Really? You'd have thought the examiner would set the script on fire in despair by that point...

(LongJohnBaldry, Thu 18 Aug 2011, 11:08, 1 reply, 14 years ago)

I'm fairly sure that grading goes down to G
before you get to U. As I understand it, U means "ungradeable"
( Kroney, Thu 18 Aug 2011, 11:09, Reply)

"Ungradeable" suggests they've written the entire exam in Swahili or something
Which would be an impressive feat for someone who previously only spoke English, even if it would ultimately be a waste of time.
(LongJohnBaldry, Thu 18 Aug 2011, 11:11, Reply)

If you haven't given in any coursework then you get a U

(PsychoChomp, Thu 18 Aug 2011, 11:12, Reply)

my dad got 4% in his o-level woodwork
i am pretty sure that was a U.
( rachelswipe with a fork, Thu 18 Aug 2011, 11:20, Reply)

Did he make it out of polystyrene and drinking straws or something?

(LongJohnBaldry, Thu 18 Aug 2011, 11:23, Reply)

He got his knob out in the exam
and demanded the examiner 'work' his 'wood'.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Thu 18 Aug 2011, 11:33, Reply)

i think he said it was a dovetail joint
and when the examiner picked it up to put it in the sack of things to be marked, it fell apart in his hand.

my dad's very bright and was very athletic back in the day ("the day" being about 1860), but my god he is fucking useless at anything like gardening or DIY.
( rachelswipe with a fork, Thu 18 Aug 2011, 11:33, Reply)

Doesn't that mean
"didn't turn up to the exam" or at least "didn't write anything legible on the paper"
(Bazongaloid, Thu 18 Aug 2011, 11:11, Reply)

'drew a spunking cock on his paper then walked out'

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Thu 18 Aug 2011, 11:12, Reply)

"I'd like to see them try to grade that bot dog"

(LongJohnBaldry, Thu 18 Aug 2011, 11:15, Reply)

I just assumed it meant
"doesn't have a fucking clue". I really have no idea how somebody can do so badly in a subject they've been in for two years. Even if they did no studying at all, surely something would sink in, even if only by accident.
( Kroney, Thu 18 Aug 2011, 11:13, Reply)

you underestimate how stupid people can be

( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Thu 18 Aug 2011, 11:15, Reply)

Your A level results suggest otherwise.

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Thu 18 Aug 2011, 11:16, Reply)

I just didn't care, Monty.

( Kroney, Thu 18 Aug 2011, 11:21, Reply)

Me neither.

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Thu 18 Aug 2011, 11:24, Reply)

Excellent A level results and the
level of personal and professional achievement attained by an individual do not appear to be linked from what I can see.
(Set your faces to Stunned Bigly, Thu 18 Aug 2011, 11:25, Reply)

that's what I think
also, knowing how much work is required is a good skill to have.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Thu 18 Aug 2011, 11:28, Reply)

If you measure success by wealth (as most people do)
even a cursory glance at those newspaper 'rich lists' (which are full of people like that cunt Philip Green) will tell you that you are completely right.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Thu 18 Aug 2011, 11:30, Reply)

Are you flirting with me?

(Set your faces to Stunned Bigly, Thu 18 Aug 2011, 11:34, Reply)

that's because you get good grades and a good degree
and you go into a profession, like law, accountancy, dentistry etc. and you'll earn a very good salary. but you won't ever get stinking rich from it.
( rachelswipe with a fork, Thu 18 Aug 2011, 11:34, Reply)

Ditto science
Where it's possible to receive education and training from world-leading institutions in this country, yet if you try to stay in research, chances are you'll make bugger all as you hop desperately from grant to grant every few years.
(LongJohnBaldry, Thu 18 Aug 2011, 11:40, Reply)

(Not that I'm worried or embittered by this state of affairs, of course...)

(LongJohnBaldry, Thu 18 Aug 2011, 11:42, Reply)

it's true though
even for teaching it. my brother did physics at durham. he'd have gone into teaching physics if it paid at all well. as it is, he went for accountancy. then they wonder why nobody decent wants to teach it, and why kids then loathe it.
( rachelswipe with a fork, Thu 18 Aug 2011, 11:50, Reply)

I too had a close brush with going into teaching
I had a very generous bursary waved in front of my nose to train to teach for nine months in a couple of London schools.

That was before I realised they expected me to work like a bitch to get the qualification in the first place, before I'd end up looking after other people's kids on a salary that didn't look all that much better than your average post-doc.

Edit: Fucking hell, Durham's got a good science department as well - didn't berk study there? Just look at how much trouble she's had trying to move jobs.
(LongJohnBaldry, Thu 18 Aug 2011, 11:53, Reply)

You
don't look all that much better than your average post-op.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Thu 18 Aug 2011, 11:58, Reply)