A-Level Results! - Page 6

19-08-2005, 13:11

In 1992 I got my GCSE results.

CDT Technology - C
Chemistry - C
French - C
Geography - D
Physics - D
Maths - D
English Lang - E
English Lit - F

I resat some at 6th form college in 1993
Physics - C
Maths - D
English Language - D
I also took Art and got a C

I then started A levels in art and design technology
I got fed up and spent more time in the pub next door to the college.

I decided to join the RAF, I did well, got through to the medical stage, promptly left college and failed the medical.

I bummed around for a few years working when I could, labouring etc. Then I went back to college Did year 1 of A level chemistry and didnt go back for 2nd year. Decided I was into social work, then realised how ****ed up it all is and dropped out.
Bummed around for a while, went back to college again.
Did city and guilds.
Got

computers and computing level 1
Instalation and maintenance level 2
Instalation and maintenance level 3
Networking 2
Networking 3
Diploma in networking
Advancced diploma in networking

I now work in a call centre and earn the lovely sum of ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£13,000 p.a doing tech support for Jobcentreplus.

Moto of this tale is kids, if you fail now get your act together and get them passed. DO NOT WASTE YOUR CHANCES LIKE ME.

ntl customer · 19-08-2005, 18:28

I received my results yesterday and it was a mixed bag. Some I were happy with, whilst others I was really disappointed with, like my ICT one which I got a "E" for, despite getting an A and C for the papers in the previous year and D for the coursework.

I found that a large portion of A2 ICT course was heavily weighted on the coursework, or more to the point - the reams of documentation and bleeding screenshots! I had an eleventh hour problem with the coursework that meant I lost a significant portion of it, and all back-ups I had were weeks old. With hindsight, I wish I hadn't left the printing of it all to the last minute.

One thing that I feel injusticed about the A2 ICT course is that having a working system on the computer meant nothing. I managed to get a fully working system that did what it was supposed to do as per spec., just all the screenshots and crap were not there, and were lost at the eleventh hour. They didn't give any credit to the fact that.

It's as if it all counts to nothing, and that they didn't care what your practical skills were like - only that you were good at photoshop and using the print screen key and copy/paste/typing functions in word and that was all that mattered. For all I know, people could have been copied and pasted and doctored in PS, and they didn't give a flying f.ck as to whether you were able to use access and apply your skills to this project (IMO the ability to produce something functioning is a true test of your skills compared to being able to produce reams and reams of screenshots and tables).

I apologise for ranting - but I feel rather peed off at the moment and I don't mean to offend anyone. All I'm just saying is - shouldn't practical skills and the fact that something working was produced at the end count to at least SOME of the mark, rather than the having all it being weighed on a file with pages of screenshots and tables? I mean, anyone could do the latter and fake all the screenshots if they were really determined and not have a system that did anything.

downquark1 · 19-08-2005, 20:23

No offense to anyone who took it, but I think the majority of the ICT syabus is BS too.

nffc · 19-08-2005, 20:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by downquark1

No offense to anyone who took it, but I think the majority of the ICT syabus is BS too.

I would imagine the effort, time and money of keeping an ICT syllabus current would not be worth the gain in making it not BS, and worth having tbh.

As always the IT qualifications to get will be things like CS degrees, A+, MCSE, etc etc etc...

xcdtowg · 20-08-2005, 13:26

Coursework for any A level subject isn't to good at showing how good a person is at anything. At my college if the teachers liked you you got good coursework marks. This is because they would let you hand in the work over and over and tell them what needed to be done to get more marks. If handing in work repeatedly and writing down what a teacher told you to write to get more marks shows your true ability, I'm very confussed.

I got an E in my Sociology coursework, but my exams marks pulled my grade up to a C luckily. I hated coursework, lol. I just wish my teacher had thought to actually tell me my coursework was a big pile of rubbish, but I suppose I should have done all the sucking up to them the people that got help did.

Some courses more than other weight a lot of the final grade on coursework, esp. ICT from all the complaining some friends of mine that took it. They should try give marks for practical work, esp. in things like ICT that are mostly practical, rather than basing marks on coursework full of screenshots.

Halcyon · 22-08-2005, 15:07

I've arrived late to this thread but just want to wish everyone all the best and congratulations for their results !!!

At the end of the day it doesnt matter what you got as long as you felt you did your best.
If you are determined to get somewhere you will get there with or without the grades.

I wish you all the best for the future.

**Chris** · 22-08-2005, 15:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Halcyon

If you are determined to get somewhere you will get there with or without the grades.

This is patently untrue. If you are determined to get to Oxford, yet without the grades, how far do you think you're going to get?!

