How difficult are AP courses in comparison to AS-levels?

I don't know if it's possible that anyone would know the answer to this as no one will have done both of these. However, I am pretty curious about this due to sitting my SAT Subject Tests soon.

I'm assuming that a full A-level must be higher standard then APs because students only take those whilst at high schools students study other classes as well as their APs. I've also heard that a UK education is harder, but my sources are probably biased. :p:

Does anyone have a rough idea about this?

Reply 1

Amanda

Oh god I remember my AP days..

Reply 2

JCM89

Five APs at grade 5 are supposed to be roughly equivalent to three grade A 'A' levels.

Admissions tutors here aren't that keen on them as the subject content isn't as deep as in A-level. So, for example, some medical schools (such as mine) would still require someone with five or six APs at grade 5 (including sciences / maths) to take the foundation year before proceeding to the standard medical degree - even though their qualifications are broadly equivalent to three A-levels at grade A. The reason here is that the science content isn't considered sufficiently deep.

Hope you get the grades you want. Where in the US are you heading?

Reply 3

Tetra3

Thanks for the quick replies! That caught me off guard :p:

Five grade 5 APs being the same as three As at A-level makes sense - thanks for the info, JCM89. High school students seem to take a larger range of subjects so I can understand why their AP science courses are not in as much depth as A-levels. I'm sure I still need to study for my SAT IIs though.

I'm hoping to go to MIT to major in either engineering or physics. I'm taking Further Maths, Physics and Chemistry at A-level right now. Naturally I've signed up for the SAT IIs Math Level 2, Physics and Chemistry so hopefully I should be good. :smile: