A level choices - school advice poor

[AllMimsyWereTheBorogoves]

The Student Room has done a survey, reported here. I suspect most people on MN are well placed to advise their children on this, but it might help some people to know that just choosing your favourite subjects is not always going to be the best approach. Bit dispiriting that teachers aren't already always saying that, though.

[Slipshodsibyl]

A lot of contextualising goes on. A lot. If you go to a school which is inexperienced you are more likely to be excused some anomalies. That said, two successful applicants for medicine I know had AABB at AS, one from a rural comprehensive, one from a famous school. Another, a clever student from a very well known school but with spld is set to do one of the most competitive subjects at Oxbridge with three A levels, including Art with only one truly 'academic' subject among the three. The student aced the aptitude test.

If you go to a school with more expertise in applications, more is expected: three A Levels with some serious extra interest or obvious intellect seems fine. But Whatever the official line in practice, four is not a waste of time if a student has the capacity and opportunity. Several tutors have told me quietly that they like to see four. I am sure not all feel the same. I prefer three and an epq, but four seems to trump that ime.

[Slipshodsibyl]

The successful applicants I mention are all this year's Upper Sixth.

[boys3]

GGT, sorry still struggling with this, although your explanation makes a lot of sense.

But if that then is the case how, in 2013, did 3347 DCs who only took 3 A levels score more than 540 UCAS points? Maybe 420pts for 3A*s, plus a 60 for a fourth AS A grade, plus maybe an EPQ?

What does the second column and associated points on the UCAS website, link below, therefore refer to?

www.ucas.com/how-it-all-works/explore-your-options/entry-requirements/tariff-tables


Sorry to be so dim on this

[boys3]

just to add GGT I'm not doubting you at all, just struggling to understand what the UCAS second column table actually refers to.

I guess at the end of the day DS1 has his grade specific offers, so his actual points are a bit neither here nor there. But maybe relevant in terms of broader advice and context from schools in general.

[goinggetstough]

boys I am not sure about the second column but I think those UCAS points refer to specific courses. They are not the more usual GCE A level courses that are taken and therefore have a different tariff.

As for the 3347 people who scored more than 540 points - was that in the Cambridge link you attached in an earlier post? If so, that does say underneath the table that these students took 3,4,5 A levels including general studies and critical thinking. For a student with 3 A* = 420 plus a 60 for an AS and then maybe a music exam or EPQ. It could be done that way.

My DCs were similiar to your DS and UCAS points were not relevant, their offers included letter grades.

Good luck to your DS on Thursday. I hope he gets the grades he needs.

[senua]

boys I think that I have worked out what the second column is about but it is deduction, I might be totally wrong!

Normally students start A Levels by doing an AS: they either carry on to A2 or they stop at AS. To get an AS you must pass three units; a further three units gets you an A2.

However, there are things called Double Awards at A Level (cf the double awards for GCSE science). If someone starts with a Double Award but decides at the end of Y12 to drop half of it but carry on with the other half then they end up with the "A Level with additional AS" i.e. 6 units of an A2 plus 3 units of an AS, so 9 units in total. I think that Double Awards are usually for more applied subjects eg Art & Design, Travel & Tourism.
Link to edexcel

[Whitenosugarplease]

Typically with the AQA board there are two units for AS and two for A2. The exceptions being maths, science as there is a small practical unit and I think languages.

Your child should know what board he/she is doing.

[Whitenosugarplease]

Boys3 - your sixth form should run an info evening in the autumn term to explain the points system along with other procedures. We run an UCAS for parents evening which tends to be very well attended and enables us to iron out a load of misunderstanding.

[boys3]

thanks wnsp. My interest stemmed more from roguedad's thoughts around tariff points on the league tables. DS1's firm offer is with Cambridge so grade as opposed to points based, therefore had not really considered overall points.

However whilst I've got you do you know if the UCAS points for subjects such as Critical Thinking and General Studies included in the average UCAS points entry shown on the uni league tables?

[titchy]

Yes total tariff score includes general studies, critical thinking, grade 6+ music and speech exams, gold arts award and a whole host of other quals! See here for full list:

www.ucas.com/how-it-all-works/explore-your-options/entry-requirements/tariff-tables

[fairylightsintheloft]

and I think the last two pages have more than answered the Ops question about why kids don;t get better advice. Different unis have different and ever changing requirements, different views of the value of GS, CT, ExP, Personal statements. With the best will in the world, unless a school is able to fund a member of staff to have a zero timetable and JUST be the UCAS expert (also researching overseas opportunities which are increasingly popular since tuition fees came in), schools will not be able to advise with the level of preciseness required. The info is out there but I do think the onus is primarily on the student to find out what the requirements are for THEIR course. Its not hard to do. Also I agree with a PP who said that actually schools give LOTS of guidance that just goes straight in one ear and out the other. Our L6th had 2 days in June when they came back from exams on UCAS, admissions, personal statements etc and I can GUARANTEE that all that info will be asked for again numerous times by many students and their parents. Its NOT simple, it constantly changes, and schools simply cannot provide the support needed for every single student if they refuse to take the initiative themselves (which, if they want to do well at Uni, frankly, they should be doing anyway).

[sashh]

There can be a huge difference in the offers made and actual results students achieve.

Way back in 'my day' a VI former in the year above had an offer from Oxford of 2 E grades. And I think that was just because you needed them to get a grant.

He didn't get E grades but the uni wanted him so made him a good offer.

[lljkk]

It amuses me that in the 1980s Prince Edward went up to Cambridge with DDE under his belt. Old Boy's network, much?

[CatherineofMumbles]

Hmm - yeah, even then, bit of a stretch. and didn't Charlie also go to Cantab with mediocre As?

[Abra1d]

I went to Oxford in 1982 with an offer of two Es (actually got three As) but that following successful entrance exams and interview.