Is it fair to put someone in an exam with as much as 10 % off before they start?

studentphil

Lusignan wrote: »

Okay, Phil - have it your way. Quite why you've put yourself through 3 years of torture when you're not suited to it is really beyond me, but it's been your choice. You'd've been better off leaving school and getting a job.

I think as to why is because I worked really hard and did really well at school and I thought I could manage Philosophy. Nor was it ever really made that clear that Philosophy was so heavy on reading. Then once I got there I have always hated it and was told to give it time and once I had given it a year then I was financially locked in and it would have broken my parents hearts for me to have dropped out so I have suffered on.

3plus1

studentphil wrote: »

Given that lots of people seem to do so much better than me marks wise and can understand the readings in class. I think that I have a fault in me that others on the course dont have.

If you spend your entire life comparing yourself to others, you'll never be happy. To achieve results, you have to set yourself your own individual standards to measure up to and you have to tell yourself you want to accomplish something for yourself. You answer to yourself, at the end of the day.

Okay, so you've suddenly realised there's a chance of you doing really badly in your final exams. I assume this is what the entire thread is really about. What are you doing about it? Trying to find some last minute way to qualify for mitigating circumstances when you know you don't meet the criteria? Comparing yourself to other people?

How about you make a plan of what it is you will actually need to know for your exams, and go off and do some revison?

Knowing what it is you need to revise will probably take away some of that stress and anxiety you claim to feel. Stop panicking, stop complaining: take some positive action and sort yourself out.

On a side note, I read incredibly quickly. Always have done. A friend of mine will read one page in the time it takes me to read three. Is she here right now posting on MSE, whining about how her slow reading has hindered her chances at success? No, she's off studying medicine at the University of Oxford, on track to become a brilliant doctor with a glittering future.

Life really is what you make of it, Phil.

scorpio_princess

studentphil wrote: »

Given that lots of people seem to do so much better than me marks wise and can understand the readings in class. I think that I have a fault in me that others on the course dont have.

I'm not a doctor, but I think you'e bordering on clinical depression. Go see a doctor/psychiatrist/psychologist. Whatever you do now, you've left it too late - if your finals are 2 months away, no amount of CBT or pills are going to save you now, and that's no-one's fault but yours. People can't help unless you demand it - the world does not revolve around you!

parmaviolette

A tiny amount of research would have told you that you could have changed to any other humanities course after your first year, and gone straight into the second year of another course. And all uni courses are harder than school.

studentphil

parmaviolette wrote: »

Yes, you do have a fault others don't - you won't persist. You give up too easily. People that understand philosophy readings have usually read the piece a few times. A lot of students go to tutors with hard articles and discuss it with them. A lot of students buy study guides and read study guides online and discuss articles with friends, online and offline. That's why they do better than you.

I see that, but when it might take me two days to read one article, there is not really time to read it another 2 times over. I am just in subject that I am completely unsuited to I know that and I should be able to control my feelings better and not let them overcome me.

eenu

studentphil wrote: »

Nor was it ever really made that clear that Philosophy was so heavy on reading.

Sorry but this made me chuckle!

What the hell did you think Philosophy would be!?

How do you think i do a PhD? The only way is to read read read.....not that i have yet and i am up s***s creek but hey thats my doing and i accept that!

3plus1

studentphil wrote: »

I see that, but when it might take me two days to read one article, there is not really time to read it another 2 times over. I am just in subject that I am completely unsuited to I know that and I should be able to control my feelings better and not let them overcome me.

Why is there no time?

Look, you've admitted that you're struggling, and that finals are coming up. So, you need to cut back on activities unrelated to your course - ie. going out, posting on internet forums...

Yes, it'll be a pretty sad couple of months, but every other finalist will be in the same position!

studentphil

davidmoore83 wrote: »

Sorry but this made me chuckle!

What the hell did you think Philosophy would be!?

How do you think i do a PhD? The only way is to read read read.....not that i have yet and i am up s***s creek but hey thats my doing and i accept that!

No one ever said it was reading at the volumes of maybe 100 pages a tutorial which is far too much for me.

Lusignan

studentphil wrote: »

Nor was it ever really made that clear that Philosophy was so heavy on reading.

Oh poor you - you didn't have the wits at 18 years of age and an adult to realise a philosophy course would involve lots of books? So no-one told you, and the tutors made you, and then your parents blackmailed you. You're the victim and it's everyone else's fault. Pathetic - not once in the 8 pages of this thread have you acknowledged your personal responsibility in any of this. You're beyond help.

scorpio_princess

studentphil wrote: »

I think as to why is because I worked really hard and did really well at school and I thought I could manage Philosophy. Nor was it ever really made that clear that Philosophy was so heavy on reading. Then once I got there I have always hated it and was told to give it time and once I had given it a year then I was financially locked in and it would have broken my parents hearts for me to have dropped out so I have suffered on.

:eek: You didn't think Philosophy was heavy on reading? Are you for real?! What on earth did you think was involved in studying Philosophy? Watching movies and reading picture books? All degree courses require a significant amount of reading - much, much more than at A level - but arts/humanities courses especially so.