1st year Exams in January

[worrier]

Ok, I don't want to seem like a worrier, even though I am. I'm just really stressed about my first exams in January. What if I don't do brilliantly? I can't seem to revise well either. AHHHHHHH!

[DrAlex]

In my first year at least, it seemed like the published policy was to grade really hard and be really picky.

If you get double digits, be happy.

[hr]

La loi est dure, mais l'aigle ne chasse pas les mouches.
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[womble chris]

are you being serious?

dont bother worrying at all. you need to get 5s, they give out 5s like the give out rent rises.

if you dont get good marks it deosnt matter. you should never worry in 1st year, a bit in 2nd year about whatever subject you want to get an 11 in.
and when you get to 3rd year, like i am, then think bugger, i have to try to motivate myself. somehow.

[exnihilo]

So that would now be 5 of the 10 most recent threads which are Help or Advice. That's half.

Maybe there should be a help and advice board somewhere? Hmm?

But I don't want to seem bitter. As for first year, not that important, true, but if you don't start doing a little work now expect to really struggle in later years. Also, the exams just aren't that hard, if you don't get double digits you need to try a lot harder.

[Lyeta]

Honestly, don't worry. I rememeber being paranoid that I wouldn't even get a 5. Now I am pissed off that I wasted time worrying about exams in first year. It doesnt even count for anything anyway.

[Cain]

Quoting womble chris from 20:24, 29th Dec 2005
dont bother worrying at all. you need to get 5s, they give out 5s like the give out rent rises.

so... one every three years, staggered over threee years?

[hr]

I hold an element of surprise

[Guest]

Be cautious though...5's are not the min needed for certain subjects. IR for example expect 11's in 1st year. But I'm sure you'll get that.

[Tweedle-Dum]

Quoting Lyeta from 01:12, 30th Dec 2005
Honestly, don't worry. I rememeber being paranoid that I wouldn't even get a 5. Now I am pissed off that I wasted time worrying about exams in first year. It doesnt even count for anything anyway.

I managed to get a 4 in second year maths, but strangely got a 17 in the resit.

[hr]

Live by the sword, die by the arrow.

[tylermatts]

Quoting from 11:17, 30th Dec 2005
IR for example expect 11's in 1st year.

No they don't, they expect a 5. I only know because I got an 8 in IR1005 (shh don't tell anyone) and did not have to resit the exam or repeat the module.

[DRAGirl]

I missed the last week of IR, so i didn't get any of the exam information and i heard there was a question and answer session held, so is there anything important that came up there that i should know?

All i know is there are 3 questions, is there a choice of questions or is it just a set three?

Any info to do with the exam would be great.

[hr]

DRAGirl formerly known as Garnet!!!
Wooo! I am actually registered!!!!

[Fenella]

Quoting DRAGirl from 17:52, 2nd Jan 2006


Any info to do with the exam would be great.

[hr]

Try looking at past papers:

http://exams.st-andrews.ac.uk/exams/

The set up of previous exams is probably the same as this year.

[Fenella]

Quoting DRAGirl from 17:52, 2nd Jan 2006


Any info to do with the exam would be great.

[hr]

Try looking at past papers:

http://exams.st-andrews.ac.uk/exams/

The set up of previous exams is probably the same as this year.

[Fenella]

Quoting DRAGirl from 17:52, 2nd Jan 2006


Any info to do with the exam would be great.

[hr]

Try looking at past papers:

http://exams.st-andrews.ac.uk/exams/

The set up of previous exams is probably the same as this year.

[Guest]

So do these grade count for anything? Some people have been telling me that they don't even factor these grades into your uni record. If I get a 5, will that hurt me in the long-term, or does it just matter that I pass?

[womble chris]

only time it will ever matter to my knowledge is if you dont get an 11 in second year to get into honours and have to appeal, then they will take your 1st year marks into consideration.

other than that i cant think of anything else.

seriously, do not worry a bit, even if you fail just do in 2nd year this module (dont know the name) where you get 4 credits for every 2 hour seminar you attend.

you wont fail unless you really are terrible.

go out and get pissed. you can. i did the day before one of my exams having not even started the revision and got a 7 in a module.

[[James]]

Looking at the numbers is, for once, reassuring. I don't know which subjects you're doing, but in IR and Social Anthropology your overall module grade is made up of 40% from essays and 60% from the exam. Do a bit of calculator work and you get this: add both your essay marks together and if they come to 25 or more, you've already passed. Any marks at all in the exam would be a bonus.

[exnihilo]

Ah, the bare minimum - that's what tutors and lecturers like to see, shows real commitment.

[ribs]

Quoting [James] from 16:27, 3rd Jan 2006
add both your essay marks together and if they come to 25 or more, you've already passed. Any marks at all in the exam would be a bonus.

Does this work? I thought they were done on a none-linear scale which meant you can't just add them together?

[hr]

Riddick: Remember that favorite game of yours?
Kyra: "Who's the Better Killer?"
Riddick: Let's play.

[Malcolm]

I'm bricking it about MT1001 and EC1002.

MT1001 just confuses me (never much of a mathematician, but I can't get into 2nd year CS without it), and EC1002 just has too much material to cover and I never really clicked with Economics.

Ah well.

[lawyer]

So do these grade count for anything? Some people have been telling me that they don't even factor these grades into your uni record. If I get a 5, will that hurt me in the long-term, or does it just matter that I pass?

As is generally the case, it depends. Although the marks you receive at this level will not be factored into your final degree classification, they will be part of your consolidated academic record.

It is possible that you will be required to disclose this record when applying for jobs, depending on what you choose to do post-university. Occasionally, where such disclosure is required, you may be asked to explain why a certain grade on the record was lower than it "ought" to have been.

I can only speak from experience in my own field (I had to throw out a glib answer to an HR bod when quizzed on one of my second year results - did not get that job...) - there will be countless positions for which the odd discrepancy on the academic record will be no barrier to entry.

However it would probably be generally prudent to act on the basis that consistently strong results throughout your university career will eventually put you at an advantage against someone who obtained the same class of degree and blew hot and cold before Honours.