What classes...

[Ixist]

k...call me ignorant (I guess I am in this case), but what are all the abbreviations?

I don't think A2 actually means anything. 'AS' stands for 'Advanced Subsidiary', IB stands for 'International Baccalaureate', and I don't know what FP stands for.

They're just types of courses, really.

Ah. Is it a UK thing? We don't have that where I am...

A2 & AS are, yes. IB.. well, it is self explanatory...

You see, wo don't have any of those fancy degrees up in Scotland. We just have your general SG, HG, AHG, A1, A2, A3, I1, I2, HND, HNC and SVQ.

[Pink]

...so confused...

[Paul]

...so confused...

Ignore Ixist. He's just.. Scottish.

[Pixa]

I'm taking:
AS Mathematics
AS Further Mathematics
AS (Early) History
AS Computing
AS Physics
AS General Studies (compulsory)

I'm looking forward to college.

[Pink]

Is anyone else a Communications Major?

[Ixist]

...so confused...

Ignore Ixist. He's just.. Scottish.

Hey! Us Scots are great! Leave us alone or I'll set the Haggis on you!

Anyway, the Scottish educational system goes like this; There are 6 years labelled S1-S6. There are no exams in S1 or S2 generally. In S4, Standard Grades are sat, and they are equivilent of the English GCSE. Standard Grades can be sat at 3 levels: Credit (the highest level), General (the middle level) and Foundation (the lowest level). However, you can sit 3 exams that are equivalent to Credit, General and Foundation. Inbstead of foundation, Acces 3 can be sat. Instead of General, Intermediate 1 can be sat (Int 1 is actually easier than General). Instead of credit, Intermediate 2 can be sat (Int 2 is actually harder than Credit). However, Intermediate 1 and Intermediate 2 grades can be sat at any point from S3-S6.

In S5 and S6, Intermediate 1, Intermediate 2 and Highers can be sat. Generally, Higher Grades (often called Highers) are sat in S5 and S6, and there is only one level of them. However I do not know what their equivilent is in the English education system as I do not actually know the english education system past GCSE. In S6 students can sit Advanced Higher Grades, which are harder than the Higher Grade.

Students may leave school when they are 16 years old, but they can stay on for S5 and S6 if they so wish. They can also leave at the end of S5. Also, they may leave for university at the end of either S5 or S6.


Whew. That was a long post. Anyway, can someone please explain to me the English system past GCSE because it sounds a bit confusing.

[Pink]

wow...for no other reason besides organization, I'm glad I'm in the US. lol. That's the only reason. Very straight forward. Pre-school, Kindergarten, Elementary School (1st-5th grade), Middle or Junior High School (6th-8th grade), High School (9th-12th grade). After High School Graduation, you can pursue a college career, if you so desire (and if you can afford it...yikes). Associates Degrees ususally take 2 years to complete, Bachelors Degree usually take 4 (4 1/2 for me ). Then, if you really love school, you can get your Masters Degree (time varies) and/or a Doctorate (time varies on that too). As I said...very straight forward. But...

*whispers*I think that the teaching/learning is pretty bad overall...granted, there are some good teachers and schools, but the public school system is terrible. I mean, there are people at my college that still have a hard time with homonyms and basic grammar. It's sad...really...*whispers end*

[Twinkle]

You have a few choices. You can do your A levels. First year of A levels are called AS levels, second year are called A2 levels. AS + A2 = A level.

Then you have your IB which is an internationally recognised qualification. I'm not too sure what goes on within the IB. My ex took it but I didn't really pay attention to him.

Or you could study a BTEC National Diploma (like me!) which is the equivalent to 4 A levels but is specialised in a subject such as dance, music, performing arts, sports science, health and social and so on. It's usually a more vocational qualification.

There are more but they're the main ones.

[pipsqueeek]

wow...for no other reason besides organization, I'm glad I'm in the US. lol. That's the only reason. Very straight forward.

You've obviously never tried to explain the us education system to someone elsewhere in the world.

heh... credits...

[Anoohilator]

Then you have your IB which is an internationally recognised qualification. I'm not too sure what goes on within the IB. My ex took it but I didn't really pay attention to him.

You can do the full IB diploma which universities like a lot apparently, or like me, you can just choose a few standard subjects, in my school. I chose the latter because in the diploma, you're forced to do english (which I hate) and also you have to do Theory of Knowledge (which I've heard is a bit like psychology). Then there's the extended essay which would've been hell for me, cos essays are my weak point..

Hmm but on the plus side, I would've had to do 6 different subjects that are more spread out, and therefore universities like it. I would've been able to do IB higher maths, which was one of my main attractions to it, but then I'd have had to do 2 other subjects at higher which would've been poo

[Igg]

A2 is called A2 because it's the second year of A Level exams, obviously.

A2:
English language
History
Psychology
Philosophy & ethics (okay, so it's religious studies, but shh, that doesn't sound as good)

Thankfully, unlike Emma, my Critical Thinking AS is taking only one year so I'll have it over and done with before too much longer. =D

HAHAHA A2 history is rubbish! Well it is if you do Medieval Systems of Government anyway. I can't see me getting more than a D...

Hey, Emma, my brother Péter did GCSE Geography in one year in year 10 without going to any lessons and got an A* so nyer.

Best A Level is Classical Civilisations. It means you can sound clever a lot by referring to Classical Literature.

[Uncle Xyzzy]

Silly Brits, with your silly grade levels.

Numbers 1 through 12 is soooo much more straightforward.

[Paul]

...so confused...

Ignore Ixist. He's just.. Scottish.

Hey! Us Scots are great! Leave us alone or I'll set the Haggis on you!

Hey, you know I love Haggis, right?

[jellyoflight]

Hey, Emma, my brother Péter did GCSE Geography in one year in year 10 without going to any lessons and got an A* so nyer.

Lol thats cause GCSE geography is easy peasy ^_^ + very boring, am glad I dropped it

[Ixist]

...so confused...

Ignore Ixist. He's just.. Scottish.

Hey! Us Scots are great! Leave us alone or I'll set the Haggis on you!

Hey, you know I love Haggis, right?

Really? I find it to be awful. Give me a deep-fried Mars Bar anyday!

PS: I find deep-fried Mars Bars to be repulsive too. Irn-Bru however is the schizzle fo sho.