Cambridge International AS/A-Level Examination

Hi!

I want to ask if has anyone take Cambridge International AS/A-Level examination and not GCE instead?

I'm not from UK and now at 12nd grade,I'm planning to take CIE A-Level on 2014. However, I heard that International Examination doesn't carry UCAS point and you couldn't get A*, is that true? And is there any significant differences betwen those two?

I don't know if it's fine to ask it here (since it's A-level room) but I considering to take IB Diploma. Could you please give me some of your opinion whether should I take A-Level or IB?

Thank you

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 1

gdunne42

21

Original post by anitaintan

Hi!

I want to ask if has anyone take Cambridge International AS/A-Level examination and not GCE instead?

I'm not from UK and now at 12nd grade,I'm planning to take CIE A-Level on 2014. However, I heard that International Examination doesn't carry UCAS point and you couldn't get A*, is that true? And is there any significant differences betwen those two?

I don't know if it's fine to ask it here (since it's A-level room) but I considering to take IB Diploma. Could you please give me some of your opinion whether should I take A-Level or IB?

Thank you

Lots of people take CIE A levels.
CIE A levels will be considered equal to UK A levels if you apply through UCAS.
CIE do award an A* grade though the conditions are slightly different from the UK examiners.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 2

anitaintan

OP

Thank you so much for answering my question, it help me a lot..

About the differences, could you explain me how it works? Thanks!

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 3

Arieisit

3

Original post by anitaintan

Thank you so much for answering my question, it help me a lot..

About the differences, could you explain me how it works? Thanks!

Posted from TSR Mobile

Don't take the IB unless you like no free time at this stage. Although CIE is a bit more difficult that the UK a levels it is easier than the IB.

Anyway, the differences between CIE and the UK exams are
CIE examinations are not modular (ie you only write one exam covering all topics you learned for 1 year)

That's the main difference really, the others are pretty minor.

They give Uniform Percentage Mark and NOT UMS scores. The uniform percentage mark is always out of 100 where the ums is not always so.

Toget an A* in CIE is more straightforward than the UK's system. CIE just takes an average of your AS and A2 uniform percentage mark and once it crosses 90 you get an A*.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 4

anitaintan

OP

Original post by Arieisit

Don't take the IB unless you like no free time at this stage. Although CIE is a bit more difficult that the UK a levels it is easier than the IB.

Anyway, the differences between CIE and the UK exams are
CIE examinations are not modular (ie you only write one exam covering all topics you learned for 1 year)

That's the main difference really, the others are pretty minor.

They give Uniform Percentage Mark and NOT UMS scores. The uniform percentage mark is always out of 100 where the ums is not always so.

Toget an A* in CIE is more straightforward than the UK's system. CIE just takes an average of your AS and A2 uniform percentage mark and once it crosses 90 you get an A*.

So, for example if i take math, biology and english i need to work on only one papers for each and not module (which i read has 3 different paper), is that right?

And do CIE has AS/A2 one sitting exam? I look on the exam program and little bit confused. There are AS exam and then A-level exam. Is A-level equal to A2?

Posted from TSR Mobile

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 5

Arieisit

3

Original post by anitaintan

So, for example if i take math, biology and english i need to work on only one papers for each and not module (which i read has 3 different paper), is that right?

And do CIE has AS/A2 one sitting exam? I look on the exam program and little bit confused. There are AS exam and then A-level exam. Is A-level equal to A2?

Posted from TSR Mobile

Posted from TSR Mobile

There is usually a p1, p2 etc for each subject at AS and A2; and (AS and A2) are written 1 year apart.

Using Maths as an example.

At AS you will be required to write a paper 1 and a paper 2.
At A2 you will required to write two other papers.