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Off-Topic Discussion => General Discussion => Topic started by: Riven on April 27, 2003, 01:07:54 pm

Title: Why exams suck
Post by: Riven on April 27, 2003, 01:07:54 pm
Hey im mr happy 2day cos i just got dumped by my girlfriend so she can concentrate on her revision for gcse's!

So heres why exams suck:
Girls turn into revision freaks
Parents ***** at you cos your not revising enough
Teachers ***** at you cos you arnt taking it serious enough
Your older sister got all A*'s
They put loads of stress on you probably damaging yor health
Still stressed afterwards waiting ages for results
Exam boards tend to cock up results
Your whole future depends on them
They are no measure of inteligence just exam technique

Im a pretty layed back guy but something has just snapped!!! :mad:

Wana add anything else to this list, feel free
Title: Why exams suck
Post by: Fineus on April 27, 2003, 01:08:42 pm
No no, I agree with all of the above. This sucks.
Title: Why exams suck
Post by: Petrarch of the VBB on April 27, 2003, 01:12:36 pm
I'd rather do exams than coursework, though.

Exams have to be done, you're there at the time and you have no choice but to do them.

Coursework, on the other hand, has to be done in your own time, when there are much better things to do, like stick forks in your eyes.

Much as I hate exams, and the boredom created by finishing with 30 minutes to go, there are far more preferable to coursework.

OH, and I have never revised for any exam in my life, but I might just do it for the GCSEs, just for a lark.

I still got all level 7's in the SATs, and there are people who did nothing but revise for 2 weeks solid and got 5s and 6s, so it just shows that revision is ****.
Title: Why exams suck
Post by: Tiara on April 27, 2003, 01:14:39 pm
Quote
Girls turn into revision freaks


Generalization sucks major baboon ass.:ick
Title: Why exams suck
Post by: Riven on April 27, 2003, 01:16:05 pm
Quote
I still got all level 7's in the SATs, and there are people who did nothing but revise for 2 weeks solid and got 5s and 6s, so it just shows that revision is ****.


I didnt revise at all for mine either and got 7 english, 8 maths and EP science but still my parents pressure me
Title: Why exams suck
Post by: Petrarch of the VBB on April 27, 2003, 01:17:07 pm
Indeed, there is hardly anyone at school who has started revising, no one cares about their exams or coursework. We're probably all trying to ruin the school's rep by failing, whether we realise it or not.
Title: Why exams suck
Post by: Petrarch of the VBB on April 27, 2003, 01:18:43 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Riven


I didnt revise at all for mine either and got 7 english, 8 maths and EP science but still my parents pressure me


I took the Ep in english, but didn't pass it becuase I kept going off track and lambasting the government, the secretary of educatoin, and the exam boards!
Title: Why exams suck
Post by: Razor on April 27, 2003, 02:36:15 pm
Quote
Girls turn into revision freaks

That freakin pisses me off. When I was in first grade in YU High School, I was in the same class with 2 hotties who studied at leats 8 hours a day. :mad2:
I heard about "corrupted" ;7 girls but, girls corrupted by school work, that is just really freakin SIIICK!!!!

Waits for CP to start "flaming" us.
Title: ...again...
Post by: Tiara on April 27, 2003, 02:46:35 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Tiara


Generalization sucks major baboon ass.:ick
Title: Why exams suck
Post by: Fineus on April 27, 2003, 02:55:53 pm
I know it seems like I'm going against  you today a hell of a lot - it's not intentional, promise :)

That said, an awful lot of the girls I know do hole themselves up and do nothing but studying. A fact: one friend of mine has spent 2 whole weeks doing very little but revising for her exams that are still over 6 weeks away.

You're right though, it's a generalisation - but perhaps not without some observation...
Title: Why exams suck
Post by: Tiara on April 27, 2003, 03:03:16 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Kalfireth
I know it seems like I'm going against  you today a hell of a lot - it's not intentional, promise :)

That said, an awful lot of the girls I know do hole themselves up and do nothing but studying. A fact: one friend of mine has spent 2 whole weeks doing very little but revising for her exams that are still over 6 weeks away.

