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A Levels and German Abitur equivalent

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Original post by imaas
Hi, is there anyone with smilar experience?-I wish to study medicine in Germany and experienced a significant downgrading of my A-levels through the responsible German authority called "hochschulstart.de".I
in Germnay with effect from last summer "hochschulstart" calculates "maimum reachable points" on the basis of 4 A*'s (=560 UCAS Tariff Points) which are inserted into the so called modified Bavarian Formula.My A-levels are A*AAA, being downgraded from a "Abiturequivlent" of 1.0 to 1.4.
Anyone with similar experience who would like to do something about it and get the basis for calcualtion in Germnay changed?


Why do you want to change the calculations? You simply don't have the equivalent of an 1.0 Abitur or better said: Fachgebundene Hochschulreife (according to NRW, there is a whole thread about this question: http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=588362&highlight=Abitur). I know that sounds rude, but considering that German studetens have to take a whole range of different subjects and achive nearly in all of them 13/15, it would be very unfair to consider A*AAA as 1.0.

As you may see, you weren't downgraded, you just in an disadvantage towars students, who did they A Levels before the introduction of the A*, where 80% where sufficient to get an 1.0. (In Germany 80% were never sufficient to get 1.0 ! )
(edited 12 years ago)
Reply 41
Nathanielle ist right. In Germany 80% equal a 'B'. The best grade (in the UK it would have been A until they introduced the A*) is '1', which on the whole scale of German grades in upper secondary school is 13 - 15 points. For the lowest one, 13 points, you need at least 86% (at least in my state). Plus, German students cannot concentrate totally on four subjects, I had 8 in my last year.
Reply 42
Hi :smile:

I'm an AS student, hoping to leave college with A Levels in Maths, French and Biology and an AS in Photography.

I've been thinking about University and think I'd like to go to an English Uni in France. To keep living costs down I've been researching being an Au Pair whilst at University which I think I'd love to do!

I just wanted to hear about any experiences:

Au Pair-ing:

-Did you go to university whilst you were being an Au Pair?
-If not, do you think it would be too much to both go to Uni and be an Au Pair at the same time?
-What was it like, how were the family you stayed with and was it a good experience?

Studying abroad:

-What is it like?!
-Has anyone been/is anyone at an English Uni in France?
-If you went to a University in a foreign country, was it tough suddenly being surrounded by everyone speaking a different language that you weren't necessarily fluent in?


Thanks so much, any experiences and information would be great to hear about and really helpful!

Amy :smile:
Reply 43
I was an aupair in France for a month in the Summer Holidays of Lower 6th. It was really good, the family were charming, and my job basically involved persuading the two boys to go outside and do stuff, which I'm good at, so yeah it was great. I'm going to uni in France next year, and I was thinking about working as an aupair or something. But I reckon it'd be quite a lot of work doing both. Did you want to work as an aupair during the holidays, or term-time aswell? If the latter, you might have difficulty finding a family who'd be happy for you to do part-time - aupairing is usually quite full on, or else you get only weekends off, which doesn't leave much time for study.

Hope this helps
I tried this and can tell you that, unless you have a magic ability to be in two places at once, it's very, very difficult to do.

Au pairing is around 30 hours per week, which in itself would be manageable (albeit tiring) but the real problem is the way the hours are spread out. 99% of families want you to pick the kids up from school (usually around 4pm ish), when you would probably have lectures at university. Even worse, as French kids don't have school on Wednesdays you would be expected to work, and again, there's no guarantee you would be available during this time. I can't even imagine how I would have kept both up during exam time...

University in France is great, au pairing (if you have a nice family) is great. However, both at the same time is very difficult to manage and as you don't receive your university timetable in advance you run the risk of finding yourself in my situation : part way through my degree, reluctant to give up but really, really struggling financially after it didn't work out with the family.
Hello!

Wow what a decision to make! I haven't done either but I do know of an event which might provide you with a little more insight about studying abroad. The Student World is kicking off on Saturday 17th March and you can speak to people who have done it and got the t-shirt and meet lots of international universities to ask them your questions. It's free to attend so I hope you can make it - good luck with your decision making!

http://www.thestudentworld.com
Reply 47
I'd be really interested to hear other people's opinions on this. - People who are on or have completed degrees in Modern Languages. Does it really live up to the hype? The 'incredible' experience it is supposed to be? How did you find it? Where did you go? What did you do?

