A'level results day.

[Moscow Mule]

I had to prove 1 was more than 0 at uni. I remember it being quite hard.

I don't think I've ever had to do it again.

A-level maths was a piece of piss compared to maths at Uni (Electronic Eng).

[gingerjedi]

I got an 'A' for general studies; I seem to remember writing an essay discussing the benefits and risks of hedonism.

I thought you were still researching that topic.

[SizeZero]

He'd obviously never taken a Dutch driving test.

Only just avoided that myself: realised one day before my 10 year UK licence expired and 30 mins before the town hall shut

[Mich the Tester]

I had to prove 1 was more than 0 at uni. I remember it being quite hard.

No that’s easy. Take two pint glasses; fill one with 1 pint of beer. Fill the other with 0 pint of beer. Leave on side of Student Union pool table and observe which glass gets nicked.

[TimberWolf]

I think A levels were the hardest, as seemingly difficult topics were still abstract. It's difficult to remember and structure things properly if you don't know what it is you're learning or know why it's useful, and have yet to see the bigger picture. It became easier and easier after that.

[Clippy]

Spooky, My A-level Chemisty teacher said exactly the same thing.... and was the only teacher to say that

Did you have a Mr Arnold for chemistry?

Nope - so not one of your ex-classmates.

[Spacecadet]

Nope - so not one of your ex-classmates.

Phew

[sasguru]

Quantify the difference you think immigration could make in a practical sense to grade scores, in any particular direction. These are relatively young people, presumably of of mixed abilities, taking exams, not brain surgeons imported in epic numbers in any year taking them. Most immigration has likely come from the lower end of the spectrum in any case, not that it makes much difference. Even were it so, empoyers and educational establishments would like to be able to select based on grades relative to peers in the current year's crop IMO, not on how easy the exam was in any year.

I suspect the current system was adopted purely to get more people into university.

You're missing the point spectacularly again.
I was pointing out that it is possible that the underlying population will change and so the average intelligence of the sample that is A-level students may not be the same from year to year.
If we take London where most immigration takes place and where there has been a sizeable impact (40% of people are non white British as of 2007), there could be a massive difference over the years. Maybe for the better if immigrant children study harder, maybe for the worse if they sell drugs.
The Flynn effect would apply both in places with immigration and those without.
Unfortunately as the exam system has changed over the years we can't easily see what the impact has been.

[shaunbhoy]

I've got a cushy job in the financial-industrial-military complex

If you can call being a Janitor "cushy".

[MarillionFan]

To Sasgurus point.

Exam results are not a good measure of intelligence due to the variables involved.

The true question should be what is the average IQ by socio-demographic group by age (age adjusting)