You're right though, it's a generalisation - but perhaps not without some observation...


heh, And you really think all they do is revising? I bet 50% of the time they are chatting/listening to music or doing something useless...
Title: Why exams suck
Post by: Fineus on April 27, 2003, 03:12:29 pm
Perhaps, but it's in the name of revising - and then they act all shocked when you say you've not really managed much. (I'm not big on revising... never manged it very well).

Still, you're a girl - you're far more likely to know the real meaning behind what girls say they're doing than I ever will.
Title: Why exams suck
Post by: Tiara on April 27, 2003, 03:18:10 pm
Well, i live in the Netherlands so that alone should tell you something :p

But here its quite different. Sure we revise stuff but not 2 weeks long :wtf: Usually we've covered everything so many of won't do much.
Title: Why exams suck
Post by: Shrike on April 27, 2003, 03:25:00 pm
How many years ago was high school?  Five now?  I never had a big problem with provincials.  Tests don't mean jack as soon as you get into postsecondary anyhow.
Title: Why exams suck
Post by: Zeronet on April 27, 2003, 03:43:00 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Petrarch of the VBB
I'd rather do exams than coursework, though.

Exams have to be done, you're there at the time and you have no choice but to do them.

Coursework, on the other hand, has to be done in your own time, when there are much better things to do, like stick forks in your eyes.

Much as I hate exams, and the boredom created by finishing with 30 minutes to go, there are far more preferable to coursework.

OH, and I have never revised for any exam in my life, but I might just do it for the GCSEs, just for a lark.

I still got all level 7's in the SATs, and there are people who did nothing but revise for 2 weeks solid and got 5s and 6s, so it just shows that revision is ****.


I adore coursework personally, 60% of my ITBS GCSE is coursework and im on A*, theres virtually no pressure on me in the exam. I only need a C grade for college.

Though, im hard to put under stress, i was more worried about my exams at the start of year 10 than i am now. I used to panic about exams, until i just decided i didn't care about the result, im just gonna do my best to get the best grade and not really care much at all.

I mean, there are 40 days until my RE exams, but if you don't panic, it'll be fine. Because i only revised one paper in my RE mock(the other one, not the marks gospel one) and still got a A*.

My whole take on things, is i am going to be revising an hour a night for the 40 days until my exam, i,ve been revising 30mins a night for two weeks. Though thats on BBC bitesize usually, while chatting in the LOE room.
The laughable thing is, our headmaster told us to revise 3 hours a day, about 2 months back. You don't need to revise for 3 hours, but you shouldn't forget it. I guess it depends on the subject
Title: Why exams suck
Post by: 01010 on April 27, 2003, 04:21:52 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Shrike
How many years ago was high school?  Five now?  I never had a big problem with provincials.  Tests don't mean jack as soon as you get into postsecondary anyhow.


:yes:

I don't think any exam results I got made a blindest bit of difference to where I am now. Passed them all without revision anyway.

::Praises photgraphic memory::
Title: Why exams suck
Post by: CP5670 on April 27, 2003, 04:23:10 pm
I think by revising you people mean reviewing or studying? I generally spend a maximum of five minutes on that per exam, if anything at all. I do like exams much better than coursework though; they may be slightly harder, but at least they are (usually) not just time-consuming junk designed to keep you busy.
Title: Why exams suck
Post by: beatspete on April 27, 2003, 04:27:12 pm
Well i've got an unconditional offer for my University course, thanks to last year's 5 A's - so i don't need any grades this year.  Still, i'm putting in some work,  partly for some personal satisfaction, and partly to pass the time. ;)
Title: Why exams suck
Post by: Fineus on April 27, 2003, 04:28:17 pm
Yeah, revising as in sitting down and going over what you've covered in your subject so that when it comes up in the exam you'll have thought about it a little more recently than when you first learnt it at the beginning of the year or whatever.

