Muse Among MenSuburban Bunny Princess?Its time for a new shtick Registered Userregular
edited July 2011
I wish I had signed up for the summer classes now. Waking up to a dinky house throbbing with people that never leave and insist on doing everything together and being unable to go anywhere anyway because it is like 100 fucking degrees out is about as fun as summer school so I could have been getting credits instead.
2 more months, I can soldier on. Unless I die of heatstroke. Fucking Valley weather, always 10 degrees worse.
or did you work hard and thought you got a higher grade
Well, the main reason I am frustrated is that A minuses do lower our GPA, and it is entirely dependent upon the teacher whether to assign pluses and minuses or just straight grades. So what would have been an A - and a 4.0 - with another teacher was a A- and a 3.75 with this teacher
The second reason is the grade was as a result of multiple-answer questions, which I hate (and have attacked plenty in the previous school threads). I feel that had I been tested on my actual knowledge then, yes, I would have received an A
or did you work hard and thought you got a higher grade
Well, the main reason I am frustrated is that A minuses do lower our GPA, and it is entirely dependent upon the teacher whether to assign pluses and minuses or just straight grades. So what would have been an A - and a 4.0 - with another teacher was a A- and a 3.75 with this teacher
The second reason is the grade was as a result of multiple-answer questions, which I hate (and have attacked plenty in the previous school threads). I feel that had I been tested on my actual knowledge then, yes, I would have received an A
A- should count the same as a regular A. Seriously, school, how many students actually put in that sort of effort? Don't fuck them over because a few honor students bitch over valedictorian status.
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or did you work hard and thought you got a higher grade
Well, the main reason I am frustrated is that A minuses do lower our GPA, and it is entirely dependent upon the teacher whether to assign pluses and minuses or just straight grades. So what would have been an A - and a 4.0 - with another teacher was a A- and a 3.75 with this teacher
The second reason is the grade was as a result of multiple-answer questions, which I hate (and have attacked plenty in the previous school threads). I feel that had I been tested on my actual knowledge then, yes, I would have received an A
A- should count the same as a regular A. Seriously, school, how many students actually put in that sort of effort? Don't fuck them over because a few honor students bitch over valedictorian status.
agreeing with this rather hard right now
but also
I'd rather they just report your damn percentage performance
like, an 89 and 90 should not be worth 3 and 4 points respectively on a goddamn 4 point scale
The UK does not use a four-point scale, but then the UK also does not have a GPA of any kind. What I mean to say is, each subject is looked at individually. So your ineptitude at physics or math does not get a second glance if you're applying for an history degree or hoping to get a job in an history-related field
The only requirements are that for almost any kind of further education beyond the age of 16, you are expected to attain at least a C grade in math, English lit, English lang, and at least two sciences, but those are really very easy
I know I've been over the UK school system before, but it was a while ago.
What I remember of the school system in general (spoilered for long and boring):
Essentially you have:
High school ages 12-16
Sixth form college (may be a part of the high school you attend, but in my town was separate) ages 16-18
University ages 18+
In high school, you leave with GCSEs (general certificate of secondary education). Typically you do between 9-11 GCSEs, depending on what your high school offers, and what extra-curricular activities you do (for example, I did a music GCSE in my own time with a private music teacher)
You choose what GCSEs you will do aged 14. Each school has a slightly different system, but will resemble something like this (this was my high school's system):
English Lit
English Lang
Math
Double Science (where you basically achieve two GCSEs for studying Chemistry, Physics and Biology) OR two of the three core sciences in more depth. When I studied for my GCSEs, my school only offered the double science award; my brother was offered the choice between the double science award or studying two of the three sciences, however)
A humanities subject (Geography, History or Religious Education)
A foreign language (Whatever your school offers)
An arts subject (Music, Art, Home Economics, Drama)
Physical Education
A technology subject (Graphic Design, Woodwork, etc.)
