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SQA vs. AQA

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They don’t sit and do their separate papers longer than ours. On average their papers are 1 and a half to 1 hour and 45 minutes long. Whereas ours, is 2 hours to 2 and a half hours long. Yes we might sit maths and English paper 1 for 1 hour but that’s not how it’s like for business management or social subjects or sciences.
Original post by AzureCeleste
This isn't a valid point at all?
You've just said the english use more paper in an exam than the scottish...wow

I said that they have to spend more physical time sitting their exam on one paper than we have to do with ours
Original post by StudentForSQA
They don’t sit and do their separate papers longer than ours. On average their papers are 1 and a half to 1 hour and 45 minutes long. Whereas ours, is 2 hours to 2 and a half hours long. Yes we might sit maths and English paper 1 for 1 hour but that’s not how it’s like for business management or social subjects or sciences.


There's a variation but most are similar length wise apart from english and maths which is longer for them (I looked at a few of there's which were like 1hr 45 and then ours were 2hrs- 15 mins isn't much difference).
Plus overall they spend a lot more time sitting their exam anyway as they have 2/3 papers and not one
But yet again, why count that as 1 since its different days anyways. I would like to do it their way instead. I only said Nat Fives are slightly harder, not much harder. Yet again, that’s just my opinion as I have never sat GCSE’s, you could be right but no one has sat both.
Original post by AzureCeleste
There's a variation but most are similar length wise apart from english and maths which is longer for them (I looked at a few of there's which were like 1hr 45 and then ours were 2hrs- 15 mins isn't much difference).
Plus overall they spend a lot more time sitting their exam anyway as they have 2/3 papers and not one
Original post by 123543
From what I understand, the general consensus on the difficulty of exams comparatively is:

Hardest
Advanced Higher
A Level
Higher
GCSE and N5 basically the same
Easiest


Where did you get the general consensus from?
Is it just your opinion or based on some study?
Did you do both?
Original post by StudentForSQA
But yet again, why count that as 1 since its different days anyways. I would like to do it their way instead. I only said Nat Fives are slightly harder, not much harder. Yet again, that’s just my opinion as I have never sat GCSE’s, you could be right but no one has sat both.


You just have more exams to revise for and do though. Many people take like 13 GCSE subjects and so if all subjects they took only had 2 papers then they are sitting 26 exams across a month period. There isn't much time in between to revise for each one.
IMO they are equally as hard and there isn't much difference tbh
123543 could be correct, from what I’ve heard A-levels are equivalent to advanced highers making them more difficult than highers.
Original post by 999tigger
Where did you get the general consensus from?
Is it just your opinion or based on some study?
Did you do both?
Possibly.
Original post by AzureCeleste
You just have more exams to revise for and do though. Many people take like 13 GCSE subjects and so if all subjects they took only had 2 papers then they are sitting 26 exams across a month period. There isn't much time in between to revise for each one.
IMO they are equally as hard and there isn't much difference tbh
Original post by StudentForSQA
123543 could be correct, from what I’ve heard A-levels are equivalent to advanced highers making them more difficult than highers.


Doesnt add anything. Bit mystified by the whole thread really.
The thread is about similarities or differences between the SQA and AQA that makes them easier or harder compared to each other. Hope it stopped the confusion.
Original post by 999tigger
Doesnt add anything. Bit mystified by the whole thread really.
Original post by StudentForSQA
The thread is about similarities or differences between the SQA and AQA that makes them easier or harder compared to each other. Hope it stopped the confusion.

Not really as though people have a choice.
The point is about expressing your choice and why you think that, and then we discuss similarities or the differences to why we got to our choice. People have reasons for their choices.
Original post by 999tigger
Not really as though people have a choice.
(edited 4 years ago)
Original post by StudentForSQA
The point is about expressing your choice and why you think that, and then we discuss similarities or the differences to why we got to our choice. People have reasons for their choices.

Have you done both?
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Avatar for 123543
123543
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I am by no means suggesting this as a hard and fast guide but instead, it is an informed opinion based on what other comparison threads on TSR have said and from having English friends. I've done all 3 levels of the Scottish curriculum and have friends that have done/ are currently sitting GCSE and A Level exams in England. I've also had a glance at GCSE and A-Level papers for various subjects as well as obviously doing exams and past papers for Scottish exams.

Advanced Highers are slightly harder than A-Level as they are taken over one year (S6 which is the same as Y13) and consist of university-level style work vs 2 at years for A Level (Y12 and Y13.) Also, I have heard people suggest in the past that when English Universities ask for A1 at Advanced Higher it is like asking for A**.

Higher is thought of as harder than GCSE as it is taken in one year and the level is generally harder. However, not as difficult as A-Level as it is sort of an "in between" GCSE and A Level.

GCSE is more comparable to N5, which, from what I understand, is very very similar.

If you compare Scotland and England on a year by year basis, it is clear that the discrepancy is because we sit 2 exams rather than 1 at the end of 2 years.

S6 - Advanced Higher Y13 - A Level (2nd Year)
S5 - Higher Y12 - A Level (1st Year)
S4 - National 5 Y11 - GCSE
Original post by 999tigger
Where did you get the general consensus from?
Is it just your opinion or based on some study?
Did you do both?
(edited 4 years ago)
No, that’s not the point of the thread it’s to compare and then decide on your choice. I did some internet research or watched some YT videos for the thread.
Original post by 999tigger
Have you done both?

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