Faith-less

[Chris 2.1]

Ok so I don't post here often. More to the point I don't moan often. The two work hand in hand to create an atmosphere where people don't need to hear about my personal life. But tonight, an age-old untradition is broken and I have to vent.

University is doing my head in. I finished for the summer about a month back, and we got our results. I took 6 modules this year and failed 3 of them, which blows big time. Because when you take resits, you just get 'pass' or 'fail' instead of a grade so it can mess up your avarage.

That doesn't concern me hugely; I've got some great career oppertunities from being at Uni and made great mates, etc etc. What bothers me is the resit period is in the space of a week - and I'll have about 6 weeks to cram for 3 exams that will no doubt be next to each other.

That means I've had to cancel my holiday and loads of other plans just to revise, and the constant pressure is boring into my head. It's making my ill.

I also emailed a tutor regarding one of my modules. We had coursework to do prior to the exam which I got 65% in; the coursework was 30% of the entire module. (Bear with me). So by maths, the coursework mark essentially earned my 20 marks in my exam, and the bare minimum to pass is 40. So if I get 20 marks in the exam I'll scrape through. Bish. Bash. Bosh.

No.

My tutor replied explaining a concept called 'The Scaling System' - my mark (65) was one of the lowest, and some got as high as 96% in their coursework. So the marks are scaled down and 'proportioned', giving me a poor-as-hell score.

It's all basic academic shite but it's done my head in. I'm so pissed off that what should be percieved as a good grade, a safety net for my exam, went belly up to this retarded system. I'm pissed that my best mates are all heading off on holiday and I'm stuck inside working.

And I could honestly just quit Uni. I could take it or leave it. There's just this feeling of relentless pressure and I feel so stupid compared to my higher-scoring friends. My lecturers seem to really look down on me as if I'm doing them a disservice by failing or scoring low. But I am trying.

Annnnnd thats about it. I know nobody's died, or lost a leg, and it's probably arbitrary to the lives of others on here, but I needed to get that off my chest.

[Magmar]

http://www.barnard.edu/library/zines/images/livejournal_logo.jpg

[Weasel Overlord]

OMG, I cannot believe they downscale everyone's marks if some jammy bastard gets like, 96%! That's outrageous, man. Absolutely ridiculous! What course/uni are you on anyway? 65 is a GOOD coursework mark, it's dead-centre for a 2:1, I really don't see why they're penalising you for getting that. I'm actually disgusted - probably moreso cos 67 was my highest mark in anything ever (yeah, I treasure that 67, heh). Is there nothing you can do about it? I mean, no-one you can complain to at university, like, a board of people or something? Cos there's something wrong if you failed with a 65 in your coursework. Wtf.

Please don't quit though! You're so close to finishing, it'd be a major waste of the last few years if you left without graduating, no matter what degree you come out with at the end of it. This is me assuming you're a third year - if you're a second, the third year is worth tons more so you can totally pick up your marks if you work your arse off; it worked for me anyway.

[Zak]

I thought this was gonna be a thread about Jay. lol

[The_Missing_Link]

I thought this was gonna be a thread about Jay. lol

Jay is so 2006. Besides, I don't think anyone remembers him by that name anymore

tbh, I thought this would be a religion (or lack of) topic

[Austrian ViceMaster Alex]

What kind of stupid system is that? You set a mark and either you pass it or you don't, that's how it should be. What if everyone has 100% and you only scored 90%? Scaled down you sure must suck with that. Did they at least announce beforehand that they were using such a system?

[Houndoom_Lover]

Sounds like the goddamn Academic students. Me, I took the honors path in high school.

Once I get into uni, I'm going normal. I rather be kick in the face awesome as a regular student, than adverage as an excellerated student. Besides, I have to pay for it, and I'm just their for street cred....

That's silly that they did that though. Not everyone can be a grade loser. I mean, passing is all that really matters, and they have no right to look down on you.

Remember, you pay those bastards! Never EVER let them forget that, or they'll get out of line.

YOU are incharge of those teachers. As you pay them. They may have their fancy degrees, but they're teachers never the less. Not Jesus, Not God. Teachers. *hates when Teachers act like they're a force of nature or something*

I wouldn't drop out, but they have NO right doing that to you.

[Telume]

Wow, that's stupid. I don't think my math teacher did that and I pretty much scraped by my math class. I pretty much almost bombed my third (I'm not sure maybe it was the 2nd) exam (passed it by 2 points with a damn 61).

'course then I bounced back scoring back-to-back high marks on the last exam and final
100 and 85 respectively.

And even my philosophy class where I didn't have a god damn fucking clue what I was getting I still got a B despite my bombing my Midterm (This was when my uncle died so I pretty much missed an entire week of class.)

[PancaKe]

I, like TML, thought this was bout religion.

What do you even study?

In my course, we're told that the results don't matter, but the work experience and internship do. ^___^

Either way, I'm graduating at the end of the year and I'm doing teaching. I hate my course. I hate journalism. I am not a journalist and never will be.

How about, just drop everything and run away to an island somewhere and forget all about modern life? You'll probably be happier, although somewhat lonely.

[Lady Vulpix]

I thought this was gonna be a thread about Jay. lol]Funny, that thought did cross my mind. But he's not the same person he was back then.

Anyway, I hate competitive grading systems. I'm glad hardly anyone does that around here.

Good luck with your future exams, Chris.

[Houndoom_Lover]

I know -_- In my high school, all the grades were against each other. Two best friends were the highest in the class, but the one has zero personality and the other is sooo high strung and driven :3 The driven one for shafted in second place. Second. (Or third, I can't remember)

But aaargh, we should do away with grades anywho. They just cause unnessisary stress. It's what you learn that's important. I really don't see the point in grades and manditory homework and tests. You're suppose to be learning, not showing off, struggling, or competiting.