gtfoPoseidon wrote:
2 more years, but my priorities are:
Embry-Riddle
Florida Tech
Dowling University
University of Vermont
First 3 for Aeronautical Science/Professional Aviation, last one for...I don't know yet.
i leaves for florida tomorrow
i leaves for florida tomorrow
i'll see you in 2 years bitchcowami wrote:
gtfoPoseidon wrote:
2 more years, but my priorities are:
Embry-Riddle
Florida Tech
Dowling University
University of Vermont
First 3 for Aeronautical Science/Professional Aviation, last one for...I don't know yet.
i leaves for florida tomorrow
Ouch, 83:17 male:female ratio. Not good odds...cowami wrote:
gtfoPoseidon wrote:
2 more years, but my priorities are:
Embry-Riddle
Florida Tech
Dowling University
University of Vermont
First 3 for Aeronautical Science/Professional Aviation, last one for...I don't know yet.
i leaves for florida tomorrow
Wow Cowami.cowami wrote:
i leaves for florida tomorrow
I thought you were only in your early 20's.
Why are you retiring so soon?
lol
Na, got a flat just off Byre's Road. Really good. Five mins away from uni. What other two subjects are you doing?Airwolf wrote:
you in halls?[CSE]Anubis wrote:
Going into 3rd year at Glasgow. Studying chemistry.
I fully agree with Zimmer here..Zimmer wrote:
It's not pessimism. It's annoyance at the ignorance of Universities down south who miss out on better students who took the IB, EB or AHs because theyUzique wrote:
It's not contradiction because my point was that independant and private full-board schools teach a much higher-quality course and also have the advantage of fully boarded students. 3 A's from a college/sixth form is still an achievement and nobody should feel as though they've underperformed because they 'only' got 3 A's. If your close associate is an insider in the British education system then you should know that it is rife with class-related issues and a lack of opportunities for more working-class state educated applicants.
I don't think it is some bizarre coincidence that most people I meet have been raised with a silver spoon in their mouth.
What exactly did you get, and what bred your pessimism and anti A-Level stance? Why is it even such a bad thing that people are more capable of applying to the high-quality institutions that have been pretty much exclusive for the sons and daughters of middle-upper class aristocrats for the best part of their histories? As I said the qualitative interview and personal statement elements filter out the people that just breezed through the 'easy' 3 A-Levels anyway... it's not as if this 'flaw' is wreaking havoc in the British educational establishment.
A. Don't know how to rate them compared to A-levels
B. Prefer A-levels
C. Find it easier to just pick English people.
The woman I know is doing precisely that, trying to make other Organisations and Universities aware of the other options. Also, she doesn't work for the British education system, she works for the Scottish Education System ( SQA - Scottish Qualification Authority ) which is completely independent from English education systems. There is a huge difference, down in England, you have hundreds of A-level providers, whereas in Scotland you have 1. I just wish that Unis were more unbiased on their acceptances. Not that I was in any sort of position like that, but I know many guys who were, and it's annoying.
ffs I did IB and I feel as though it's completely undervalued by some British Universities especially in the Russel Group. I worked my fucking dick off these last two years coming out with a decent score (which is most likely going to rise after I send my TOK and EE off for remarks) but I feel as though the unis I applied to and those that offered me places should have been more lenient especially since I took quite a hard combination of subjects.
I've been seriously pissed off lately when I found out that Warwick accepted almost all my friends who had applied, missed their offer but were international fee paying students. Being a British citizen and obviously paying lower university fees they rejected me to make more money despite me doing wayyyy better than my friend who also missed his offer and got in.
I got into Queens University Belfast!
Small hourglass island
Always raining and foggy
Use an umbrella
Always raining and foggy
Use an umbrella
How many more threads/posts on that FatherTed? .
Teddy I think you speak for everyone when you talk about frustrations arising from combinations of hard systems. That divide isn't only found between A-Level and IB, it's found within the spectrum of A-Level courses as well. Universities (especially the Russell Group institutions) do recognise the difference between certain 'soft subjects' and the more academically demanding courses. A lot of the top Universities have subject blacklists where they won't acknowledge or recognise a certain A-Level grade at all, so the competition is definitely there.
