It seems here that I am the same boat as Josh... Well, in a way. Thing is, it seems that exams will never be your friends. Never EVER. I am just scared on this, and I seriously don't know what to do.
Before I even explain everything, I need to tell you guys how do things work in Portugal. It's pretty simple.
Imagine you're a student that goes into 10th grade. Cool, you got to "High School". From now on, all of your marks will count towards your average to go in College. So, in total, you'll have 10 areas throughout the following 3 years (10th, 11th, 12th). And by the end of 2 or 3 years, you'll have to have 4 exams done. There are some of these 10 subjects that only have a period of tow years to be finished, some just one, regardless of your choices. So, when you go in the 10th grade, you have 5 mandatory areas, but 2 which are optional (optional in the ones you want, but you must have two at least). These two optionals are 2 of the ones you're going to be submitted to an exam. So, in the 10th grade, you have two choices:
- Biology and Geology (Yeah, it's just one area);
- Physics and Chemestry (Yeah, one area as well).
You must choose 1 or 2 of these two. I just chose Physics and Chemestry, which will mean that the next year (11th), I had to choose the second mandatory subject, but at the 11th, you got even more options.
- Biology and Geology / Physics and Chemestry(Depends on what you've chosen before. I can go back and take one of these subjects for the two years I'm left at High School);
- Computer Applications (This is what I picked);
- Geometry (Certainly not..!).
But if you chose both back at the 10th, you are left with no choice at the 11th grade, unless you just say you don't want to continue having the subjects. So, continuing. At the 12th grade, you get to choose another area, that will take you just a year to complete. I took Physics only.
So, it's like this (my case):
- Portuguese (Start: 10th)- 3 years long, Exam Mandatory;
- Maths (Start: 10th)- 3 years long, Exam Mandatory;
- Physics and Chemestry (Start: 10th) - 2 years long, Exam Mandatory;
- Computer Applications (Start: 11th) - 2 years long, Exam Mandatory;
- CIT (Start: 10th) - 1 year long;
- English (Start: 10th) - 2 years long;
- Philosophy (Start: 10th) - 2 years long;
- Project Planning (Weird subject, but will help you in College. Start: 12th) - 1 year long;
- Physics (Start: 12th) - 1 year long;
- Physical Education (Start: 10th) - 3 years long.
That makes the 10. Now, to go in College, you need marks. It's requires some calculation. So, the area I want to go, requires 16,1 average, and requires me to use Maths+Portuguese Exams, or Maths+Physics and Chemestry Exams.
So, how do you calculate the average? You need to calculate the marks you got over the three years into one average, then 50% it, and then, calculate the two exams you need (average them), and 50% it. Then, sum both parts to get your average. Confusing, huh? Not that much, you'll see. =P
Well, For the three years average, you'll need the marks of your subjects. For instance:
:
PE is three years long. So, to get your final PE mark, you just do this:
(PE 10th Mark + PE 11th Mark + PE 12th Mark)/(Number of years of the area)
There's a special case. For the subejcts that have the exam, you do the same procedyre, but then multiply your final mark for 0.7, then sum the mark of your exam multiplied for 0.3.
(Final 3- years Mark * 0.7) + (Exam Mark * 0,3) = Final Mark
Then, just do the average with all your final marks.
But all of this works with numbers, which go from 0 to 20 (being 20 the 100%). My Final Three Years Average without exams was: 18,4.
So, I got to know my exams marks today, the ones I did this year, which were Portuguese, Maths, and Computer Applications.
- Maths - 17,5 (which rounds up to 18);
- Computer Applications - 14,5 (Rounds up to 15);
- Portuguese - 11,1 (Rounds DOWN to 11).
That Portuguese Mark killed me. Seriously, it did. So, now for college, I need to use both Maths and Portuguese OR Maths and Physics and Chemestry. The thing is, I dunno what to do.
I could repeat the exam at the second phase, but that will only screw me. There are two phases to get in college. For those who do the exams at the 1st Phase like I did, and for those who repeat the exams.
With all calculations done, I get a 16,25 average with the Portuguese exam, and 17,05 with the Chemestry one. Thing is, this might not be enough, even thought the average is 16,1 to go in. There are lots of people out there, and there are like 120 vacancies. What if everyone has a higher average than mine? I mean, those who go for the same course in the whole country, at the exact University that I'm going to (well, just the ones near me, that's for sure). But still, just 1 point above... I get scared really. =/ What I don't really know what to do, is if I should repeat the exam, or risk my 17,05 average.
It's as the title says: Exams Ain't Your Friends.
