FabSwingers.com forum: Are A levels to much

By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

Some of you may have kids or some of you may have done them your self

Do you think that A levels are to much for young people to take on 3-4 A levels when you leave school

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By *eanut Butter CupWoman
over a year ago

B & M Bargains

I did 6 AS levels and 5 A levels, so 3-4 would be a piece of piss

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Lol no. Working is harder.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Personally, I'd like to see the whole examination system looked at, and the international baccalaureate adopted by more institutions.

Not sure how others feel about that?

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

No it's manageable once I knuckled down and stopped drinking 20-20 in the park.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

No. The younger the better. Young minds soak up the information much quicker and remember it better. I did 4 A levels before I turned 18. Could I do it now ? Probably not.

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By *olden RatioWoman
over a year ago

Buckinghamshire

I don't think 3-4 is too much at all.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

From what i have experienced at uni this year (Yes I am back at uni doing a second degree for lols)....

I would say they are not enough.... They don't seem to prepare the students for the next step (undergrad), doesn't seem to be any critical thinking or critical writing construction...

..some of the youngsters on the course I am on have really struggled and I have held a few sessions (in the uni bar lol), to simple stuff like referencing and report/essay writing...

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By *om and JennieCouple
over a year ago

Chams or Socials

When you've got people with degrees, masters & PhD's struggling to understand year 6 Sats papers that should tell you how messed up our education system is.

I am 1st year of GCSE's with my eldest & it might as well be Greek. I get a high 5 when understanding year 4 (age 8/9) homework. And I'm an educated person

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

In my A level physics class only 5 managed to get onto the second year out of 20

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I never did 'O' or 'A' Levels,,

couldn't wait to leave school and get a job...

now here I am all these years later at uni (open uni but still uni) doing a degree just because I can...and not taking those exams has not held me back one bit...so far I've taken and passed 3 exams with flying colours and I have another one coming up...which I'm looking forward to, too

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

if you are doing A levels to go onto university no i dont think too much at all - both my kids did 4 (needed 3 to get into uni) - like most things if its too much to handle dont so it

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"I never did 'O' or 'A' Levels,,

couldn't wait to leave school and get a job...

Same. I don't have a single GCSE or A Level. Went to uni for my first degree when I was 27....

I have five exams in 4 weeks (on my current degree), and I am bricking it......

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By *ellowbabesCouple
over a year ago

newport/cwmbran

me, M got daughters doing GCSE and A levels......I,m educated to degree level but I do not remember my workload being anything like as intense. When you add in DOE and the rest of the things that seem to be expected of them these days I do wonder if I could do it again....probably not!!

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By *ynecplCouple
over a year ago

Newcastle upon Tyne

No it is not too much but I do think that there needs to be more done to prepare those who are going to sit A levels as there appears to be a big gulf between the GCSEs and A levels. I don't think the average 16 year old quite knows what they are going to face.

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By *enard ArgenteMan
over a year ago

London and France

I looked at my nephew's A level maths and Physics the other day;

It was what I did for O level in 1971.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I think it depends on the student and their attitude. I come from a family where nobody has been to uni. I started college and 2 a levels plus some more gcse's when I'd just turned 16. I fell behind in the second year and couldn't catch up so quit. But I did get the gcse's.

It all depends if the student is willing to put in the time to keep up. I do feel I was too young.. the youngest in the year.. some of my peers were 11 months older than me.

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By *B9 QueenWoman
over a year ago

Over the rainbow, under the bridge

Never mind what A level students have to do. Just take a look at the new ks2 tests! !

Ridiculous.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

They're really not that hard, especially compared to what I'm doing now lol. You just have to do the work they set you and not be lazy, comes down to the individual really

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By *uzy444Woman
over a year ago

in the suffolk countryside

"From what i have experienced at uni this year (Yes I am back at uni doing a second degree for lols)....

I would say they are not enough.... They don't seem to prepare the students for the next step (undergrad), doesn't seem to be any critical thinking or critical writing construction...