Teddy I think you speak for everyone when you talk about frustrations arising from combinations of hard systems. That divide isn't only found between A-Level and IB, it's found within the spectrum of A-Level courses as well. Universities (especially the Russell Group institutions) do recognise the difference between certain 'soft subjects' and the more academically demanding courses. A lot of the top Universities have subject blacklists where they won't acknowledge or recognise a certain A-Level grade at all, so the competition is definitely there.
libertarian benefit collector - anti-academic super-intellectual. http://mixlr.com/the-little-phrase/
as if Cowami had odds either way when it comes to girls?DesertFox- wrote:
Ouch, 83:17 male:female ratio. Not good odds...cowami wrote:
gtfoPoseidon wrote:
2 more years, but my priorities are:
Embry-Riddle
Florida Tech
Dowling University
University of Vermont
First 3 for Aeronautical Science/Professional Aviation, last one for...I don't know yet.
i leaves for florida tomorrow
<3 cowami
HOW'S FRORIDA
Grats father!
Yeah I know...but I read about how IB is supposed to be so valued by universities and sometimes it seems like complete bollocks..Uzique wrote:
How many more threads/posts on that FatherTed? .
Teddy I think you speak for everyone when you talk about frustrations arising from combinations of hard systems. That divide isn't only found between A-Level and IB, it's found within the spectrum of A-Level courses as well. Universities (especially the Russell Group institutions) do recognise the difference between certain 'soft subjects' and the more academically demanding courses. A lot of the top Universities have subject blacklists where they won't acknowledge or recognise a certain A-Level grade at all, so the competition is definitely there.
They fucked up my twin's application..I won't go into the whole story but needless to say he is Oxbridge material with 40 points at IB and even 4/5 of the unis he applied to rejected him(The unis he applied to weren't even that great).
im in 2nd year @ marjon FTW
You heard it people. Never go theretwoblacklines wrote:
im in 2nd year @ marjon FTW
QFTEcilop Murof wrote:
You heard it people. Never go theretwoblacklines wrote:
im in 2nd year @ marjon FTW
Actually, let me go a bit further into why A-levels fail. I just needed some more concrete information.Uzique wrote:
How many more threads/posts on that FatherTed? .
Teddy I think you speak for everyone when you talk about frustrations arising from combinations of hard systems. That divide isn't only found between A-Level and IB, it's found within the spectrum of A-Level courses as well. Universities (especially the Russell Group institutions) do recognise the difference between certain 'soft subjects' and the more academically demanding courses. A lot of the top Universities have subject blacklists where they won't acknowledge or recognise a certain A-Level grade at all, so the competition is definitely there.
Right, a few months ago ( 8 or so ), the IB paid to get into the UCAS point rating system, so they could get recognised as a proper examination. UCAS took this very seriously and started looking into the IB and started rating it. The ratings were released to the English governement at the start of this year. The ratings gave the government a heart attack.
The rating stated : That ONE course of IB is the same or more than 6 A LEVELS
Now, being the cunts that politicians are, they couldn't let these ratings be released publicly. They demanded a re-test of the IB. UCAS did so, and they came out the same. So just 2 months ago, the English government saw that UCAS came out with the same ratings. They came up with another excuse :
That the rating system was FLAWED. Yes, you heard right.
So they ordered UCAS to make a new methodology for rating examinations and courses. This has just finished and right this minute, they are evaluating the Advanced Highers. The results should be out this week - and they will show that the AHs are harder than A-levels and better.
Same will go with the IB. It will probably show that it is still the equivalent of 6 A-levels. And yet again the gvt. will reject such horrific facts as bullshit.
Did you know that currently, UCAS class Scottish Highers ( which are done in a year, 5 subjects generally and at 16/17 ) as more advanced than the A-levels. 3 As at A-level = 3Bs and 2Cs at Higher. That is how low the system is.
