SQA results support thread 2012

Hi everyone. Very pleased here, DS2 got 5As and DS3 did astonishingly well with 3 As and 2 Bs. SGs and DS4- 4 1s, 3 2s and an A.

Higher jitters.
DD - now starting S5- got an A in a higher, 3 1s and 3 2s. She was pleased, but I wasn't (I know she did quite well but she put very little effort in.
S5 plan is: AH +3 Highers. She has a uni course in mind which is entry by audition but if she doesn't get in to that I doubt she'll get good enough grades for uni as her highers are mostly the ones she got 2s in.

Haven't been able to get hold of any of DC1's teachers, but we're still baffled here. I'm wondering if, in the heat of the exam, DC1's handwriting, which isn't great at the best of times, degenerated into illegibility, and they just haven't marked sections they couldn't read.

Obviously, if they can't read his writing, that's DC1's fault, but does anyone know if there's any way of finding out what went wrong? He did worse than predicted last year, and now again this year. If the problem is his handwriting rather than lack of knowledge, then he needs to put his efforts into that.

I don't think he'll be allowed to do higher English if he got a 3 in the standard grade... At DSs' school, you need a 1 or 2 to do Highers, but they do them in one year, so it's maybe different

I think they carry on with the higher they dont re sit fast track jac dd1 was fast tracked in 3rd year and did her higher over 2 years , a 3 is a pass though speak to the teachers when he goes back they will might revise it for him and let him do Int 2 instead of Higher English ,

DS1 is has just finished 3rd year but we had 2 results.

Intermediate Maths in which he got an A and Standard Grade English in which he got a 3. He was predicted a 1 or 2 . He was doing fast track where they sit the exam at the end of 3rd year then start on the Higher course in 4th year. Not sure if will resit the English next year or just carry on with the Higher anyway.

I have found the last few days fairly stressful. I think next year when it is the 'real thing' I will have to be on valium!

LadyBeagle - St Andrews select people for interview on their results and personal statement. I think that is the only information the selectors are given. Which is a fairer system. Not all medical students come from posh schools. Far from it.
But he must do some long term experience in a caring capacity of some sort to put in his statement. All medical schools set great store by that nowadays.

Namechangeabc, that's Edinburgh for you!

Oh i remember you saying he was Dux lady is weird the things I remember makes me look like a stalker or something

DD has been told she isnt at a proper uni by some of her old school friends she is just meh,

AgentProvocateur, no he was doing Higher Psychology through school. Expecting a B, half-hoping it might be an A, but he got a No Award. There was a report as part of it, which DC1 thinks was worth 20% of the mark. His teacher had assessed DC1's report as being graded at 90%, so if DC1 is right about that, he already had 18% of the overall mark in the bag before he even started the exam. So he's gutted to get a No Award!

Does anyone know about Higher Psychology??

(PS We went to Edinburgh Uni Open Day, and someone called Fiona looked at DS1 like he was something she'd scraped off her shoe and told him not to bother even applying (to do English) as it would just waste a line in his UCAS form. "You do realise the calibre of student we accept here, don't you?" she said. So we gave up on the rest of Open Day and went and had a slap-up lunch instead. )

Ds was dux, I know he won't get into Edinburgh though, the city I was born and bred .
I do think they should stop being so snobbish, but I suppose bringing in the private schools from both Scotland and England reduces the chances of kids like my ds, when he gets into university, whatever he does, he'll shine.
I still hope he'll get into medicine as he would make an amazing Doctor.
And we'd all miss out when we're old and grey, because he'd be such a natural.

Oh edinburgh is notorious DDs year school dux didnt get in to Edinburgh

I dont really thinkt hey will look for all As tbh and they dont even need two sciences dd was going to go into medical research but changed her mind in 6th year , have a look at the enterance for uni for medicine now

Was he doing it at school? The only person I know who did it was doing in online thru Napier university, but still got mark on award certificate today. If he did it externally, it might be test centre's cock up

Did anyone's DC do Higher Psychology? DC1's teacher won't be in school this week and we're baffled by the No Award.

He's doing work experience at a surgery in Inverness this week.
And yes I agree about volunteering in a Nursing Home, my experience of medical students when I've been in hospital is not a good one.
I've always told him that however academic he is, he needs to learn people skills and I know he's taken that on board, so yes, a brilliant idea.
Just hope the medical schools agree when it's his time to apply.

Lady, sorry if I sounded blunt. Edinburgh have ridiculous selection procedures. They don't interview. So your DS has no opportunity to shine for them beyond his results and personal statement.

The other unis are more sensible and he's more likely to get interviews at them. Not sure about Glasgow, but definitely the others. And Dundee is more likely to give you an interview if he phones them and asks for one! There they sometimes don't interview candidates who have 5 As as they know they are likely to get offers from the other unis.

Rant away! Also what would help would be relevant volunteering - most of DS's friends who want to get into medicine are volunteering already in nursing homes etc. He'll have a chance to shine at the interview too - and I'd hope they'd look favourably on a motivated child of single parent.

I've told him to appeal, he got a B in the prelims and in his standards.
No, I know he won't get Edinburgh but surely if he gets advanced maths, chemistry and a physics higher next year, it will make a difference.
It's just so annoying that because he can't dissect Shakespeare or modern literature to the correct standards, but is a whizz at all the sciences and got an A in Modern Studies (so not a total science nerd) that it will preclude him from Medicine.
And he just goes to an ordinary high school, with me a single parent who has lived on benefits (though he does have a relationship with his dad) and the competition will be all the naice privately educated kids.
Ok, that's unfair, but I feel like a rant

Both St Andrews and Dundee might consider him for medicine with those grades. Edinburgh definitely wouldn't though.

Could he appeal? What were his NABs and his prelim results like?

Thanks Agent.
He's right then, though it does seem that Aberdeen will accept 4 A's and a C.
I'm so gutted for him, they do make the English so hard these days and in the long run, why he needs to be an expert on literature to qualify for medicine is beyond me.
He's a smart articulate kid, I don't get why he didn't get a B at least.

Im not a teacher or an expert, but I do remember at a parent's information evening the HT saying that you needed 5As at first sitting to get into MOST courses for medicine. Changed days - my best friend got in with an A, 3Bs and a C back in the early 80s.

Ds 4 As (maths, biology, chemistry and modern studies) and one C (English).
He's away on a work placement at the moment and phoned me at 6 am in tears about the C.
He want's to do medicine, and will be doing advanced Highers in Maths and Chemistry next year as well as Higher pyhsics, but insists that only 5 A's would be could enough to get into medical school.
Please tell me he's wrong, any teachers/experts out there and I can reassure him, his English has never been great but he expected a B at least.