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 Post subject: Re: Old syllabus? New syllabus?
PostPosted: Mon Oct 10, 2011 2:56 pm 
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 Post subject: Re: Old syllabus? New syllabus?
PostPosted: Wed Oct 12, 2011 4:20 am 
Just deleted my word document which contained all my diploma theory assignments from 2008 (old syllabus).

19500 words in total, and none of that contributed any marks to the FGA. Sounds like the new system is fairer in this regard.

Thinking back to 2008, I thought I messed up the practical completely, and later found out I got 65%. It must be very liberally-marked.

With that in mind, I knew I was home-and-dry after finally doing the re-sit this Summer. It wasn't perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but compaired to 2008 my level of knowledge/performance was leaps-and-bounds better. If that somewhat-lame previous attempt was a 65% (just short of a pass), this year's must have been a comfortable pass.

Had to really go back to square-one again though. I had barely touched any gem equipment for two-and-a-half years. Luckily, GIT allowed me to sit in their classroom and just do my own thing with their stones/equipment.

Most things flooded back to me; especially just lining up the 'regular' coloured transparent common stones with their listed RI-values and polariscope results. I spent most of my time learning the various 'pitfalls' on polycrystalline quartzes and feldspars etc., and discovered the glory of the calcite dichroscope (previously I never bothered to use the dichroscope, as I'd only experienced the London, which is crap for subtle dichroisms IMHO).

Barely given the FGA a thought since the letter came. I'd been putting FGA on job apps for 18 months anyway, but I guess now I have cover if anyone asks for proof. Main reason I did it was because Gem-A were threatening to withdraw my old theory result, and making me sit those hand-cramping 4 hour exams again. Bollocks to that.


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 Post subject: Re: Old syllabus? New syllabus?
PostPosted: Sun Mar 25, 2012 9:46 am 
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LOL, long time never came back to view this post and I see information overload! So, does it mean that getting a high score for Foundation is quite easy but getting one for Diploma is epic hard?

As I am still taking my IB Diploma course (a pre-U course), I am quite preoccupied and I don't think I will be taking the Foundation course before I finish the IB exam. But now I am learning under an FGA gemmologist so that I can take the course right after I finish my exams!

Thank you everyone for your sharing! Your experience in the courses will definitely give me the guide on what to prepare for the CGA and FGA courses. :)


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 Post subject: Re: Old syllabus? New syllabus?
PostPosted: Wed Mar 28, 2012 4:59 am 
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I don't think that getting a high score on the Diploma is necessarily hard if you study, know your stuff and approach the exam in the way it needs to be. When you get to that stage, just keep in mind this thread's comments as to what they're expecting. :wink:


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