Me, I hate exams - as people have said they test a technique that'll probably never be required in later life - and how you do in that test dictates what you can do in later life. Sure come university you start learning something useful to you in future professions, not to mention life skills - but everything before is the greatest waste of time I've ever run across short of Corination Street (a British soap drama POS).

Oh well...
Title: Why exams suck
Post by: Zeronet on April 27, 2003, 04:32:56 pm
Well you cant start degree level physics straight after primary school.
Title: Why exams suck
Post by: Tiara on April 27, 2003, 04:41:10 pm
Meh, thought you meant studying everything you've had. Not just revising... I never revise if you look at it that way :p And yet, never have I failed an exam :D
Title: Why exams suck
Post by: vyper on April 27, 2003, 05:28:53 pm
Courseworks beat exams hands down any day.
Practically because its easier to find out information for it, than for an exam.
Academically because it reflects your real-life implimentation of the subject.

Yes exam times suck. However, its better than not having the chance to do them at all. ;)
Title: Why exams suck
Post by: Knight Templar on April 27, 2003, 06:41:23 pm
Are you guys referring to the state/country government type tests or mid terms/finals type tests?

Generally, we have a few tests here (California). SAT (Standardised Aptitude Test or something like) bassically it's the normal test they give us every year starting in 2nd grade (age 7) all the way to 11th Grade  (age 16-17). I never study for those and usually get well within the top 5 or 2 or whatever percentile. All multiple choice so it's rather easy even if you don't know the stuff.

Once you start Junoir High (age 12 - 13) and up till the end of High school (17 - 18) They give out Golden State Exams, which are a harder version of the SAT's, but if you pass or get high scores in X amount of subjects (6 or 7 IIRC) then you can get scholar ships around $1000. I think though you have to pay to take those anytime other than when they give them to you or something, not entirely sure.

Then we have the CAHSEE (California High School Exit Exam) which determines which tards have to stay back in high school and which can leave. Aparently, the first year they started it, they let all grades take it and the Freshmen had a %80 passing rate. Obviously this meant it was a little on the easy side, as students and parents were complaining about "why their kids should even still be in highschool if they can pass the exit test." So they've been making it progressively harder each year and only let the Sophmores through Senoirs take it now (10th - 12 grades). I still heard it was stupidly easy, so I wouldn't study for that one.

Other than those, we have normal mid-terms and finals which I ocassionaly study for (only the math and bio ones really). I don't really study for the others eaither and I usually get off doing pretty good.

I still prefer testing way more than home(course)work. Like CP said, it's just crap to give you a little practice, but mainly to keep you and your teacher busy.

EDIT: Infact, now that I think about it, I particularly like tests, because it generally means the teachers don't give ut any homework.
Title: Why exams suck
Post by: J.F.K. on April 27, 2003, 08:46:05 pm
Awww, exams aren't so bad. Setekh and I are gonna be teachers anyway, and the universities are so desperate to get diplomas of education given out that they're throwing scholarships left, right and centre. Just concentrate on building character. ;)
Title: Why exams suck
Post by: Stunaep on April 28, 2003, 12:04:33 am
Oh great, speaking about exams two day before first pre-exam.

Which reminds me, I took English as the optional subject this year. The real exam is coming in June, but I got 1/2 points shy a perfect score in the pre-exam.

Thank you, HLP.
Title: Re: Why exams suck
Post by: Nico on April 28, 2003, 02:16:01 am
Quote
Originally posted by Riven
Hey im mr happy 2day cos i just got dumped by my girlfriend so she can concentrate on her revision for gcse's!