Nugget · 22-08-2005, 15:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris T

This is patently untrue. If you are determined to get to Oxford, yet without the grades, how far do you think you're going to get?!

You could always just move to Oxford

Seriously though, Oxford and Cambridge are a load of bunkum. Offically, the minimum entry requirement for the 2 is still only 2 Ds at A-level (it may even be 2 Es, but I can't remember for sure).

However, because they insist on making you sit exams to get a place on their causes, it means that those pupils who are expected to get lower grades in their A-levels don't even get to the exam.

Load of tosh IMHO

orangebird · 22-08-2005, 15:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris T

This is patently untrue. If you are determined to get to Oxford, yet without the grades, how far do you think you're going to get?!

I think maybe Halycon was referring to getting somewhere in life without grades (which you can), as opposed to getting somewhere geographically...

**Chris** · 22-08-2005, 15:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by orangebird

I think maybe Halycon was referring to getting somewhere in life without grades (which you can), as opposed to getting somewhere geographically...

I didn't mean Oxford geographically, I meant a place to study something at the University.

OK, technically Oxbridge admit on the basis of their own entrance exams and interviews but you know what I was driving at. There are certain things in life that you can't do unless you achieve the appropriate grade in some exam or other. It is simply untrue to state "If you are determined to get somewhere you will get there with or without the grades." It might make someone who just failed their A levels feel a bit better about themselves, but much of the discussion in this thread has been about the need to call it as it is, rather than allowing people to think there's no such thing as failure.

orangebird · 22-08-2005, 15:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris T

I didn't mean Oxford geographically, I meant a place to study something at the University.

OK, technically Oxbridge admit on the basis of their own entrance exams and interviews but you know what I was driving at. There are certain things in life that you can't do unless you achieve the appropriate grade in some exam or other. It is simply untrue to state "If you are determined to get somewhere you will get there with or without the grades." It might make someone who just failed their A levels feel a bit better about themselves, but much of the discussion in this thread has been about the need to call it as it is, rather than allowing people to think there's no such thing as failure.

But you can get somewhere in life even if you don't get grades.

My dad failed his 11+ - he runs his own business now.

Nugget · 22-08-2005, 15:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris T

I didn't mean Oxford geographically, I meant a place to study something at the University.

OK, technically Oxbridge admit on the basis of their own entrance exams and interviews but you know what I was driving at. There are certain things in life that you can't do unless you achieve the appropriate grade in some exam or other. It is simply untrue to state "If you are determined to get somewhere you will get there with or without the grades." It might make someone who just failed their A levels feel a bit better about themselves, but much of the discussion in this thread has been about the need to call it as it is, rather than allowing people to think there's no such thing as failure.

But it's getting increasingly difficult for students to see exaclty how it is. As I said earlier in the thread, we now have a situation where someone gets 4 A levels at A grade. On paper, that's a fantastic achievement. Unfortunately, the majority of newspapers and other news media will tell them that they only managed that because the exam was so easy.

The only way that kids / students find out how it is in this life is through the fact that this will teach them that, contrary to praising their achievements, we'll just try and knock 'em down.

**Chris** · 22-08-2005, 15:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by orangebird

But you can get somewhere in life even if you don't get grades.

My dad failed his 11+ - he runs his own business now.

So did mine. I'm not trying to say, you fail an exam, you get nowhere. I'm saying it's not true to say you can still do absolutely anything you like, which appears to be what Halc is saying.

xcdtowg · 22-08-2005, 15:40

I think you would need a certain background to go to Oxbridge, hehe, I certainly wouldn't fit in.

One of Plonkings friends went to Oxford and I dunno, I always feel I have to behave myself around him, no rude comments and things, don't think I could cope with that.

Plus getting A's isn't everything. I only needed DDD to get onto my course, and some courses require even less. Some people may completely mess up there A levels but get a course in clearing and go on to do pretty well. I know someone who flunked completely at A level got onto a course at uni and left with a resonably good grade. Not everyone can be a smartarse

EDIT-also i think halc is saying that just if you dont do as well as you wanted, if you try again etc or try a different route, you may get where you want. Not everyone wants to become PM or something, most of the real people in the world, have much more modest goals.

Halcyon · 22-08-2005, 15:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by orangebird

I think maybe Halycon was referring to getting somewhere in life without grades (which you can), as opposed to getting somewhere geographically...

Yep thats what I meant.
I know some people who tried their best in their exams but exams were just not their thing yet they were very skilled in what they wanted to do in their life.
There is always a way round. Eg, there are training courses, apprentaships, and a wide range of other paths that can lead you to what you wish to do.