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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

1st Year Joint honours Exam Clash

52 replies

Mumwithbaggage · 09/05/2023 19:32

Dd3 has two first year exams next week - 24 hours Wed 10am-Thurs 10am, then 24 hours Thurs 10am till Fri 10am. Bonkers obviously.

Just want a bit of advice from someone working at a university please - I assume this isn't normal or good for grades or student mental health? She's emailed her academic tutor (who she doesn't really know) but who should she be sending her request for a change to?

Many thanks

OP posts:
hellsbells99 · 09/05/2023 20:25

How long is each exam supposed to take? My DD had ‘24 hour’ exams when they were online but each exam only took 3 hours maximum.

TizerorFizz · 09/05/2023 20:45

If will be one on Wednesday and the next on Thursday. They are slots. Not actual times. Actual time will depend on where the exam is held. She isn’t, presumably, the only one doing the joint honours course! I would assume an exam will not be at 12 midnight! What do her fellow students think?

EduCated · 09/05/2023 20:50

It’s not ideal, but it’s not a clash? Agree that a 24 hour exam doesn’t mean 24 hours of working! She will need to prep her approach to make sure she gets some rest and eats well during the time. Ideally she’d submit the first an hour or so early, and start the other one a little bit later to give herself a breather.

lupinlapain · 09/05/2023 20:56

An exam Wednesday
then an exam Thursday.
So not a clash.

Not quite sure what the problem is?

ohxmastreeohxmastree · 09/05/2023 20:58

As PPs said this isn’t really a clash, it’s just back-to-back exams which from my joint-honours experience was quite common. Something she will have to get used to over her degree I’m afraid, hopefully she can get them done early on in the time frame so she has some rest etc.

StillWantingADog · 09/05/2023 20:59

I def remember having two in a day at uni. Then one or two the following day. Is just what you have to do.

YerAWizardHarry · 09/05/2023 21:00

She should only really be spending around 3hrs on each exam so it’s fine

ChippyPrincess · 09/05/2023 21:06

I think previous posters aren't understanding that these are 24 hour exams when you get that time period to research and write a given title, producing a c.2000 word essay This kind of assessment is fairly common in universities these days. They're not "exams" in the traditional sense of a 2-3 hour long paper.
Fortunately the exams don't clash; she was 24 hours to write one essay and the subsequent 24 hours to write the second one. It won't be a fun couple of days but it's definitely possible - and then it will be over!

SurpriseSparDay · 09/05/2023 21:22

@Mumwithbaggage - she really should take the trouble to get to know her academic tutor! They’re being paid to oversee her tuition - and it makes things easier when she has a serious query.

But there’s nothing ‘bonkers’ about the exam timetable.

poetryandwine · 09/05/2023 21:22

I will go with the exam description given by @ChippyPrincess It is assumed that, having learnt the course material, the preparation for the paper will not be too burdensome. Students are meant to eat and sleep during the 24 hr period! So I agree that this is simply an introduction to the realities of university life.

Our students complain if they have two 2 hr traditional exams on the same day. It is hell for the poor timetablers. As much as I hate ‘Back in my day…’ rambles I have nearly told them several times that UG exams in my home country were 3 hrs each. They were timetabled from 8.00 to 22.00. Relief was only granted if you had four exams in a single day. I am hardly advocating for that, but part of university life is growing up.

Original poster
Mumwithbaggage · 09/05/2023 21:44

Fair enough. I seem to remember there being something changed when dd1 was doing Law finals at Bristol but I know that's very different from 1st year. It's many years since I was at university and 24 hour exams weren't a thing then.

I'm being the overthinking mum. I guess my older girls just got on with it because they had public exams every year from about Y9. Dd3 has only ever done KS2 SATs and A levels. She'll have to get used to it.

OP posts:
Augend23 · 09/05/2023 21:49

I think the key thing here is to make sure she knows that she needs to prioritise sleeping on night one so she has full brain power for day two.

If she spends e.g. 10-6 writing the first exam, with breaks for lunch or whatever, it's highly unlikely she'll improve her mark that much beyond putting a few finishing touches on it after dinner. The time from 11pm to 8am the next morning will be much better spent asleep.

Original poster
Mumwithbaggage · 09/05/2023 21:53

Augend23

Thanks, good advice. I'm sure she'll be fine but there are only 2 of them with this particular timetable so I think it made her wobble a bit. Especially as there's a big event going on in town...

