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America or UK, Sat or A-Levels.
hey guys. Ive heard that the undergraduate courses are in a lower level comparing them with those in UK's universities and that the its better to do your master/Phd there (america) instead of doing an undergraduate course. i would be pleased if u tell me what do u know..
Also i was wondering which is more difficult?
Sat or A-Level
cheers
Also i was wondering which is more difficult?
Sat or A-Level
cheers
Scroll to see replies
You can't skip undergrad and just go to postgraduate!
nick_the_big
hey guys. Ive heard that the undergraduate courses are in a lower level comparing them with those in UK's universities and that the its better to do your master/Phd there (america) instead of doing an undergraduate course. i would be pleased if u tell me what do u know..
Also i was wondering which is more difficult?
Sat or A-Level
cheers
Also i was wondering which is more difficult?
Sat or A-Level
cheers
Wow, least coherent post ever.
nick_the_big
Ive heard that the undergraduate courses are in a lower level comparing them with those in UK's universities
Ive heard that the undergraduate courses are in a lower level comparing them with those in UK's universities
So what are you trying to say here? That undergrad courses in the USA are of a lower quality than that of the UK? I don't quite understand.
nick_the_big
its better to do your master/Phd there (america) instead of doing an undergraduate course.
I think you might be getting a little mixed up here. You need to do an undergrad before you can continue onto postgraduate education such as a masters or PhD.
nick_the_big
Also i was wondering which is more difficult?
Sat or A-Level
Sat or A-Level
Where did this bit come from? Sats and A-levels have nothing to do with what you were previously saying. You have lost me here..
Care to explain a little more coherently?
SAT is ALOT easier than A Levels. My friend moved to the USA after her GCSE's. This meant she had 2 go 2 highschool for a further 2 years in america. When she was in uk she got E's and D's including maths, english and science. As soon as she gets to america she magically becomes and A/B student.....
I was fortunate to visit her and spend a few days at her school. It was VERY easy. They were doing work i did in top maths group in year 9. Also their maths teacher was showing the class her maths text book she used in her 1st year of college....it was the equivalent to AS maths over here.
I was fortunate to visit her and spend a few days at her school. It was VERY easy. They were doing work i did in top maths group in year 9. Also their maths teacher was showing the class her maths text book she used in her 1st year of college....it was the equivalent to AS maths over here.
I actually agree that American education is waaaaaaay easier than that of the UK. I studied in America for ages 11-15, and their syllabus was mind-numbingly easy.
I've also heard US college quite regularly referred to as "an expensive babysitter".
I've also heard US college quite regularly referred to as "an expensive babysitter".
medione
Also their maths teacher was showing the class her maths text book she used in her 1st year of college....it was the equivalent to AS maths over here.
Yeah I've heard about the same, my cousin went to uni out there and said the first year was equivalent to our A2s although how acurate that s I'm not sure
Yep agree. My grandad is a structural engineer and he said the exams in the UK are a lot tougher.
The SAT and a-levels are not comparable exams.
As an American, I will second the notion that our curriculum is...simplistic. A fair portion of what is taught is a repetition of something already taught. Private schools are more rigorous, but internationally struggle. My own (a Catholic school) would rate mediocre internationally, but it considered one of the top 3 high schools in my area (New York City and suburbs). The students my school graduates are not dissimilar from a state school graduate. They'll consume, although mine will read The New York Times or the Wall Street Journal as opposed to the New York Post (more pictures, sensational crap). Instead of buying their kid's baseball uniform at Wal-Mart, they'll buy it from a more expensive sporting goods store.
I digress though. My point is that in general, a non-American education is more rigorous.
I digress though. My point is that in general, a non-American education is more rigorous.
GodspeedGehenna
I think you might be getting a little mixed up here. You need to do an undergrad before you can continue onto postgraduate education such as a masters or PhD.
Where did this bit come from? Sats and A-levels have nothing to do with what you were previously saying. You have lost me here..
Care to explain a little more coherently?
Where did this bit come from? Sats and A-levels have nothing to do with what you were previously saying. You have lost me here..
