This discussion is now closed.
Check out other Related discussions
- Any current Bartlett students here?
- Med vs Finance.
- A levels vs IB (urgent!)
- what to do to increase chances for american unviersites>?
- Am i still able to enter top unis? I am willing to do any thing
- Choosing IB subjects (HELP)
- Is it worth the international fees?
- usa Ivy League unis
- Cambridge vs Imperial Med?
- Transcripts
- LSE vs Ivy League
- Dropping out of medical school?
- Psychology vs medicine
- Applying to Oxbridge from the US?
- For Liverpool medicine is it same if i score 15 gcse points vs higher.(ANSWERED:YES)
- Things I wish I’d known before starting med school, from a final-year Leicester medic
- Private candidate for A-levels in the UK
- Foundation/ gateway year vs traditional medicine
- oxford vs cambridge medicine
- 'Not all state schools are made equal': do grammars dominate top uni admissions?
US high school vs UK A-Levels
I'm just noticing the amount of stress UK students are facing right now as results come out tomorrow.
I went to high school in the US, where we know for sure where we are going by May at the latest. I actually knew in December as I was accepted early decision. None of this "conditional" stuff.
And even for US applicants to the UK, AP/IB scores are released end of June/early July.
Do you think the A-Level system produces too much stress?
I went to high school in the US, where we know for sure where we are going by May at the latest. I actually knew in December as I was accepted early decision. None of this "conditional" stuff.
And even for US applicants to the UK, AP/IB scores are released end of June/early July.
Do you think the A-Level system produces too much stress?
Scroll to see replies
Reply 1
10
shady lane
I'm just noticing the amount of stress UK students are facing right now as results come out tomorrow.
I went to high school in the US, where we know for sure where we are going by May at the latest. I actually knew in December as I was accepted early decision. None of this "conditional" stuff.
And even for US applicants to the UK, AP/IB scores are released end of June/early July.
Do you think the A-Level system produces too much stress?
I went to high school in the US, where we know for sure where we are going by May at the latest. I actually knew in December as I was accepted early decision. None of this "conditional" stuff.
And even for US applicants to the UK, AP/IB scores are released end of June/early July.
Do you think the A-Level system produces too much stress?
I couldn't agree more! But this prevents senioritis which I heard is common in the US.
Reply 2
11
The A-level system is more difficult. What I learn't at age 13, you guys were only learning at age 16. (In maths)
Reply 3
I agree that the results should be out earlier, not only because of the stress that the student and their family encounters but also because of the financial problem that it has caused. Such as if I had've known my grades in june/july and if I had've failed and not got into uni I would've started a new job and so been able to raise more funds for next time around. Its really rather impractical giving the results out at this time of the year.
Reply 4
So if you know that you have been accepting, do many people go off the rails at the end of the year?
Reply 5
mr_danny87
I agree that the results should be out earlier, not only because of the stress that the student and their family encounters but also because of the financial problem that it has caused. Such as if I had've known my grades in june/july and if I had've failed and not got into uni I would've started a new job and so been able to raise more funds for next time around. Its really rather impractical giving the results out at this time of the year.
The examiners work at full speed theres thousands of papers to mark, whereas in the USA, although there are more student; there are less papers, I believe.
Reply 6
XxJaninexX
So if you know that you have been accepting, do many people go off the rails at the end of the year?
colleges can now rescind offers if you receive Cs even after you were accepted. and also the myth that British students are way ahead in math is false, most students i know started taking calculus at 11th grade and I have taken 2 years of calculus in high school. i think the major different is that American students can be ranked first in a class of 700 people and have perfect SAT and SAT II scores and still some decent extracurriculars and still be rejected by 9 out of 10 top private schools. this happened to several people who were ranked 1st at my school for the last 3 years and they had to go to average state schools.
Reply 7
they should do exams a bit earlier, get the results out earlier in the summer and then people have july-august-september to apply when they know their grades. that would be perfect. I think they''re trying to move towards something like that in future.
Reply 9
shady lane
I'm just noticing the amount of stress UK students are facing right now as results come out tomorrow.
I went to high school in the US, where we know for sure where we are going by May at the latest. I actually knew in December as I was accepted early decision. None of this "conditional" stuff.
And even for US applicants to the UK, AP/IB scores are released end of June/early July.
Do you think the A-Level system produces too much stress?
I went to high school in the US, where we know for sure where we are going by May at the latest. I actually knew in December as I was accepted early decision. None of this "conditional" stuff.
And even for US applicants to the UK, AP/IB scores are released end of June/early July.
Do you think the A-Level system produces too much stress?
at this very veyr moment- 12 hours before results yes yes yes, you are right!
Reply 10
Well, the nice thing about the US admissions process is that its very staggered- you know you'll get your AP results sometime in early July, but not a certain date, the college admissions letters come at variable times.
If I get credit for Economics from the UC, I won't be doing anything the last month of school, which is so lame.