I ask because I am also on an erasmus year abroad and I find myself counting down the days til I can fly home. I was in a different country last semester, where I got very, very low and I can feel myself slipping back into the same mindset this time.

I know some of you reading this will think what a ridiculous thing to say, because who wouldn't want a year out of uni to bum around Europe? But that certainly has not been my experience. Starting life twice over again is so mentally demanding. I am open to experience everything my new culture has to offer, I get out there and visit places, meet new people, and enjoy myself, but afterwards, I just crave to be anywhere else.

All I ever heard before I left was how this would completely change my life, whilst having the best time ever. Of course I knew it would be difficult, but this is something which is stretching me to my limit. I have to keep telling myself it is just (now) 4 months of my life and I should try my best to get on and enjoy it but nothing interests me. I don't know if my problem is with the country, the people, my work/ studies, hopes being too high but the Year Abroad really has not lived up to my expectations.

Just looking for other people's opinions.
Reply 48
What country are you at right now ?
Reply 49
Original post by Goddness
What country are you at right now ?


France.
Reply 50
I know how you feel, some people take it longer to establish themselves in a new place with new people who have a different mentality and culture, altho France isn't that much different to UK. I was like that when I first came to UK, took me about a year for everything to sink in... But no point feeling sorry for yourself, try to enjoy yourself as much as you can... I know you might think that it's easy for me to say because I don't know the whole scene, but it's only few months and then you're back to your normal life.
wow, I haven't used tsr in ages, but I am currently doing an erasmus year in france (doing biology, not language), and I am still in two minds if I'm even going to be able to finish the year.

On one hand, I have met some really cool people, and I spent my first month here doing a language course and seeing the region and doing fun activities etc etc, yet when the academic side of things started, it just seemed so disorganised and getting the slightest thing done ended up really stressful. I found it really hard being away from my close friends, I have found myself feeling just isolated a lot. I'm not sure if it seemed worse, as I was diagnosed with moderate depression just after christmas and it was the hardest thing EVER to come back, but I'm hoping this term will be better.

I hate it because I'm in such a nice place, and I don't want to waste this opportunity, but I do find myself really homesick quite often, but I have tried to make my resolution this year to see the positives of being here rather than constantly getting down cos things aren't working.

I hope this doesn't sound too moany, some parts of Erasmus have been amazing but just to let you know, you're not alone. PM me if you want to chat, and good luck xxx
I am in France on a year abroad too. I'm doing Erasmus work placements not study- but yes, I am finding it very demanding too.

I don't think I fully thought things through before I went. I thought "Oh wow, here I am, I'm going to have this awesome year in Paris which is a beautiful city, and I'll have a cool job here and I'll make loads of French friends and I will become fluent and I'll be fine". A lot of my friends were the same, also quite blase about it.

The reality has been quite different, of course. I have had to make an extra effort to make friends because I'm not at university, and when I've found French people my age, I've found it difficult to talk to them because of the difference in culture. I assumed that because France is in Western Europe, there'd be at least SOME common ground, but my friends and I didn't grow up watching the same TV shows, for example, and didn't go through the same education system. And these little things meant that I couldn't join in very much at first in groups entirely made up of French people. Add to this the fact that my first placement wasn't quite what I thought it would be, and that I was turned down from other jobs because my French wasn't good enough, and you have a few things that made me wish I'd stayed at home.

And yet, despite all the crap I have been through, living in the crappy part of Paris where I live, dealing with ****ty people and not managing to make myself understood, I think this year has been unforgettable because I have learned that there's a world outside the uni bubble, and that I'm able to cope. Being knocked down has given me a lot more confidence, and I think you need to see this year in that way, rather than getting your hopes up too high. People have amazing times on their year abroad, but not for the reasons you might think.