..some of the youngsters on the course I am on have really struggled and I have held a few sessions (in the uni bar lol), to simple stuff like referencing and report/essay writing..."

good for you for helpong them..maybe this will be me in oct when i start uni..thanks for the heads up..xx and good luck x

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By *iss_tressWoman
over a year ago

London

"Some of you may have kids or some of you may have done them your self

Do you think that A levels are to much for young people to take on 3-4 A levels when you leave school "

No!

Did three, no biggie, not as if I had to worry about paying the utilities or mortgage, just do well at school.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

No, there are more choices now too. If you don't want to do A levels there is the vocational route.

The more difficult thing is picking A levels to fit in with a Degree when you don't really know what you want to ultimately do job wise.

Sarah

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"From what i have experienced at uni this year (Yes I am back at uni doing a second degree for lols)....

I would say they are not enough.... They don't seem to prepare the students for the next step (undergrad), doesn't seem to be any critical thinking or critical writing construction...

..some of the youngsters on the course I am on have really struggled and I have held a few sessions (in the uni bar lol), to simple stuff like referencing and report/essay writing...

good for you for helpong them..maybe this will be me in oct when i start uni..thanks for the heads up..xx and good luck x"

Wishing you luck too, my advice is twofold; you read for a degree... fundamental... for every hour in the lecture theatre its 3 in the library... and learn to cite and reference good quality academic literature, and all will be well.

Good luck x

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Personally, I'd like to see the whole examination system looked at, and the international baccalaureate adopted by more institutions.

Not sure how others feel about that?"

baccalaureate's are one of the most pointless types of qualifications ive ever seen (or had to do)

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

They were a bit too much for me and I ended up dropping out and finishing my studies when I was older. Everyone is different though, most of my friends managed just fine.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Lol no. Working is harder. "

Really? Ive dound working to be a peice of piss compared to studying.

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By *uzy444Woman
over a year ago

in the suffolk countryside

"From what i have experienced at uni this year (Yes I am back at uni doing a second degree for lols)....

I would say they are not enough.... They don't seem to prepare the students for the next step (undergrad), doesn't seem to be any critical thinking or critical writing construction...

..some of the youngsters on the course I am on have really struggled and I have held a few sessions (in the uni bar lol), to simple stuff like referencing and report/essay writing...

good for you for helpong them..maybe this will be me in oct when i start uni..thanks for the heads up..xx and good luck x

Good luck x"
ive helped others with their degrees and phd's, just never walked the path myself..yes, the referencing...gonna do a big file on every book i read so i can copy and paste accurately to save me time with each assignment...thats the only bit that concerns me with writing, getting the referencing right, first time, all the time..do you use harvard? is it worth me looking it up now? thank you by the way, im pretty excited as its just underpinning all the work ive ever done , from a new angle x

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By *icecouple561Couple
Forum Mod
over a year ago

East Sussex

The last A level I did was when I was 40 and it was darned hard work, harder than when I was 18. Whether that was because I was older, more conscientious and had more going on in my life I don't know but I suspect it was.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"From what i have experienced at uni this year (Yes I am back at uni doing a second degree for lols)....

I would say they are not enough.... They don't seem to prepare the students for the next step (undergrad), doesn't seem to be any critical thinking or critical writing construction...

..some of the youngsters on the course I am on have really struggled and I have held a few sessions (in the uni bar lol), to simple stuff like referencing and report/essay writing...

good for you for helpong them..maybe this will be me in oct when i start uni..thanks for the heads up..xx and good luck x

Good luck x ive helped others with their degrees and phd's, just never walked the path myself..yes, the referencing...gonna do a big file on every book i read so i can copy and paste accurately to save me time with each assignment...thats the only bit that concerns me with writing, getting the referencing right, first time, all the time..do you use harvard? is it worth me looking it up now? thank you by the way, im pretty excited as its just underpinning all the work ive ever done , from a new angle x"

Most universities (apart from Oxford and Cambridge, I believe) use a version of Havard specific to their campus... you may find it on their library website if you have access.

Its not just remembering to reference, its knowing how to cite in the text as well, thats super important, if you are using someone else's words, why are you using them, how are they complementing your discussion on the subject, are they opposed to what you think or to the data, or are they inline, try and balance those out.

Also I can never stress enough, reference as you go, there is nothing worse than going back through a 5000 word essay and trying to remember where all those citations have come from!!

