Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wish that for one day only, we could celebrate academic success

102 replies

Lelloteddy · 17/08/2017 21:23

Without social media being saturated with whimsical/passive aggressive/patronising posts and sermons about exam results being meaningless.
And of course academic success is only a small part of life but for one day only, on the day when many kids are celebrating the culmination of a couple of years of damn hard work with decent A level results, do they have to be shot down with what often sounds like sour grapes and told that their success is unimportant ?

C&P from a FB post that showed up on my timeline as an example:

' There are many options available to you and other ways to achieve your dreams. From repeating your exams, various types of further education, apprenticeships or employment whether it be paid or voluntary they all will help you on your journey. We all have different routes to take us there. And one route is not necessarily better than another'

Is there REALLY any need for the last sentence? Talk about pissing on people's chips Hmm

OP posts:
BertrandRussell · 17/08/2017 22:57

"Is there REALLY any need for the last sentence? Talk about pissing on people's chips hmm"

I don't understand. Seems fine to me.

Onceuponatime21 · 17/08/2017 22:57

Someone shared the link to the local paper with our local school's results, and lots of very happy smiley sixthformers, and the first and only comment was - well that's all fine, but what about the apprentices and real workers (paraphrased).

I don't know why we can't celebrate the success of one group, without being afraid of upsetting another set of students ? It's one article a year in the local rag. How hard would it have been to have just said "fab, well done them". keyboard warriors.

Notknownatthisaddress · 17/08/2017 23:00

These people bashing the A level success are just bitter and jealous. No other reason for it.

It's the same as these naysayers who bash so called soft degrees like media. I know half a dozen people who took 'soft' degrees, who are making 5 times more than the nasty bashers who mock them.

Notknownatthisaddress · 17/08/2017 23:03

It's also utter bollocks that A levels are much easier now than back in the 80's and 90's.

Were they fuck much harder then?! Hmm

Papafran · 17/08/2017 23:03

Seriously, those that do well and go to top universities have a significantly brighter future than those that do not. That is a fact. They will have access to higher salaries, more interesting jobs, even better marriage prospects. They also tend to be the children that come from more affluent families, went to private or selective schools and may have parents with contacts and connections (or even parents with friends who do a professional job such as teacher, solicitor etc so that these jobs don't seem alien or out of reach). Their parents have often been degree educated themselves- it is the natural step that they go to uni. Yes, they have worked really hard to do well, but they also had support from their families, teachers etc.

Your average kid at a failing comprehensive with stressed, overworked teachers and a gang of mates who think it's lame to study is on the backfoot already. He or she might have to hold down a part time job. They may come from a family where academic success is not valued. They may have family problems, parental divorce, domestic violence etc. They may try really hard, but not quite make it.

The bit you copied and pasted does NOT in any way say that academic success is not valued. It says it is not the ONLY route to a career and that there are other options- your life is not over because you're not one of the identikit blonde girls leaping into the air on results day. We all know that those who have got top grades will be better off. Clifford Chance or Deutsche Bank are never going to employ someone with D grades who did an apprenticeship scheme. A large number of careers will be completely out of reach. But what that advert is doing is giving some hope and a different route to the non-academic one that can still lead to a meaningful and valuable career. I don't know why you would want to take that away from them.

But then they say, to the privileged, equality can seem like oppression...

Papafran · 17/08/2017 23:06

But most kids nowadays are very well aware of the options available to them. They don't live in a bubble. Are you really saying that the first time an 18 year old suddenly realised that they don't 'need' to go to uni is when they read some snippy post on FB?

Depends where they go to school, OP. If they are at a grammar or selective school, then yes, the university route can seem the only one and they can feel like catastrophic failures when they fail to live up to expectations.

Showandtell · 17/08/2017 23:06

Jesus.

Yes, YABVU.

Original poster
Lelloteddy · 17/08/2017 23:08

'I don't know why you would want to take that away from them. '

I haven't.

Those minimising academic success on the day that A level results are published however......

OP posts:
Headofthehive55 · 17/08/2017 23:11

I think it's fine to have little posts reminding those who haven't done as well as they hoped that there are still options and things to get excited about. And it's ok. And you can still be happy.

i don't think it takes away from those who, at this moment have done well.

