I was predicted straight As but I messed around at school and that’s the only reason I didn’t end up with As

[imaginebird]

My bet is everyone has once in their life met someone that has said this.

the prediction can change immediately once the prelim result is released. You can absolutely be a straight A student who takes everyone by surprise and fail prelims and suddenly predicted to fail.

But none of these are 'i messed about'

Usually when I hear this, “I messed about” is usually their teen self talking and there is actually a more substantial reason behind it. In year 11 my friend had no history teacher and frequently not even a substitute for at least a term. She always describes it as though she just didn’t apply herself.

Also, the problem with this thinking is it makes it out as though straight A’s are often a result of innate talent, rather than hard work and potentially resources.

Similar to you @Doctorbear
my parents split up when I was 17, and my previously middle class very supported lifestyle disappeared within weeks.
I moved in with two similarly distressed friends and we lived off benefits which we spent on drugs and those alien crisps.
i had been told I could get into oxbridge (which i didn’t want to) throughly school and first year of college.
scraped through with two B’s, I had been de-registered at college so couldn’t sort it out in time to sit other exams.
Yes I messed around. Yes I could have got A’s, thanks. And you really don’t know.

I was predicted BBC when there were no A*
Got DDC.
It was science and my memory just couldnt cope with all the memorisation.
Sometimes too having one very tricky subject pulls them all down.
It was jisrpt before the change to modular and we did a few and i did much better.

My point was (and definitely on me for not explaining at all) is that you will come across people that are so full of themselves they will boast about achievements they never got.

I’ve heard the sentence in the title said by a few people.

I think I accidentally created the most dull thread. I really in a genuine way couldn’t care less what GCSE’s (or equivalent) you or your children got - just like you don’t care about my achievements.

Like I said I should have explained my point.

@AllProperTeaIsTheft

Actually happened to a girl in my class. Her dad was suddenly gay and divorcing her mum and yeah....

Well every one's children are bright and is they walk when they are 3 months old they are a genius or something like that

I would think a lot of the population is capable of A's if they put the work in but unless you have a crystal ball it is not certain

The person I know who would say this had a bout of severe depression in Y13. Says it so as not to go into detail/share that they had a really awful experience.

I was young for my year but managed excellent O level grades at 15 without much work. A levels were a completely different matter and I failed miserably as I didn't put in the effort, not because I didn't have the aptitude. I retook them in my 30s and got excellent grades.

Definitely a big jump from Nat5s or Standard Grades to Highers. DS finding this out the hard way and dropped one of his Highers. He sailed through the Nat5 but struggled with the Higher content.

I got very average grades at Higher level years ago, and I felt I tried my very best. Left school, completed a degree. Had a massive gap in studying, now back to it doing another degree 😂

Your Highers don't necessarily predict where you'll go in life. There are actually loads of great courses to do on day release at local colleges for high school kids nowadays. And many will just find their own way when it suits them.

I once went out with a guy who was very dismissive about my degrees, having dropped out of several university courses himself. He claimed that anyone can get a degree because it's easy and he could easily have done it himself, he just couldn't be bothered.

Um, being bothered is actually a major requirement for most things in life. Being able to work and apply yourself is obviously just as important as intelligence.

Though I'd say he wasn't arrogant so much as extremely insecure.