Do A-levels matter??

I was wondering if A-levels where important if you wanted to go to university in America? As I am currently doing my AS and thinking that if I did my SATS and LSATS maybe I would be allowed to go to university next year. This is because they finish school in year 12 so at the place of doing year 13, I would prefer going to university and be away from my family situation. Mmm.. its hard to explain but if anyone can tell me what they know it would be great.

Thanks

Reply 1

la_banane_verte

littlemonkey

This is because they finish school in year 12

Actually, they finish in 12th Grade, which is equivalent to our year 13, because they number their years differently. I have several friends in 12th grade at a school in New Hampshire, and they are all the same age as me, and I'm in year 13. So they're the same age as UK students when they go to university, not a year younger.

Reply 2

fuglyduckling

My advice would be as follows:

Do your A-levels and SATs... wait until you have finished both, and then apply to both US and UK universities. There are quite a few benefits to studying in the UK (assuming, that is, that you are a UK-national): it will certainly be a LOT cheaper, for one thing. Undergraduate courses in the UK are also widely considered to be the best in the world. :smile:

Reply 3

zxczxc

silkweed

Yes. Americans do actually do a year less than British people - they do Kindergarten + 12 Grades of school (called K-12) versus Britons who do Reception + 13 Years of School. Americans start in the year they're going to be 6; Britons start the year they're going to be 5. Therefore, they all go to university at the same time, but Americans do 4 years for a BA Hons and Britons do 3.

Scots and lots of science courses do four years here.

Reply 4

Earlham

Also, don't take the LSATs! They're the law school admissions test (and a real pain in the rear)! You might think about the ACTs, however, as an alternative to the SATs. I think there was a conversation on here recently about the differences/alternatives of one vs. the other.