Care to explain a little more coherently?
it's pretty easy to understand: op is referring to the idea often put forward that one should do their undergrad in the uk and postgrad in us, not that you progress straight to postgrad. as for sats and a-levels, sats are the primary exam requirement for us colleges while a-levels are the primary exam requirement for british universities, how's it hard to see the link?
in response to the original question: i'm a british citizen, educated at a british public (private) school who went to an american ivy league for college. first thing i'd like to say: the two education systems emphasize completely different things. the british system emphasizes early specialization: 3/4 subjects for a-level, 1/2 subjects for undergrad. if you have a passion for one or two particular subjects and relatively little interest in studying anything else at university level, the british system is perfect for you.
the american liberal arts system is based on a completely different philosophy, and places value on a broader education with later specialization. this is perfect for people who haven't known since age 3 that they want to be a doctor, lawyer or economist, and want some time to explore various disciplines before settling on an area of concentration. i have found this opportunity invaluable: in the uk i applied for ppe-related courses, while now i will be majoring in econ and east asian studies, which is where i now realize my interests really lie. furthermore there is arguably a lot to be said for experiencing a variety of different disciplines at university, as each comes with its own different methodologies, assumptions and perspectives. to study only one subject rigorously for 3 years arguably skews one's perspective of the world to at least a certain extent: think about the vastly different approaches and emphases of economics and anthropology for instance, or physics and history, to understanding the world.
while content-wise some introductory courses taken in the first year are comparable to a-levels, it is only common sense that the level of thought, discussion and analysis required will be of a higher standard at university, seeing as the courses are taught by professors and many of the discussion sections are either led by professors themselves or grad students. this in itself is invaluable. furthermore most top colleges will let you use your a-levels or ib credits to place out of introductory classes that you've taken and start directly in higher level courses (e.g. i placed out of principles of econ into intermediate macro in my first semester). the introductory courses i've taken in subjects i didn't take at a-level, for instance literature humanities, i have enjoyed immensely and have found greatly beneficial. a lot of the quality of education you receive in america will be dependent on the college you go to; while arizona state university may well not match up to certain british universities, the likes of princeton, columbia and stanford will not let you down. once again i emphasize that the two systems are completely different, and among the top universities of both countries the only deciding factor should be which style of education suits you better. one point to remember though is that there are many more top-quality american universities than british ones, with often better name recognition and prestige (less important but nevertheless still something to take into account for global employment prospects etc).
finally, small anecdotal point about sats vs a-levels: got an a very easily in maths a-level, got 650 in my maths II sat subject test. sats are generally of a lower standard, but challenge you in different ways--particularly through time pressure.
the american liberal arts system is based on a completely different philosophy, and places value on a broader education with later specialization. this is perfect for people who haven't known since age 3 that they want to be a doctor, lawyer or economist, and want some time to explore various disciplines before settling on an area of concentration. i have found this opportunity invaluable: in the uk i applied for ppe-related courses, while now i will be majoring in econ and east asian studies, which is where i now realize my interests really lie. furthermore there is arguably a lot to be said for experiencing a variety of different disciplines at university, as each comes with its own different methodologies, assumptions and perspectives. to study only one subject rigorously for 3 years arguably skews one's perspective of the world to at least a certain extent: think about the vastly different approaches and emphases of economics and anthropology for instance, or physics and history, to understanding the world.
while content-wise some introductory courses taken in the first year are comparable to a-levels, it is only common sense that the level of thought, discussion and analysis required will be of a higher standard at university, seeing as the courses are taught by professors and many of the discussion sections are either led by professors themselves or grad students. this in itself is invaluable. furthermore most top colleges will let you use your a-levels or ib credits to place out of introductory classes that you've taken and start directly in higher level courses (e.g. i placed out of principles of econ into intermediate macro in my first semester). the introductory courses i've taken in subjects i didn't take at a-level, for instance literature humanities, i have enjoyed immensely and have found greatly beneficial. a lot of the quality of education you receive in america will be dependent on the college you go to; while arizona state university may well not match up to certain british universities, the likes of princeton, columbia and stanford will not let you down. once again i emphasize that the two systems are completely different, and among the top universities of both countries the only deciding factor should be which style of education suits you better. one point to remember though is that there are many more top-quality american universities than british ones, with often better name recognition and prestige (less important but nevertheless still something to take into account for global employment prospects etc).
finally, small anecdotal point about sats vs a-levels: got an a very easily in maths a-level, got 650 in my maths II sat subject test. sats are generally of a lower standard, but challenge you in different ways--particularly through time pressure.
AndyK67
I don't know about A-Levels, but SATs are probably way more difficult than Scottish Highers.
Why? They're not even comparable. SATs are intended to test your reasoning ability. A-levels and Highers are intended to test your understanding of everything you've learned in the past two years of school. This question is like asking, "Which is harder: A-levels or an IQ test?"
Champagne Breakfast
it's pretty easy to understand: op is referring to the idea often put forward that one should do their undergrad in the uk and postgrad in us, not that you progress straight to postgrad. as for sats and a-levels, sats are the primary exam requirement for us colleges while a-levels are the primary exam requirement for british universities, how's it hard to see the link?
thx mate .Fortunately someone understand what i said .