OP posts:
lastdayatschool · 09/05/2023 22:03

ChippyPrincess · 09/05/2023 21:06

I think previous posters aren't understanding that these are 24 hour exams when you get that time period to research and write a given title, producing a c.2000 word essay This kind of assessment is fairly common in universities these days. They're not "exams" in the traditional sense of a 2-3 hour long paper.
Fortunately the exams don't clash; she was 24 hours to write one essay and the subsequent 24 hours to write the second one. It won't be a fun couple of days but it's definitely possible - and then it will be over!

Omg. If ever there was a reason to study a STEM subject, this is it.

I'm mentally exhausted just thinking about it.

Augend23 · 09/05/2023 22:04

lastdayatschool · 09/05/2023 22:03

Omg. If ever there was a reason to study a STEM subject, this is it.

I'm mentally exhausted just thinking about it.

Show quote history

My sibling had these for his STEM subject I'm sorry to say Shock

lastdayatschool · 09/05/2023 22:07

What were they studying @Augend23 ?

aramox1 · 09/05/2023 22:13

In my experience the idea here is to do a 3 hr exam over 24 hrs- for flexibility. They shouldn't be researching it on the day, but revising as per an old style exam. I would be surprised if they don't have extensive guidance which they may not have read.

whatchagonnado · 09/05/2023 22:18

Does anyone else find it a bit odd that OP is trying to solve this problem? Shouldn't the DD be able to work it out for herself - surely it's part of being an adult.
I went to Uni when I was 17 and wouldn't have dreamt of asking my parents for advice for this sort of thing. I asked peers, lecturers and worked it out for myself

JenniferBarkley · 09/05/2023 22:24

We would reschedule one of them if possible, although it will be tricky if there's lots of optional modules in the mix.

This year encourage her to strictly schedule her time and stick to it so she's not too wrecked for the second one.

In future she should send a very polite email as soon as the timetable is released and ask if it would be possible to reschedule one.

lastdayatschool · 09/05/2023 22:25

No, not odd at all @whatchagonnado

OP says her DC has emailed tutor and probably hasn't asked mum to solve it for her. OP is just asking for some advice/clarity from others who may be familiar with this.

Personally, I think it's great that our DC talk/text/msg their parents a lot more than we did with our parents.

Original poster
Mumwithbaggage · 09/05/2023 22:27

whatchagonnado I'm not trying to resolve anything. Just usually find mumsnet a good source of sensible advice. Dd is my 4th child and all are independent and resilient.

It's OK to come on here and ask for ideas without me being a helicopter mum.

OP posts:
RampantIvy · 09/05/2023 22:28

Augend23 · 09/05/2023 22:04

My sibling had these for his STEM subject I'm sorry to say Shock

Show quote history

So did DD.
She had 48 hours for her exam assignments in her finals.

You still have to write lengthy essays for STEM subjects - biomedical sciences in DD's case.

Basically these 24/48 hour exams are assignments that the student would normally get a week or two to complete in term time, but they get 24 or 48 hours to complete them for exams.

Make sure that your DD doesn't leave it until the 11th hour to submit her answers. Internet and Wi-Fi problems can hit at any time.

RampantIvy · 09/05/2023 22:31

This reply has been withdrawn

This message has been withdrawn at the poster's request

burnoutbabe · 09/05/2023 22:38

aramox1 · 09/05/2023 22:13

In my experience the idea here is to do a 3 hr exam over 24 hrs- for flexibility. They shouldn't be researching it on the day, but revising as per an old style exam. I would be surprised if they don't have extensive guidance which they may not have read.

In theory you should do it over 3-4 hours then submit.

But you don't (just finished law degree and masters under this system)

Most people went through the night. Being a mature student, I did finish by 10pm, then another hour 8-9am to polish it off.

You give people all that time and who says "yeah that will do"

It was also generally 3 questions, say 1100-1300 words each. I would usually do one at 10, one after lunch,1 in evening after early dinner.

Wasn't healthy and now it's 6 hour slots I think for this years students.

lastdayatschool · 10/05/2023 11:52

Given the advances on AI, I wonder if universities will move away from these formats of exams.

They seem perfect for exploitation by ChatGPT written essays