[Holbrook]

Ok this is a bit more serious than my normal posts (non spammy) and maybe it's a bit of a rant too.

My eldest daughter has to day just received her AS exam results.

Now there has been a lot in the press about "these exams getting easier". Doh! Have any of these reporters/ so called experts sat these things?

For one the amount of course work is at least double what I did 30 years ago for my A level.

Also these AS exams/courses are nearly 2/3rds of the old two year A level course crammed into one year. Also the kids are doing four subjects instead of three.

I have watched my daughter sweat and worry for twelve months. She did her GCSE's last year, her AS's this and begins her first full A level exam soon after Christmas....

So by this time next year she would have had three years solid of preparing for and doing exams.....

Add to this the pressure from teachers to "do well"( school rating charts etc) you have an explosive mix.

My daughter has come out with an A in history, and two B's one in English the other Art, these are high end B's by the fact that she was just a few points below the "A" level.( for the non Brits a E is a pass level. The University she has picked as her favourite wants A.A.B or A.B.B. from full A levels next year so she is in the ball park.)

She thinks she has done badly and that the exams were said by the press to be easy and she therefore should have done better. I have spent a large part of the day trying to convince her she has not done badly and the press are talking out of their rear ends...

Conclusion, folks should not open their mouths unless they "know" for sure what they are talking about...

rant over......

[Jacquin]

The thing I find so irritating is that the press is happy enough to say that sprinters are getting faster, and weightlifters are getting stronger but not that children are becoming more intelligent.

They accept that modern training methods with scientifically proven diets can make you stronger and faster than ever before but not cleverer.

So more people are passing exams now? Perhaps it is because modern teaching methods are more effective and children are cleverer. Why can't they accept it rather than saying the exams must be easier because we didn't do that well....

I know how much your daughter has worried about these results and I know the amount of work she has put into the subjects. I think she has done extremely well and please tell her I am proud of her. She will go a long way.

Take Care

J

[Loque]

tell me about it! i hope she wasnt as insane as me and didnt do three sciences and maths
ALL the maths teachers in our school hate this new system and they have repeatedly told us that we are being asked to do to much and of course people cant cope. I came out with a C in maths in the end, but the stupid thing is we did three modules for it and I got high-end Bs in two and a low D in the third so I reckon if i hadnt had to do that last module i could have comfortably got 2 As and so am pretty damn pissed off.

Thankfully I got As in Biology and Physics to assuage my anger slightly, but also a C in Chemistry because my last module was bad. This was partly my fault though and also I think partly due to bad teaching. Again out of three modules for that I got 2 Bs and a D.

Oh god how i despise ASs and anyone who says they're getting easier is talking out of their arses because all our teachers think they're getting harder, and I trust them rather more than some stupid statistics spouting politicians and retarded papers who just want to sell copies of their tripe ridden cak.

All in all, not a great day :)

[Loque]

Btw Holbrook, what university is she applying to then? (if you dont mind telling me) and what subject? I'm guessing something wordy from those subjects.
I'm heading for Bristol myself aiming to do Biology so I'm needing either ABB or AAB depending on whether they like me.

[Holbrook]

Insane, she has had some ups and downs, not helped by losing both grandfathers within twelve months.


She has her heart set on York, but they want AAB... If not Leeds...
Though I am up to my eyes in prospectuses (sp) or should that just be prospectus? from all over, well north of Birmingham, she doesn't want to go south.

She is thinking of an English lit degree. Her choice, her decision. If after next year she changes her mind and finds a job in the field she is interested in with "in house training" then, her decision her choice.

Not been a pushy parent never, not going to start now.... Tried to teach her and her sister to think for themselves. Made a bit of a rod for my own back there *g*

[juzzza]

Old Boy,

A very good friend of mine completed his Degree at Leeds and said it is one of the best times he has ever had (not just for social activity either).

So it's a great second choice...

[Hobbit]

Well, I had popped in to wish all of our forumites receiving results today congratulations (or commiserations!) but I see there's comments made already....

