University 2020 :7: Results tombola, roll up, roll up, pick a prize!

[MillicentMartha]

Well, it’s been a crazy few days.

Old thread www.mumsnet.com/Talk/higher_education/3962422-University-2020-6-The-one-with-the-results-at-the-end?watched=1&msgid=99082625#99082625

The school our DDs attend take their mocks very seriously. They are the conducted in the gym with external invigilators and a week of exam leave. They are as close to the real thing as they can be.

@Decorhate, of course they can't use the CAGs, that would be following Nicola Sturgeon. Much better to have stupid results!

Re GCSEs, my initial thought was that 40% will change, so similar to A levels, but larger cohorts, so works better statistically. Then I realised that a whole load of schools always get 90%+ A/A* (selective state and private), so those will not be changed much at all. Which means that the 40% falls on the non-selective schools, and is more like 50% (guessing, I have not checked what proportion of schools are selective). Each subject is looked in isolation, so although on average people at non-selective schools might expect to see half their grades go down, there will be some who see none go down and others who see them all go down.

I think the momentum is now such that they will all end up with CAGs inflated by the changes the algorithm put up which can't be taken away once awarded.

DD’s school hadn’t finished teaching the syllabus when lockdown happened. Exam leave for mocks isn’t a thing!

Ours are full papers (despite not always having covered full curriculum). Outside invigilators in exam conditions for one paper, in class for other. Usually resulting in low grades so the students & staff know where to focus the next few months.

The letter from Foxglove to Ofqusl explains the issues re: small cohorts v well I think
it's here

@ohwellthatwasfun

DD’s school hadn’t finished teaching the syllabus when lockdown happened. Exam leave for mocks isn’t a thing!

I’d never heard of it before but ds2 college does it

DS’s friend is going to resist in October as his results weren’t good enough to get into university. He has to pay between £130-£200 per subject!

Does anyone know when the definition of ‘valid mock’ is going to be released?

Surely none of the students, whether they've been at state or independent schools, should have to pay to sit the A Level exams in October?

@seedybird apologies, my experience has been limited to Maths and STEM subjects - assumed others to be similar.

[quote HuaShan]@seedybird apologies, my experience has been limited to Maths and STEM subjects - assumed others to be similar.[/quote]
@HuaShan - absolutely no need to apologise But this was a STEM subject, too.

One of DS’s friends has accepted his insurance, but is currently planning to retake his dropped grade in October for his pride/future CV.

How are the October exams going to work though because presumably the normal Bell curve distribution of results will need to be done, so some may still not get the results they were hoping for? Am I being obtuse?

hoping for/expecting/should have got if they'd done exams?

@KingscoteStaff it's rubbish really the damage done

My dds non selective state do mocks with a week off (exams within that week) in sports hall under exam conditions.

Isn’t the issue with oxford/cam not being able to honour grades is that they over-offer by 30%? I’d love everyone to get in who wants to but surely there isn’t space? It was an empty promise by Gav that places would be held until appeal - the unis weren’t prepared for that. I hope they do find a way to let more in pos nearer start of term.

My DD comp has study leave for mocks, exam time table, strict exam conditions in the sports hall and they did the same 20 years ago when I did my GCSES at the same school.

Yes, I think that’s true for Oxbridge. Some colleges already have accommodation issues too as they’ve had to rearrange things to make them Covid safe.
My goddaughter who is a Cambridge PhD student is most put out as she has been told she can’t have her promised college room and has to find somewhere on the private rental market!

@Letseatgrandma
From TES 3 days ago:

Who will pay for students to enter the autumn exams?

The guidance makes it clear that students will not be asked to pay to resit their exams.

"Schools and colleges will also be able to claim funding through the service if their autumn fees exceed any fee savings that awarding organisations are returning to them, following cancellation of summer exams.

"We expect schools and colleges to pay fees for all students who were due to sit exams in the summer, rather than passing the cost on to students or their families."

SCHOOLS SHOULD NOT BE CHARGING FOR OCTOBER EXAMS.

@Letseatgrandma That's expensive. DS's school have said they will cover the cost of "resits" however I have not had that in writing and do not know if there will some sort of criteria applied to that offer.

It's a brave student who decides to sit these exams having abruptly finished formal studies in March some of whom will have not completed the syllabus. My DS has continued studying at home and has also been giving Y12 students tuition (remotely) so feels he could perform well in the exams and is determined to do that if necessary.

If so many A level students have received lower grades than predicted and as a result have lost places offered at University (which seems to be the overwhelming feedback from all involved in this year’s A level process), it’s surprising that there aren’t more Universities finding 2020 courses undersubscribed! I don’t see evidence of much flexibility by Universities towards those who have missed places as a result of candidates dropping one or two grades.

@shakymum

If so many A level students have received lower grades than predicted and as a result have lost places offered at University (which seems to be the overwhelming feedback from all involved in this year’s A level process), it’s surprising that there aren’t more Universities finding 2020 courses undersubscribed! I don’t see evidence of much flexibility by Universities towards those who have missed places as a result of candidates dropping one or two grades.

On another thread someone said that UCAS statistics show: usually 75% get their first choice at University. this year 80% have got their first choice place.

So either the majority of people were getting the grades needed or universities were being more flexible.

@shakymum

If so many A level students have received lower grades than predicted and as a result have lost places offered at University (which seems to be the overwhelming feedback from all involved in this year’s A level process), it’s surprising that there aren’t more Universities finding 2020 courses undersubscribed! I don’t see evidence of much flexibility by Universities towards those who have missed places as a result of candidates dropping one or two grades.

It really doesn’t add up, does it? From DD’s anecdotes of her school friends, no one has encountered any flexibility from Russell Group unis. They seem to be on lock-step with one another.

By contrast, the second tier universities, such as Royal Holloway, are rapidly filling all their clearing spaces with extremely good candidates.

I wonder what will happen in a few weeks’ time when the international students don’t show up.

On another thread someone said that UCAS statistics show:
usually 75% get their first choice at University. this year 80% have got their first choice place.

So either the majority of people were getting the grades needed or universities were being more flexible.

I think you need to get break outs from the type of university. There are far more universities at the bottom of the pyramid, so this is going to skew absolute figures.