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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

755 replies

user1494154933 · 07/05/2017 13:45

This is going to sound ridiculous and I wasn't going to post, as you'll probably call me stupid Blush 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 Hmm 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?

OP posts:
Original poster
user1494154933 · 07/05/2017 14:53

Oops, meant to be: He is doing a photography course which is what he wants to do. This is just to 'prove' to me

OP posts:
Arkhamasylum · 07/05/2017 14:57

I kind of admire his thinking. He's trying to prove his hypothesis through experimentation. If he doesn't pass though, will he take this as evidence that he has to do the work? If so, it will have been a worthwhile thing to do. And if he passes...

Couchpotato3 · 07/05/2017 14:57

You can't know for sure what he has been up to - maybe he has secretly been swotting? You seem very keen for him to trip up in order to prove you right. Good for him for seeing it through and giving it a go. He might surprise you.

gunsandbanjos · 07/05/2017 14:58

I started revising the day before my 3rd year university numerical analysis course having gone to maybe 25% of the lectures and got 72% so I guess it's possible.

Mrsknackered · 07/05/2017 15:05

I really want him to be able to do it Grinbut the reality? No. He will fail.

Like PP said, those who got 'just an A' had dropped Maths by Christmas.

I'm so so shit at Maths. I got a C when I was in Year 9 and refused to redo it in Year 10 or 11 because the prospect of ever sitting in another Maths class made me feel physically sick.

LynetteScavo · 07/05/2017 15:06

I'm marking my place, as this is the kind of thing my DS would do! He started 6th form at it really annoyed him that the teachers expected him to do some work...so he left Hmm He seemed to think he could wing it by just turning up to lessons like he had for GCSE.

I really, really hope the lad does well..,please keep us updated when he gets his results OP!

TestingTestingWonTooFree · 07/05/2017 15:15

Interested to see how he gets on.

noblegiraffe · 07/05/2017 15:19

He'll fail, but what I'm interested in is whether he even makes it as far as the exam.

Teach himself from past papers and mark schemes? He won't even understand them.

AcrossthePond55 · 07/05/2017 15:20

I think it depends on the person. My DS1 and I have what we jokingly refer to as 'nearly' eidetic memories so yes, we could probably do well with just one week's revision, especially in something as 'concrete' as maths.

And there is 'something' to learning how to take tests. My DS2 can know something backwards and forwards but you put him in an exam room with a written exam and he will draw a blank. You sit with him and have him verbally answer those same questions and he does fine.

Brains are weird.

Original poster
user1494154933 · 07/05/2017 15:21

He is going to that exam!! After everything, he has to. I would be so disappointed if he didn't go. I will definitely update.

OP posts:
nakedandconcerned · 07/05/2017 15:22

My sister teachers maths at a level. Dh always says any student who got less than an A* at gcse will struggle with maths a-levels. The gap between the work is huge! The hardest stuff at gcse is the easiest stuff at AS

DixieNormas · 07/05/2017 15:24

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SunshineDeLaSoul · 07/05/2017 15:27

Yeah, he's fucked.

Will be interesting to see if he can get beyond a U though. Bloody kids.

Unihorn · 07/05/2017 15:27

I was like this for GCSEs and A Levels but it didn't last me to university. I dropped out because I was too lazy and hadn't ever learnt to revise. AS level Maths is a big step up from GCSE but still, you either get Maths or you don't. In interested to see how he ends up!

sonjadog · 07/05/2017 15:28

So he hasn´t actually done any A-level Maths yet at all? I thought at first you meant he hadn´t started revising.

He has no chance.

Bluntness100 · 07/05/2017 15:30

I think he will really struggle here as there is a big leap from GCSE to as level. He does have a point on past papers and mark schemes, it is an important part of it, but you still need to know your stuff.

I'm going to guess the first past paper he looks at he's going to realise he can't do it and not attend the exam, with some bullshit excuse like "what's the point "

Presstheresetbutton · 07/05/2017 15:31

I passed two years of an open uni degree by reading the questions, looking for the answers in the material and then writing about it. 24 hrs for each one. Never did any of the other reading.

Scored between 70-80% for each one Blush

Good luck to him!

User99573864 · 07/05/2017 15:33

I think it's possible to cram to pass an exam, in studying a subject at degree level and I do a lot of last minute cramming and I think it's the thing that helps me pass the exams the most!

noblegiraffe · 07/05/2017 15:33

press you can't look for the answers in the material for maths, you have to work them out using methods that you have practised over and over answering similar questions.

Bluntness100 · 07/05/2017 15:36

Agree in maths it's different you need to understand the methodology and terminology and know how to do it.

Pepperedpig · 07/05/2017 15:41

I'd love to know how he gets on.

OhYouBadBadKitten · 07/05/2017 15:43

I'll be fascinated to see how he does.

StillHungryy · 07/05/2017 15:44

I have even at uni, it's really hard though

kmc1111 · 07/05/2017 15:45

He may well do ok. I got through my exams just fine with a day of revising and looking at past papers for each one. University was a totally different thing obviously (and I adjusted fine to that), but you can get through most exams if you just figure out what they're looking for. You don't need to understand it, just need a good short term memory.

GreenHairDontCare · 07/05/2017 15:47

This is hilarious! I've just told DH and he's roaring. He says Maths A level was harder in a lot of ways than his degree.