The difference between A Levels and GCSE? (high school, universities)

[MJay]

Hello guys,

I will probably apply for a few universities in the UK. I just wanted to ask what is the difference between A Levels and GCSE. I found that some unies want A Levels eg. ABB or GCSE Math. So does it necessarily mean, that if they want GSCE from Math, so I should have A Levels Math?

Thanks for any answer, have a great day,

JAY

[collinsl]

GCSEs are received after successfully completing secondary school, and A levels are received after completing college (before university).

[ian6479]

Originally Posted by MJay

Hello guys,

I will probably apply for a few universities in the UK. I just wanted to ask what is the difference between A Levels and GCSE. I found that some unies want A Levels eg. ABB or GCSE Math. So does it necessarily mean, that if they want GSCE from Math, so I should have A Levels Math?

Thanks for any answer, have a great day,

JAY

16 year olds in the UK take GCSE's. These determine whether or not you are able to take A Levels (2 years to 18). A levels are the equivalent to graduating high school in the US with SAT scores. You do not need to have A levels in the GCSE's you take. There are translation services that you can find online to convert your SAT scores into A levels, although I think that all the decent universities here will already have a matrix of SAT scores for international students. I would email the admissions office and ask them.

[MJay]

Originally Posted by ian6479

16 year olds in the UK take GCSE's. These determine whether or not you are able to take A Levels (2 years to 18). A levels are the equivalent to graduating high school in the US with SAT scores. You do not need to have A levels in the GCSE's you take. There are translation services that you can find online to convert your SAT scores into A levels, although I think that all the decent universities here will already have a matrix of SAT scores for international students. I would email the admissions office and ask them.

Thank you both for the answers. So if there in typical requirements is: A/AS-levels: Normally ABB; preferably inc. a social science. One (but only one) of these grades may be achieved either from the average of two AS-level grades, one of which should have been taken in year 13, or from an AVCE. Every contributory grade must be in a different subject. and in GCSE requirements on this uni is: GCSE: English Language and Maths (min. grade C in both) so I don't have to graduate from Math, ok?

Thank you again...

[southdown]

The USA's education system is so decentralized it is hard to compare - it varies state to state. It's probably best to ask an individual UK college for their response.

Although there are no official equivalencies between the US and UK education systems, most UK and US educators agree that a US high school diploma (without AP courses) can be roughly compared to five GCSE passes at grade C and above.

A US high school diploma with AP courses can be roughly compared to GCSEs plus A-levels

In England, A levels are two years further study after GCSEs and are equivalent to US college education, not high school graduation, unless the student has performed at an extremely high level and taken extra end-of-course tests and scored highly (SATs, etc, depending on the individual State's system)

Useful website
http://www.fulbright.co.uk/study-in-...-school-system

Other sources of info

http://www.britishcouncil.org/usa-ed...what-we-do.htm
US Curriculum : Choosing the Right Curriculum : Parent Zone : GEMS
http://www.catholicstudyabroad.com/

[chilaili]

Originally Posted by collinsl

GCSEs are received after successfully completing secondary school, and A levels are received after completing college (before university).

Not exactly. When I was 18, everyone took A-levels in high school and then went to university based on the grades you got for those A-levels. I suppose things may have changed since then - do people still take A-levels?

[collinsl]

Originally Posted by chilaili

Not exactly. When I was 18, everyone took A-levels in high school and then went to university based on the grades you got for those A-levels. I suppose things may have changed since then - do people still take A-levels?

Clarification: GCSEs are received from completing Year 11 in high school, generally at age 16.

AS (Advanced Subsidiary) levels are normally taken at age 17 in sixth form, and A levels at age 18, again in sixth form. AS Levels are sort of like Mock GCSE exams, but they are actually real qualifications that lead on to A levels.

Sixth forms can either be part of a high school or they can be separate institutions. They both provide the same assessments and normally the same learning experience.

Conditions of university entry can be based on A levels, GCSEs (for foundation degrees) or vocational qualifications that are equivalent to a set number of A levels, such as BTEC National Diplomas or NVQ Level 3 courses.

[chilaili]

Originally Posted by collinsl

Clarification: GCSEs are received from completing Year 11 in high school, generally at age 16.

So has the GCSE replaced the good old O-Level?

[blaggard]

I thought I'd try to explain.

The GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education, i think) replaced the O Levels in i think the 80s. These are the exams that are taken at the end of year 11 (former 5th years!). This is the end of compulsory school attendance in the UK.

The A Levels (I think the A is for Advanced, whereas O was Ordinary, although I'm not certain) are usually taken in Years 12 and 13; that is ages 16/17 and 17/18. It is usually these that qualify you for University. They generally push in a certain direction as to what you'll do at college. (example, had a Biology and a Chemistry A level so I did Biochemistry) I personally don't like this system as a great deal as it forces you to choose a path at age 17 (when you apply for college.)....I don't even know what I want to do with my life at 29, so how can you tell at 17

Colleges/University have varying requirements as you can get in. Either they'll say they want you to get BCC in your A levels (3 is the standard for most, although some will let you do it with just 2. or 2 plus AS level) or they'll ask for, say 20 points. You get points for your grades:

• A: 10pts
• B: 8pts
• C: 6pts
• D: 4pts
• E: 2pts

So you can see that BCC would count as 20 points (8 + 6 + 6) but you'd also be okay if you got two As and had a terrible 3rd..(10+10+0)

Recently, though (probably in the past 10-12 years) there has been an effort to give as much credence to vocational qualifications when it come to college admission - things like a BTEC will often help you. I don't know a great deal about this, as I went to a grammar school and 'vocational' was like a dirty word there

Regarding the GCSE Maths that was mentioned for you - Because A levels are subject-based it means that sometimes students won't have had a grounding in the 'basics'. Couple this with the fact that UK colleges don't have a 'core curriculum' that US colleges do (which is presumably why they are only 3 years courses compare with the US' 4) there have been accusations that british universities churn out 'graduates' who cannot write properly or do basic mathematics. Therefore most will also insist that you have GCSE Maths, GSCE English (and sometimes GCSE Science as well) This isn't a huge problem most of the time because the majority of A level institutions will require these to get into their A level programs, but there you have it.

Hope that helps.

[Raggy dee Ann]

Originally Posted by chilaili

Not exactly. When I was 18, everyone took A-levels in high school and then went to university based on the grades you got for those A-levels. I suppose things may have changed since then - do people still take A-levels?

I was going to say the same thing. I took 6 O levels and one CSE at 16 and 2 A levels at 18 in the 6th form. I'm still unsure as to what the heck GCSE's are.