And the woman has spoken to both the admission managers of Oxbridge and they both class Advanced Highers and IBs at a much higher level than A-levels; they just can't prove it because the UCAS points system tells them otherwise.
Sorry Teddy, but if the government hadn't been so ignorant and so cocky, with your score, you could have gotten into Oxbridge or Warwick. Sadly those UCAS points were never released.
"Same will go with the IB. It will probably show that it is still the equivalent of 6 A-levels. And yet again the gvt. will reject such horrific facts as bullshit." That's because it is. An IB in IT is about 1/3 as hard and requires less than 1/2 the work of A-Level IT. This is coming from my mate at uni who started out doing A-Levels and switched to the IB's because they were so much easier and yet counted for so much more.
Maybe some IB's are equivalent to six of some A-levels. But that can quite easily be because the comparison is between the hardest IB available in i dunno something like Physics compared with a PE A-level which is a total joke.
Maybe some IB's are equivalent to six of some A-levels. But that can quite easily be because the comparison is between the hardest IB available in i dunno something like Physics compared with a PE A-level which is a total joke.
Last edited by Vilham (2008-08-17 12:28:19)
Switched to IB's? Mate, you talk straight out of your ass. Please refrain from posting bullshit. Please please do.Vilham wrote:
"Same will go with the IB. It will probably show that it is still the equivalent of 6 A-levels. And yet again the gvt. will reject such horrific facts as bullshit." That's because it is. An IB in IT is about 1/3 as hard and requires less than 1/2 the work of A-Level IT. This is coming from my mate at uni who started out doing A-Levels and switched to the IB's because they were so much easier and yet counted for so much more.
That's why the best schools in the world use the IB for their students, because it's easier than A-levels. You talk straight out of your ass.
Want me to prove you lovely bullshit? I shall
Rating is that IB counts as 5 a-levels
First hand IB experience and comparison
and finally
The guardian on the IB
Please, return to your little hole and stay there.from the guardian wrote:
It values a common IB score of 30 as equivalent to 419 Ucas points, while a student with three grade As at A-level scores only 360. A top IB score of 45 scores 768 Ucas points, while an A-level candidate would need more than six grade As to achieve the same tariff.
Rofl, "an IB in IT". Do you even know what the IB is?
Sorry, I for some reason can't edit my post. Just to finally put you in your place :
Please don't join in argument to which you hold no ground on. You don't even know what the IB is. Note the THE in the line. It means there is ONE. Jesus, you make me cry inside.
/facepalmVilham wrote:
Maybe some IB's are equivalent to six of some A-levels
Please don't join in argument to which you hold no ground on. You don't even know what the IB is. Note the THE in the line. It means there is ONE. Jesus, you make me cry inside.
That's not one subject though Zimmer, teddy did multiple subjects for his IB and could only get a maximum of 45 points, they way you worded it is that one IB subject is the same as 6 A-Level subjects.
The IB is a collective examination. Please don't come in without reading up on it. When someone refers to the IB and is talking to someone else who actually knows about it ( that means can actually argue back ) then they know exactly what is being inferred by the comment.The Sheriff wrote:
That's not one subject though Zimmer, teddy did multiple subjects for his IB and could only get a maximum of 45 points, they way you worded it is that one IB subject is the same as 6 A-Level subjects.
The IB is out of 45 points. Anywhere and always.
A lot of people underestimate just how much the average IBer does. Sure Vilham, you may have a friend who says IB computer science is no way comparable to the A level counterpart but this is rarely the case.
I can quite confidently say that my social life was really limited throughout IB1 and IB2 because of the amount of work that was dumped on me constantly. It's not at all like A-levels where you can cram in all your studying and get three As provided you have a brain. The whole point of IB is that this can't happen. You're constantly being tested and if you slack off your grade will suffer. I can't actually think of any of the 40+ pointers in my class who didn't work their fucking asses off to achieve their grade. In fact, for the last 7 months I barley saw my friend who got into Cambridge because the amount of work he needed to do to assure he got 40+ points.
