Listener 4847 Demeaning By Lionheart
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A levels - please explain
6 Answers
When I was at school (100 years ago) we just took subjects and got a grade. So what is all this point system - what is an AS? Why is it so different (and complicated) now. If anyone could enlighten me I would be extremely grateful!
Answers
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The AS is just like half an A level. You take it over the first year,pass it hopefully,and then continue with it if you wish ,to complete a whole A level by the end of the second year.
Its not that different from our day,except you get an award at the end of that first year.
Most kids do about 4 AS levels and then drop one subject,continue with the other 3 to full A levels.
You would then have 3 and a half A-levels to go on to uni.
As far as points are concerned,
UCAS require so many points for their courses and AS and A levels each have points. I do not know the details of those but obviously different universities ask for different points or sometimes just grades.
It's not that complicated,though I've probably made it sound worse!
Hope I've helped-lol
Its not that different from our day,except you get an award at the end of that first year.
Most kids do about 4 AS levels and then drop one subject,continue with the other 3 to full A levels.
You would then have 3 and a half A-levels to go on to uni.
As far as points are concerned,
UCAS require so many points for their courses and AS and A levels each have points. I do not know the details of those but obviously different universities ask for different points or sometimes just grades.
It's not that complicated,though I've probably made it sound worse!
Hope I've helped-lol
I think the simplest explanation lies in that it wasn't broke in the old days so didn't need fixing. Yet that didn't stop Education Minister after Education Minister (from successive Governments) tinkering with the system to try and make it easier to pass. They succeeded speculatively and so the traditional universities that set high standards and can thus be fussy about who they accept and who they don't had to find another set of standards to help them decide - clearly having several zillion candidates with straight 'A's made life a bit hard for them.
To add to Ganesh's excellent answer:
The UK's education system doesn't offer the 'breadth' (in the post-16 years) which can be found elsewhere in the world. For that reason several leading schools in the independent sector (and a few bold schools in the state sector) were turning away from traditional A-levels, in favour of the International Baccalaureate. That resulted in a series of educational reviews, which decided that the best way forward was to retain A-levels but to offer more breadth in the first year of studies (and to offer a new AS qualification for that first, or only, year of study).
The increasing number of overseas students, together with a policy of encouraging applications from people with qualifications other than A-levels, meant that universities needed a standardised way of assessing an applicant's qualifications. So the UCAS Tariff was introduced. An AS-level 'A' grade and an A-level 'D' grade are both awarded 60 points, as is an 'A' grade from the Institute of Financial Service's Diploma in Financial Studies. Points are available, on a sliding scale dependent upon grades, for the International Baccalaureate, as well as for qualifications from Ireland, the USA, Canada and Hong Kong.
If an applicant studies the piano, up to 75 points are available for practical skills and 30 points for theory. (Grade 8 Distinction in both cases). An accomplished equestrian can gain 35 points for a Stage 3 pass in Horse Knowledge and Care. A further 35 points are also available for practical riding skills at Stage 3 level.
Full table:
http://ucas.com/stude..._tariff/tarifftables/
Chris
The UK's education system doesn't offer the 'breadth' (in the post-16 years) which can be found elsewhere in the world. For that reason several leading schools in the independent sector (and a few bold schools in the state sector) were turning away from traditional A-levels, in favour of the International Baccalaureate. That resulted in a series of educational reviews, which decided that the best way forward was to retain A-levels but to offer more breadth in the first year of studies (and to offer a new AS qualification for that first, or only, year of study).
The increasing number of overseas students, together with a policy of encouraging applications from people with qualifications other than A-levels, meant that universities needed a standardised way of assessing an applicant's qualifications. So the UCAS Tariff was introduced. An AS-level 'A' grade and an A-level 'D' grade are both awarded 60 points, as is an 'A' grade from the Institute of Financial Service's Diploma in Financial Studies. Points are available, on a sliding scale dependent upon grades, for the International Baccalaureate, as well as for qualifications from Ireland, the USA, Canada and Hong Kong.
If an applicant studies the piano, up to 75 points are available for practical skills and 30 points for theory. (Grade 8 Distinction in both cases). An accomplished equestrian can gain 35 points for a Stage 3 pass in Horse Knowledge and Care. A further 35 points are also available for practical riding skills at Stage 3 level.
Full table:
http://ucas.com/stude..._tariff/tarifftables/
Chris
Why thank-you Buenchico (maybe I should be a teacher lol)I must congratulate you on your answer,you told him in more detail about the points.
I think he is in shock,he hasn't answered.
There are also the new Diplomas which count as 3 and a half A levels and are now accepted by universities,well some of them,anyway.
Looking at my son's curriculum I really don't think that the content is easier than we had,it's just that they have made it easier to PASS by lowering the grade levels and course work!
I think he is in shock,he hasn't answered.
There are also the new Diplomas which count as 3 and a half A levels and are now accepted by universities,well some of them,anyway.
Looking at my son's curriculum I really don't think that the content is easier than we had,it's just that they have made it easier to PASS by lowering the grade levels and course work!
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