Is there a difference in how the A* grade is awarded in CIE in comparison?

[sabbath_92]

To other boards..?

I know you need 90% at A2 and over 80% at A Levels, is this different for CIE? Thanks!

[Deadly_king]

To other boards..?

I know you need 90% at A2 and over 80% at A Levels, is this different for CIE? Thanks!

Nope.......i don't think so. Its pretty much the same thing.

Here is your confirmation

http://www.cie.org.uk/news/features/detail?feature_id=31480

[sabbath_92]

Nope.......i don't think so. Its pretty much the same thing.

Here is your confirmation

http://www.cie.org.uk/news/features/detail?feature_id=31480

Hey! But take a look at this:

From the June 2010 examination, Grade A* will be awarded at A Level to candidates who obtain the required total mark across all the A Level papers in that subject (including the AS Level papers).

The threshold for Grade A* will be set as many marks above the Grade A threshold as the Grade B threshold is below it.

For example, in June 2009 a candidate taking A Level Economics via the 'linear' route needed a total of 142 marks out of 200 to obtain a Grade A. The requirement for a Grade B was 128 marks. If we had issued Grade A* in that session, the threshold would have been set at 156 out of 200. (If statistical evidence suggested we should reduce the threshold from this level we would do so, but we would not raise it.)

Whatever raw mark becomes the A* threshold - 156 in this example - will be mapped onto a percentage uniform mark of 90%, just as 142 marks would be mapped onto 80% and 128 marks onto 70%.

Obviously the thresholds that we use will not be determined until July 2010.
Yours sincerely
Customer Services Advisor
University of Cambridge International Examinations

Pasted from <http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?p=21812918&highlight=cie+a+level+a%2A#post21812918>

:S

[Deadly_king]

Hey! But take a look at this:

From the June 2010 examination, Grade A* will be awarded at A Level to candidates who obtain the required total mark across all the A Level papers in that subject (including the AS Level papers).

The threshold for Grade A* will be set as many marks above the Grade A threshold as the Grade B threshold is below it.

For example, in June 2009 a candidate taking A Level Economics via the 'linear' route needed a total of 142 marks out of 200 to obtain a Grade A. The requirement for a Grade B was 128 marks. If we had issued Grade A* in that session, the threshold would have been set at 156 out of 200. (If statistical evidence suggested we should reduce the threshold from this level we would do so, but we would not raise it.)

Whatever raw mark becomes the A* threshold - 156 in this example - will be mapped onto a percentage uniform mark of 90%, just as 142 marks would be mapped onto 80% and 128 marks onto 70%.

Obviously the thresholds that we use will not be determined until July 2010.
Yours sincerely
Customer Services Advisor
University of Cambridge International Examinations

Pasted from <http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?p=21812918&highlight=cie+a+level+a%2A#post21812918>

:S

Yeah......I know.

This scheme has always taken place for CIE. But that will depend on the difficulty of the paper. A very difficult paper can decrease the points required to achieve an A. But you should always aim higher since if the paper is found to be easy you'll need 80% of the marks to achieve an A.

Take it for granted that 90% of the marks are needed for an A*. Hence you are sure to be on the safe side so that even if the threshold marks are 90% or less, you'll still be in better position 

[Chingoo]

Yeah......I know.

This scheme has always taken place for CIE. But that will depend on the difficulty of the paper. A very difficult paper can decrease the points required to achieve an A. But you should always aim higher since if the paper is found to be easy you'll need 80% of the marks to achieve an A.

Take it for granted that 90% of the marks are needed for an A*. Hence you are sure to be on the safe side so that even if the threshold marks are 90% or less, you'll still be in better position 

That's true, but if someone has a high percentage in their AS exams, it would really be wrong if you got an A instead of an A* just because you had 89% marks in your A2. So it's always nice to know a percent or more wouldn't be equivalent of annihilation

[Deadly_king]

That's true, but if someone has a high percentage in their AS exams, it would really be wrong if you got an A instead of an A* just because you had 89% marks in your A2. So it's always nice to know a percent or more wouldn't be equivalent of annihilation

You are indeed right

However its very rare to get a paper which requires 90% for A*. Its more likely to be less than that(perhaps 80%) but we cannot afford this risk, can we?