Exams

[eskimoRock]

Is anybody else sitting their final exams at the moment? I'm having a real struggle actually getting around to anything because I'm sitting my GCSEs. They're a nightmare

[Silvertongue]

I'm long past GCSE's but my brother is currently doing them and my sister will be next year. If I'm honest I didn't study at all for my GCSE's so I wasn't snowed down by anything but I wouldn't suggest doing that. What options did you take?

[eskimoRock]

Japanese, Double Business, History, Media Studies, Film Studies, English Language and English Literature, and Single Science

[Silvertongue]

Wow. Japanese? I would have loved to have had that as an option. Didn't really have much diversity in my school.

My optional ones were:
History
French
Drama
Media Studies (which was an absolute joke!)

And then there was the compulsary subjects:
Maths
English Lit
English Lang
Science
Additional Science
R.E

[eskimoRock]

I go to a language specialist school, so they have lots more language options. Wish I hadn't took it to be honest, its horrible

I love Media Studies, but then its taught really well at my school.

[Silvertongue]

My teacher for Media couldn't even pronounce the words Genre and Equilibrium which I think is terrible and she shouldn't be a teacher. If a teacher can't pronounce something then they'll teach their pupils to say it the wrong way so they aren't actually teaching at all. They should be taught to say the words themselves before they're allowed into a classroom to teach.

I love japanese! I would love to have actual lessons in it. All I know of the languag is what I've picked up from watching anime and that's probably translated inaccurately.

[viralic1]

I just took my finals for English 3, Algebra 2, First Responder, American History Honors, and PC Support 2. I actually did fairly well in the tests, but thank god I'm finished.

[kumainpink]

I actually liked my exams when I took them. I love being tested and having a chance to show what I know. My answers aren't always right, but I have fun doing it.

... I'm a nerd, I know.

[blonde geek]

Jun 10, 2012 11:42:28 GMT -5 eskimoRock said:

Japanese, Double Business, History, Media Studies, Film Studies, English Language and English Literature, and Single Science

GCSE's were at least 7 years ago for me (that makes me feel old) but the subjects that I took which were

Compulsory
English Language
English Literature
Maths (I was in the top group so I had to take the exam a year early and then again the year after)
Double Science
Design Technology - Mine was in Food
R.E
ICT - I think this was worth four GCSE'S?? all I know is that the entire school failed this exam don't know how though

Optional
Business Studies
Health and Social Care (only took this because I knew it was easy subject and I was right I got a AA without even trying hehe ;D ;D and my best friend at the time only got CC and she put loads of work in, she kind of hated me a little after that)

I still remember how nervous I was at the first exam but after that first exam I pretty much got over my nerves and the rest was a breeze.

I have got to say though your subjects seem more interesting than mine were, like Japenese, we were only allowed to choose French, which I hated with a passion. Film and Media studies also sound interesting, they weren't an option for me until I went to College/Sixth Form whatever it's called now.

Also good luck in your exams, the best way I found to focus was to imagine all of the free time I would have when I finished my exams, I know it sounds weird but it worked for me.

[Animikokala]

I finished my finals a month ago: Biology II, Physics II, and Microbiology. I start Vet Tech classes in the fall for an Associates, but I'll probably finish my Bachelors in Biology after. Might even go further if I feel like it.

I wish they did examinations like the GCSEs here in the US. Perhaps then people here might actually bother doing better in school.

[rikustark]

I took my finals a week ago. French, Physics, algebra + trig, English, and history. They were all pretty easy, besides Physics.

[Silvertongue]

Jun 10, 2012 17:30:04 GMT -5 Animikokala said:

I finished my finals a month ago: Biology II, Physics II, and Microbiology. I start Vet Tech classes in the fall for an Associates, but I'll probably finish my Bachelors in Biology after. Might even go further if I feel like it.

I wish they did examinations like the GCSEs here in the US. Perhaps then people here might actually bother doing better in school.

They don't do GCSE equivalents? We do them at 16, the year we leave school. Then if we stay on at Sixth Form/College we do A-Levels. And then there's the other stuff after that (I don't really know them because I never bothered with them) at University.

I've never understood the American education system. I've had it explained to me many times but I get mixed up at which grade are for which age.

[codygotkilld]

I finished my exams about three weeks ago. I was a little stressed about my Sociology and Political Science exams but I did fine in the end. How I finished the year out with a 4.0 is beyond me.

[Animikokala]

Jun 11, 2012 15:58:03 GMT -5 Silvertongue said:

Jun 10, 2012 17:30:04 GMT -5 Animikokala said:

I finished my finals a month ago: Biology II, Physics II, and Microbiology. I start Vet Tech classes in the fall for an Associates, but I'll probably finish my Bachelors in Biology after. Might even go further if I feel like it.

