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US high school vs UK A-Levels
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I prefer the A level method. It just makes more sense for you to know what the next step it after you have finished the last step. Maybe you could find out a few weeks earlier but that would make little difference. Its a method that makes you work your hardest right up until the end.
john171
The A-level system is more difficult. What I learn't at age 13, you guys were only learning at age 16. (In maths)
Umm, are you sure about that?
I spent year 10 at a British school, and what I learned in maths in that year, I had already learned in America in the previous couple years. The science and maths taught at the British school was exceedingly easy compared to the American one.
I'm pretty sure Americans are better at maths, maybe science too. For everything else, the British system is superior.
gaijin
As for the US, the system is miles better - I think you know of the desicion of acceptance months before you go. In the UK, people are applying pratically weeks before the course starts. Crazy.
About a year before the course starts, yeah. I'd rather have that in my last year, than have to worry about it a year earlier to be honest.
Well I think that the tougher APs (Calc BC, Physics, English Lit and some more) are equivalent to A-levels so ultimately the knowledge level is the same. I guess it is also similar for blacklisted A-levels when comparing them with AP "lites" like Psych, Human Geo etc. In america, its more up to the student to choose if they want to do APs, in england, an equivalent of 3 subjects is cumpulsory
the US system credits vocational courses while the English and too a greater extent the japanese system doesnt. they rely more on academic ability rather that creativity. im sure most a level sudents would agree the US system is better but if you are used to the academic style you wouldnt want a change...
tozhan
that sounds great! where did you study? im interested in study in the US.
that sounds great! where did you study? im interested in study in the US.Sorry, I meant my last year in high school; it was offered as a vocational course.
But if you're interested in forensics, plenty of universities in the US offer it and I'm definitely sure that you'll do more learning than I did.
more adventurous
Umm, are you sure about that?
I spent year 10 at a British school, and what I learned in maths in that year, I had already learned in America in the previous couple years. The science and maths taught at the British school was exceedingly easy compared to the American one.
I spent year 10 at a British school, and what I learned in maths in that year, I had already learned in America in the previous couple years. The science and maths taught at the British school was exceedingly easy compared to the American one.
Definitely not to my knowledge. Does American high-school even begin to cover Calculus, except in AP exams? The standard Maths is about what we cover in GCSEs, and it's a load of Calculus for A-level. As for APs, they're (as someone said) comparable to A-levels. Calculus AB being about equivalent to A-level maths, Calculus BC Further Maths.
The US high school system is better because the smarter pupils can take honours/AP classes so they are still challenged. in the UK, if you're really smart you take the standard A level and maybe AEA. Also, I like that in the US you have like a few complusary subjects (english, maths, etc.) then a few electives so you can do stuff you enjoy.
but the UK system is better because well, you can go on to Undergrad medicine and law. and the Alevels is like the national exam. In the US only SATs, ACTs etc are country wide. Individual HS gradings may vary so it may be hard to get into good colleges. Also, I prefer the UCAS because its less work. In the US you still have to write essays and all that.
lastly, i think its better to know about college/unis before the summer vacation. less stress.
but the UK system is better because well, you can go on to Undergrad medicine and law. and the Alevels is like the national exam. In the US only SATs, ACTs etc are country wide. Individual HS gradings may vary so it may be hard to get into good colleges. Also, I prefer the UCAS because its less work. In the US you still have to write essays and all that.
lastly, i think its better to know about college/unis before the summer vacation. less stress.
BovineBeast
Definitely not to my knowledge. Does American high-school even begin to cover Calculus, except in AP exams? The standard Maths is about what we cover in GCSEs, and it's a load of Calculus for A-level. As for APs, they're (as someone said) comparable to A-levels. Calculus AB being about equivalent to A-level maths, Calculus BC Further Maths.
My school offered regular calculus, AB and BC. But many UK students don't even do math at A-Level, where most US students do math up until senior year of high school.
I think APs are graded tougher and possibly are harder than A-levels. Oxbridge and LSE give Americans conditional offers of 54 or 554 but give UK students AAA. I saw the Oxford admissions site, they actually do say 4 or 5 plus 700+ on SAT sections is enough for admission.
BovineBeast
Definitely not to my knowledge. Does American high-school even begin to cover Calculus, except in AP exams? The standard Maths is about what we cover in GCSEs, and it's a load of Calculus for A-level. As for APs, they're (as someone said) comparable to A-levels. Calculus AB being about equivalent to A-level maths, Calculus BC Further Maths.
So did you study at both American and British schools?
Most high school juniors (16/17 year olds) take pre-calculus. High school seniors (17/18 year olds) who choose to continue taking maths generally take calculus.