Incidentally, I also think that French people have something to do with it. My Dutch teacher at uni once said "The difference between German and French people is that when you go to Germany speaking German, the Germans are so happy to have you because you have made the effort to learn their language that they automatically welcome you. But the French expect YOU to be the one who is happy to be in France, and once you show that enthusiasm, they let you in." So I always smile and say bonjour and usually that works!
(edited 12 years ago)
Reply 53
Thanks to everyone to replying, it's comforting to see I'm not alone. The place I am in is beautiful and I although french universties are ridiculously unorganised, I have managed to find classes fairly quick, so I am hoping I can settle into a routine and just try my best to get through it. I can see how I take my friends for granted in the UK, plus it's hard to talk to the friends I have made here about the way I feel, because they are still in 'oh god, be cool and make as many friends as possible' mode. They go out drinking a lot, which doesn't interest me and I do feel left out, but I know I'm perfectly at liberty to suggest something we do as well.

I was in such a state before I came, my mum nearly didn't let me come. I think she could see I was slipping into a depression. But the thing is, I don't feel I can tell her how I'm feeling now. As far as she's concerned, I'm settled and happy, but if I tell her this, she'll be so worried and I don't want to burden her.

I look back on last semester and have little to say about what I enjoyed. It was so hard. I thought this time may be better, but I just seem to feel so sad all the time. I know I'll be home in a matter of months and I know I'll be back at uni with my best friends in September, but that just doesn't encourage me. There's no way I'm going to give in and go home, but until that time comes, I guess it's moaning on TSR.
I can relate so much to this. I was in the exact same position 2 years ago. DidnΒ΄t think IΒ΄d get through it but I did. PM me if you need to talk.
Reply 55
Hey i want to ask a question please i need help , can you please give me the link of the website or the email for the institute which evaluate my A-levels into abitur .
another question do i need my GCSE to apply also
Last questiob :biggrin: i have tried to apply to universities in germany but i have seen three option in the application which are 1-School leaving certificate ,2-higher education entrance qualifications and 3-( Higher education, further education and training, Practical training, Vocational training in and outside germany) . i didn't know exactly were to write my A-level subject and my GCSE , i have 3 A-Level and 4 AS-Level total like 5 subject of A-level ,however, also how to converts my grade to the abitur system i have A*,A*,A,A,A,A,A How much in abitur ?
Original post by sevmo
Hey i want to ask a question please i need help , can you please give me the link of the website or the email for the institute which evaluate my A-levels into abitur.

This depends on the land. Contact/search the webistes of the universities and/or the Kultusministerium of the land. Perhaps the British embassady in Germany could help you, too?

another question do i need my GCSE to apply also

Maybe? Depends probably on your A Level choices, but normally they wouldn't accept GSCEs instead of A level, but perhaps you had to pass them.
Last questiob :biggrin: i have tried to apply to universities in germany but i have seen three option in the application which are 1-School leaving certificate ,2-higher education entrance qualifications and 3-( Higher education, further education and training, Practical training, Vocational training in and outside germany).

There are German students, which did an apprenticeship and there are as in the UK different ways, to get University entrance qualifications. A Levels should be in the same column as Abitur. Thus not 3. Don't you can see the choices in the Online menu?
i didn't know exactly were to write my A-level subject and my GCSE , i have 3 A-Level and 4 AS-Level total like 5 subject of A-level ,however, also how to converts my grade to the abitur system i have A*,A*,A,A,A,A,A How much in abitur?
It is not like in the UK, where you do often only do four subjects, which determine your eligibility for the course. Thus it can be that they only ask for your overall grade. (For that you definitely need to contact the Zeugnisanerkennungsstelle!) Sometimes they ask for certain subjects, but often only overall grade. I think you should mark, that you have another qualification/A Levels and just leave the questions out, where you can't answer. To convert your grades by yourself could be critical, as you could cheat (perhaps even wihtout knowing) and that would cause probably problems. You can estimate your grades, reading the posts above.
Reply 57
I am also an Erasmus student in Paris, coming from London. I have similar feeling to yours.
I'm french, a strong french accent and I will be studying in the UK for 3 years in a country that's not mine. Although I have been living in the uK for 3 years now, I'm thinking my experience will be like a never ending Erasmus programme : I hope english people, unlike frenchies, are happy to welcome someone in their group that is NOT english...
Reply 59
Can someone that actually enjoyed their Year Abroad please post?! You're making me doubt my degree choice! :nooo:

What you say makes a lot of sense though. I really sympathise.:frown:

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