Exams | Mumsnet

Alwaysworryingoversomething · 2023-03-10T15:31:05+00:00

It's more "are they being unreasonable?" I've had 3 students (university) tell me today that it's "not fair" that they have to take standard 3 hour, in person exams at the end of the academic year. I've heard this from many other students since September. I think they are being unreasonable. They think that it's not fair because they haven't done those sort of exams since GCSE. How can they possibly be expected to do them? They needed more warning and help to prepare. I just think they're being ridiculous.

jigsaw234 · 10/03/2023 15:33

FFS.

almondfinger · 10/03/2023 15:33

It’s quite worrying that they can’t cope with an exam. How will they cope in the real world when they have to go to work for 7 whole hours a day?

jigsaw234 · 10/03/2023 15:33

(that was aimed at them not you)

Santasoorplooms · 10/03/2023 15:34

They will all be in the same boat then. Can you reply the same way you would to a huffing ten year old ie. nod sympathetically and say yes, very unfair, but you still have to go to bed/brush your teeth/sit exams at university.

Original poster

Alwaysworryingoversomething · 10/03/2023 15:34

jigsaw234 · 10/03/2023 15:33

(that was aimed at them not you)

😂 phew!

OP posts:

Original poster

Alwaysworryingoversomething · 10/03/2023 15:35

Santasoorplooms · 10/03/2023 15:34

They will all be in the same boat then. Can you reply the same way you would to a huffing ten year old ie. nod sympathetically and say yes, very unfair, but you still have to go to bed/brush your teeth/sit exams at university.

That's pretty much what I have been doing.
I'm fed up with it today!

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clary · 10/03/2023 15:35

Did they not sit A-levels in 2022? Or did they all take a gap year?

I agree OP they are being utterly unreasonable.

00100001 · 10/03/2023 15:35

They will have done them at GCSE or ALevel what nonsense. Nobody had 4 consecutive years of exams cancelled.

00100001 · 10/03/2023 15:37

And if only there was some way they could possibly prepare for the exams... I mean there's no way they can possibly find some oast example papers or ask for questions and sit quietly and try and do their best in A set time.
Such a shame they aren't adults and aren't able to sort themselves out in plenty of time...

MargaretThursday · 10/03/2023 15:40

Has your uni been doing 24 hour on line exams for the last couple of years and have just been told that they're in person this year?

I can sort of see where they're coming from if they've been expecting 24 hour exams and now aren't, because they're quite different to do and suit different people.

I don't think it's unfair, but I can see how they might feel if they hadn't been expecting to do that and haven't done in person exams since potentially GCSEs.

Untitledsquatboulder · 10/03/2023 15:54

Maybe just reassure them a bit? Do they have access to past papers in a similar format? If they are doing finals then I think they have a point - why has your uni not done in person exams before now?

Original poster

Alwaysworryingoversomething · 10/03/2023 16:00

clary · 10/03/2023 15:35

Did they not sit A-levels in 2022? Or did they all take a gap year?

I agree OP they are being utterly unreasonable.

These are not necessarily first years - they will have had online exams at university for a year or two.

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Original poster

Alwaysworryingoversomething · 10/03/2023 16:01

MargaretThursday · 10/03/2023 15:40

Has your uni been doing 24 hour on line exams for the last couple of years and have just been told that they're in person this year?

I can sort of see where they're coming from if they've been expecting 24 hour exams and now aren't, because they're quite different to do and suit different people.

I don't think it's unfair, but I can see how they might feel if they hadn't been expecting to do that and haven't done in person exams since potentially GCSEs.

They haven't just been told, it's been known about since the beginning of the academic year. I think some have just not thought about it until now.

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murasaki · 10/03/2023 16:01

We've had to re impose some in person exams due to egregious use of ChatGPT in some assignments this term. Tough luck.

Original poster

Alwaysworryingoversomething · 10/03/2023 16:06

MargaretThursday · 10/03/2023 15:40

Has your uni been doing 24 hour on line exams for the last couple of years and have just been told that they're in person this year?

I can sort of see where they're coming from if they've been expecting 24 hour exams and now aren't, because they're quite different to do and suit different people.

I don't think it's unfair, but I can see how they might feel if they hadn't been expecting to do that and haven't done in person exams since potentially GCSEs.

But why is "not fair" to be asked to do something you haven't done before? Surely it's all part of learning.

I'm sure those who have been on a placement or year abroad (which they are unlikely to have done before) didn't think it was "unfair" that they were asked to do that.

It's Friday & I am tired.

Departments are putting on exam workshops, revision classes etc. so I feel the university is doing what it needs to.