I swapped an arts subject for the opportunity to do a second humanities subject, so I ended up doing English Lit, English Lang, Math, Double Science, Geography, History, French, P.E., Graphic Design and Music for a total of 10 GCSEs
Then, to to get into sixth form college, you have to get at least a C grade in the core subjects (the aforementioned two Englishes, Math and two sciences)
At sixth form you can do A-levels in any 3-5 subjects (I don't remember if there are any prerequisites other than the 5 C+ grades). However, you have to choose carefully, as the A-levels you do affect what university courses you apply for. I.e. if you have an inkling that you wish to be a doctor, you better be choosing all science subjects and perhaps math. My mother, for example, did English Lit, French and Latin at A-level, and then decided she wanted to be a vet, so she returned to sixth form and did another two years of Math, Zoology (no longer a subject by the time I went to school) and Physics.
Me, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do, so I kept my options open by choosing Ancient History, English Lit and Math.
Then universities will have different grade requirements depending on what you are studying and where. I decided to study architecture, and at my school of choice, Sheffield, the grade requirements were ABB. I also had to put together a portfolio, as I wasn't taking an art A-level. In the end, I got accepted with AAC (the C was in math, I got a boyfriend in my math class and... yeah, it was all my fault), but I believe two points were in my favour; a) the C was only two points off a B (curses!) and b) I had a pretty good application/portfolio/recommendations from teachers
You can get grades all the way down to E, so yes, there are universities (although the quality of said universities is dubious) that will accept you with DDE or similar grades. Most, if not all, medical schools require AAB at least, so the subject you plan to do also plays a factor.
At university, you do three years of whatever subject you have chosen (you may have a few 'free' credits - I never did - in which you can study a subject outside your major, but this again is entirely dependent upon what your chosen subject is. Architecture is a pretty involved course; 39 hours a week of architecture-related subjects). Full-time students have little choice but to take 45 credits a semester, so unless you have to repeat a year, or you are doing a special four year degree, everyone graduates after three years.
Marking:
I suppose I may have had a couple of multiple-choice papers, but I can't remember if I did for certain. If I did, though, it certainly did not make up a significant percentage of my grade.
Also: GCSEs and A-levels are standardized across the country! So, if you are in the south of England, you take exactly the same English paper, and it is sent away to be marked by exactly the same board of examiners, as an English paper written by someone from the north of England.
It does mean you don't get your grades until 2 months after you have completed your exams, but IMO it's a MUCH fairer system. It means your A is the same as anyone else's A, it eliminates teacher favouritism, and it also allows for a better judge of teaching systems. For example, when two thirds of my Ancient History teacher's class got As, it wasn't because she was an easy grader, but because she was an excellent teacher who had prepared us well for the exams.
Courses like history and geography are far more social based in the UK. For example, in our history exams we wrote in great detail about how past events/periods affected people, and we very rarely had to remember any specific dates of battles, etc.
The BBC has a really great GCSE revision guide (of course, being web-based, the 'practice' tests are all multiple-choice, but they wouldn't be in the actual exam) that shows what is taught at secondary level:
(Oh damn, I just looked at the current English Lit requirements and now I am so angry! Jane Eyre was not an option when I was at school! And I had to study The Tempest, which is an awful, awful play)
I don't remember coursework making up more than 40% of my grade. Attendance does not factor into your grade at all (although it will affect you in other ways) and there are no chances for extra credit.
Lots of writing in exams! In Ancient History we had to write four essays in three hours, phew!
Also, exam taking is a LOT more stringent in the UK! For example, a cell phone going off = automatic failing. You have specific exam rooms - usually the PE halls, because you need to accommodate a whole year's worth of students in one place. Desks are scrubbed clean. You CANNOT enter before the teachers allow you to file in (in accounting, I saw one girl cheat by writing formulas on her desk before the teacher entered, and then covering it up with her pencil case). No pencil cases are allowed, unless they are see-through. Desks have to be a certain width apart (I've seen it measured) and 4+ teachers will be on duty, patrolling the rows of desks to ensure that no one is turning around or gesturing at their classmates.
Foreign language exams are aural, oral and written.
Oral exams for foreign language/music/drama are taped, so samples can be sent to the examining boards to ensure that teachers are marking fairly (they are also one instance where your teacher DOES mark you)
Samples of coursework are also sent to the examining bodies, to ensure teachers are marking fairly
A lot of the time, teachers are unable to tell you what specifically to be revising, because they themselves do not see the exam papers before you take them
The only study notes ever permitted in any exam I took in the UK were ones we'd made in our books for English lit, and even then you can only really highlight a few select quotes, because the exam could ask you write an essay on anything!
