What are the long term downsides of failing an exam?

BogMonkey

If you fail an exam but pass the repeat, what are the downsides? Will it go on your record that you failed the exam first attempt? Do they cap your marks by default? For example if I failed the first attempt but got 90% on the repeat, would that 90% go into my overall marks for the year? If so you'd nearly be better off failing the first attempt cuz with the extra study time you'll do way better on the repeat.

Attol

You get 40% in that exam if you pass it on repeat.

BogMonkey

Ah right. Thats not that bad.

joey54

But if you fail an exam and then pass the repeat in final year doesn't it have some implications to your overall degree mark? I could be completely wrong now!

Glyni

If you fail an exam and then pass the repeat it doesnt matter how high a mark you got you can only get an overall 3rd class Honours for that year.

If you fail an exam in your final year and then pass the repeat you would only be eligible for a 3rd class Honours degree no matter what your marks where in the other exams.

Wolfe Tone

What does it cost to repeat the exam?

Glyni

http://www.dcu.ie/finance/fees/other_fees-2010-2011.shtml

Repeat fees €190

Wolfe Tone

Thats per exam? Fierce expensive

douglashyde

Glyni wrote: »

If you fail an exam and then pass the repeat it doesnt matter how high a mark you got you can only get an overall 3rd class Honours for that year.

If you fail an exam in your final year and then pass the repeat you would only be eligible for a 3rd class Honours degree no matter what your marks where in the other exams.

I'm almost certain that rule has been changed in the last year or two.

As far as I'm aware, the new rule is: If you fail an exam and pass the repeat, then you will only get a 3.0 (40%) in the repeat subject. Your overall result is then an average of all your subjects inc the 40% from your repeat.

joey54

douglashyde wrote: »

I'm almost certain that rule has been changed in the last year or two.

As far as I'm aware, the new rule is: If you fail an exam and pass the repeat, then you will only get a 3.0 (40%) in the repeat subject. Your overall result is then an average of all your subjects inc the 40% from your repeat.

That would seem slightly fairer if it was the case. I do remember there was a motion by the SU to do something about it. I have a feeling it could just be for humanities degrees though?

Sod'o swords

You could spend your whole year repeating one module.

First year, the best two years of my life.

carlowboy

Glyni wrote: »

If you fail an exam and then pass the repeat it doesnt matter how high a mark you got you can only get an overall 3rd class Honours for that year.

If you fail an exam in your final year and then pass the repeat you would only be eligible for a 3rd class Honours degree no matter what your marks where in the other exams.

I don't think it's like that anymore, I think it just gets put in as a 40 with the rest of the grades to tabulate what honours degree you get.

carlowboy

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

Thats per exam? Fierce expensive

Nope, it's a flat fee, you'll pay the same repeating one as you would repeating 10.

Wolfe Tone

carlowboy wrote: »

Nope, it's a flat fee, you'll pay the same repeating one as you would repeating 10.

Really? Thats good to know!

Garf

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

Really? Thats good to know!

Yeah, so one better fail them all to get value for money.

craig1928

douglashyde wrote: »

I'm almost certain that rule has been changed in the last year or two.

As far as I'm aware, the new rule is: If you fail an exam and pass the repeat, then you will only get a 3.0 (40%) in the repeat subject. Your overall result is then an average of all your subjects inc the 40% from your repeat.

carlowboy wrote: »

I don't think it's like that anymore, I think it just gets put in as a 40 with the rest of the grades to tabulate what honours degree you get.

Can anyone confirm it's like this now? I can't find anything official

jennyq

These are the latest Mark and Standards regulations for DCU

http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/pdfs/M&S_version%202010.1.0%20April14.pdf

PRECISION MARK: the precision mark is normally defined as the overall weighted
average for the first full presentation of marks for an academic sessio

8.1.1 Level 8 Bachelor Degree: To be eligible for consideration for the award of a Level 8
Bachelor Degree, a student must accumulate the requisite credits as specified in the
Award Descriptor. The mark to be used to determine the grade of classification is the
precision mark based on the first attempt at the relevant, approved modules. Where
the original precision mark is less than 40%, and the student subsequently
successfully completes the requisite credits, the student will be awarded a Third
Class Honours degree irrespective of the final marks achieved.
The overall precision marks achieved across some or all years of the programme of
study may contribute to the classification of the award.

This seems to say that you're capped at a third if your average is a fail, below 40%, regardless of what you do in the repeats. It doesn't seem to say that you're capped if you've failed any module. It's possible I've missed something but it seems like once your average is above 40% you're not capped, though I guess that a failed module could drag your average down a bit.

Yukina

If you fail a module but pass the repeat your mark for the repeat exam will be 40% and the average is calculated using that as your grade. However if you fail a module and have to repeat the year because of it your overall grade for the repeated year will be a 3rd class at 40%.

It sucks but, i guess it's fair

craig1928

Yukina wrote: »

If you fail a module but pass the repeat your mark for the repeat exam will be 40% and the average is calculated using that as your grade. However if you fail a module and have to repeat the year because of it your overall grade for the repeated year will be a 3rd class at 40%.

It sucks but, i guess it's fair

Is this a definate or one of the many variations of the rules being thrown about? thanks

Yukina

As of last years summer repeats it's accurate...

craig1928

Yukina wrote: »

As of last years summer repeats it's accurate...

cheers thanks