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CalistoNoSolo · 10/03/2023 16:11

YANBU. DD is about to take 4 A levels having not sat a formal exam since the 11+. It's way less than ideal and she needs very good grades to get to her target university, but beyond the odd gripe she's just cracking on. She's known since gcse's were cancelled that this would be the case, I can't imagine it's come as much of a surprise to your students?

clary · 10/03/2023 16:12

Alwaysworryingoversomething · 10/03/2023 16:00

These are not necessarily first years - they will have had online exams at university for a year or two.

Show quote history

Ah OK I get you. My ds is a second year so he did exams last in 2019 GCSEs. He seems to be managing OK with exams tho. I think some this year and last have been in person.

Clarinet1 · 10/03/2023 16:13

You don’t say what your role is in this - personal tutor? Head of department? Student counsellor? Which may have a bearing on how you handle it. Either “Tough luck - that’s what’s expected at this level” or some confidence-building and revision planning support and reminders of exam techniques eg spending the right proportion of time on each question, making sure you answer all parts of the question etc.

CalistoNoSolo · 10/03/2023 16:14

murasaki · 10/03/2023 16:01

We've had to re impose some in person exams due to egregious use of ChatGPT in some assignments this term. Tough luck.

Had no idea that ChatGPT could be used this way. I can't imagine what the point would be - surely a student doing this is just setting themselves up to fail?

Original poster

Alwaysworryingoversomething · 10/03/2023 16:25

Clarinet1 · 10/03/2023 16:13

You don’t say what your role is in this - personal tutor? Head of department? Student counsellor? Which may have a bearing on how you handle it. Either “Tough luck - that’s what’s expected at this level” or some confidence-building and revision planning support and reminders of exam techniques eg spending the right proportion of time on each question, making sure you answer all parts of the question etc.

yes this sort of information / advice / guidance is provided by academic departments + study skills sessions + workshops etc.

Students are always anxious about exams. It's the "unfairness" claim which is annoying me today. I suppose I expect university students to expect to do exams. They're not the ideal mode of assessment in many cases but they're not an unusual one.

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murasaki · 10/03/2023 16:25

Well yes, it was easily spottable apparently. Also as it hadn't read the rubric amd tried to answer all three questions rather than the one required. It gives a facile answer but with no analysis, and really didn't work on a science discipline. So now all the other students have to come in because 5 are cheaters.

Untitledsquatboulder · 10/03/2023 16:46

So are these finals? Because if you are expecting people to do in person finals without any in person exams up til now then that is really a bit shit. Assuming it's not finals but mocks or other rnd of year exams then point out its useful practice for finals.

00100001 · 10/03/2023 16:50

CalistoNoSolo · 10/03/2023 16:11

YANBU. DD is about to take 4 A levels having not sat a formal exam since the 11+. It's way less than ideal and she needs very good grades to get to her target university, but beyond the odd gripe she's just cracking on. She's known since gcse's were cancelled that this would be the case, I can't imagine it's come as much of a surprise to your students?

She'll have sat her mocks though. That's what is the standard prep for exams.

00100001 · 10/03/2023 16:52

Untitledsquatboulder · 10/03/2023 16:46

So are these finals? Because if you are expecting people to do in person finals without any in person exams up til now then that is really a bit shit. Assuming it's not finals but mocks or other rnd of year exams then point out its useful practice for finals.

The students will have done either GSCE or ALevel in person.

Also plenty of people go to uni later i. Life never having sat formal exams for 20+ years.... You just get on with it don't you??

MargaretThursday · 10/03/2023 17:01

Alwaysworryingoversomething · 10/03/2023 16:06

But why is "not fair" to be asked to do something you haven't done before? Surely it's all part of learning.

I'm sure those who have been on a placement or year abroad (which they are unlikely to have done before) didn't think it was "unfair" that they were asked to do that.

It's Friday & I am tired.

Departments are putting on exam workshops, revision classes etc. so I feel the university is doing what it needs to.

Show quote history

I said I didn't think it was unfair.

However I can see how they might be panicking a little about them if, say they're third year and didn't do A-levels and have had 24 hour exams for the last 2 years. It's a very different preparation and technique.

For what it's worth, my dd loved 24 hour exams, because she works slowly and can keep on going for the full 24 hours. One of her friends doing the same subject, hated them because she works fast and runs out of energy after 3-4 hours.
They had 2nd year exams as 24 hours, 3rd year were 3 hour in person.
If they'd both been 24 hours dd might have scraped a 1st, her friend would have probably been getting a 2.2/3rd. If they'd both been 3 hour exams. DD might well have got a 3rd but her friend would almost certainly have got a 1st.
They both got 2:1s and were able to laugh about the discrepancy and it's made no difference to either of them. However with the difference in achievement you can see how a student might get stressed out about doing one way or the other.

I think "not fair" is code in teen/student age for "something that effects me and I know won't be changed and I can't do anything about it."
I think the response of "tough luck" is probably valid for them or if you want to be generous "yep, it's tough, but it's going to happen. Sorry."