Since I've done IB I'll give you an idea of the type of things we have to do:
-We are required to take 6 subjects in order to pass the diploma- 3 of which are required to be higher level subjects.
The amount of work that an IB student does in a higher level subject is immense. I'm not just making some unjustifiable claim..don't worry I've done my research..For example, I personally compared the syllabus of IB higher level history to A level History. Throughout the two years I studied almost every major and important piece of history throughout the 19th and 20th century. Unfortunately a website I know with a bunch of IB papers has been closed due to legal reasons but I showed several papers to my friends who take A-Levels and they didn't know half of what was asked on the paper.
This isn't JUST the case for history(I got a 7 )..most other subjects are an absolute bitch to take at higher level..doing 3 is tough but having to do 3 more standard level subjects on top is even tougher. Take Physics for example...this subject is so difficult that even a girl who was predicted practically full marks at IB was struggling getting over a 5/7 at higher level.
-The 3 standard level subjects aren't as difficult compared to the detail needed in Higher level subjects although this is probably evident. However, doing these additional subjects ensures that you have to work and engage in hefty self study..you can't just try and fluke them. The constant internal assessments which count towards your final grade also help keep you on your toes.
-Oral presentations-the almighty bitch of IB. Everyone dreads them but they're unavoidable. IB students are required in their A1 language to analyze a lengthy text in a microphone for 10 mins...on two occasions. Now you may be thinking..pschh this is easy all you have to do is come in prepared and having memorized the text. To ensure that this may not happen we have to analyze and unseen text 10mins before the bloody exam and then give a 10min presentation on anything of literary importance..believe me, it sucks.
-TOK-many of you think that IB students "only" have to take 6 subjects when this is actually untrue. We are required to take T.O.K which is a philosophy based subject and are given homework as well as presentations in addition with this subject. Although we are only required to do a years worth of TOK, it still plays a substantial part in your IB grade counting as either 1 or 2 of the extra points you are entitled to receive.
So in effect, IB students actually have to take 7 subjects for the best part of a year!
-The Extended Essay-is a research paper that you are given a year to write. I'm not bothered to go too much into this but let me assure you it's a hell of a lot of work ontop of all the other IB work. Countless drafts have to be made and several hours of research are required even to achieve a mediocre grade C. This also helps you get an extra point provided you achieve a decent grade. What particularly annoyed me about the extended essay is the preconceived bullshit that IB examiners/markers have. In order to achieve an A in the extended essay it was described that it would require the "Wow factor" which is obviously subject to differing opinion. My teacher predicted my extended essay an A because it had everything that was required. I didn't get the A because it didn't have the "Wow factor". I'm told that in A-levels as long as you've followed what is required it is easy to get an "A" in anything.
-CAS-Creativity Action Service -150 hours of this is required-Community service is a must.
There is more but I'm not bothered to go on.
All this said...I was exhausted when I finished IB and I still feel that universities underestimate the program despite all the glory it's given.
I have a friend who studies medicine at Nottingham..she told me that the first year for her was piss easy (she did IB) but almost all the A-level students found it tough as hell. The program is an excellent tool in preparing a student for university because it requires you to handle deadlines as sensibly as possible. It requires you to think critically. It requires you to use your brain. IB is awesome but obviously not THAT awesome to British unis.
I'm done.
I can quite confidently say that my social life was really limited throughout IB1 and IB2 because of the amount of work that was dumped on me constantly. It's not at all like A-levels where you can cram in all your studying and get three As provided you have a brain. The whole point of IB is that this can't happen. You're constantly being tested and if you slack off your grade will suffer. I can't actually think of any of the 40+ pointers in my class who didn't work their fucking asses off to achieve their grade. In fact, for the last 7 months I barley saw my friend who got into Cambridge because the amount of work he needed to do to assure he got 40+ points.
Since I've done IB I'll give you an idea of the type of things we have to do:
-We are required to take 6 subjects in order to pass the diploma- 3 of which are required to be higher level subjects.
