Applying for Uni 2019 Part 6: exams, leaving school/college (the end of an era), a long summer holiday and Results Day on the horizon

[NewModelArmyMayhem18]

Just when exam season gets fully underway our previous thread has almost filled up. Everyone welcome .

I think even within boards the different specs some are considered to be harder than others. DS has been told his physics is harder than some others (no idea if this is true, btw). I pointed out that to a uni an A is an A. Or is it? Would they offer different grades for different boards? Certainly down the line no-one will care what board it was. Back in the day I did all "London" board.

Anyone else got a DC with terrible hay fever this week? All I can hear is mine sniffing and sneezing.

Dd has gone into school today to revise as her teachers will be available during their usual timetabled lesson slots to support. On anther note, just ordered her leavers ball dress which we've been waiting to reduce in price (Debenhams, in case anyone else was also waiting! )

How has your DS's enforced exam isolation gone, Piggy?

Yeah, OK. Anyone would think he would use this opportunity to head off for school an hour later than normal for a bit of last minute cramming... errmmm, no!

He says I need to 'chill' because this is the exam he is least worried about. Doesn't help that my Spanish teacher friend says he should have some kind of list of about 90000000 Spanish words and verb forms to learn!

Apparently, there was more controversy yesterday with an English Lit question once more featuring obscure characters, but I haven't seen the paper yet. And that paper has choices and is open book, so my sympathy is rather limited there.

DD said yesterday’s OCR EngLit was ok, nothing controversial but not an open book exam!

I think this one was AQA.

Relief to know the second OCR paper was OK after the Hamlet fiasco!!

Just popping in to see how the A level crew are getting on. Sending all appropriate Good Luck, Get Well and Hope The Isolation Isn't Too Bad vibes as appropriate!

DC1 has been chilling, gigging, reading for pleasure, & binge watching Good Omens. The rest of you will get to this point soon

Went to GP this morning my GP mate said to get a letter explaning how ill my son has been for the exam board. GP said go to reception and get it organised. So went to reception who did the goldfish routine, no bloody idea what I was talking about. I then said I know I have to pay, hallelujah a lightbulb moment she then found the right forms. I then had to write a letter in bloody reception explaining the circumstances which she stapled to the form. I could scream. Apparently the secretaries would then deal with it.

Bring thank you and we can’t wait! Dd got 2 days from hell of cram revision (for exams tomorrow and Thursday) of stuff she hasn’t looked at for 10 days because of the 2 exams she did yesterday. There have been a few tears. It’s really difficult having them crammed together so tightly when, with her subjects, there’s so many quotes, names and dates to remember. Of all things, there were two fighting blackbirds at 5am bouncing off her window so she’s shattered. I did sciences....much easier!

just make sure your school exams officer knows what is happening and you are waiting for the GP letter. It can take ages for the letter to be written.

Dd has OCR for everything, not really sure why - at the open day they said they thought it a better preparation for science at university. I recall having to unlearn my A level science when I started my degree so I’m not convinced!

The only one we really curse is physics - they picked the dreaded OCR B (all modules examined in all papers) rather than A because it was ‘more interesting’.

She’s in chemistry now, I’m trying not to think about it :(

DS1 reported the Spanish exam was intense and he 'really had to concentrate' (sounds like he had to manage his own sound files as well for the listening which I'm a bit about) but he thought it was quite good.

I am still reeling from a really awful film exam for my own students yesterday : well, one of the 10 mark questions, anyway. I couldn't answer it! Aaargh. This is the exam board I am dumping.

DS’s comment about today’s exam, AQA Economics:

“it was okay..it was good. None of the things I studied came out but I knew what to say”.

Dd chemistry (OCR A)

“cautiously optimistic, I answered everything. Not checking anyone else’s answers because I like the illusion it wasn’t a disaster”

Deep breath for biology now. Such a slog.

“ Not checking anyone else’s answers because I like the illusion it wasn’t a disaster”

I think this is by far the best approach. Much better to put it straight out of your mind and move onto the next one.

DS has had 7 of his 10 exams, but the crucial ones (Further Maths) drag on until 24 June, which seems so far away.

OCR religous studies went well this morning. First one in subject, but she sounds positive in that she mentioned the possibility of getting a higher grade.

CIE geography, a bit of a mix, first half not good, second half much better which lots to put into the essay element.

DD feeling really tired. Having a short break now, but will start revision later for geography on Thursday.

Must be the opposite spec to ds's, Piggy as he also does AQA but there's no choice of question - in fact only one question for whichever texts you've studied for qu 3 and, annoyingly, no different grade boundaries depending on which texts you use. Ds's class appear to have suffered as the texts they studied for the comparison question (q3) really didn't lend themselves to the only question.

Media GCSE teacher at my school upset about their last question yesterday. It was apparently really not obvious which theory they were supposed to refer to. Can't remember which board we use.

Just reading about the scientists and econ students (sensibly) not comparing answers with friends. Funny, because that's not really worth doing anyway with arts/hums subjects because how could you really compare a 5/6 page 30 mark essay? It's kind of about how you've written it, not what 'facts' you've remembered/used, iyswim.

dangling is that English you are talking about there?

I think it's the same appear : so I think the insignificant characters was the one text question and was on Streetcar where ( I think) they had a choice (it's actually a fantastic question). And then the comparative Q (yes, no choice) was on 'cultural differences' and I know students on Twitter were in uproar 'because there are no 'brown people' [I quote] ! That is a tough question for Carol Ann Duffy but there should have been stuff to say on other texts : lots to say on Streetcar , God of Small Things (MANY 'brown people' but not a popular text choice) and even on Handmaid's Tale depending on your definition of culture : tell him not to panic : whatever he wrote will be regarded as valid.

Yes, Eng lit.

Ds's texts were Oranges and All My Sons. He wrote about generational cultural differences for both (patriotism in AMS) and obviously place/generation/religion for Oranges but felt his answer was a bit nebulous.

Ds did Duffy for q1 where there is a choice and liked that one. Also the unseen was Ann Tyler but he can't remember what! I should check out SR. Tyler is a bit...middle-brow??

DS couldn’t answer a few of the Chemistry (OCR A) questions 😢
Not the start we were hoping for.