congratulations A Level Students

Skyboat · 19 Aug 2010 at 13:36

Clearing is exciting.

I only submitted my application last Wednesday and my welcome pack came through today, results day of all days! Bit of a coincidence mmm? lol. Already phoned up BCU and UWE as they had places for my course but seems I'm 10 points under the entry reqs. I just hope it's enough

All my grades were from '02 to '04 as I've been working since - it's been a proper last-minute spur of the moment thing. I've no idea if I'll even get in this year, if not I have plenty of time to plan for 2011 and also means I can have more time to go travelling.

tr1cky · 19 Aug 2010 at 13:44

Congrats guys, hope you get into a good uni!

xJcBx · 19 Aug 2010 at 13:52

MotherMayI said:
Congratulations, and see you at UWE - I'm just going in to my 3rd year. Whatever you do, don't apply for Frenchay or St Matts accommodation for first year.

Already paied my deposit for the first year in the new flats?
Is that bad? They looked ok

Thunderbolt · 19 Aug 2010 at 13:56

xJcBx said:
Already paied my deposit for the first year in the new flats?
Is that bad? They looked ok

Problem is that they're an utter rip off, and you would have far more fun in the centre.

Infam0us · 19 Aug 2010 at 14:08

Congratulations to you all

Morbius · 19 Aug 2010 at 14:09

Mr Jack said:
An A* is (just) harder to get than an A was 25 years ago. Except in Further Maths.

But Further Maths is skewed somewhat by the fact that it's only taken by those students with a high level of ability and an interest in maths.

Mr Jack · 19 Aug 2010 at 14:23

Morbius said:
But Further Maths is skewed somewhat by the fact that it's only taken by those students with a high level of ability and an interest in maths.

Aye. But I'm pretty sure when I took it, 30% of students weren't getting As.

Castiel · 19 Aug 2010 at 14:53

Mr Jack said:
Aye. But I'm pretty sure when I took it, 30% of students weren't getting As.

They were not.

I passed 5 A levels in 1987 and the percentage who got A grades was around 10%, about the same as the A* grade seems to have done.

It seems that the A* grade just proves that the alleged grade devaluation over the years is true.

Congratulations to those who recieved their required grades, good luck to those who did not. Remember University is not the be all and end all of a career.

Raikiri · 19 Aug 2010 at 14:59

Castiel said:
It seems that the A* grade just proves that the alleged grade devaluation over the years is true.

Correlation does not imply causation, maybe they're just smarter now?

I could also match up the increase computer usage by students and the increase in grades, doesn't mean that computers are the sole cause of that increase.

Castiel · 19 Aug 2010 at 15:15

Raikiri said:
Correlation does not imply causation, maybe they're just smarter now?

I could also match up the increase computer usage by students and the increase in grades, doesn't mean that computers are the sole cause of that increase.

Unlikely.

An increase in computer usage and access to the internet would suggest that it is easier to attain the grades due to improved access to information and education. This would suggest that the 10% who recieved A grades 25 years ago were somewhat smarter than the 30% who achieve them now as they were able to attain those grades without such advantages.

Either way, if the grades had kept up with changes in the curriculum then the obvious reason for the improved percentages over the years is degregation of the grading system, not because of any decrease in the actual level of marking, but the failure to recalibrate the marking system to take into consideration the better access to information and techniques used to study. The institution of the A* is proof of this, and was only invested on the insistence of the University Faculties because of this failure in grading standards to differentiate between the brightest candidates.

It is far more likely that students today are no more or less intelligent than their predecessors, it is simply the grading system is antiquated and has not moved with the increase in technology and educational techniques.

Rotty · 19 Aug 2010 at 15:19

Castiel said:
They were not.

I passed 5 A levels in 1987 and the percentage who got A grades was around 10%, about the same as the A* grade seems to have done.

It seems that the A* grade just proves that the alleged grade devaluation over the years is true.

.

don't forget to add thati n the 70s only about 20% that took A levels so it was less that ten percent of the top 20% not 30% of alnost everyone

anyway congratulations to all that did well

Killerkebab · 19 Aug 2010 at 15:22

Castiel said:
Unlikely.

An increase in computer usage and access to the internet would suggest that it is easier to attain the grades due to improved access to information and education. This would suggest that the 10% who recieved A grades 25 years ago were somewhat smarter than the 30% who achieve them now as they were able to attain those grades without such advantages.

I don't think that's the point he was trying to make

Castiel said:
Either way, if the grades had kept up with changes in the curriculum then the obvious reason for the improved percentages over the years is degregation of the grading system, not because of any decrease in the actual level of marking, but the failure to recalibrate the marking system to take into consideration the better access to information and techniques used to study. The institution of the A* is proof of this, and was only invested on the insistence of the University Faculties because of this failure in grading standards to differentiate between the brightest candidates.

It is far more likely that students today are no more or less intelligent than their predecessors, it is simply the grading system is antiquated and has not moved with the increase in technology and educational techniques.

