Do They Really Do That?

System

Hi

I thought that the pass mark stayed the same no matter how high the number of people that have not done so well? I thought that the pass mark of 70% remained so that it proves you are able to do your job with at least 70% competence?

I think and hope that I've done enough to pass, did make a few little, silly mistakes which I'm annoyed with, just hope they weren't worth big marks!

Good luck to everyone when it comes to results time. Like someone said in a previous topic, AAT couldn't have picked a worse day for the results!

Kelly

System

Re:Do They Really Do That?

Hi

Pass marks aren't (apparently) necessarily the same for each sitting/exam, it can vary from paper to paper, sitting to sotting. After the exams have been taken, the AAT take feed back from tutors including what students thought of the exam.

The pass mark is (apparently) set or tweaked according tot he overall accepteance of the paper. But the doesnt mean that the pass grade would be lowered just because students felt an exam was particularly hard. The feedback is on how well the exma matched the standards, so a pass grade can be established.

I use the term 'apparently' as exam grading seems to the tightest guarded secret if the AAT, and you have to assemble the information from what little they or tutors give away!

Neil

System

Re:Do They Really Do That?

I heard it was even based on question per question e.g. if one question is a real stinker a loads of people mess it up the pass mark is lower. Last time on FRA they had some kind of accounting policy/standard that hardly anybody realised what they were getting at so they allowed for the fact that people weren't prepared for this.

It really doesn't seem to have set rules I guess in a way it is probably in our favour that they don't have a set 70% rule as papers vary, so by altering the way they look at them it evens it all out and makes it fairer. I'm sure its all designed to our best interest even if it is a well kept secret and a little frustraiting.

Torix

System

Re:Do They Really Do That?

From what Ive heard (and like the post before its only what people hear) that the exams arent marked on a precentage as such.

For example

Student A gets overall 60%

Student B gets overall 60%

Student A gets 40% in section 1 and 20% in section 2

Student B gets 30% in section 1 and 30% in section 2

Student A fails
Student B Passed

Another example could be both students get the same number of questions correct. 1 student shows workings and passes. The other shows no workings and fails.

I think its all to do with how each individual student copes with an exam.

Amanda

System

Re:Do They Really Do That?

I really agree with want Amanda said. It sound very realistic. That what I was told by a previous tutor. I suppose that's why we're told to attempt all questions and have to show competence in both.
lol
lollypops

System

Re:Do They Really Do That?

i think the marking methods are wrong,the paper shouldnt be marked as two individual parts.your sitting one paper so it should be marked as one paper.im really starting to think do they mark it this way so there is more of a chance students will fail and have to re-sit making more revenue for the aat.i bet the margin of safety for the aat is huge.lol.

System

Re:Do They Really Do That?

i think the marking methods are wrong,the paper shouldnt be marked as two individual parts.your sitting one paper so it should be marked as one paper.im really starting to think do they mark it this way so there is more of a chance students will fail and have to re-sit making more revenue for the aat.i bet the margin of safety for the aat is huge.lol.

System

Re:Do They Really Do That?

i think the marking methods are wrong,the paper shouldnt be marked as two individual parts.your sitting one paper so it should be marked as one paper.im really starting to think do they mark it this way so there is more of a chance students will fail and have to re-sit making more revenue for the aat.i bet the margin of safety for the aat is huge.lol.

System

Re:Do They Really Do That?

They have changed the format and ther is little difference between the two sections. So failing students because of answers to different sections doesn't sound fair this time round(if at all they are doing that). As long as you answer the questions correctly, you should be able to get the full marks. If your final answer is wrong but parts of your workings are right, then you will be able to got points for showing them. Otherwise there souldn't be a penality for showing little or no workings.

System

Re:Do They Really Do That?

Why do AAT not want candidates to know how many marks a question is worth? At least that way it would stop all the worrying that lots of people go through afterwards.

Also, why do they keep the way they pass exam papers so secret? It appears that there are a few methods of marking floating around.

Kelly

System

Re:Do They Really Do That?

Hi

Going back (vaguely) to what chris22 said, the AAT papers have to be marked by the section due to the nature of NVQs. To acheive a unit i.e. DFS, you have to show competence in all elements of that unit. If you were to get most on one section correct, but most of another section wrong but still have anough marks overall to fall into a passing grade, you could end up passing an exam (and thefore a unit) despite not having shown competence through all elements.

NVQs require you to show a range of competence accross an entire unit and not just get a minimum number of marks. This is also the reason why workings are given marks, because in a subject like accounting technique can be as important as the outcome.

Neil

System

Re:Do They Really Do That?

i agree you want the exams to be as easy as possible but you have to be able to perform tasks to a satisfactory level before you can be marked as competant, the fact that they break it down into 2 different parts makes it easier for you to pass !!

the exams were not that hard even if you know you got wrong figures but you showed working out and did everything else right then you will pass but if you didnt learn what you were supposed to and got not only wrong figures but wrong methods too you cant expect to pass thats why the give you a space to show workings so you can at least prove that you know what you are doing