I wish they did examinations like the GCSEs here in the US. Perhaps then people here might actually bother doing better in school.

They don't do GCSE equivalents? We do them at 16, the year we leave school. Then if we stay on at Sixth Form/College we do A-Levels. And then there's the other stuff after that (I don't really know them because I never bothered with them) at University.

I've never understood the American education system. I've had it explained to me many times but I get mixed up at which grade are for which age.

We have standardized tests that cover the basic subjects every few years, but the results have no bearing on future opportunities; it's used more for funding purposes. Juniors (usually 16-17 year olds) in high school are supposed to take either the SAT or ACT test; those tests do impact college/university acceptance, along with school grades and extracurricular activities. But the ACT/SAT only covers basic subjects as well. And we have to complete 13 years worth of school (K-12) before we can graduate, so most students are 18 when they graduate.

Some schools now have options where students may take courses at a college/university in lieu of normal high school classes, but that only works when there's a college or university nearby. Unfortunately for me, they did not implement that sort of program until several years after I graduated from high school.

[Silvertongue]

Jun 11, 2012 16:31:49 GMT -5 Animikokala said:

Jun 11, 2012 15:58:03 GMT -5 Silvertongue said:

They don't do GCSE equivalents? We do them at 16, the year we leave school. Then if we stay on at Sixth Form/College we do A-Levels. And then there's the other stuff after that (I don't really know them because I never bothered with them) at University.

I've never understood the American education system. I've had it explained to me many times but I get mixed up at which grade are for which age.

We have standardized tests that cover the basic subjects every few years, but the results have no bearing on future opportunities; it's used more for funding purposes. Juniors (usually 16-17 year olds) in high school are supposed to take either the SAT or ACT test; those tests do impact college/university acceptance, along with school grades and extracurricular activities. But the ACT/SAT only covers basic subjects as well.

See, (it's been a while since I was in primary/junior school so forgive me if I give false information) we have SATs when we're 10/11 in our last year of Juniors (Year 6). Then again when we're 13/14 in Year 9 but neither of these truly counts for anything except which level of class you're put in (Top set, Middle set, Bottom set). Then we do GCSE's at 15/16 in Year 11 (though some of these are taken a year earlier and dotted throughout Year 10 and 11). After that you've finished schoola dn can either continue education in College or tey to get a job.

Now that I think about our system it's quite confusing if you didn't grow up in it.

[dariam03]

Wow...reading this thread makes me feel ridiculously old now. Technically, I'm still in school (working on my Phd), but I'm way past the exam stage of things. Good luck with all your tests!!

[Miss Wings]

OMG no fair, i'd have loved doing Media Studies as a GCSE! Instead we got the old ones such as Art, Childcare, ICT, Mathematics, Science and English.

[Silvertongue]

Well you wouldn't have wanted to do Media Studies at my school. The teacher was a joke, couldn't pronounce ANYTHING right and couldn't control the class. We barely ever actually did any work. Everyone would be on msn/youtube/miniclip and whatever else they wanted. Or throing stuff at each other and taking the mck out of her. Sometimes I actually did do work, but it came out crap. I don't know how I got a C, especially with no Coursework done and I nowhere near finished my paper.

[Kitty279]

It may be a bit late, but good luck to everyone who has exams! Thankfully, I am looong past that time - and can't say I miss the exams

[Miss Wings]

my dear kitty- i did media studies for 4 years in college

[Kitty279]

Didn't go to college after my vocational diploma, but straight to a library school, as I didn't need college for this particular education. But that was exactly what I wanted. Nothing better than getting all the new books delivered free desk (Save the problem that you can never read everything you want to!)

[Miss Wings]

Photography all the way

[eskimoRock]

I have two exams on the day of my prom- next friday! I just need to get through another eight exams before then.

[Kitty279]

Phoenixwing - that sounds interesting. While I am not in any way professional about it, I like taking pictures. Just did take so many in France. To learn that professionally should be some fun.

Eskimorock - ouch. Ten exams? Poor you. Good luck!

[eskimoRock]

I actually had 14, not including the ones staged throughout the year (I think I did 4 or 5), coursework and the exams I sat early last year (5 or so). AND we do mocks for every subject.

[Miss Wings]

Kitty279- Technically I only did the Photography for 1 year- teacher was crap. had another 18 units to complete aswell but I would say that my photography has gotten a lot better

[Silvertongue]

Jun 12, 2012 12:41:51 GMT -5 eskimoRock said:

I actually had 14, not including the ones staged throughout the year (I think I did 4 or 5), coursework and the exams I sat early last year (5 or so). AND we do mocks for every subject.

Mocks! *Shudders* So glad I didn't get the results on the real thing that I got on the Mocks. They were terrible....