of 1.125 for Paper 1 and Paper 2, then the 200 marks from Papers 1 and 2 would be "worth" 225 marks (i.e. 200 x 1.125). Add that to the unweighted 100 marks from Paper 3 and you get the 325 marks they claim.

With those weightings (i.e. 1.125, 1.125, 1.000) that would make each paper worth 34.6%, 34.6% and 30.8% of the total exam - which is pretty much what they say in the specification. They might be weighting them slightly differently to this, but this is essentially why you're seeing that odd raw mark.
Original post by DataVenia
OK. Economics is three papers, 100 marks each - but they're not weighted equally. According to the specification here:

Paper 1: 100 marks: 35% of the total qualification
Paper 2: 100 marks: 35% of the total qualification
Paper 3: 100 marks: 30% of the total qualification

To make the 100 marks in Papers 1 and 2 "worth more" than the 100 marks in Paper 3 they must weight them. The specification doesn't actually mention they weighting they use, which is odd. However, if they used a weight of 1.125 for Paper 1 and Paper 2, then the 200 marks from Papers 1 and 2 would be "worth" 225 marks (i.e. 200 x 1.125). Add that to the unweighted 100 marks from Paper 3 and you get the 325 marks they claim.

With those weightings (i.e. 1.125, 1.125, 1.000) that would make each paper worth 34.6%, 34.6% and 30.8% of the total exam - which is pretty much what they say in the specification. They might be weighting them slightly differently to this, but this is essentially why you're seeing that odd raw mark.


thank you soo much!
Original post by DataVenia
Thanks for this. It really helps to see a specific example. I agree that the specification, here, says that "The Pearson Edexcel Level 3 Advanced GCE in Mathematics consists of three externally-examined papers." and "Each paper is: 2-hour written examination | 33.33% of the qualification | 100 marks". So, definitely 300 marks in total.

What I can't work out is where you see that "it says raw:335". For "A level Mathematics", code "9MA0", I see 300 raw marks:

Pearson Edexcel A level Mathematics Grade Boundaries 2019.JPG

Are you looking at a different A level?



I have posted similar question, but since this is relevant here too, does anyone know if grade boundary was 217 in 2019, was it because it was more difficult question.

What percentage do I need to score, to actually get A* or A in Mathematics?
Original post by Sgcheam
I have posted similar question, but since this is relevant here too, does anyone know if grade boundary was 217 in 2019, was it because it was more difficult question.

What percentage do I need to score, to actually get A* or A in Mathematics?


There is not a set % and never has been. Grade boundaries are set after the exams are marked. This year they will be set to achieve the required grade profile ... we know nothing more.
Original post by Muttley79
There is not a set % and never has been. Grade boundaries are set after the exams are marked. This year they will be set to achieve the required grade profile ... we know nothing more.


Understand. Difficult to understand grades, particularly with 2020, 21 affected by pandemic and 2018/2019 are only 2 years, but it seems anyone scoring above 70% in maths school mocks will likely to get an A if not A*
Original post by Sgcheam
Understand. Difficult to understand grades, particularly with 2020, 21 affected by pandemic and 2018/2019 are only 2 years, but it seems anyone scoring above 70% in maths school mocks will likely to get an A if not A*


Not necessarily ... many people try to cheat in mocks by accessing locked papers.
Original post by Sgcheam
I have posted similar question, but since this is relevant here too, does anyone know if grade boundary was 217 in 2019, was it because it was more difficult question.

What percentage do I need to score, to actually get A* or A in Mathematics?

depends on the exam board and the 2019 grade boundaries are up online so you can search it up.

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