The amount of work that an IB student does in a higher level subject is immense. I'm not just making some unjustifiable claim..don't worry I've done my research..For example, I personally compared the syllabus of IB higher level history to A level History. Throughout the two years I studied almost every major and important piece of history throughout the 19th and 20th century. Unfortunately a website I know with a bunch of IB papers has been closed due to legal reasons but I showed several papers to my friends who take A-Levels and they didn't know half of what was asked on the paper.
This isn't JUST the case for history(I got a 7 )..most other subjects are an absolute bitch to take at higher level..doing 3 is tough but having to do 3 more standard level subjects on top is even tougher. Take Physics for example...this subject is so difficult that even a girl who was predicted practically full marks at IB was struggling getting over a 5/7 at higher level.
-The 3 standard level subjects aren't as difficult compared to the detail needed in Higher level subjects although this is probably evident. However, doing these additional subjects ensures that you have to work and engage in hefty self study..you can't just try and fluke them. The constant internal assessments which count towards your final grade also help keep you on your toes.
-Oral presentations-the almighty bitch of IB. Everyone dreads them but they're unavoidable. IB students are required in their A1 language to analyze a lengthy text in a microphone for 10 mins...on two occasions. Now you may be thinking..pschh this is easy all you have to do is come in prepared and having memorized the text. To ensure that this may not happen we have to analyze and unseen text 10mins before the bloody exam and then give a 10min presentation on anything of literary importance..believe me, it sucks.
-TOK-many of you think that IB students "only" have to take 6 subjects when this is actually untrue. We are required to take T.O.K which is a philosophy based subject and are given homework as well as presentations in addition with this subject. Although we are only required to do a years worth of TOK, it still plays a substantial part in your IB grade counting as either 1 or 2 of the extra points you are entitled to receive.
So in effect, IB students actually have to take 7 subjects for the best part of a year!
-The Extended Essay-is a research paper that you are given a year to write. I'm not bothered to go too much into this but let me assure you it's a hell of a lot of work ontop of all the other IB work. Countless drafts have to be made and several hours of research are required even to achieve a mediocre grade C. This also helps you get an extra point provided you achieve a decent grade. What particularly annoyed me about the extended essay is the preconceived bullshit that IB examiners/markers have. In order to achieve an A in the extended essay it was described that it would require the "Wow factor" which is obviously subject to differing opinion. My teacher predicted my extended essay an A because it had everything that was required. I didn't get the A because it didn't have the "Wow factor". I'm told that in A-levels as long as you've followed what is required it is easy to get an "A" in anything.
-CAS-Creativity Action Service -150 hours of this is required-Community service is a must.
There is more but I'm not bothered to go on.
All this said...I was exhausted when I finished IB and I still feel that universities underestimate the program despite all the glory it's given.
I have a friend who studies medicine at Nottingham..she told me that the first year for her was piss easy (she did IB) but almost all the A-level students found it tough as hell. The program is an excellent tool in preparing a student for university because it requires you to handle deadlines as sensibly as possible. It requires you to think critically. It requires you to use your brain. IB is awesome but obviously not THAT awesome to British unis.
I'm done.
Last edited by ..teddy..jimmy (2008-08-17 14:03:25)
Zimmer I'm slightly insulted by how badly you put down A-Level and A-Level students. Who are you, some unfortunate intellectual that has never had his genius talent revealed to mainstream society because of the evils of the government's education policy? For your information I went to a private boarding school and now study at Oxford... I was lucky enough to get in through the 'easy' route of A-Levels.
You're quite right, I put in no effort and 4/5 A-Levels were a doddle, in fact I couldn't even begin to equate them with the difficulty of one IB.
I really feel sorry for all these IB students because of course University applications do not involve a personal statement or an interview. If someone meets the UCAS equivalent of 320-360 points then they're more than likely to be granted an Oxbridge interview (providing their GCSE's and background information is also high-quality)- is it not possible that their interview would reveal they're simply not Oxbridge material? A hell of a lot of A-Level students get rejected too you know, it's not as if the education system is wholly corrupt and A-Levels are a free-pass into Russell Group universities.
