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Why Advanced Highers are harder than A-levels
Poll
What's harder?
Is it just me or does the fact that when sitting an A-level exam you only need to learn one module (unit) at a time undermine the purpose of studying a subject? There's apparently six modules per course, and you get to sit them as individual exams like NABs.
Shouldn't a subject be about making the ties between all the units and examining it in one sitting?
Because you need to study all the units for a single exam at Advanced Higher I feel that it's harder than A-level - you need to remember more stuff at once and don't get to forget about it half-way through the year.
Discuss
Shouldn't a subject be about making the ties between all the units and examining it in one sitting?
Because you need to study all the units for a single exam at Advanced Higher I feel that it's harder than A-level - you need to remember more stuff at once and don't get to forget about it half-way through the year.
Discuss
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There aren't six modules anymore, there are four. Generally people sit the AS in their AS year and the A2 in the A2 year, but you're right there are many exceptions. Making ties between units surely comes under the synoptic paper, and not just because you're taking relatively unrelated units at the same time.
And your happy about this because. You just took exams which you think are harder and you live in Scotland and you feel this is something you should be proud of
Advanced highers are at a higher level than A-Levels full stop. As far as Im aware, the level of difficulty goes something like
(Least Hard)
Standard Grades
GCSE's
Highers
A Levels
Advanced Highers
(Most hard)
There's not too much difference between advanced and A-Levels but the difference being that Advanced highers are done in 1 year, whereas A-Levels can be split into 2 and the level of knowledge isnt as high. Thats why in the first year of uni doing pharmacy, I found most of the work quite easy, having done advanced maths biology and chemistry, whereas the english students and maybe some ROI students found it harder because they'd not had as high a level of knowledge required for their exams.
(Least Hard)
Standard Grades
GCSE's
Highers
A Levels
Advanced Highers
(Most hard)
There's not too much difference between advanced and A-Levels but the difference being that Advanced highers are done in 1 year, whereas A-Levels can be split into 2 and the level of knowledge isnt as high. Thats why in the first year of uni doing pharmacy, I found most of the work quite easy, having done advanced maths biology and chemistry, whereas the english students and maybe some ROI students found it harder because they'd not had as high a level of knowledge required for their exams.
Tha_Black_Shinobi
And your happy about this because. You just took exams which you think are harder and you live in Scotland and you feel this is something you should be proud of
I suspect the point is that if they are harder(as I believe), then students who've sat them will feel hard done by if their achievements are considered the same as A-levels, something easier.
Bekaboo
There aren't six modules anymore, there are four. Generally people sit the AS in their AS year and the A2 in the A2 year, but you're right there are many exceptions. Making ties between units surely comes under the synoptic paper, and not just because you're taking relatively unrelated units at the same time.
I sat 6 this year, do I get to remove 2 from my overall result?
Danielle89
Advanced highers are at a higher level than A-Levels full stop. As far as Im aware, the level of difficulty goes something like
(Least Hard)
Standard Grades
GCSE's
Highers
A Levels
Advanced Highers
(Most hard)
There's not too much difference between advanced and A-Levels but the difference being that Advanced highers are done in 1 year, whereas A-Levels can be split into 2 and the level of knowledge isnt as high. Thats why in the first year of uni doing pharmacy, I found most of the work quite easy, having done advanced maths biology and chemistry, whereas the english students and maybe some ROI students found it harder because they'd not had as high a level of knowledge required for their exams.
(Least Hard)
Standard Grades
GCSE's
Highers
A Levels
Advanced Highers
(Most hard)
There's not too much difference between advanced and A-Levels but the difference being that Advanced highers are done in 1 year, whereas A-Levels can be split into 2 and the level of knowledge isnt as high. Thats why in the first year of uni doing pharmacy, I found most of the work quite easy, having done advanced maths biology and chemistry, whereas the english students and maybe some ROI students found it harder because they'd not had as high a level of knowledge required for their exams.
You missed AS levels.
Tha_Black_Shinobi
And your happy about this because. You just took exams which you think are harder and you live in Scotland and you feel this is something you should be proud of
I'm just making a point, ideally I'd post it from a neutral perspective but it wasn't possible with this topic.