So heres why exams suck:
Girls turn into revision freaks
Parents ***** at you cos your not revising enough
Teachers ***** at you cos you arnt taking it serious enough
Your older sister got all A*'s
They put loads of stress on you probably damaging yor health
Still stressed afterwards waiting ages for results
Exam boards tend to cock up results
Your whole future depends on them
They are no measure of inteligence just exam technique

Im a pretty layed back guy but something has just snapped!!! :mad:

Wana add anything else to this list, feel free


so, US scolar system really sucks after all, heh? :D
Title: Why exams suck
Post by: Knight Templar on April 28, 2003, 02:18:30 am
Not that I'm acknowledging or denying anything, by the language he used, I don't think he's American.
Title: Why exams suck
Post by: karajorma on April 28, 2003, 02:55:27 am
Quote
Originally posted by Knight Templar
Not that I'm acknowledging or denying anything, by the language he used, I don't think he's American.


If he's doing GCSE's he's probably British. I don't think any other country does them.
Title: Why exams suck
Post by: Nico on April 28, 2003, 03:54:34 am
my bad :p
Title: Why exams suck
Post by: Razor on April 28, 2003, 05:40:44 am
I heard that in America you only have 4 subjects in High School or something. How can that be hard? :wtf:
Title: Why exams suck
Post by: IceFire on April 28, 2003, 08:05:12 am
Quote
Originally posted by Razor
I heard that in America you only have 4 subjects in High School or something. How can that be hard? :wtf:

Cram it into a few months and couple with the fact that you can potentially go two semesters of study without a subject (say Math) and you begin to see how things can become difficult.  What is gained in less courses is more than made up for in fast paced learning where little is actually digested and much ground is covered.

University is by far the better system however.  Learning is fast but in-depth and since you usually care about what your studying for its far more interesting.

Exams do suck and they are one hell of a marathon and I hated every minute of them in high school but high school in itself is a measure of personal courage and something to be endured.  This is life striking out at you and saying "what, you thought it'd be a cake walk?".  If you survive and learn from the experience, then you'll be better for it.
Title: Why exams suck
Post by: Tiara on April 28, 2003, 08:15:10 am
4 subjects!? I don't care how difficult that is, it seems freaky to me. We had a fargin' 12 subjects in our exam years in High School. (Only 10 of them had exams though)

And don't tell me we went easy with so many subjects. We went pretty far with each subject.
Title: Why exams suck
Post by: Petrarch of the VBB on April 28, 2003, 08:27:32 am
But did you choose what subjects to take?

We had the choice, which of course affected how many exams there were to take.

I took GNVQ business, which was the equivalent of four GCSEs, so I had only a handful of others to take. English, Maths, Dual Science and History.
Title: Why exams suck
Post by: Nico on April 28, 2003, 08:29:29 am
Quote
Originally posted by Tiara
4 subjects!? I don't care how difficult that is, it seems freaky to me. We had a fargin' 12 subjects in our exam years in High School. (Only 10 of them had exams though)

And don't tell me we went easy with so many subjects. We went pretty far with each subject.


yeah, same here. 4 subjects, that's, well... :p
how many hours per week do you have for school/college/whatever?
Title: Why exams suck
Post by: Petrarch of the VBB on April 28, 2003, 08:46:53 am
I'm going to take 4 A Levels, which is going to be very stresfull, but I'm not going to care!
Title: Why exams suck
Post by: vyper on April 28, 2003, 09:01:00 am
Quote
Originally posted by Tiara
4 subjects!? I don't care how difficult that is, it seems freaky to me. We had a fargin' 12 subjects in our exam years in High School. (Only 10 of them had exams though)

And don't tell me we went easy with so many subjects. We went pretty far with each subject.


what level?
Title: Why exams suck
Post by: Tiara on April 28, 2003, 10:05:10 am
Quote
Originally posted by vyper


what level?


We have a different system. We don't use A, B levels and stuff.

We have all subjects on 1 level. But every student can be at a different level alltogether. Each level of education has different speeds , methods etc.

Our levels (low to high): LMBO, HAVO, Atheneum, Gymnasium. (there are lower ones then LMBO but thats special education)

I was at Gymnasium.

HAVO, Atheneum and Gymnasium have the same subjects (with a few optional in the exam years). Just the speed and methods are different. (With the exception of Greek and Latin as extra subjects on Gymnasium.)