It is so awesome that IB learns you to manage your own time! Us A-Level students can't schedule or plan anything for shit, really. I spent most of my first year missing lectures and forgetting my timetable because studying an A-Level curriculum literally made me neurotic.
Honestly, you haven't been as successful as some A-Level students in your exams and your opportunities; build yourself a bridge and get the fuck over it. A 'top' IB score of 45 is equivalent to 6 A-Levels... which is great, because there are an alarming amount of students at the top Universities that passed 5/6 A-Levels a A-Grade quality with no complaints. If the minimum UCAS tariffs for the countries top Universities are so low in terms of IB-points, why are so many IB students failing to get through the interview-consideration stage? Guess you won't find much 'statistical' evidence for that part.
You're quite right, I put in no effort and 4/5 A-Levels were a doddle, in fact I couldn't even begin to equate them with the difficulty of one IB.
I really feel sorry for all these IB students because of course University applications do not involve a personal statement or an interview. If someone meets the UCAS equivalent of 320-360 points then they're more than likely to be granted an Oxbridge interview (providing their GCSE's and background information is also high-quality)- is it not possible that their interview would reveal they're simply not Oxbridge material? A hell of a lot of A-Level students get rejected too you know, it's not as if the education system is wholly corrupt and A-Levels are a free-pass into Russell Group universities.
It is so awesome that IB learns you to manage your own time! Us A-Level students can't schedule or plan anything for shit, really. I spent most of my first year missing lectures and forgetting my timetable because studying an A-Level curriculum literally made me neurotic.
Honestly, you haven't been as successful as some A-Level students in your exams and your opportunities; build yourself a bridge and get the fuck over it. A 'top' IB score of 45 is equivalent to 6 A-Levels... which is great, because there are an alarming amount of students at the top Universities that passed 5/6 A-Levels a A-Grade quality with no complaints. If the minimum UCAS tariffs for the countries top Universities are so low in terms of IB-points, why are so many IB students failing to get through the interview-consideration stage? Guess you won't find much 'statistical' evidence for that part.
Last edited by Uzique (2008-08-17 14:25:56)
libertarian benefit collector - anti-academic super-intellectual. http://mixlr.com/the-little-phrase/
Why should you feel insulted? It's a goddamn exam. You passed them and you got into Oxford, I have nothing against you. All I can say is well done. I don't care if you went to a public school or a boarding school, I don't mind.
I only have something against the government for not trying to improve education. Burying it away and claiming the media is talking shit about rises in A passes. I have seen my country ( Spain ) go to shit because of the education system ( they are the worst in maths, english, and overall sciences ) and the country doesn't even bother. Kids are passing high school ( its a different system, if you don't pass all your subjects, you have to repeat the year ) because teachers are just writing down "A" on their sheets. This is what it is becoming here.
Too many "internal" assessments, not one governing body, easy exams, done over 2 years, spoon fed.
I apologise for sounding angry today, I was in a bit of a huff about something else, and I should not have siphoned off my anger at this topic.
I just want people to know this and to accept it; because right now I am hearing too much of "A levels were so fucking hard, they are impossible", when in fact they are not. I don't think any lower of you because you did A-levels, you got into Oxford nonetheless, which proves to me how capable you are, even if you did A-levels only.
Apart from Glasgow and Edinburgh here, there are very few good unis, and I know younger kids who are really struggling to get into English ones because their grades are not "widely accepted" and they don't think they are good enough for them. Which is so wrong- as shown by how poor A-levels are compared to other examinations. That was the only reason I wanted to show why A-levels shouldn't be getting as much recognition any more.
Sorry you felt insulted by me, Uzique. That was not my intention. That was, however, my intention towards Vilham's ignorant comments.