Notknownatthisaddress · 17/08/2017 23:12

You are so right @papafran

I know several graduates (in addition to the ones who did the 'soft' degrees,) who are 22 to 24 y.o, who left uni last year, and their starting salary in their chosen career is £25 to £30k a year.

I know people twice their age, and even older, who got to GCSE level education only, who are only on half that. And many of them will never go above minimum pay.

The graduates salaries will probably be triple theirs, and even quadruple within 5 to 10 years. And as you say, many more doors will be open for them. Big advancement within companies, travel aboard, and a much more successful and fruitful life.

Papafran · 17/08/2017 23:12

Those minimising academic success on the day that A level results are published however

Well, your kids will have the last laugh. They will go to the top unis, get the top jobs, potentially run the country. The apprenticeship kids will not. Educational success is still hugely, hugely important in this country and bad a-level results can still haunt you 20 years later in careers such as law. So I would put it out of my mind if I were you. If they have done well, they are sorted.

BertrandRussell · 17/08/2017 23:15

Why is it minimizing A level success to say that there are other routes to success too?

I must be missing something!

Headofthehive55 · 17/08/2017 23:17

I agree Bertrand

ErrolTheDragon · 17/08/2017 23:23

ITA, bert. The post in the FB isn't pissing on anyone. It's true (one size doesn't fit all) and kind to those who may be in need of consolation.

Original poster
Lelloteddy · 17/08/2017 23:25

I've explained my POV a few times throughout the thread Bertrand. If you're still missing the point, that's no biggie. There are others who share my POV so it's not a totally alien concept Wink

OP posts:
Stickerrocks · 17/08/2017 23:28

Tomorrow the papers will be full of glossy blonds leaping in the air to celebrate their exam results. There is so much emphasis on the straight A/ A* students that kids achieving a string of B C D's can feel like a failure. Nobody is belittling students who have done well, but there is a whole other world out there. The body of a teenager was found in my local area today - I hope & pray that her death was not linked to exam results.

Notknownatthisaddress · 17/08/2017 23:36

@stickelrocks

I would wager that if a student kills themselves after getting bad A level results, (as your post is inferring,) there is a lot more going on than just annoyance or upset at the poor grades, and something would have tipped her over the edge pretty soon anyway.

ozymandiusking · 17/08/2017 23:36

Well said Lello Teddy.

TrishanFlips · 17/08/2017 23:37

It is quite possible to go from an apprenticeship route to boardroom . Of course not all will but then there will also be many graduates on minimum wage. It us true that there are many routes to success and it is important that that is reinforced to those indicated to those disappointed with their results today. Those that have done well should be happy enough anyway. Or do they feel they must be put on a pedestal at the expense of others?

misskelly · 17/08/2017 23:38

God it's tedious isn't it, every year without fail the moaning minis surface to declare how easy exams are now compared to when they sat them.

Im in Scotland so we have different exams and there are plenty here who complain too. But I have teenagers and haven't seen any indications that things are easier, quite the opposite. Back in the 80's and 90's you just needed a good memory to regurgitate information.

Morphene · 17/08/2017 23:38

I spent the whole of A-level day crying....but this year I feel doubly sorry for current teenagers. Firstly you can only pass what they put in front of you. They may well be better and brighter than teenagers in my day and I am damn certain they work harder...but they've been totally let down by piss poor assessments, and they cannot do anything about that. Secondly they've had their education destroyed by said piss poor assessments and the constant incessant testing they've had throughout.

I'm so ashamed this is the best my country has to offer young people.

Morphene · 17/08/2017 23:40

I meant I spent my A level results day crying....and getting drunk even though I wasn't 18 yet...so I have sympathy with anyone doing that today.

ErrolTheDragon · 17/08/2017 23:46

Those that have done well should be happy enough anyway. Or do they feel they must be put on a pedestal at the expense of others?

Don't worry - they are, and they don't.

BertrandRussell · 18/08/2017 00:22

"There are others who share my POV so it's not a totally alien concept wink"

Not alien. But wrong and mean spirited.

GenerationX2 · 18/08/2017 00:38

You ABVU - you are not really making sense - I read that post and see a lot of compassion in it, I'm sorry you are not able to feel compassion for those who have not done so well - it in no way takes away from those who have suceeded and achieved top marks.