I'd argue students today are more intelligent than their predecessors. If they're not, then we have a problem imo

Castiel · 19 Aug 2010 at 15:46

Killerkebab said:
I'd argue students today are more intelligent than their predecessors. If they're not, then we have a problem imo

Argue away. Simply stating that Humans are more intelligent today than they were 25 years ago means little.

Do you really think that within the last 25-30 years the human race has evolved to such an extent that our average IQ has risen by 20% and that is the reason for the increased level of A grades at A level, rather than a failure to recalibrate the marking standards to better indicate the true standard of education.

Killerkebab · 19 Aug 2010 at 15:50

Castiel said:
Argue away. Simply stating that Humans are more intelligent today than they were 25 years ago means little.

Do you really think that within the last 25-30 years the human race has evolved to such an extent that our average IQ has risen by 20% and that is the reason for the increased level of A grades at A level, rather than a failure to recalibrate the marking standards to better indicate the true standard of education.

I never said the "average IQ" had risen by 20%, nor that this is why grades are increasing. I'm simply saying as a general trend, the new generations should be more intelligent than the previous. Whether that explains the grades or not is a different question which I am not qualified to answer.

Speaking of things that "mean little", the "human race" isn't important here (since we're only talking about the UK), and neither is the average IQ (until you define who we're testing)

In fact, "average IQ has risen by 20%" truly means nothing (the average IQ is always 100, regardless of conditions).

Castiel · 19 Aug 2010 at 15:50

A little bit of fun:

http://newsarse.com/2010/08/19/a-levels-is-not-getting-more-simpler-insist-a-pupils/

However, pupils have reacted stroppily to the claims and insist that the results reflect the amount of hard work that they put into their studies.

“It’s not fair,” huffed Tasha Griggs, who received A* grades in everything.

“I studied relentlessly during the ad breaks for Corrie and Hollyoaks, and to say the exams are getting easierer is insulting. If anything they are getting more unsimpler.”

John Eveleigh, who received 1 A, 3 B’s and 2 C’s, has agreed with critics who insist that the exams are getting easier.

“I’m 42 and I haven’t actually taken any A-Levels, I just got lost in the local college a couple of months ago whilst looking for an adult literacy class, and doodled on some paper someone put in front of me.”

“But I got the results by text this morning. Obviously I’m delighted, if a little bit confused. Apparently I’ve been offered a place at Portsmouth Uni.”

Teachers believe that criticism has dampened excitement on what should be considered a great achievement by both teachers and pupils.

Head Teacher David Thatcher told us, “It’s easy to assume that just because the results are always better than previous years, that exams must be getting easier, but it’s just not true.”

“The results should be attributed to the hard work and dedication of the teaching staff and the pupils, who just happen to be considerably brighter than last year’s bunch of thickos.”

Killerkebab · 19 Aug 2010 at 15:52

A.N.Other · 19 Aug 2010 at 15:58

Congratulations to everyone who got their results today

My gf's brother and sister got their results today and got into their first choice universities, so congrats to them too (not that they're reading

)!

Castiel · 19 Aug 2010 at 15:58

Killerkebab said:
I never said the average IQ had risen by 20%, nor that this is why grades are increasing. I'm simply saying as a general trend, the new generations should be more intelligent than the previous. Whether that explains the grades or not is a different question which I am not qualified to answer.

Speaking of things that "mean little", the "human race" isn't important here (since we're only talking about the UK), and neither is the average IQ (until you define who we're testing)

But you did imply it, as you have just done again, by stating that each generation is intrinsically more intelligent than the one before, which means that IQ levels would be increasing as IQ is a valid way of intelligence measurement.

As for who we are testing, it again would be obvious from your statement that each generation is more intelligent that the one before that we would be testing each generation against the one that precedes it.

Also the UK would be indicative of global trends as we do not live in an isolated environment.

I don't know why either to be honest, but I highly doubt that teenagers today are any more or any less intelligent that the ones from the 1970's and 80's.

w11tho · 19 Aug 2010 at 16:03

I don't think you need to be a rocket scientist to see that the standard of exams has decreased significantly.

Maths A-Level 1960
Maths A-Level 2010

Now it's not the students' fault that this has happened - all they can do is sit a paper and get the best mark they can! There will be just as many capable students around nowadays as there were back in the 60s (I hope, at least!).

Antelopethy · 19 Aug 2010 at 16:05

Castiel said:
But you did imply it, as you have just done again, by stating that each generation is intrinsically more intelligent than the one before, which means that IQ levels would be increasing as IQ is a valid way of intelligence measurement.

As for who we are testing, it again would be obvious from your statement that each generation is more intelligent that the one before that we would be testing each generation against the one that precedes it.

Also the UK would be indicative of global trends as we do not live in an isolated environment.

I don't know why either to be honest, but I highly doubt that teenagers today are any more or any less intelligent that the ones from the 1970's and 80's.

I'd just like to say you missed his point about IQ, in that it is physically impossible for the average IQ to change, as the IQ distribution changes dynamically so that the average is always 100.