If I get credit for Economics from the UC, I won't be doing anything the last month of school, which is so lame.
Reply 11
16
I didn't have senioritis because I had APs to take! I had senioritis between May and June after the exams though 
Reply 12
Meh... in a way I think the current system isn't too bad. Yeah I'm nervous too but in a way it stops me from spending the whole holiday sitting on my arse doing nothing. Also I would hate to feel that the last bit of school had no importance.
How do these class rankings work? I really don't see how knowing you're ranked, say, 5th in the class can help them distinguish between applicants from different high schools at all?
How do these class rankings work? I really don't see how knowing you're ranked, say, 5th in the class can help them distinguish between applicants from different high schools at all?
Reply 13
If you think A-levels produce too much stress then I suggest you have a look at the Japanese or Chinese education systems and examinations, they are two of the hardest in the world. They learn really advanced stuff wayyyyy earlier. Scary.
Reply 14
16
thefish_uk
Meh... in a way I think the current system isn't too bad. Yeah I'm nervous too but in a way it stops me from spending the whole holiday sitting on my arse doing nothing. Also I would hate to feel that the last bit of school had no importance.
How do these class rankings work? I really don't see how knowing you're ranked, say, 5th in the class can help them distinguish between applicants from different high schools at all?
How do these class rankings work? I really don't see how knowing you're ranked, say, 5th in the class can help them distinguish between applicants from different high schools at all?
SATs and AP scores are meant to help distinguish.
Reply 15
jimmydoerre3
colleges can now rescind offers if you receive Cs even after you were accepted. .
So really it is a conditional offer because it isnt unconditional is it?
Reply 16
16
XxJaninexX
So really it is a conditional offer because it isnt unconditional is it?
That happens really rarely, and it's on a case by case basis. My friend got Cs and nothing happened to her, she ended up with me at uni.
Reply 17
Up here in sunny Scotland most people get the grades to give them an unconditional in 5th year for some universities. Some people (myself included) get the grades for just about any Scottish uni in the subject they want to do and could just drop out for a year if they wanted to.
It's good becuase if you don't get the grades you have another year to get them, athough you will have to work hard while everyone else has a fun year.
I think I'll apply to an englsih uni (they have a year less so have higher entrance req.) to keep motavated. Ish.
It's good becuase if you don't get the grades you have another year to get them, athough you will have to work hard while everyone else has a fun year.
I think I'll apply to an englsih uni (they have a year less so have higher entrance req.) to keep motavated. Ish.
Reply 18
10
I wish I had senioritis!
The amount of effort I put into senior year was more than that of my 1st 3 years in high school combined. There were no periods of boredom (except during a virtual enterprise course), but it also meant a boatload of studying and reading that most people could care less about. Thank god it all paid off in the end.
Maybe I should've thought of working like that earlier...
The amount of effort I put into senior year was more than that of my 1st 3 years in high school combined. There were no periods of boredom (except during a virtual enterprise course), but it also meant a boatload of studying and reading that most people could care less about. Thank god it all paid off in the end.
Maybe I should've thought of working like that earlier...
Reply 19
Shickles
If you think A-levels produce too much stress then I suggest you have a look at the Japanese or Chinese education systems and examinations, they are two of the hardest in the world. They learn really advanced stuff wayyyyy earlier. Scary.
Not only that, the pushes to get into a good uni - are far more competitive than in the UK.
But one main problem with the Japanese system is that it seldom teaches anything with artistic merit and doesn't allow students to express themselves. You only have to look at how botched and skewed the English 'exams' were up until fairly recently. Most Japanese kids could probably describe the function of a lateral approximant but couldn't say one!
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.
Related discussions
- Any current Bartlett students here?
- Med vs Finance.
- A levels vs IB (urgent!)
- what to do to increase chances for american unviersites>?
- Am i still able to enter top unis? I am willing to do any thing
- Choosing IB subjects (HELP)
- Is it worth the international fees?
- usa Ivy League unis
- Cambridge vs Imperial Med?
- Transcripts
- LSE vs Ivy League
- Dropping out of medical school?
- Psychology vs medicine
- Applying to Oxbridge from the US?
- For Liverpool medicine is it same if i score 15 gcse points vs higher.(ANSWERED:YES)
- Things I wish I’d known before starting med school, from a final-year Leicester medic
- Private candidate for A-levels in the UK
- Foundation/ gateway year vs traditional medicine
- oxford vs cambridge medicine
- 'Not all state schools are made equal': do grammars dominate top uni admissions?
Latest
Trending
Last reply 1 week ago
Is anyone applying to the Sutton Trust US Programme this year (the 2026 cycle)?Last reply 7 months ago
I cant figure out what third subject I want to do...should I pick Media?Last reply 7 months ago
can I become a doctor in the USA after graduating from the UK?
How The Student Room is moderated
To keep The Student Room safe for everyone, we moderate posts that are added to the site.