- More flexible, MUCH more flexible. Great for someone who works full-time, like me! Also, great for someone who has no idea what they want to do, or discovers they hate their chosen subject. Would've been much better for my mother, who had to re-do her years at sixth form in order to attain grades in the right subjects.
- US grade boundaries are higher, which probably makes up for the many ways in which you can gain extra marks (i.e. through good attendance/extra credit assignments). UK exams may sound tougher, and in many ways they are, but the boundaries are lower to adjust for this - i.e. an A is usually 80%, and sometimes even 70-75%
- US exposes you to a greater range of subjects; many subjects I haven't touched since I was 16, and some, like RE or drama, I haven't touched since I was 14. Also, it would've been really nice to have been able to take, say, a history or geography class to break up the monotony of architectural subjects
UK exams may sound tougher, and in many ways they are, but the boundaries are lower to adjust for this - i.e. an A is usually 80%, and sometimes even 70-75%
I had a few teachers in college who had different grade scales.
Was so weird being elated at getting a 68%
My brother went to med school, my parents were both at veterinary school, and at those you are overjoyed to get above 40% (a passing grade).
Oh - and another advantage of the US school system?
US employers pretty much only recognise US degrees. :P It's tough, especially when nearly all UK degrees are only three years, and US employers often specifically state 'four years' required.
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BaidolI will hold him offEscape while you canRegistered Userregular
edited July 2011
The lab I'm teaching this summer has a maximum of 24 students.
Started with 21 on my roster the first day of lab. Down to 10 students now from people not showing up/dropped/purged. I am happy with this result.
BaidolI will hold him offEscape while you canRegistered Userregular
edited July 2011
On one hand, they don't know what they're doing because, you know, this is the lab course where they learn what the fuck and that should be remembered.
On the other hand, things would go much smoother for them if they did the reading and followed instructions.
BaidolI will hold him offEscape while you canRegistered Userregular
edited July 2011
Common sense would also be nice.
Last week, there were instructions to heat some water on a hotplate. In someone else's section, a student proceeded to measure out the requisite water in a graduated cylinder, possessing a plastic bottom, and put it on the hotplate.
I remember when a guy thought it would be a good idea to stick his tie (we had to wear ties to school back then) into a metal buffer mounted to a bench (basically a cloth wheel turning at about 3000rpm).
Luckily for him, all it did was pull the knot really, really tight and the tie snapped. They had to cut the tie off him to get it off his neck. The metalwork teacher ended up attaching it the wall at the front of the class as a reminder not to be a fucking idiot
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get a job, hippie!
jesus
only thing that should be that long is labs
Only 3 hours!
I would suggest you just not do the project instead. Drop the class if you need to.
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Also, damn it, I got an A- in Accounting 1B :x
is an A- a bad grade now
or did you work hard and thought you got a higher grade
2 more months, I can soldier on. Unless I die of heatstroke. Fucking Valley weather, always 10 degrees worse.
Well, the main reason I am frustrated is that A minuses do lower our GPA, and it is entirely dependent upon the teacher whether to assign pluses and minuses or just straight grades. So what would have been an A - and a 4.0 - with another teacher was a A- and a 3.75 with this teacher
The second reason is the grade was as a result of multiple-answer questions, which I hate (and have attacked plenty in the previous school threads). I feel that had I been tested on my actual knowledge then, yes, I would have received an A
It didn't help that I usually stayed up until about 3:00 in the morning on most nights.
A- should count the same as a regular A. Seriously, school, how many students actually put in that sort of effort? Don't fuck them over because a few honor students bitch over valedictorian status.
Twitch (I stream most days of the week)
Twitter (mean leftist discourse)
My final 3rd year course starts today.
Selected museum exhibit survey course thing
This semester, Caravaggio exhibit at the CNAG
Dear satan I wish for this or maybe some of this....oh and I'm a medium or a large.
agreeing with this rather hard right now
but also
I'd rather they just report your damn percentage performance
like, an 89 and 90 should not be worth 3 and 4 points respectively on a goddamn 4 point scale
The UK does not use a four-point scale, but then the UK also does not have a GPA of any kind. What I mean to say is, each subject is looked at individually. So your ineptitude at physics or math does not get a second glance if you're applying for an history degree or hoping to get a job in an history-related field
you have to get at least a C in your major's classes here
and you say multiple choice tests are a rarity?