Atheneum and gymnasium graduates can go to the uni :)
Title: Why exams suck
Post by: beatspete on April 28, 2003, 10:07:58 am
Quote
Originally posted by Razor
I heard that in America you only have 4 subjects in High School or something. How can that be hard? :wtf:


Well i don't go to an american school, but i had 5 subjects last year, and 3 this year.

Course Content

You just have a bigger - more in depth course - which is better, i did all the crappy subjects 2 years ago, now i am specialising.  Why should i have to study an extra 8 subjects i'm not intrested in?
Title: Why exams suck
Post by: Riven on April 28, 2003, 10:08:39 am
im taking 5 A Levels next year!!!
IT, Physics, Chemistry, Maths and Further Maths

Should be fun!
Title: Why exams suck
Post by: Tiara on April 28, 2003, 10:12:47 am
Quote
Originally posted by beatspete


Well i don't go to an american school, but i had 5 subjects last year, and 3 this year.

Course Content

You just have a bigger - more in depth course - which is better, i did all the crappy subjects 2 years ago, now i am specialising.  Why should i have to study an extra 8 subjects i'm not intrested in?


--------------------------
Yeah, I know math!

Que?

What!?

Je ne parle pas Anglais...

What did you call me!?
--------------------------
:p

Extra subjects increase your overall knowledge which is good. Sure you can specialize. But in highschool one should learn everything (AT LEAST on a basic level) and THEN specialize in certain subjects. Thats what we have here mostly.
Title: Why exams suck
Post by: beatspete on April 28, 2003, 10:18:25 am
Quote
Originally posted by Tiara


Extra subjects increase your overall knowledge which is good. Sure you can specialize. But in highschool one should learn everything and THEN specialize in certain subjects. Thats what we have here mostly.


Well technically I did too.
I did 8 standard grades, covering all sorts of stuff.
Then 5 Highers where i dropped all the stuff i wasnt intrested in, german, geography, and Tech Studies (which i would have liked to have done but it's not available at higher level).
This year I have 2 advanced highers, maths and Physics, and higher business management.

Its a good system, if you dont do very well in standard grades, then you can do Intermediates which then allow you to go on to highers (the ones needed for Uni) afterwards.
Title: Why exams suck
Post by: Tiara on April 28, 2003, 10:21:35 am
Quote
Originally posted by beatspete


Well technically I did too.
I did 8 standard grades, covering all sorts of stuff.
Then 5 Highers where i dropped all the stuff i wasnt intrested in, german, geography, and Tech Studies (which i would have liked to have done but it's not available at higher level).
This year I have 2 advanced highers, maths and Physics, and higher business management.

Its a good system, if you dont do very well in standard grades, then you can do Intermediates which then allow you to go on to highers (the ones needed for Uni) afterwards.


Well, I think both systems has its positives and negatives. But I still think the system we work with is better.

But that too is is just an opinion :D
Title: Why exams suck
Post by: Nico on April 28, 2003, 10:24:46 am
Quote
Originally posted by Tiara


--------------------------
Yeah, I know math!

Quoi?


What!?

Je ne parle pas Anglais...

What did you call me!?
--------------------------
:p


oh so educational :D
Title: Why exams suck
Post by: CP5670 on April 28, 2003, 10:27:57 am
Quote
4 subjects!? I don't care how difficult that is, it seems freaky to me. We had a fargin' 12 subjects in our exam years in High School. (Only 10 of them had exams though)

And don't tell me we went easy with so many subjects. We went pretty far with each subject.


Is that 12 for each year or for the full four years? There are usually between four and six courses with exams here each year (depending on the classes one is taking), so multiply that by four.

Quote
Extra subjects increase your overall knowledge which is good. Sure you can specialize. But in highschool one should learn everything (AT LEAST on a basic level) and THEN specialize in certain subjects. Thats what we have here mostly.


