I estimate i got 18% today in my maths exam. Out of 70%.
I’d previously gotten about 15% out of 30% in class exams which means it should leave me on about 33% in my mind overall… that’s a fail.
I can pass with 35% which leaves me all the more devastated. In fairness i spent about 2 hours (in total) going over maths so i can hardly be shocked, but i did know quite a bit, i just couldn’t do the first parts of questions which made it impossible to do the latter parts as i needed the first part to carry into the latter parts.
So i tried explaining how to do the latter parts without actually doing them 🙂 I really had to fight for every mark and will need every mark if i’m to pass this one. It’s touch and go whether i pass or fail. I’m usually very accurate with my own marking though so i’m going to expect to fail to be on the safe side.
It would be pretty cruel if the examiner were to give me 33 or 34… i’m hoping they’ll take my ‘plain english’ as an answer… but i shouldn’t have to ‘hope’… in many ways, it’s the whole exam system at fault in first year.
Semester 2, we found out there were no ‘results based’ degrees or anything at stake so all we had to do was pass everything. Results come in to effect next semester. So immediately, my standards were lowered to ‘pass everything’ rather than aim for a solid 60/70 every exam.
I’ve no doubt if i had to get 70% or something in maths to continue doing honours level, i’d get it… or at least i’d do a hell of a lot better than i done today 
It means i may have to come in around mid-August to repeat, and it also means the results mean a lot more to me now.. it’ll save me time and money should i pass everything first time around.
I’m not worried about failing a repeat though, i’ll be well up for it should i need to do it. In fact, i’ll probably come out with a ridiculously high mark… it’s the carrot and horse situation i talked about before…
I need carrots in order to run. Without them, i ain’t gonna kill myself running 😉 That was evident in an xhtml/css exam… i got 43% in one exam, then 100% the next Put me under pressure and i’ll perform.