I respect all the perspectives and thank you for answering.
But i want to state an example for my 1st question:
I was in MIT's site whatching the taped physics courses that are available.
And i realised that the things that the people were taught were the same or easier with those i do in High School.
A-levels are the equivalent level to their college standard. I think GCSEs would sort of match up to the standard SATs. Considering going to uni in america to do an undergraduate pre-med course, they said that i would only have to do half the course because i'd already done 2 years of chem bio math and art, which without the art of course, i'd be learning all over again in their 4 year undergrad degree.
yes that's what im saying.
I think most of you have an extremely skewed view of the american education system. students bound for high quality schools end up taking mostly AP (Advanced Placement) courses. These are university level curricula taught in High School. In order to get credit for the course you take a test at the end of the year. If you do not score a 3 (out of 5) or above you do not get credit. Ivy Leagues usually only accept a 4 or 5. I would conjecture that the AP test is somewhat analogous to the UK A-Level system. However, if you are not aiming for a higher level university, and take the basic level courses, you will find that the classes are so easy you can sleep through most sessions and still get good marks. Most exchange students take the regular level courses in my experience. After all, who wants to spend their exchange year in torment? I went to an Ivy school and took mostly AP courses in subjects ranging from Art History to Biology to Political Science. The American education system is a meritocracy. If you are more comfortable in a more challenging environment, they will allow you take a more difficult level class. If you are not so academically inclined, you are not forced to take a class that is too difficult for you to master. Also, the SAT is a difficult test to Ace, but I've have noticed numerous times that there are many not-so-bright people with good marks who bomb the SAT, but there are very few who do well on the SAT but are dolts. It does a good job of detecting aptitude. The best part of the American system is that it allows for late bloomers. You could be a screw up for 25 years and then discover you have a passion for archeology. In the US, through the various types of colleges and Universities .... community colleges, lower level state schools (XYZ State University - e.g. Idaho State University), upper level state schools (University of XYZ state - e.g. University of Virginia), various levels of private schools, and finally elite schools such as harvard, dartmouth, stanford, columbia, etc.... people are afforded the opportunity to begin studing at a lower level school, develop a passion, and eventually move up the ladder. There are few countries where this opportunity exists. I know someone who started off at a community college, moved to UC Berkeley for a bachelors, and finally went to Harvard for a masters. Where else is this even possible? The level of educational freedom afforded to students is truly unique in my humble opinion
Original post by DCposter
I think most of you have an extremely skewed view of the american education system. students bound for high quality schools end up taking mostly AP (Advanced Placement) courses. These are university level curricula taught in High School. In order to get credit for the course you take a test at the end of the year. If you do not score a 3 (out of 5) or above you do not get credit. Ivy Leagues usually only accept a 4 or 5. I would conjecture that the AP test is somewhat analogous to the UK A-Level system. However, if you are not aiming for a higher level university, and take the basic level courses, you will find that the classes are so easy you can sleep through most sessions and still get good marks. Most exchange students take the regular level courses in my experience. After all, who wants to spend their exchange year in torment? I went to an Ivy school and took mostly AP courses in subjects ranging from Art History to Biology to Political Science. The American education system is a meritocracy. If you are more comfortable in a more challenging environment, they will allow you take a more difficult level class. If you are not so academically inclined, you are not forced to take a class that is too difficult for you to master. Also, the SAT is a difficult test to Ace, but I've have noticed numerous times that there are many not-so-bright people with good marks who bomb the SAT, but there are very few who do well on the SAT but are dolts. It does a good job of detecting aptitude. The best part of the American system is that it allows for late bloomers. You could be a screw up for 25 years and then discover you have a passion for archeology. In the US, through the various types of colleges and Universities .... community colleges, lower level state schools (XYZ State University - e.g. Idaho State University), upper level state schools (University of XYZ state - e.g. University of Virginia), various levels of private schools, and finally elite schools such as harvard, dartmouth, stanford, columbia, etc.... people are afforded the opportunity to begin studing at a lower level school, develop a passion, and eventually move up the ladder. There are few countries where this opportunity exists. I know someone who started off at a community college, moved to UC Berkeley for a bachelors, and finally went to Harvard for a masters. Where else is this even possible? The level of educational freedom afforded to students is truly unique in my humble opinion
I agree with most of this post but do you realise how old this thread is? xD It's been inactive since 2008. Most of the people on this thread probably stopped logging into this site years ago.
(edited 8 years ago)
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