c4countdown

It's that time of year again... A level results! Hope all those concerned did well, and feel free to brag shamelessly in here if you did.

Managed to get my 3 As to read Economics and Management at Merton College, Oxford, and am still recovering from the shock. I knew Maths would be touch and go and ended up getting 502, smacked English getting full marks in coursework and synoptic and finishing with 564 and also got full marks in Nazi Germany on my way to 531 in History.

The bit I've always feared was ringing my parents and telling them I'd missed out, not because they'd be disappointed but because this was beyond their wildest dreams and all I've ever wanted to do was make them proud. My dad dropped out without taking O-Levels, my mum grew up in the Philippines brushing her teeth with a twig and salty water, so for me to get into Oxford is something that means so much to them. All the hours locked away revising pale into insignificance when you hear your mum crying with joy on the phone.

Jeffrey Burgin wrote:Managed to get my 3 As to read Economics and Management at Merton College, Oxford

Sounds like just the sort of mickey mouse course they'd offer at the other place...



Nah seriously, well done

Well done, Jeffrey. Many congratulations.

I'm still waiting for the hysteria to commence at my house when I get home.

My sister's awaiting her results, although she knows she's got into Loughborough, so she's already happy!

Michael Wallace wrote: Sounds like just the sort of mickey mouse course they'd offer at the other place...

Nah seriously, well done

Haha, I know the 'management' makes it sound a bit shit but you can't do just Economics.

Jeffrey Burgin wrote:Haha, I know the 'management' makes it sound a bit shit but you can't do just Economics.

I was going to reply saying "yeah, it's like $course at Cambridge", but then I went to look at the course list and it seems I was mis-remembering, and they are in fact all sensible (well, if you ignore the things on the 'arts' side...). That said, since when was economics an 'art'? (admittedly, my knowledge of economics extends to "you do stuff with finances")

Got As in maths, further maths, chemistry and physics but I'm not sure what to do with them.

Well done Jeffrey, even though I detest everything about Merton that's an awesome achievement. With that blonde girl that James Robinson beat, there could be enough Countdowners in Oxford next year to warrant a tournament. Could get the legend James Martin too, as he works with one of my former tutors.

I got an F in Erection.

got an A in Law and Economics, B in Business and a D in ICT ( ), met my offer with Manchester, going to do Accounting and Finance.

Well done Jeff.

Well done Matt

I found out that I got five A's in my As levels today:). Gotta start thinking about which university courses i will apply for now, the choice is overwhelming

JackHurst wrote:Gotta start thinking about which university courses i will apply for now, the choice is overwhelming

I hear there's a great university in Cambridge.

My AS results: ACDD (World Development, History, Maths (the full A Level) and English Lit. respectively).

I predicted my results quite accurately, the only surprise being the A grade. I got a B in AS Maths and got EEU in the A Level. I want to do English at university, but I don't know, I'll just have to see. I'm tempted to just give up on this whole higher education thing and look for a job but the chances of me getting one are nil.

Congratulations to those above. Jeffery: you now seem like less of a twat.

JackHurst wrote:the choice is overwhelming

Poor you.

Jimmy Gough wrote: Jeffery: you now seem like less of a twat.

He seems fine to me, Well done for getting impressive marks and getting into Oxford.
Where do you lot stand on talking about marks? With people at school, about a quarter like to talk about and compare marks, and then i think the rest of the people don't like it if you tell them anything more than your grade (Unless you're telling them you were one or two marks off a certain grade). I adapt what i tell people depending on who I'm talking to.

JackHurst wrote: Where do you lot stand on talking about marks? With people at school, about a quarter like to talk about and compare marks, and then i think the rest of the people don't like it if you tell them anything more than your grade (Unless you're telling them you were one or two marks off a certain grade). I adapt what i tell people depending on who I'm talking to.

As in "Ha, you only got 85/100 - that's a crap A grade"?

I think it's funny that people always say I was only X off of a B or whatever no matter how far away they are, even when they're closer to the grade below. I suppose it's worth mentioning if it's one or two off, but not when it's like ten or something.

Jimmy Gough wrote: Jeffery: you now seem like less of a twat.

I guess I'll take that as a compliment, although I'm disappointed to know I was thought of as a twat. Hopefully my appearances on the show will be more complimentary, as I guess everyone goes around giving it the Barry Big 'Un online. Coincidentally was there any particular reason? Don't hold back either.

And Junaid, what's with the hating on Merton? Although admittedly any reputation it may have will be lost on me, as I have no experience of Oxford colleges and applied only on the basis I went there on Open Day, which in turn was randomly generated by me typing 'good Oxford colleges for Economics and Management' into Google and finding Balliol's Open Day was unsurprisingly booked up only two days before.

Jeffrey Burgin wrote:

Jimmy Gough wrote: Jeffery: you now seem like less of a twat.

I guess I'll take that as a compliment, although I'm disappointed to know I was thought of as a twat. Hopefully my appearances on the show will be more complimentary, as I guess everyone goes around giving it the Barry Big 'Un online. Coincidentally was there any particular reason? Don't hold back either.