I know I've been over the UK school system before, but it was a while ago.
What I remember of the school system in general (spoilered for long and boring):
High school ages 12-16
Sixth form college (may be a part of the high school you attend, but in my town was separate) ages 16-18
University ages 18+
In high school, you leave with GCSEs (general certificate of secondary education). Typically you do between 9-11 GCSEs, depending on what your high school offers, and what extra-curricular activities you do (for example, I did a music GCSE in my own time with a private music teacher)
You choose what GCSEs you will do aged 14. Each school has a slightly different system, but will resemble something like this (this was my high school's system):
English Lit
English Lang
Math
Double Science (where you basically achieve two GCSEs for studying Chemistry, Physics and Biology) OR two of the three core sciences in more depth. When I studied for my GCSEs, my school only offered the double science award; my brother was offered the choice between the double science award or studying two of the three sciences, however)
A humanities subject (Geography, History or Religious Education)
A foreign language (Whatever your school offers)
An arts subject (Music, Art, Home Economics, Drama)
Physical Education
A technology subject (Graphic Design, Woodwork, etc.)
I swapped an arts subject for the opportunity to do a second humanities subject, so I ended up doing English Lit, English Lang, Math, Double Science, Geography, History, French, P.E., Graphic Design and Music for a total of 10 GCSEs
Then, to to get into sixth form college, you have to get at least a C grade in the core subjects (the aforementioned two Englishes, Math and two sciences)
At sixth form you can do A-levels in any 3-5 subjects (I don't remember if there are any prerequisites other than the 5 C+ grades). However, you have to choose carefully, as the A-levels you do affect what university courses you apply for. I.e. if you have an inkling that you wish to be a doctor, you better be choosing all science subjects and perhaps math. My mother, for example, did English Lit, French and Latin at A-level, and then decided she wanted to be a vet, so she returned to sixth form and did another two years of Math, Zoology (no longer a subject by the time I went to school) and Physics.
Me, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do, so I kept my options open by choosing Ancient History, English Lit and Math.
Then universities will have different grade requirements depending on what you are studying and where. I decided to study architecture, and at my school of choice, Sheffield, the grade requirements were ABB. I also had to put together a portfolio, as I wasn't taking an art A-level. In the end, I got accepted with AAC (the C was in math, I got a boyfriend in my math class and... yeah, it was all my fault), but I believe two points were in my favour; a) the C was only two points off a B (curses!) and b) I had a pretty good application/portfolio/recommendations from teachers
You can get grades all the way down to E, so yes, there are universities (although the quality of said universities is dubious) that will accept you with DDE or similar grades. Most, if not all, medical schools require AAB at least, so the subject you plan to do also plays a factor.
At university, you do three years of whatever subject you have chosen (you may have a few 'free' credits - I never did - in which you can study a subject outside your major, but this again is entirely dependent upon what your chosen subject is. Architecture is a pretty involved course; 39 hours a week of architecture-related subjects). Full-time students have little choice but to take 45 credits a semester, so unless you have to repeat a year, or you are doing a special four year degree, everyone graduates after three years.
Marking:
I suppose I may have had a couple of multiple-choice papers, but I can't remember if I did for certain. If I did, though, it certainly did not make up a significant percentage of my grade.
Also: GCSEs and A-levels are standardized across the country! So, if you are in the south of England, you take exactly the same English paper, and it is sent away to be marked by exactly the same board of examiners, as an English paper written by someone from the north of England.
It does mean you don't get your grades until 2 months after you have completed your exams, but IMO it's a MUCH fairer system. It means your A is the same as anyone else's A, it eliminates teacher favouritism, and it also allows for a better judge of teaching systems. For example, when two thirds of my Ancient History teacher's class got As, it wasn't because she was an easy grader, but because she was an excellent teacher who had prepared us well for the exams.
Courses like history and geography are far more social based in the UK. For example, in our history exams we wrote in great detail about how past events/periods affected people, and we very rarely had to remember any specific dates of battles, etc.