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By *ervent_fervourMan
over a year ago

Halifax

"Some of you may have kids or some of you may have done them your self

Do you think that A levels are to much for young people to take on 3-4 A levels when you leave school "

They're not a bad barometer of academic ability.Saying that they've been continually downgraded in terms of how challenging they are over the last twenty years so not really a good barometer any more.

It depends on the young people's aptitude to 'traditional' academic study and why they want to do them.

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By *uzy444Woman
over a year ago

in the suffolk countryside

"From what i have experienced at uni this year (Yes I am back at uni doing a second degree for lols)....

I would say they are not enough.... They don't seem to prepare the students for the next step (undergrad), doesn't seem to be any critical thinking or critical writing construction...

..some of the youngsters on the course I am on have really struggled and I have held a few sessions (in the uni bar lol), to simple stuff like referencing and report/essay writing...

good for you for helpong them..maybe this will be me in oct when i start uni..thanks for the heads up..xx and good luck x

Most universities (apart from Oxford and Cambridge, I believe) use a version of Havard specific to their campus... you may find it on their library website if you have access.

Also I can never stress enough, reference as you go, there is nothing worse than going back through a 5000 word essay and trying to remember where all those citations have come from!!"
yes..ive told enough peeps to reference as they go..ill take my own advice..thanks ill see if i can find out through my portal x

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"When you've got people with degrees, masters & PhD's struggling to understand year 6 Sats papers that should tell you how messed up our education system is.

I am 1st year of GCSE's with my eldest & it might as well be Greek. I get a high 5 when understanding year 4 (age 8/9) homework. And I'm an educated person

I'm a primary teacher and have my own children doing Gcses and A levels and one in year 7.

Our education system is woefully inadequate at helping children/students transition to the next level.

I don't have the answers but know we're failing our kids at the moment.

The grammar terminology in the year six SATs is ridiculous and not nearly enough creativity is assessed.

The government are only concerned with judging teachers' ability to teach useless knowledge. I was told after an observation last week that the children are there to progress not enjoy themselves!

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By *ervent_fervourMan
over a year ago

Halifax

"When you've got people with degrees, masters & PhD's struggling to understand year 6 Sats papers that should tell you how messed up our education system is.

I am 1st year of GCSE's with my eldest & it might as well be Greek. I get a high 5 when understanding year 4 (age 8/9) homework. And I'm an educated person

I'm a primary teacher and have my own children doing Gcses and A levels and one in year 7.

Our education system is woefully inadequate at helping children/students transition to the next level.

I don't have the answers but know we're failing our kids at the moment.

The grammar terminology in the year six SATs is ridiculous and not nearly enough creativity is assessed.

The government are only concerned with judging teachers' ability to teach useless knowledge. I was told after an observation last week that the children are there to progress not enjoy themselves!"

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

You are joking, India, Russia, China, US, most EU countries education comes 1st, none of these after school activities, UK youngsters are getting left far far far behind, they won't even be able to complete with EU migrants soon

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Really

Exams are actually much easier now than they were 20 something (cough) years ago when I sat mine

They're almost spoon fed in the terms of what they're taught and how they're examined nowadays

There was a study not so long ago where they put a paper from the 80's alongside over from the '10's

And the style of exam is vastly different.

Put together with the range of plastic exams nowadays, there's no comparison.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Too much? Hardly.

I'm not a genius by any stretch but maths, chemistry and physics were easy. The workload isn't too challenging if you're on the ball and keep on top of it, like anything else. There's a step up in complexity compared to GCSE but you can't expect it to be at the same level as before, after all it's meant to be a progression.

Why do you ask OP?

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By *ervent_fervourMan
over a year ago

Halifax

"You are joking, India, Russia, China, US, most EU countries education comes 1st, none of these after school activities, UK youngsters are getting left far far far behind, they won't even be able to complete with EU migrants soon "

No no nooo!

The Chinese education system is SHITE!

Fifty plus in a class?

Kids able to hide at the back all day?

Completely by rote learning?

'Facts' like trans national exam success tables and the like are absolute bollocks too.

Many immigrants are better because they have a better family background/support, and are also at least bi lingual, so have a head start at using their brains in a meaningful way.

