<p>I did NOT ever state that the American system is BETTER than the British system, and I would not venture to make such a statement even if CC is an American board.</p>
<p>I said the American system is much more complicated, challenging and intriguing. That's how I personally found it. The drawback of the American system is that it's so unpredictable. Yet I personally prefer to be with classmates who have been selected through the American system, where almost every element and aspect of their lives were taken into account - not only grades. From that perspective, I believe the American system has created a more level playing field for students from different backgrounds and of different personalities/interests. I know in the UK, an applicant's personal statement is also taken into consideration. But c'mon, I've read many UCAS personal statements and American uni application essays, the differences b/w them are just obvious.</p>
<p>A-Levels are harder than SAT II simply because it requires you to have more advanced knowledge in that subject. What I'm saying is that as a measurement for academic APTITUDE, A-levels are simply not as good as the SAT (even though in the long term, the SAT isn't a good indicator of performance during college as well). For more advanced knowledge in a subject, well, that's what we go to college for. Many of the intro-courses at British unis are merely revision of A-Levels. Aptitude and academic skills, I believe, are what we need to obtain and be tested at before we enter colleges.</p>
<p>Yet again, I agree with the one who stated that comparing the 2 systems would be like comparing apples and oranges.</p>
<p>I think that AP and A Level are different, just different enough to say. AP includes special multiple choice questions, which methinks are designed quite complex whereas the A Level depends. Since I have seen the IB too, I ought to say that A Level Exam such as Biology, Physics and Chemistry are just as challenging as AP in the same subjects.</p>
<p>The SAT is already notorious for its inaccuracy in measuring other issues. The so-called APTITUDE after all cannot be found in a normal person like all of us. If they like to test geniuses, find relatives of Einstein or Goether. I would like to take the ACT more. But I have to say that I hate the way CollegeBoard keeps things sneaky. In AP, they did give us multiple choice questions, where as you can find past paper mostly from AQA, CIE or EDEXCEL.</p>
<p>Passing SAT does not promise you are a SMART guys. I always keep in mind that I am NO ONE. Since this US is too large, you may encounter some guys who did not do very well on SAT, but still are genius. Judging only from SAT is perhaps the most rediculous things I have ever seen. To judge wrongly somebody may ruin their lives.</p>
<p>UK universities are indeed the best in Europe, but I don't know how to compare to US, since they are so different.</p>
<p>aptitude? in that case, why don't we all take an IQ test to get into college? :) </p>
<p>it's pretty pointless trying to argue about whether US or UK education is better. they have completely different philosophies. So i suppose it's entirely up to you which you would prefer. </p>
<p>in defence of UCAS tho, i found it soo much easier to use than the commonapp. Probably because the system is more standardised, and all the unis use the same information. you could argue that US apps are better because they're more personal.. but i prefer doing less work. </p>
<p>in any case, there's no point worrying about how A levels are considered relative to APs since there's nothing we can do.</p>
<p>I'm afraid IQ test doesn't measure the academic skills required for college education. If the IQ test were to be used in replacement of the SAT, the Ivies+ would end up taking mostly Jews and autistic geeks.</p>
<p>There's certainly no perfect testing system, so when you say that one doesn't necessarily be super-clever in order to get a stellar SAT score, I completely agree. But at least Collegeboard created the SAT in an attempt to test "Scholastic Aptitude". While I can hardly see how A-Levels exams were created to make sure that students have all the basic skills required for college education.</p>
<p>Besides, the UK system is definitely more vocationally oriented. Students must decide on what they would like to major in when they're still at high-schools picking up A-levels subjects. The US system is more on well-roundedness. Students don't have to decide their majors until the end of their sophomore years. So basically, a student in the UK has to make his career choice at the age of 15/16. While a student in the US can wait until the age of 19 to make the decision. The difference here is quite considerable. But I can't say which system is better for everyone. I can only say that the US system suits me better.</p>
<p>London School of Economics, for example, generally requires A-levels of AAA or AAB depending on the course. They announce that equivalent U.S. qualifications would be four or preferably five AP's with grades 4 and 5.</p>
<p>
[quote]
As a result of this, most competitive US universities including Harvard, Princeton, MIT and Stamford do not use AP exams in their admissions processes at all.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I find this assertion questionable. If you've taken both the AP course and the AP exam, why would they refer to your grade for the course but not your grade on the exam?</p>
<p>AP and A-level is pretty similar but i think that the A-level is slightly harder. Anyway IB beats them all. It is the hardest programme out there...
45 points in IB is equivalent to 8 A's in A-level
lol :)</p>
<p>It's ridiculous to compare APs and A levels. The point is that the admissions committee will assess you with your own educational background and context in mind. In essence, it would only make sense to compare British A level students with British A level students. That's one of the reasons they ask your guidance counselor to compare how rigorous your course-load is with other students at your school.</p>
<p>Gagilord, you're completely right. I’ve spoken to college reps about A levels vs. the I.B. (my school offers both) and they were all SO positive about the fact that I’d chosen the I.B., especially Yale, because they said they recognised that it's a far more challenging course and provides a better general foundation for a liberal arts education than the A levels.</p>
<p>A stupid question what are the APs??<br>
I mean I would like to know what if you take your A levels in UK and want to apply to US universities? Have you to take SAT or what? coz I think about taking my A levels in UK instead of the German Abitur to have the opportunity to apply to Oxbridge. But can I also apply to US univesities than? Where can you apply with A levels at all?
Thx for answers =]</p>
<p>well thank you for posting your replies. they have been really informative. i did a bit of research in the meantime. It looks like the most selective us colleges harvard mit and princeton usually take people with 5+ a level As. and on a lot of these blogs i found people with 6 as accepted to mit and a reference to Rajesh Poddar who had 13 A level A's and went to princeton. and from my own experience i noticed people with 7 A's going to harvard and one with 5'As going to Mit. so do u really need sth like 6 or 7 A-level subjects to even hope for harvard? i mean won't 4 A-levels do? from other blog posts i can see therer are tonnes of people with 6 or 7 A-level A.s applying to all these high fliers (esp nepal and pakistan</p>
<p>mosharrafb: it depends on the courseload offered by your school. in Singapore, an average student at a decent junior college will take 4 A-levels (also the maximum), stronger applicants don't take more A-level subjects, just 'S' papers... and we have a pretty good record of sending people to the ivies.</p>
<p>If your school doesn't offer students the 'opportunity' to take 6-7 A-levels, I doubt that the colleges you are applying to can fault you for that... just make sure that your courseload is as demanding as possible. Of course, either way, make sure you get as close to straight As as you can.</p>