Just that thread.

Seriously well done though, I'd give my right arm to go to Oxford...maybe.

Jeffrey Burgin wrote:And Junaid, what's with the hating on Merton?

a) Far too rich
b) Far too obsessed with topping the college league tables every year, to the extent that not getting a first is an embarrassment to them
c) Full of toffs
d) It's not St Anne's

Still, I'm sure you'll have a great time

Junaid Mubeen wrote:a) Far too rich
b) Far too obsessed with topping the college league tables every year, to the extent that not getting a first is an embarrassment to them
c) Full of toffs
d) It's not St Anne's

I'm not Oxbridge hating but did you not just describe, well, you know, Oxbridge?

Matt Morrison wrote:

Junaid Mubeen wrote:a) Far too rich
b) Far too obsessed with topping the college league tables every year, to the extent that not getting a first is an embarrassment to them
c) Full of toffs
d) It's not St Anne's

I'm not Oxbridge hating but did you not just describe, well, you know, Oxbridge?

To some extent yes, Merton is as close to the stereotype as you'll get. Anne's is completely at the other end of the spectrum, whilst most fall somewhere in between.

Jimmy Gough wrote: Just that thread.

Fair enough, I can see why you'd think I was a tosspot on the basis of that. Was meant to be tongue-in-cheek but I probably got carried away.

Funnily enough though Junaid, I went there expecting exactly that but whilst a couple of people were rich toffs (putting it a polite way there!), the majority I met were very nice people who were probably more middle-class. Having researched Merton I was aware of the whole topping the tables thing but didn't know it was a massive deal to them- I suspect now they will be thoroughly disappointed with my work ethic in addition to the lack of riches, private schooling and working-class mannerisms.

Junaid Mubeen wrote:a) Far too rich
b) Far too obsessed with topping the college league tables every year, to the extent that not getting a first is an embarrassment to them
c) Full of toffs
d) It's not St Anne's

What's wrong with that? Sounds just like Trinity...

[quote="Junaid Mubeen"]
d) It's not St Anne's
quote]
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!????????????????

aw, come on

Got my AS results today and they are as follows:

Business Studies B
English Language B
History B
Economics C

Fairly pleased with them but felt that I could have done a bit better

Ian Fitzpatrick wrote:

Junaid Mubeen wrote: d) It's not St Anne's
quote]
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!????????????????

aw, come on

Quote fail.

A two-player university competition would be ideal. I haven't chosen two player because Paul Gallen graduated from the same uni as me, oh no.

David O'Donnell wrote:A two-player university competition would be ideal. I haven't chosen two player because Paul Gallen graduated from the same uni as me, oh no.

Two player? Well there was someone I encountered during the introduction week who said they played Scrabble...

I got an A in my jollyphonics resit and have accepted an offer from Thrunscoe Juniors in Cleethorpes to study spelling.

I was given a thingy to get my GCSE results online. It knows your basic info (eg. DOB). You have to be 13 to sign up for it. Yup.

Kai Laddiman wrote:I was given a thingy to get my GCSE results online. It knows your basic info (eg. DOB). You have to be 13 to sign up for it. Yup.

Whcih subjects did you sit?

Junaid Mubeen wrote:

Kai Laddiman wrote:I was given a thingy to get my GCSE results online. It knows your basic info (eg. DOB). You have to be 13 to sign up for it. Yup.

Whcih subjects did you sit?

Er, maths.

I'll make a quick reappearance: 3As in maths, further maths and physics and a capitulatory B in computing; plus a 1,1 in STEP. Enough to sneak into St. John's College, Cambridge.

Nice one Conor, congrats

Results tomorrow! *tense*

Wouldn't worry, Kai. You can always take it again next year. And the year after. And the year after that.

Conor wrote:I'll make a quick reappearance: 3As in maths, further maths and physics and a capitulatory B in computing; plus a 1,1 in STEP. Enough to sneak into St. John's College, Cambridge.

Awesome, congrats! Although....ah dammit, Varsity Countdown has taken a horrible twist.

Conor wrote:Enough to sneak into St. John's College, Cambridge.

Boo.

Conor wrote:I'll make a quick reappearance: 3As in maths, further maths and physics and a capitulatory B in computing; plus a 1,1 in STEP. Enough to sneak into St. John's College, Cambridge.

Well done!

Conor wrote:I'll make a quick reappearance: 3As in maths, further maths and physics and a capitulatory B in computing; plus a 1,1 in STEP. Enough to sneak into St. John's College, Cambridge.

Congratulations, great effort! (especially the STEP bit)

Congrats Conor

Well done Conor. Enjoy university, it's the best time of your life.

I got ADDE
Which considering I missed the entirity of the summer modules and 3 of the january modules isn't all that bad.
(the A is 100 UMS too I think)

Conor wrote:I'll make a quick reappearance: 3As in maths, further maths and physics and a capitulatory B in computing; plus a 1,1 in STEP. Enough to sneak into St. John's College, Cambridge.