Slumpy
You missed AS levels.
Im sorry, not familiar with the English system when it comes to dividing A-Levels down into AS levels. I assume they're done the first year of 6th form college and then A-Levels completed in the 2nd year of 6th form? Either way, Advanced Highers are still accepted as higher than A-Levels.
Is it optional to do AS or do you have to do them? If it's optional then I presume they're slightly harder than our Intermediate 2's which people do if they didnt get the standard grades to do the Higher version of the subject?
Danielle89
Im sorry, not familiar with the English system when it comes to dividing A-Levels down into AS levels. I assume they're done the first year of 6th form college and then A-Levels completed in the 2nd year of 6th form? Either way, Advanced Highers are still accepted as higher than A-Levels.
Is it optional to do AS or do you have to do them? If it's optional then I presume they're slightly harder than our Intermediate 2's which people do if they didnt get the standard grades to do the Higher version of the subject?
Is it optional to do AS or do you have to do them? If it's optional then I presume they're slightly harder than our Intermediate 2's which people do if they didnt get the standard grades to do the Higher version of the subject?
I did highers and Advanced highers, I know the system
AS is just the name given to the first year of A levels, with A2 being the second year.
The AS modules are (I believe) supposed to be of an easier level than the A2 modules, and approximately the same level as highers.
Although, Ucas points wise, highers outrank them.
Tbh I think that the main reason Advanced Highers are more difficult is the fact that at many school they are practically self-taught. I pretty much self-taught Maths and History this year, got decent teaching for Biology though. They may also have harder course content I don't know. Also there are no resits etc.
Slumpy
I did highers and Advanced highers, I know the system
AS is just the name given to the first year of A levels, with A2 being the second year.
The AS modules are (I believe) supposed to be of an easier level than the A2 modules, and approximately the same level as highers.
Although, Ucas points wise, highers outrank them.
AS is just the name given to the first year of A levels, with A2 being the second year.
The AS modules are (I believe) supposed to be of an easier level than the A2 modules, and approximately the same level as highers.
Although, Ucas points wise, highers outrank them.
Ah, ok. I'd assume then that AS modules are about the same level as Int2 or in between Int2 and Higher?
Meh, suppose it doesnt matter too much.
Slumpy
I suspect the point is that if they are harder(as I believe), then students who've sat them will feel hard done by if their achievements are considered the same as A-levels, something easier.
Dunno. I wouldn't feel hard done by anything as long as I get into the uni that I wanted to. I think that A levelers should feel hard done by with the constant bellitlement of our achievements
Lachlan
Also something like 10% of people get AAA at A-Level while only 3% get AAA at Adv. Higher
personally i think that's more to do with the fact that a lot of the people who are smart enough to get AAA at Adv Higher already have an unconditional to uni and decide yo what's the point.
I know this was the case for myself and many others at school anyway, I was on course for AAA until i got an unconditional then pretty much stopped going to school. If I'd needed the grades I would have probably done it though, as would many of my friends
I completely agree that a-levels have become watered down and easier, a linear qualification like the pre-u however would wipe the floor with your advanced highers. 
Danielle89
Im sorry, not familiar with the English system when it comes to dividing A-Levels down into AS levels. I assume they're done the first year of 6th form college and then A-Levels completed in the 2nd year of 6th form? Either way, Advanced Highers are still accepted as higher than A-Levels.
Is it optional to do AS or do you have to do them? If it's optional then I presume they're slightly harder than our Intermediate 2's which people do if they didnt get the standard grades to do the Higher version of the subject?
Is it optional to do AS or do you have to do them? If it's optional then I presume they're slightly harder than our Intermediate 2's which people do if they didnt get the standard grades to do the Higher version of the subject?
My school did Access/Int 1/Int 2 instead of standard grade...
[Nevermind]
Related discussions
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- Advanced higher choices
- Moving to Scotland after year 12 in England
- Advice about college/university for new scots
- How much chemistry in pharmacy?
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