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By *ervent_fervourMan
over a year ago

Halifax

And don't get me started on parts of the US.

Just don't.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Different people learn in different ways and levels and the education system doesn't account for that

Some people perform great all year in class but the pressure of exams just blows them away

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By *ce WingerMan
over a year ago

P.O. Box DE1 0NQ

I managed to pass 3 "A" levels at 17 in 1979, but then again I went to an all boys boarding school, so there weren't too many distractions

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Not so much with a levels, but more so with Uni, I would certainly advocate kids go out and work full time before hand.

I was so much more better equipped for courses I undertook after being in full time work than before.

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By *ophieslutTV/TS
over a year ago

Central

No, if someone has a breadth of interest and abilities then it's fine to do 3 or 4 A levels. For university access then it's essential. Learning should partly be about someone's objectives now as well as long term. As many younger people are less sure about their careers, a range of subjects can keep some options open.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

i think people that do A levels choose subjects they are interested in - they are opting for something they want a degree in or need for a job - if they need that subject to carry on with their career choice and they find it difficult then maybe wrong career ? whereas gcse you have to do certain subjects for an all round education to a set level

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

No 4 A levels for someone pursuing an academic path to Uni and beyond are not too much. Problem is the need for people to achieve academic standards for practical careers, we need less people doing A Levels and more doing apprenticeships. working to people's strengths not forcing them into a mold is the way forward.

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By *oo hotCouple
over a year ago

North West

"I looked at my nephew's A level maths and Physics the other day;

It was what I did for O level in 1971.

This

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By *awandOrderCouple
over a year ago

SW London

"Some of you may have kids or some of you may have done them your self

Do you think that A levels are to much for young people to take on 3-4 A levels when you leave school "

I did 0 and A levels back in the day and have two masters degrees. My own children have just completed their GCSEs and A levels, with another about to start. They have nothing else to focus on and a few months revision can get them through, although it is intense, its certainly doable with training and focus. Same goes for the SATS for Year Two and Year Six ... its all a matter of playing the game and teaching to the test. Not what education should be form but what this government want.

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By *AA123Couple
over a year ago

Lichfield

"I never did 'O' or 'A' Levels,,

couldn't wait to leave school and get a job...

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By *oo hotCouple
over a year ago

North West

"I looked at my nephew's A level maths and Physics the other day;

It was what I did for O level in 1971.

This

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"No 4 A levels for someone pursuing an academic path to Uni and beyond are not too much. Problem is the need for people to achieve academic standards for practical careers, we need less people doing A Levels and more doing apprenticeships. working to people's strengths not forcing them into a mold is the way forward."

Apprenticeships in what ?

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By *arehamMan
over a year ago

handforth

Not what I was thinking about a levels.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

No I don't think so. I got 3 when I was 18, and another two at 30.. Both times I had a young family at home and a house to manage. But not everyone is academic.

I'm just doing another one now as I did chemistry and need physics for uni in 2017... Having to do it on home study and have 2 years to complete it... So far taken me 3 months and am about 40% done..

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Some of you may have kids or some of you may have done them your self

Do you think that A levels are to much for young people to take on 3-4 A levels when you leave school "

No.

A-Levels are both a qualification by themselves, and also a prep for university.

University is hard, much harder than doing 3-4 A-Levels. There needs to be some help to transition young people into higher education.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"When you've got people with degrees, masters & PhD's struggling to understand year 6 Sats papers that should tell you how messed up our education system is.

I am 1st year of GCSE's with my eldest & it might as well be Greek. I get a high 5 when understanding year 4 (age 8/9) homework. And I'm an educated person

I'm about to graduate with a very high First on an art history degree.

I probably wouldn't now understand GCSE's in an unrelated subject. I don't suspect that this will get any better when I have my Ph.D.

Just because you have a Ph.D in one subject, doesn't mean you know anything about another subject. Your logic is just wrong.

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By *adyGardenWoman
over a year ago

LONDON (se)

No not all. What I do have a problem with is GCSEs. They are now purely exam based and if that were the case when did mine I would have failed terribly. I can't focus under exam conditions as it's too quiet and my mind is full of noise. It needs to go back to 50% of your grade coming from assignments

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"From what i have experienced at uni this year (Yes I am back at uni doing a second degree for lols)....

