DS thinks he can teach himself to pass an exam in a week. AIBU to think he is wrong?

[user1494154933]

This is going to sound ridiculous and I wasn't going to post, as you'll probably call me stupid or irresponsible, etc.

My son is now 18. He isn't a 'genius' or anything like that. He did ok at GCSEs but didn't try hard at all. I used to try my best to get him to revise for him exams, he refused to and said it was pointless and exams don't help etc. which is ridiculous because as much as I do agree it's about memory, you clearly do need to know, anyway, he did ok and got accepted into sixth form, he decided not to go and got a part time job but did a part time photography course in the evening (he is still doing that).

I don't really know how it came about but I think I brought it up about how his exams were important and does he agree now he has matured and he was saying how he doesn't agree because exams aren't showing how intelligent you are, etc. and anyone can do them if they learn the exam technique. Last year (around december) he was telling me how he was going to prove it, he booked himself into the Maths AS exams for this summer (last year you can do these ones I believe). He hasn't learnt anything yet and I keep bringing it up (he spent £150 odd pounds for the exams (private candidate) and will sit them at his college he goes to part time) and he is telling me 'to wait and see'. He says when he has a week until the exam he will start learning the technique of it? I could slightly understand if a different subject, but he seems to think for Maths it works the best. I really don't understand his whole thinking behind this, but can't wait to be like WTF when he doesn't pass...

AIBU to think this is just stupid and not possible?

The most likely outcome for a student who got a B in maths GCSE is a fail at AS, with a whole year of lessons, studying, doing homework, past papers and so on.

The first module of AS maths is mostly A* grade GCSE material. He couldn't master that with his revision technique at GCSE so why would it work for AS level?

I taught myself A Level Government & Politics in 5.5 months in the evenings and weekends - I started after Christmas and the exam was in June. It was when A levels were a two year course with three exams. I did it with the past papers, too - worked out which topics came up, wrote down every question that had ever come up for that topic and wrote an essay answering each question. I got a grade B.

I'm not sure you could do the same with a Maths exam, though. It's all building blocks, isn't it?

Some A Levels are a natural progression from GCSE level...English Language for instance, I noticed little difference in much of it in terms of difficulty between GCSE and A Level, just more quantity wise was expected.

A Level maths is a whole different ball game IME. I got an A* in maths at GCSE without revision...it came naturally, I didn't need to study beyond what we did in class. Couldn't do the same at A Level, there are too many mathematical concepts that need to be learned and aren't touched on in GCSE. I'm amazed by the pp who says they did it in a day, I don't see how that's possible with no prior experience at that level, even if you're extremely talented.

I don't think he can learn it in a week but I do agree with him on the importance of exams.

If the syllabus has not changed much he might just do it! I used past papers for practice in 1st year of my degree, quite surprised to find some of the exam questions were recycled!

noble, he didn't revise for gcse. He did fuck all. He was extremely annoying! But still I think he would need something like an A* to do this.

In my Maths A Level class of about 15, most of us had had A at GCSE level and there were still some that struggled. Only those with A at GCSE were encouraged to do it at A Level.

There were a couple who'd 'only' had A at GCSE and they were the ones that dropped out by Christmas. With a B at GCSE and a few days only of learning I think it's highly unlikely your ds will get anywhere near a pass tbh.

I completely agree.

I was like this

I aced my GCSES with little effort and applied the same theory to my A levels

Did okay enough to get into an ex poly but was predicted red brick grades.

TBF I did pass, but I didn't get the easy As I should have got with more consistant effort.

I know it's very different. My French Dh (who has postgrad qualifications) gave himself two weeks to memorise and pass the British citizenship test. He read the book cover to cover then did the all the past paper tests from two books I bought him so 3 books total. Alongside working. He passed. So things like this can be done if you have a great memory. But I think maths is the hardest one to do because you can't just memorise information, you have to apply it.

He will fail. He has done no maths for a year, he only got a B at GCSE and he's a lazy arse. These would predict a fail even for a student who attended all classes.

I think it's unlikely he will pass.

Oh he's not planning to look through books and teach himself the material, he is planning to do it via all the past papers.... and mark schemes, etc.

He's basically me at that age!

You can get As at GCSE through 90% exam technique and 10% cramming

At A level they want you to demonstrate a level of familiarity with the material that you can't really show through cramming and technique alone. You actually need to put in the time.

My ds has 12 GCSEs at A*, A and B , 3 A levels at A, B and C and a first in computing and has never revised before the day / night before an exam , but I think learning the whole syllabus is a lot to cram into a day

I don't think you would be allowed / encouraged to do maths A level at our local 6th form colleges if you had only got a B at GCSE.
He is either brilliant or arrogantly deluded.
Please let us know which !
He sounds like the sort of character who has to figure things out for himself.

I think this is the opportunity you had for berating him for not even doing a week of revision for GCSE.

He won't manage it. In fact I think from a B at GCSE I'll be very impressed if he gets a pass in any form with a week's work.

If he was brilliant he'd have got virtually full marks at GCSE. Arrogantly deluded it is I'm afraid.

He only got accepted for maths originally because 'he had potential' and was told if in the first term they saw he wasnt engaging, he would have to leave the course, hence he didn't bother to go...

Yes, he is very lazy.

It's not the revision that's the problem it's the attendance.

My tutor in Yr1 of uni told me, If you miss a 1hour lecture, it'll take you 3 hours at home to make it up. I think he is right. Attendance is 9/10ths of the game

I don't think he has a hope of passing.

If he attended and didn't revise, then I think he might have a chance of a pass (like I did), but without the attendance, no chance whatsoever!

I think most children will go through this at one time or another, whether it be a music exam or school exams. You can't make them, they need to work out how to learn for themselves.

Please let us know - I definitely don't think he'll pass!

A Levels are a very different ball game. I doubt he'll fly through A Levels with little or no study. Oh dear.

tinseltwins has it correct , we think the reason ds only got a C in the geography A level was because he missed loads of classes after an issue with one of the teachers .

I would step back and just see what happens.

My ds(for context he does have High functioning Asperger's) did GCSE French, but didn't take it for A Level.

Just before Half Term in year 13, he asked if he could join the A Level class and take it later that year. His college said if he achieved a grade C in AS after Half term, he could. He studied virtually non stop, got the C in the mock, achieved A* in his A level 9 months later and went on to study French and Russian at Cambridge.

So, it is possible. Believe in your Son.

To be fair, this isn't his actual future or anything. He is doing a photography course which is what he wants to do 'prove' to me.