Nym
Established Member
Yup, it's how the other half applied for uni, I already had my A Levels though.
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GCSE pass levels causing confusion over university entry
- Thread starter yorkie
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Yup, it's how the other half applied for uni, I already had my A Levels though.
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R
RailUK Forums
If you're extremely lucky and the UCAS servers aren't down or overworked between midnight and 6am, you can find out your results by accessing the UCAS service and seeing which universities accepted you and have a very good 'guesstimate' by the time you get to 6th form.
nym said:
It depends on the course and university, surely? Some universities are happy to take externally, others aren't so happy.
northwichcat
Veteran Member
But you could be expecting B, C, C and end up with A, C, D which would still be the same number of points. When I applied everything was by letter and you had to post a slip to your chosen University to confirm you were accepting their offer - imagine how many admin staff would have been needed the week after results day!
But again, there's raw inconsistencies between diffferent universities. Some will accept 'x' number of points, but some would want the A-Levels to be of good grades also.
just out of interest - the university actually gets them (~1 week) before the results day, but they are required to keep them confidential.
http://schoolsweek.co.uk/a-level-results-2016-exclusive-universities-breach-a-level-results-embargo-by-confirming-student-places-a-day-early/
northwichcat
Veteran Member
I imagine they means they can decide how many first choice and insurance choice offers will be taken up and consequently decide how many places to offer via clearing.
I am glad that both I and my kids all have university a long way behind us.
Back in the late 60s you needed 5 O level passes, the certificate only showed passes although the advice slip gave grades. A level requirements determined the number and grades although the bare minimum was 2 passes.
IIRC pass grades on both O and A were A to E. A levels also had an O grade which counted as an O level pass.
The trouble with education is that politicians don't give one set of "reforms" a chance to bed in before they want to change everything again.
Back in the late 60s you needed 5 O level passes, the certificate only showed passes although the advice slip gave grades. A level requirements determined the number and grades although the bare minimum was 2 passes.
IIRC pass grades on both O and A were A to E. A levels also had an O grade which counted as an O level pass.
The trouble with education is that politicians don't give one set of "reforms" a chance to bed in before they want to change everything again.
Back when I went to Uni in 1994 the University would require you had at least grade C in English Language and Maths. To be fair if you couldn't manage that I would question how you would manage the A level requirements unless you had a very specific reason. When I did A level Maths they gave us old O Level past papers to practice on as they were at a similar level. They really were. I'm sorry if anyone feels I am saying exams have been made easier and is offended but they really have and that is exactly what I am saying.
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Or maybe, we teachers are teaching well.
SATs passes have stayed in-line with previous tests, even after the government chastised us, called us lazy and selfish for threatening strike action because of the pace of changes and the defiant attitude presented when introducing these reforms that aren't particularly relevant. Which 11 year old absolutely needs to know the subjunctive and passive form off by heart? None! Granted, it sets you in good stead for languages, but it is an absolutely ridiculous requirement, so to say that exams have been made easier given the reduction of two-year age groups, I'd have to argue that they're not easier - they're harder due to the level and age they are set at.
Teachers do a brilliant job. But back in 1992 we used old maths O Level past papers to practice for A levels because they were the same level questions. Now either the GCSE papers were easier than the old O Levels, the A Levels were easier than the old A Levels or both or maybe they just found us a load of O Levels from a particularly tough year when the curriculum was totally different. I certainly from experience do not believe that the kids have got loads cleverer or the teachers have got that much better in a decade or two.
I take it English was easier or not taught at all in those days?
I can't comment on English. I got A's in Language and Literature (Despite my poor effort on here) and dropped it after GCSE. The sciences would be what I had a few years more experience in.
One thing I remember when being taught GCSE Chemistry was being told we were taught it that way because they had to and if we did it at A level we would understand what the teacher meant. I studied it at A Level and understood what the teacher meant. The GCSE lessons were basically a load of bobbins.
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