The BBC has a really great GCSE revision guide (of course, being web-based, the 'practice' tests are all multiple-choice, but they wouldn't be in the actual exam) that shows what is taught at secondary level:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/apps/ifl/schools/gcsebitesize
(Oh damn, I just looked at the current English Lit requirements and now I am so angry! Jane Eyre was not an option when I was at school! And I had to study The Tempest, which is an awful, awful play)
I don't remember coursework making up more than 40% of my grade. Attendance does not factor into your grade at all (although it will affect you in other ways) and there are no chances for extra credit.
Lots of writing in exams! In Ancient History we had to write four essays in three hours, phew!
Also, exam taking is a LOT more stringent in the UK! For example, a cell phone going off = automatic failing. You have specific exam rooms - usually the PE halls, because you need to accommodate a whole year's worth of students in one place. Desks are scrubbed clean. You CANNOT enter before the teachers allow you to file in (in accounting, I saw one girl cheat by writing formulas on her desk before the teacher entered, and then covering it up with her pencil case). No pencil cases are allowed, unless they are see-through. Desks have to be a certain width apart (I've seen it measured) and 4+ teachers will be on duty, patrolling the rows of desks to ensure that no one is turning around or gesturing at their classmates.
Foreign language exams are aural, oral and written.
Oral exams for foreign language/music/drama are taped, so samples can be sent to the examining boards to ensure that teachers are marking fairly (they are also one instance where your teacher DOES mark you)
Samples of coursework are also sent to the examining bodies, to ensure teachers are marking fairly
A lot of the time, teachers are unable to tell you what specifically to be revising, because they themselves do not see the exam papers before you take them
The only study notes ever permitted in any exam I took in the UK were ones we'd made in our books for English lit, and even then you can only really highlight a few select quotes, because the exam could ask you write an essay on anything!
Dear satan I wish for this or maybe some of this....oh and I'm a medium or a large.
Dear satan I wish for this or maybe some of this....oh and I'm a medium or a large.
- More flexible, MUCH more flexible. Great for someone who works full-time, like me! Also, great for someone who has no idea what they want to do, or discovers they hate their chosen subject. Would've been much better for my mother, who had to re-do her years at sixth form in order to attain grades in the right subjects.
- US grade boundaries are higher, which probably makes up for the many ways in which you can gain extra marks (i.e. through good attendance/extra credit assignments). UK exams may sound tougher, and in many ways they are, but the boundaries are lower to adjust for this - i.e. an A is usually 80%, and sometimes even 70-75%
- US exposes you to a greater range of subjects; many subjects I haven't touched since I was 16, and some, like RE or drama, I haven't touched since I was 14. Also, it would've been really nice to have been able to take, say, a history or geography class to break up the monotony of architectural subjects
I had a few teachers in college who had different grade scales.
Was so weird being elated at getting a 68%
My brother went to med school, my parents were both at veterinary school, and at those you are overjoyed to get above 40% (a passing grade).
Oh - and another advantage of the US school system?
US employers pretty much only recognise US degrees. :P It's tough, especially when nearly all UK degrees are only three years, and US employers often specifically state 'four years' required.
Started with 21 on my roster the first day of lab. Down to 10 students now from people not showing up/dropped/purged. I am happy with this result.
But it's close
On the other hand, things would go much smoother for them if they did the reading and followed instructions.
Last week, there were instructions to heat some water on a hotplate. In someone else's section, a student proceeded to measure out the requisite water in a graduated cylinder, possessing a plastic bottom, and put it on the hotplate.
and lit his own pants on fire
during the fire safety lecture
I remember when a guy thought it would be a good idea to stick his tie (we had to wear ties to school back then) into a metal buffer mounted to a bench (basically a cloth wheel turning at about 3000rpm).
Luckily for him, all it did was pull the knot really, really tight and the tie snapped. They had to cut the tie off him to get it off his neck. The metalwork teacher ended up attaching it the wall at the front of the class as a reminder not to be a fucking idiot
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better
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Intro to Canadian Lit
Shakespeare: Comedy & Romance
English Novel 1660-1750
Topics in Philosophy: Philosophy and Science Fiction
I have a feeling I'm gonna do a lot of reading.