I only have something against the government for not trying to improve education. Burying it away and claiming the media is talking shit about rises in A passes. I have seen my country ( Spain ) go to shit because of the education system ( they are the worst in maths, english, and overall sciences ) and the country doesn't even bother. Kids are passing high school ( its a different system, if you don't pass all your subjects, you have to repeat the year ) because teachers are just writing down "A" on their sheets. This is what it is becoming here.
Too many "internal" assessments, not one governing body, easy exams, done over 2 years, spoon fed.
I apologise for sounding angry today, I was in a bit of a huff about something else, and I should not have siphoned off my anger at this topic.
I just want people to know this and to accept it; because right now I am hearing too much of "A levels were so fucking hard, they are impossible", when in fact they are not. I don't think any lower of you because you did A-levels, you got into Oxford nonetheless, which proves to me how capable you are, even if you did A-levels only.
Apart from Glasgow and Edinburgh here, there are very few good unis, and I know younger kids who are really struggling to get into English ones because their grades are not "widely accepted" and they don't think they are good enough for them. Which is so wrong- as shown by how poor A-levels are compared to other examinations. That was the only reason I wanted to show why A-levels shouldn't be getting as much recognition any more.
Sorry you felt insulted by me, Uzique. That was not my intention. That was, however, my intention towards Vilham's ignorant comments.
There's nothing to say Vilham's comments are "ignorant"- he's using a real world analogy to contend his own side, you're relying on statistics and percentages. Which one implies more ignorance? Who truly places all of their faith in statistics and articles from the goddamned Guardian? Personally from the wide range of international and non A-Level students I have seen in the Universities I have visisted/have experience with, there is no clearcut admissions bias. You have to remember that the finest institutions don't look so much at how students achieved in their past exams... they're more interested in seeing how developed and intelligent that student could be at 22, after years of research and study. I think that the personal statement and interview are far more crucial in determining your success than the UCAS requirements; UCAS tariffs are just that, a 'minimum' foundation that has to be present before any real deciding can be done.
I'm not saying the education system is completely perfect and infallible... no government has ever truly had it 'spot on' and right. But the current system has had many years of adjustment and testing; I just perhaps think you're placing a little too much weight and emphasis on the quantitative matter of grades and marks, when the real division between acceptance and rejection occurs in the qualitative factors of a prospective student.
And the Northern red-brick institutions - as well as awesome Unis such as Durham - are great options for Scottish applicants. I don't think the border between England and Scotland (and their respective examination boards / testing methods) is that great, there are loads of Scots, Welsh (WJEC board applicants) and international students in Southern unis!
I'm not saying the education system is completely perfect and infallible... no government has ever truly had it 'spot on' and right. But the current system has had many years of adjustment and testing; I just perhaps think you're placing a little too much weight and emphasis on the quantitative matter of grades and marks, when the real division between acceptance and rejection occurs in the qualitative factors of a prospective student.
And the Northern red-brick institutions - as well as awesome Unis such as Durham - are great options for Scottish applicants. I don't think the border between England and Scotland (and their respective examination boards / testing methods) is that great, there are loads of Scots, Welsh (WJEC board applicants) and international students in Southern unis!
... And you said in the other thread you weren't predictable?Poseidon wrote:
I always have something good to say... blah blah, [insert old tiresome bf2s meme here for fellatio points]
Last edited by Uzique (2008-08-17 14:46:28)
libertarian benefit collector - anti-academic super-intellectual. http://mixlr.com/the-little-phrase/
I accept the IB is fucking mental, but i also think uni's place quite a large bit of emphasis on the human side, you know, the kid behind the marks.
As Uzique stated, i think unis put a lot of weight on personal statements/interviews and correspondance - without that i wouldn't be going to Queens.
i do think the IB is superior (by far) in terms of content and depth over A-Levels.
As Uzique stated, i think unis put a lot of weight on personal statements/interviews and correspondance - without that i wouldn't be going to Queens.
i do think the IB is superior (by far) in terms of content and depth over A-Levels.
Small hourglass island
Always raining and foggy
Use an umbrella
Always raining and foggy
Use an umbrella