Dear Guitarbuddy,
It is great to hear from you after a long time...but it is sad that your grades were not up to your expectations. The concept of 90% for A* and 80% for A etc. is a rigid one and often confuses the student... Actually, Even A* in physics 2011 may was with about 70% total marks, as you can see in the grading threshold available at xtremepapers. Similarly, A grade was for less than 63% in total. But A grade at As level was given for 66.9% so even if someone does not scores A at As level, he/she can does so at whole A level. That old concept clearly misleads, even me if i believe in it...it can make even the brilliant student go mad if she\he happens to be graded according to that criteria.
My friend, see grades in individual components often mislead and should not be considered an accurate idea...the overall grading threshold is a great idea to see the clear picture of grades....if you got B it does not mean that your marks in paper 2 were necessarily below than 32, so don't worry. Let us say that your marks in the three papers are as follows:
paper 1: 27 marks(I am using minimum marks for supposition to show how even 'low' marks play wonder)
Paper 2: 29 marks
paper 3: 28 marks
Total marks for As are: 40+40+60= 140
Now your %age is (27+29+28)/140= 60% b
According to the grading threshold of 2011 may(we can safely assume that it does not flucutate much) the A grade at AS level is for 87/140 = 62%! so actually you are quite near A grade overall if your perfomance is relatively better at A level!!Cheers.....
Good bye and take care....
Tell me if I have proved helpful.....I have other info for grading to share with you....
Thank you.....
Best Regards,
Kaipai