Well done mate, I know a 1,1 is bloody impressive because a guy at my school who is freaky good at Maths only got a 1,2. I'd challenge you to an Varsity Freshers' Match, but I think we know what the outcome of that would be!

I could try and be modest like Conor, but I'm over the moon - A* in GCSE Maths and 100% in Core 1 (AS Maths module)!

Kai Laddiman wrote:I could try and be modest like Conor, but I'm over the moon - A* in GCSE Maths and 100% in Core 1 (AS Maths module)!

Wahey, congratulations little dude. What the fudge is 'Core' though? It used to Pure, Stats, Mechanics and Decision Maths in my day.

Paul Howe wrote:

Kai Laddiman wrote:I could try and be modest like Conor, but I'm over the moon - A* in GCSE Maths and 100% in Core 1 (AS Maths module)!

Wahey, congratulations little dude. What the fudge is 'Core' though? It used to Pure, Stats, Mechanics and Decision Maths in my day.

Core is Pure.

Paul Howe wrote:

Kai Laddiman wrote:I could try and be modest like Conor, but I'm over the moon - A* in GCSE Maths and 100% in Core 1 (AS Maths module)!

Wahey, congratulations little dude. What the fudge is 'Core' though? It used to Pure, Stats, Mechanics and Decision Maths in my day.

Well, before someone else old says it - what the freaking freak is Decision Maths? It used to be Pure, Stats and Mechanics in my day.

Oh, and well done everyone (as applicable)!

JimBentley wrote:Well, before someone else old says it - what the freaking freak is Decision Maths? It used to be Pure, Stats and Mechanics in my day.

Oh, and well done everyone (as applicable)!

IIRC there were a couple of "decision and discrete" maths modules (at least I think there were when I did A level maths), which were hilariously easy. I once read one of the module textbooks in an afternoon when I was board, it was shit like "Janice needs to shower, have breakfast, brush her teeth, etc. etc. before she can leave for work, find the most efficient order".

Edit: Another fun thing - you could get 100 in the exam without getting all the questions right, which I didn't realise until I got 100 for a module where I hadn't answered all the questions (at the time I thought there must've been a marking error, and wasn't sure whether I should bring it up )

JimBentley wrote:

Paul Howe wrote:It used to Pure, Stats, Mechanics and Decision Maths in my day.

Well, before someone else old says it - what the freaking freak is Decision Maths? It used to be Pure, Stats and Mechanics in my day.

It was Pure, Stats and Applied in my day.

Oh, and well done everyone (as applicable)!

^ This. ^

Michael Wallace wrote:I was board

Hard, chip or over?

Phil Reynolds wrote:

Michael Wallace wrote:I was board

Hard, chip or over?

You'll notice this was maths, not English.

(I swear I only make these mistakes on the Internet)

((also, I only just woke up, lay off me, man))

Michael Wallace wrote:

Phil Reynolds wrote:Hard, chip or over?

lay off me, man

Insert your own ridiculously inappropriate banworthy homosexuality joke here.

Michael Wallace wrote: IIRC there were a couple of "decision and discrete" maths modules (at least I think there were when I did A level maths), which were hilariously easy. I once read one of the module textbooks in an afternoon when I was board, it was shit like "Janice needs to shower, have breakfast, brush her teeth, etc. etc. before she can leave for work, find the most efficient order".

Indeed. Our school managed to fudge it so further maths students could take D1 instead of M3 and have the results carry the same weight. A shame really because I rather enjoyed mechanics, despite the extra challenge.

And I seem to be worryingly obsessed with fudge recently.

Paul Howe wrote:And I seem to be worryingly obsessed with fudge recently.

Insert your own ridiculously inappropriate banworthy homosexuality joke here.

Paul Howe wrote:Indeed. Our school managed to fudge it so further maths students could take D1 instead of M3 and have the results carry the same weight. A shame really because I rather enjoyed mechanics, despite the extra challenge.

Yeah, I seem to remember there was an amusingly complex set of rules about how modules could get translated in the A level(s), and how certain modules had to be included in further maths, etc. etc. I just ended up doing the 'classic' 5-4-3 (P-M-S), despite the fact I hated mechanics. Although having said that, I hated statistics too...

Derek Hazell (for the second time) wrote:Insert your own ridiculously inappropriate banworthy homosexuality joke here.

LOL

(No, really, I did. Normally, when people write stuff like "I need to get some sleep LOL", I think: no, you didn't actually laugh out loud when you typed that, or if you did then you're a moron. But I genuinely did LOL at that.)

Phil Reynolds wrote:

Derek Hazell (for the second time) wrote:Insert your own ridiculously inappropriate banworthy homosexuality joke here.

LOL

(No, really, I did. Normally, when people write stuff like "I need to get some sleep LOL", I think: no, you didn't actually laugh out loud when you typed that, or if you did then you're a moron. But I genuinely did LOL at that.)

A-lol ...meaning "actually laugh/laughed/laughing out loud" - it's a term I invented a year or two ago as a response to the meaningless of "lol" and is very slowly spreading around the internet. I must get round to getting t-shirts printed.