Classroom revolution: A-level students could sit exams earlier

[Jazzy]

The agony of A-level students waiting for their results before discovering if they have won a place at their chosen university could soon be a thing of the past.



A White Paper overhauling the Ucas system has proposed that final school exams would take place weeks earlier and the autumn university term pushed back to as late as January.



If the reforms win support, sixth-formers would have the opportunity for the first time to apply to universities knowing their grades.



But the changes to term times, exam timetable and marking are unlikely to get the green light for two years so as not to disrupt the current A-level students.



Under Ucas, the University and College Admissions Service, students get conditional offers in the spring which are not confirmed until they get their results in August.



But as many as half of these predicted grades are wrong with students missing out on the best universities because teachers have underestimated their performances.



The deadline for applications this year, falls at midnight tonight. But under the proposals to be published in the spring, this will be moved back for about six months and the start of the university year could be delayed until January.



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...apply-universities-results.html#ixzz1B7aOFhrs

 

[Evil Eye]

That makes sense... how come they didn't think of that sooner?

 

[Durandal]

That makes sense... how come they didn't think of that sooner?

...because it's too simple and not dripping with bureaucracy yet.

 

[Ashley]

To bad we didn't have something like this when I was in school. Actually, we don't that I know of. It would've been nice to have though, as when you're researching for what colleges you might be interested in attending, one of the things the college wants to know (I think) is your grade point average, or GPA for short. Kind of hard to apply when you don't know what your current GPA is before the grading period is up.

 

[Rapunzel]

That doesn't really make sense to me. Even if UCAS want to overhaul their system, surely to change their term dates would mean changing term dates for primary and secondary schools too, as well as colleges and universities.



Also, there is a horrendous amount of paperwork involved which needs to be started as early as possible. Students are interviewed for places and usually offered a conditional place. If the conditions aren't met, therefore, the students on the list who do get the passing grades are offered the places and the student who fails to get the grade then goes through Clearing. Clearing works well although it is a pain for those who end up in it. They still should get a University place on the course of their choice, it just may not be at the University they originally applied for.



ETA: UCAS should be more worried about getting enough students in. With course costs doubling, there will be a lot of students who can no longer afford to repay the fees.

 

[Ashley]

That doesn't really make sense to me. Even if UCAS want to overhaul their system, surely to change their term dates would mean changing term dates for primary and secondary schools too, as well as colleges and universities.



Also, there is a horrendous amount of paperwork involved which needs to be started as early as possible. Students are interviewed for places and usually offered a conditional place. If the conditions aren't met, therefore, the students on the list who do get the passing grades are offered the places and the student who fails to get the grade then goes through Clearing. Clearing works well although it is a pain for those who end up in it. They still should get a University place on the course of their choice, it just may not be at the University they originally applied for.



ETA: UCAS should be more worried about getting enough students in. With course costs doubling, there will be a lot of students who can no longer afford to repay the fees.

Clearing... is that kind of like a waiting list or what is that exactly? I read that part and the first thing I thought of was a waiting list.