RHS Exams

I am considering taking the RHS level 2 certificate exams in late June this year as an external candidate with my local colleage (Hadlow). While this does not give me much time, I think (hope) I have a decent grounding in horticulture etc but am weak in plant identification.

If anyone out there has taken this exam (formerly known as the RHS General Certificate), please could you pass on some survival tips - books which are essential, cramming tips, sources of past papers etc?

Cheers, Alex

 

i think Dendrobium will be the best to advise you on this. I'm sure she'll be back online soon!! :D

 

Can anyone help out with this? Cheers, Alex

 

Try sending Dendrobium a pm or an e-mail.

 

Hi there - yes do! I've done it!!

 

I took one look at the reading list and shied away.

My attention span isn't that good any more and I was always a slow reader.

 

having done the General some 26 years ago, I dont know why a few years later I went on to do the HND in amentiy hort.
both of these were done via distance learning through the OPen Uni.
I can only say when it come to literature, go for the most concise books possible. dont think that the RHS books are God, most good books will give you most of the info you are looking for, especially for the general exam. Your local library will help, just ask if they can get in the books you want and they are usually most helpful
I am now considering wether to do the Doctors degree, or wait til I retire to give me something to do..
anyway best of luck, you should get through it ok, I know of no one that has failed...yet.
with the advent of the internet it has made things so much easier

 

Well, I took the exam last week and the general consensus was that it was very tough and that many of the questions had never been set before. Looks like we were guinea pigs for a harder exam than previously.

Does anyone know what the passmark is?

 

see page 5 on the pdf file! http://www.rhs.org.uk/learning/education/documents/level2syllabus.pdf

if link doesn't work, go to http://www.rhs.org.uk and follow the steps, learnig, then exams, then gen cert level 2, and get the pdf file for the syllabus - and page 5 there. Have fun!