Where to start? I am usually very careful not to rant about this topic here, but here goes, anyway. :)

I've just spent much of the day dishing out A level results to students and then helping them get on the phone to universities, sort out places, options.

It annoys me no end to see the UK press trot out their usual response - 'yes, you have done well, but it's only because the exams have got easier'. I wish I could say different but this has been the media answer for years.

All that I can say is that those who are involved in 'the system' know how those results come about - for the majority it is bloody hard work.

The exams are different these days - they now test more than just knowledge recall (as in the 'good old days') they also test application and understanding, develop skills and generally involve a lot more graft through a two year course than just cramming everything in at the end. Yes, there are exceptions to the rules - there are still those who are able to just cruise through (though less and less these days!) and those whose understanding is not what it needs to be yet the majority get what they deserve/have worked for.

If you have got what you need - well done and best of luck. University awaits and it'll be worth all that effort. (I'm sure Sammie and others here will be able to tell you about that one!)

If you haven't, don't give up, there are options.

Well done to your daughter Holbrook, and Loque - if you are Year 12 you should be able to resit that module, and if not give Bristol a ring. If it helps, I'm pleased to say that the majority of the students I saw today who didn't quite get the grades they needed were able to get into their place of choice with a phone call.

[Loque]

Thanks Hobbit, I am year 12 so will be resitting in November.
Hey Holbrook, Leeds is my second choice too, I think I only need a C and 2Bs to get in there.
Hmmm, the only question now is whether to drop maths for next year. Just not sure if i have enough time for all those subjects. the problem is in september my sis is going to uni and my bro is already there, so it's up to me and my dad to do everything (I had no idea how much my mum used to do!)
What with having a part-time job I'm gonna be pushing it i think as I'll end up with virtually no free time and as I take part in things like the drama society I wouldnt have any freetime at all for large chunk of the year. Now the obvious answer would perhaps be to drop the part time job, but the problem then would be that when i get to uni I basically wont be able to afford any food (thanks for that governent)
So I basically either drop maths, give up all extra-curicular activities, or go insane (if it's not too late already)
Oh why is it all so stupid?
Does anyone in government etc actually realise/care how stressed and depressed people doing GCSEs, AS andAlevels get?
I am so sick to death of education, how the hell am I suposed to work properly when all i want to do half the time is die?
OK, I'll shut up now.

[Loque]

wow, sorry about that, just needed to get some of that out

[Hobbit]

Sympathies, Loque - I've had this conversation with others, so for what it's worth, here's Uncle Hobbit's Careers Advice! :D


Point 1 - the results you have are very good and deserve recogntition and credit - you are halfway there, and look to be well on course (ha!) for those final grades. The resit in November is a good idea, and there's always June 2003 if you really have to (You should be able to resit most AS modules twice, I think, but you need to check).

Point 2 - I realise the difficulties in money, so the part time job probably has to be kept going.

Point 3 - Discuss the options with the teachers who know you and you can trust to speak to you honestly and directly. Personally I'd try to stick with the Maths if you can - those extra points will be useful! - but discuss your worries with your teachers who may also have some ideas. What about things like General Studies? Are they an option to you?

Lastly, remind yourself that getting those A's can be done - there are thousands out there today who (despite what the media have said - grr!) have been in the position you feel you are in today at the end of Year 12 and got through it.

So think of the A's as a means to an end. If you do mess things up, (and I hope you won't! :D ) it is NOT the end of the world; you can resit and/or take time out to build up funds - it is something happening more and more these days, and builds up a wealth of experience that will be invaluable at uni and indeed throughout life.

Your brother and sister will no doubt be able to tell you about uni. Keep that in mind - think of it as the reward for all that effort now.

There is an old saying that the degree is actually easier than the A level (which it may be true in many but not all degrees!). The big advantage is that there you will concentrate mainly on one subject in depth which you will love, rather than spreading yourself across 3 or 4 subjects.

Hope this helps! Chin up and all that. Make the most of the time you have left in the vacation and do stuff that will make you happy.

Best wishes, Hobbit