This is exactly one of the things I really hated about high school, and from what I have heard, undergraduate college has the same thing to a lesser extent. For instance, some of these top-notch mathematicians today may not know a single thing about english literature, and they can still do their job perfectly fine. :p
Title: Why exams suck
Post by: Tiara on April 28, 2003, 10:39:08 am
Quote
Originally posted by Venom


oh so educational :D


Shaddap :D
Title: Why exams suck
Post by: Fineus on April 28, 2003, 11:04:23 am
Quote
Originally posted by Venom


oh so educational :D


Study! Study! Study! Study! Study! Study! Study! Study! Study! Study! Study! Study! Study! Study! Study! Study! Study! Study! Study! Study! Study! Study! Study! Study! Study! Study! Study!
Title: Why exams suck
Post by: Knight Templar on April 28, 2003, 11:07:36 am
4 classes, where'd  you hear that? It's true, but only on senoir year.

You could if you wanted to, but only if you are a dumbass or don't want to go anywhere. You can get your 12th grade year with only 3 periods a day if you do all of the prerequisites before or whatever so you only have english, a science, and whatever class they say you have to have. It's basically a "I just want to get out of here" option though.
Title: Why exams suck
Post by: Nico on April 28, 2003, 11:13:51 am
Quote
Originally posted by Kalfireth


Study! Study! Study! Study! Study! Study! Study! Study! Study! Study! Study! Study! Study! Study! Study! Study! Study! Study! Study! Study! Study! Study! Study! Study! Study! Study! Study!


mmhh.... I think you got it ;)
Title: Why exams suck
Post by: Fineus on April 28, 2003, 11:18:49 am
Believe it or not, I was watching the swimming episode and browsing the forums when that came up ;)
Title: Why exams suck
Post by: Nico on April 28, 2003, 11:30:18 am
Quote
Originally posted by Kalfireth
Believe it or not, I was watching the swimming episode and browsing the forums when that came up ;)


:cool:
that's just l33t :D
I like the one with the biker girl better tho ;)
"and he might even save the world! then again, maybe not :doubt: " :D
Title: Why exams suck
Post by: Petrarch of the VBB on April 28, 2003, 02:11:06 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Riven
im taking 5 A Levels next year!!!
IT, Physics, Chemistry, Maths and Further Maths

Should be fun!


You sir, are a masochist!

BTW, the college I am going to is offerning industry-standard courses in Flash/Dreamweaver, Photoshop/Premiere, and one other.
Anyone recommend them?
Title: Why exams suck
Post by: Darkage on April 28, 2003, 06:21:49 pm
School whats that?:p
Title: Why exams suck
Post by: Corsair on April 30, 2003, 06:27:27 pm
Exams suck cuz you have to go learn everything that you didn't pay attention to during the year!
Title: Why exams suck
Post by: Razor on May 01, 2003, 03:31:18 am
Quote
Originally posted by Corsair
Exams suck cuz you have to go learn everything that you didn't pay attention to during the year!

Something like that. Well personally, I really really hate school. If there weren't for chicks, I would have quit school a long time ago.

Quote
School whats that?

Bastard!!! :mad2: :drevil:
Title: Why exams suck
Post by: Zeronet on May 01, 2003, 02:21:06 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Petrarch of the VBB


You sir, are a masochist!

BTW, the college I am going to is offerning industry-standard courses in Flash/Dreamweaver, Photoshop/Premiere, and one other.
Anyone recommend them?


I wish i could do something like that, but the only thing the college im going to offers thats close to that seems to be 3d art, which is probably clay nonsense.
Title: Why exams suck
Post by: Liberator on May 01, 2003, 02:51:58 pm
Exams aren't so bad.  Here in the Redneck Belt most of the instructors don't give comprehensive finals, they focus on the material covered since the last test.

Oh, and speaking of finals, I'm graduating on May 9th.  And before you ask, it's an Associate of Computer Science Technology degree or sumsuch like that.

When I was in High School, we had  6 classes and a study hall a day, technically 7 classes.  The main choices we had were to either focus in math(trig and calculus), physical science(chemistry and physics) or biological science(botany and physiology).  We had no art and no computer classes to speak of.  Bearing in mind I graduated in 1996.