The math I learned in year 10 at the British school (I was in the second highest set, out of maybe five or six) was very simple algebra that I had learned in 7th/8th grade in America. Stuff like solving/graphing simultaneous equations and inequalities.
The British science classes only skimmed the surface of topics whereas the American science classes were much more in depth. The British physics class basically consisted of hanging weights off stands with rubber bands and simple experiments like that. I think the most complicated formula I learned was F=ma. Boy was I in for a shock when I took Physics at my American high school!
I cannot comment on A-levels, since I never took them...
BovineBeast
Definitely not to my knowledge. Does American high-school even begin to cover Calculus, except in AP exams? The standard Maths is about what we cover in GCSEs, and it's a load of Calculus for A-level. As for APs, they're (as someone said) comparable to A-levels. Calculus AB being about equivalent to A-level maths, Calculus BC Further Maths.
My school only had Calculus AB/BC at AP levels.
"In the UK, people are applying practically weeks before the course starts."
Erm... no. People can start to apply about a year in advance, actually. People might be in the middle of the mad rush for Clearing places at the moment, but that is generally because they've not fulfilled the conditions of their offers.
Perhaps if A-level results were released earlier, there wouldn't be the rush for places now... but the final exams have to be sat in the summer, really. If they weren't, there wouldn't be time to complete the syllabus!
I, for example, knew the conditions of my offers by mid-January, and I don't start at university until the start of October. That's quite a few weeks in advance, isn't it, really?
Erm... no. People can start to apply about a year in advance, actually. People might be in the middle of the mad rush for Clearing places at the moment, but that is generally because they've not fulfilled the conditions of their offers.
Perhaps if A-level results were released earlier, there wouldn't be the rush for places now... but the final exams have to be sat in the summer, really. If they weren't, there wouldn't be time to complete the syllabus!
I, for example, knew the conditions of my offers by mid-January, and I don't start at university until the start of October. That's quite a few weeks in advance, isn't it, really?
more adventurous
Most high school juniors (16/17 year olds) take pre-calculus. High school seniors (17/18 year olds) who choose to continue taking maths generally take calculus.
The math I learned in year 10 at the British school (I was in the second highest set, out of maybe five or six) was very simple algebra that I had learned in 7th/8th grade in America. Stuff like solving/graphing simultaneous equations and inequalities.
Hmm. Looking through some old maths books, turns out you're right. We did basically nothing for the first three years and then caught up rather quickly in Years 10 and 11. I suspect the American system is somewhat more evenly distributed.
And no, the information I have on the American education system is basically from American friends.
Those curious may view past AP papers here: http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/subjects.html
john171
The A-level system is more difficult. What I learn't at age 13, you guys were only learning at age 16. (In maths)
They also have much more material to read and study - I saw an AP Art History book that was as thick as a Uni level textbook. For A-Levels, you only read textbooks by choice, and even then they usually aren't very big. A lot of people just use thin, colourful, revision guides, which, at 18, I consider fairly childish.
You also have to do well constantly, in all tests, work hard all the time. In England you can do next to nothing for a year, cram for a month at the end, and still come out with fairly decent grades. Short-term stress, yes, but far less long-term pressure. Added to all that work, in the US you have to do extra-curricular activities to get to a good college, and many people have jobs. My friend went for an "Internship" when she was 15 at the Department of Energy. She didn't get it, but she knew the guy who did. Most weeknights he had to travel into the city after school, he'd get home late and he basically failed his Junior year. I've never heard of such a thing being allowed to happen in England, I think these "Internships" put far too much pressure on a 15 year old who is basically still a child.
At the same time, the AP exam itself is a little odd. Multiple choice?? I haven't done multiple choice questions since I was about 12. I do not rate multiple choice as an accurate method of measuring competance in a subject. The essay titles they had to fulfil on the other hand, were difficult.
If we try to shield kiddiwinks from any kind of pressure or stress, how are they supposed to learn to cope in the outside world? The A Level system is not rigorous enough, nearly everyone admits that now (although I have my own theory on why results are improving, but that is for another thread
), but the US system seems to put *too much* stress on people so young. A happy medium, please??^^
All AP tests have an essay component. For foreign language there is also a spoken section and the tape is sent to the AP examiners.
I agree with what you said though. I took my first AP exam in 10th grade--European History.
All AP tests have an essay component. For foreign language there is also a spoken section and the tape is sent to the AP examiners.
I agree with what you said though. I took my first AP exam in 10th grade--European History.
yea i dont think oxford realizes that APs are difficult though i had 3344555555555 and they still rejected me..........
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