O levels and A levels

[LurkerLisa]

Hi,

I just read a book called, "A Questions of Attraction" (it was really funny) that was written by a British author and I have few questions.

1. What are the O levels, when are they taken, do they impact college admission?

2. Same questions, but for A levels.

The main character makes quite a 'do about having gotten high scores and x number of A levels, but I don't know what that means.

Thank you in advance for your help!

Lisa

 

[wils]

OK - I'll give it a go (though I am quite a few years out of education!)

O(rdinary) Levels were the exams taken at 16 though they have since been replaced by GCSEs (General Certificate of Education).
They are taken across a range of subjects and people on average probably study for 8-10 subjects. Depending on your grades you can stay on in eduaction and study for...

A(dvanced) Levels which are studied for at 17-18. Normally only 2-4 subjects are studied at a much higher level. You are expected to get good O-Level/GCSE results in the subjects you want to study at A-level.

A-level Exam Pass grades are classed as A-E in each subject where A is awarded to the students with the highest marks down to E which is awarded to students who have achiveved a mark just high enough to pass.

A is worth 10 points
...
E is worth 2 points

An offer of a place at University is often based on achieving at least a certain number of points in A-level exams.

So in short good O-level results lead to being able to study for A-levels which in turn (with good results!!) allow you to study further at University or the like.

I guess what the character in the book is saying is that he got good grades in several subjects at A-level.

Hope this helps

 

[LurkerLisa]

So, if you don't do well on the O levels, then you don't get to go to university? You're 15 or 16 and you're done, no more school - out into the workforce?

If you get good O levels do you do nothing except study for 2 years so you can take the A levels? Do you attend class or do you study on your own?

What about if you do okay on the O levels, but not so good on the A levels, still no college?

This is very different than in the States. Everybody just stays in school until they are done with grade 12. During grade 11 if you are thinking of going to college, you take skills tests, but even if you get a bad score, there is always some college that will take you if you can pay for it : ) Or you can skip the skills test and go to a local 2 year college and then transfer to for the last 2 years.

Thanks again for any information.

Lisa

 

[Hilary]

Wils - what a great explanation! It all sounds so simple when you put it like that

Lisa - education in the UK is compulsory to the age of 16, so some students will quit after taking their GCSEs (O levels that were) and head into the big wide world of work.

Without a decent set of GCSE results there won't be as much chance of going on to A levels, but there are other avenues to follow, such as vocational courses.

A student studying for A levels will be in full-time education, usually in a secondary school which also caters for years 12 and 13 (ages 16 - 18), or in a tertiary college which has only 16 - 18 year olds.

If you get good O levels but no As, your chances of going to university are very slim, but I don't think anything is impossible! Mature students are very often given discretionary admission to courses without requiring the 'normal' qualifications.

 

[WDWfan uk]

Hi


My son has just finished his A Levels - completing the A Level Course takes two years - after one year he took what is known as the AS Level - it's like getting half an 'A' Level.

Instead of just passing or failing, each of the exams within the subjects he took receive points as has been mentioned. It is possible to project from these results what grades the student is likely to finish up with, and also how well they need to do in the second part of the A Level - the A2.

Last year, he had to select which 6 Universities he wanted to apply for, and these Universities then accept or reject and those that accept, inform the student what grades they need to achieve in order that they can attend. The student then chooses which two he/she is most interested in.

We now wait until August 19th for the results