"discounted" exam - what does this mean in practical terms?

[Misthios]

DS is in the third year of a science-based degree, we are in Scotland so next year would be his final year. He has a diagnosis of dyspraxia and ADD and gets special circumstances for his exams.

He passed his two exams just after Christmas for the first semester, not stellar marks, but a pass. He has just had the results through for his second semester exams, one pass, one is marked as "discounted". He thinks this means that he has failed but that it is not counted as a first attempt due to his special circumstances. He is very upset and catastrophising about the whole thing. We are assuming he will have a resit in July/August. Obviously best case scenario is that he passes that and moves onto 4th year. But if he doesn't, what happens given that the resit appears to be being treated as a first attempt?

I have been trying to reassure him that the absolute worst case scenario is that he fails the resit and has to pay the fees to repeat the year (which is do-able). He is however very down on himself and worried for his future.

is it physics he’s doing at glasgow?

At my DDs Scottish uni discounted usually means results for course not included in final degree classification (not common as usually classification is average of all courses).

No, Strathclyde. Pharmacy related.

So discounted might not mean a fail? He's in such a tizz I don't think he knows what's going on.

why doesn't he just ask his tutor?

He doesn't have a personal tutor. He is off looking for course contact names and is trying to get hold of someone but the whole faculty appears to have released all results this morning and they're busy.

Course handbook? He needs to consult the one for his year of entry, but a quick Google search found the one for 2018 / 19, which says:

Attempt Discounted means that the student’s attempt in a degree examination has been nullified and he/she is allowed to sit the exam again as a first attempt. In this case any coursework that contributes to the degree exam mark will be counted.

(Assuming MPharm degree?).

Can he cintact the lead tutor for that module?

It's not Mpharm, it's supposed to be an intergated masters in immunology. Whether he actually does the masters remains to be seen, he needs to get through the BSc first. All he has ever wanted to do is work in a lab.

The course handbook is the best place for him to start, it should all be explained in there. Or check if there is an exam results webpage? The uni I work at has one with FAQs covering this kind of thing.

Hi, OP -

I am sorry that your DS is panicking. He definitely needs to get the official definition of a Discounted Attempt from the Student Handbook, course leader, Teaching and Learning Office, etc given that he does not have a personal tutor. The Student Union or the online forum The Student Room may also be able help.

Before he does, I would be happy to put £20, £50 or £100 on a bet with him. My position is that he will be offered a resit as first attempt. Ask him if his fear is real enough to bet against me. :)

I am in England and don’t know the Scottish terminology; my uni only uses the phrase ‘resit as first attempt’, but I have sat on many Mitigating Circs committees

Best wishes to DS

Sorry, OP -

To answer your question - the resit as first attempt means the mark is not capped. That’s the good news.

The bad news is that if one does not pass there is usually no further resit opportunity. In some degree programmes the year is failed. In mine, if just one course unit is failed we sometimes let a student resit the unit. That is a burden on the student though. The decision requires a lot of thought.

Are DS’s medical conditions being adequately treated? Has treatment improved recently or is there scope for improving it? If the upcoming exam is not passed the answers to this type of question would factor into the decision about how to proceed at my place. The goal is to act in the student’s true best interests. We never want unnecessary attrition but the very last thing we want is to allow someone to limp through only to be unable to pass their final year

Thank you for such a comprehensive reply @poetryandwine . He is better now than he was a year ago, Covid and remote learning had a huge impact on him. He is on antidepressants which keep him on an even keel and gets 1 to 1 support from a uni mentor person on study skills and for pastoral care. I have just dropped him off at a local charity where he will be volunteering through the summer to give structure to his days as he needs routine. He was interviewed for an internship but didn’t get it - and they didn’t even bother with a thanks but no thanks email which has dented his confidence even further.

we’ll get him through it. Worst that happens he repeats a semester.

I’ll bet (metaphorically) DS can pass his resit as first attempt if he puts his mind to it and starts revising now.

His MH condition(s) come with a notorious tendency towards procrastination. No criticism intended but it is a big self-handicap. It would be a great thing to work on under the relatively low pressure conditions of the summer break.

Next year will be much more intense

Best wishes to you both

At my place, we call that "condoned" - results for the module wont be counted towards the final degree classification. Students can have up to 30 credit points condoned (a quarter of their annual credit point load), but must achieve pre-requisites for modules they want to take in the next year, and must achieve a minimum number of credit points over their degree.

A degree in England (not sure re Scotland) is a total of 360 credit points; 120 each year.

The regulations governing your DS's degree will be available publicly on the university's website. You can look it all up there yourself to double-check.

Ah, sorry

Don't apologise - was my fault for trying to be vague.

He is feeling a bit better about things now. The charity shop where he volunteered when he was at school welcomed him back with open arms, they were delighted to see him and he'll be doing 2 shifts a week at least. He just needs structure.