I would say they are not enough.... They don't seem to prepare the students for the next step (undergrad), doesn't seem to be any critical thinking or critical writing construction...

..some of the youngsters on the course I am on have really struggled and I have held a few sessions (in the uni bar lol), to simple stuff like referencing and report/essay writing...

good for you for helpong them..maybe this will be me in oct when i start uni..thanks for the heads up..xx and good luck x

Most universities (apart from Oxford and Cambridge, I believe) use a version of Havard specific to their campus... you may find it on their library website if you have access.

Also I can never stress enough, reference as you go, there is nothing worse than going back through a 5000 word essay and trying to remember where all those citations have come from!!"

I could probably pass an A level in Harvard referencing

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"When you've got people with degrees, masters & PhD's struggling to understand year 6 Sats papers that should tell you how messed up our education system is.

I am 1st year of GCSE's with my eldest & it might as well be Greek. I get a high 5 when understanding year 4 (age 8/9) homework. And I'm an educated person

I'm about to graduate with a very high First on an art history degree.

I probably wouldn't now understand GCSE's in an unrelated subject. I don't suspect that this will get any better when I have my Ph.D.

Just because you have a Ph.D in one subject, doesn't mean you know anything about another subject. Your logic is just wrong."

Congratulations!! I am taking humanities with art history atm

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"When you've got people with degrees, masters & PhD's struggling to understand year 6 Sats papers that should tell you how messed up our education system is.

I am 1st year of GCSE's with my eldest & it might as well be Greek. I get a high 5 when understanding year 4 (age 8/9) homework. And I'm an educated person

I'm about to graduate with a very high First on an art history degree.

I probably wouldn't now understand GCSE's in an unrelated subject. I don't suspect that this will get any better when I have my Ph.D.

Just because you have a Ph.D in one subject, doesn't mean you know anything about another subject. Your logic is just wrong.

Congratulations!! I am taking humanities with art history atm"

I'm three weeks off finishing mine, and about to start my Masters by Research in Art History.

Humanities with art history sounds like you're doing an open university course? If you are, I suggest switching if you can possible do a part time course at a 'brick' university. I found the OU course extremely poor in comparison, I did several years of study first with the OU and to be honest, knew less than the kids coming straight out of school who were on my uni course.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"I looked at my nephew's A level maths and Physics the other day;

It was what I did for O level in 1971.

Really? In your 1971 o level physics class you had to work out in electron volts the energy released in a nuclear fusion reaction between two hydrogen ions?

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

You dont always have to take a full 4. I took a double award in ICT and 1 in psychology so only two subjects. BTEC used yo be yhe equivalent of 3 alevels and thats all you would take. Thats going back 12 years though xx

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

im still struggling with my 6yr olds spellings tests.. had to google what a 'grotty grapheme' is

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"You dont always have to take a full 4. I took a double award in ICT and 1 in psychology so only two subjects. BTEC used yo be yhe equivalent of 3 alevels and thats all you would take. Thats going back 12 years though xx"

At my school you had to do 4 as levels in year 12 then you could drop one in year 13. Unless you were trying to get into Oxford or Cambridge most people dropped one

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I did 4As, should have worked harder but got to Uni, did my degree, should have worked harder, but got a job. Did a part time Masters Degree, worked like crazy on it and set up my own business using what I learned from it. The difference was my Masters was vocational rather than academic and something I felt passionate about. My A levels and first degree had little meaning and The only motivation was really fear of failing and not getting a job.

I am really glad my son has taken a vocational route studying a subject he is passionate about. The '3 A Level' equivalence is a breeze, because he loves it.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

There have been various research articles written in the past 15 years that would suggest that exam papers have been made more "accessible" over the last 30 years.

They also suggest that the standards of candidates have fallen, due to changes in teaching methods, despite the fact that there is a continued increase in the pass rate.

This would include a higher percentage of candidates achieving lower pass grades, whilst the number of candidates achieving higher grades had remained constant.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Some of you may have kids or some of you may have done them your self

Do you think that A levels are to much for young people to take on 3-4 A levels when you leave school "

I went to study an Electronics degree without A levels - FAIL -

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