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Reply 1
i think they are equivalent to a high school diploma
Reply 2
A levels = AP, AP is graded on a scale of 1-5 (5 being the best). However in terms of university entrance there is also the SAT subject tests or SAT II , short tests that are used by universities along with your A levels in deciding whether to admit you, generally you will take SAT II's in your A level subjects unless they are not offered.
Reply 3
A levels are equivalent in terms of content to APs, Collegeboard Advanced Placement exams, (however getting into specifics, their content do vary slightly), however in terms of usage, the A level according to US unis is equivalent to the SAT II but some of them can be cashed for some credits... depends on the uni and the grade you get...
Reply 4
APs.
Reply 5
Xinoliss has it covered pretty much. A Levels are beyond APs in content, but are equated to the SATII subject test requirement in terms of university applications. On arrival, in my case at Yale, I received acceleration credit for courses in my A Level subjects (maths, further maths, latin, greek), which I would have used had I decided to graduate in 3 rather than 4 years.
AP's, or Advanced Placement.

These are graded from 1-5 (similar to E-A).

I did AP Human Geography, AP Calculus AB, AP Computer Science, AP American History.

They are all multiple choice and some have essay / long anwsers.
Reply 7
APs are much easier than A Levels, though....
Reply 8
r0x0r
APs are much easier than A Levels, though....

APs are MUCH MUCH MUCH easier than A levels. AAAA at A levels will get you into the honors program at most schools and even scholarships at some without doing anything.

I left the US in Freshman Year and it was a huge jump to the British Sophomore. You have no idea how horrible it was; the only thing I was good at was math (and I am rubbish at math and hate it!) 70% at AS (low A?) are about equivalent to APs.
Reply 9
lol 70% at AS is scraping a B :yes:
Reply 10
walshy000
lol 70% at AS is scraping a B :yes:


...I LOVE my country! :biggrin:

I was talking to this American guy over the summer and he spend AGES going on about how American education was SO MUCH harder than English...hence the little smile on my face right now! :P

Not saying that US education is ridiculously easy, or anything (I'll bet it isn't!) but it's still good to know the value of hard-earned A-Levels.

What's the offer for Harvard, by the way? I'm already at uni, but was just curious.

I heard American Maths is harder than it is in England though...? Not sure if that's true.
Kaytishu



I heard American Maths is harder than it is in England though...? Not sure if that's true.



Math is math, no matter where you go it's all the same; it just depends on how far you want to take it, and how far in depth your school of choice goes.
Kaytishu


What's the offer for Harvard, by the way? I'm already at uni, but was just curious.


Just wanted to quickly say that US unis don't give offers, so any offer is sort of unconditional. I say "sort of" because they do look at your end of the year school report and can rescind your admission if your grades are not up to scratch. But these are just your school grades. For all they care, you could get e.g. all Es in your A-levels and still go.
Reply 13
I'm just gonna throw out here that this thread is over a year old.
SaintSaens
I'm just gonna throw out here that this thread is over a year old.


Ooops, I assumed it was new since it was on the front page =D
Hi, ok, my deadline for an application is monday, so i REALLY need an answer quickly. Google has failed me.

I am a uk Student studying a BTEC Extended Diploma in Media Production. The course is two years and the equivilant to 3 A-levels.
How the heck do i enter this info on a online application?!

It asks me to select the course level either...

College Prep
Honours
Dual enr
AP
IB
AICE

Should i list 3 seperate courses and select AP for each?

Also it wants me to list the course credit either 0.5 or 1...any clues?
Original post by Filmschoolhopeful
Hi, ok, my deadline for an application is monday, so i REALLY need an answer quickly. Google has failed me.

I am a uk Student studying a BTEC Extended Diploma in Media Production. The course is two years and the equivilant to 3 A-levels.
How the heck do i enter this info on a online application?!

It asks me to select the course level either...

College Prep
Honours
Dual enr
AP
IB
AICE

Should i list 3 seperate courses and select AP for each?

Also it wants me to list the course credit either 0.5 or 1...any clues?


You better ring them becuase Btec aren't actually equivalent to 3 AS they just say that. You don't want to write the wrong information down becuase they will ask for prove of grades.
Original post by r0x0r
APs are much easier than A Levels, though....


Yeah A levels are tough... Studying 3 subjects for 2 years and being able to do unlimited retakes until you get what you need in every module makes it very difficult.

Oh wait, there is a 98% pass rate and a almost 30% A-A*, If APs are so much easier then there really is something wrong.
Reply 18
Original post by Ishamo
Yeah A levels are tough... Studying 3 subjects for 2 years and being able to do unlimited retakes until you get what you need in every module makes it very difficult.

Oh wait, there is a 98% pass rate and a almost 30% A-A*, If APs are so much easier then there really is something wrong.


People usually do more APs than A-levels.
Defo check with the school, because if you put down one thing wrong, even if it's out of ignorance, your application will be thrown out.

Original post by tooosh
People usually do more APs than A-levels.


Yep. And we only get a half year to a year to learn everything, and only one exam per subject. Most people I know took...7 to 8 AP classes and exams over a course of 3 years. I did IB AND AP and the AP classes are much harder than IB. From what I've gathered, people on here think IB and A-Levels are about the same, so for people to say that A-Levels are harder when AP is harder than IB is ludicrous. Before going on TSR, I'd never even heard of retakes. I think it's crazy that you guys get to retake an exam. Wish we had that option.

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