A'levels or F.Sc? Help needed!!!

[Anny Mazhar]

So I've just done IGCSE and now I'm confused where to go. I'll be studying in Pakistan so most of the people are saying to go for F.Sc, as it is preferred in many universities here. Plus the equivalency certificate in IGCSE would lead me to get good marks, instead of getting it after A'levels.
In IGCSE, I've got 1 A*, 2 As and 1 B. I'm waiting for results in August.
Please guide me on this and share your experiences. Thanks

 

[linkinpark]

So I've just done IGCSE and now I'm confused where to go. I'll be studying in Pakistan so most of the people are saying to go for F.Sc, as it is preferred in many universities here. Plus the equivalency certificate in IGCSE would lead me to get good marks, instead of getting it after A'levels.
In IGCSE, I've got 1 A*, 2 As and 1 B. I'm waiting for results in August.
Please guide me on this and share your experiences. Thanks

Well many people at your stage experience this dilemma. I did too. So, I will tell you from my experience and then you can decide on your own. I'll discuss both.

Why A Level?

• You have done O level and you are already familiar with pattern and techniques
• You would learn a lot of theory and practical stuff which would be conceptual obviously
• You would have an amazing oncampus experience (subject to the college that you go)
• You would have an edge when you would apply for undergrad/masters to foreign universities. Our Punjab/Federal board is ill considered abroad.
  
• You can learn about co-cirricular things in A level e.g. MUN, science exhibitions etc and not forgetting sports
• You would have a better idea of how to give SAT1 and SAT2. Again it is an important tool for undergrad in US mainly.

Why FSC(lesser points with somewhat less significance)?

• Equivalence, the biggest issue. CIE's A*=90 and A=85. So even if you get all A* in 8 subjects, you still lose 80 marks overall for no reason.
• You would already be prepared for major university tests excluding LUMS and probably PIEAS which set a paper in CIE style i.e. conceptual and tricky. NO cramming!
• Those major universities include: NUST,FAST,IST,ITU,UET,FC,GC etc
• You would need not to prepare a test you have no clue about within 2 weeks (as is the case with A level students)

Since you're planning to study in Pakistan, I would advise you to opt FSC but beware, you would be shocked by their teaching style and quality of education. Equivalence is the second most important issue and luckily I made a complete tutorial for it. You can see it here before you apply for yours: LINK. It's nowhere near to O level neither is the campus life. It would be a drastic change but it would help you a lot in your university admissions which is its advantage in long run. If you plan to go to LUMS then A level would be much better for you otherwise the safer option is FSC. I did A level too and it didn't really benefit me since I was to study in Pakistan too.

*Update:
If you think your parents wouldn't be able to cope with your university expenses then it would be sensible that you choose FSC over A level because if you get admission in a public sector or a semi-private university then you would be eligible for PEEF which would make your university free for 4 years if you maintain a CGPA of 2.5+. I know many people who aren't bright at all yet still studying on PEEF because they did FSC and not A level.

If you have any other questions, let me know. Thank you.

 

[Anny Mazhar]

Well many people at your stage experience this dilemma. I did too. So, I will tell you from my experience and then you can decide on your own. I'll discuss both.

Why A Level?

• You have done O level and you are already familiar with pattern and techniques
• You would learn a lot of theory and practical stuff which would be conceptual obviously
• You would have an amazing oncampus experience (subject to the college that you go)
• You would have an edge when you would apply for undergrad/masters to foreign universities. Our Punjab/Federal board is ill considered abroad.
  
• You can learn about co-cirricular things in A level e.g. MUN, science exhibitions etc and not forgetting sports
• You would have a better idea of how to give SAT1 and SAT2. Again it is an important tool for undergrad in US mainly.

Why FSC(lesser points with somewhat less significance)?

• Equivalence, the biggest issue. CIE's A*=90 and A=85. So even if you get all A* in 8 subjects, you still lose 80 marks overall for no reason.
• You would already be prepared for major university tests excluding LUMS and probably PIEAS which set a paper in CIE style i.e. conceptual and tricky. NO cramming!
• Those major universities include: NUST,FAST,IST,ITU,UET,FC,GC etc
• You would need not to prepare a test you have no clue about within 2 weeks (as is the case with A level students)

Since you're planning to study in Pakistan, I would advise you to opt FSC but beware, you would be shocked by their teaching style and quality of education. Equivalence is the second most important issue and luckily I made a complete tutorial for it. You can see it here before you apply for yours: LINK. It's nowhere near to O level neither is the campus life. It would be a drastic change but it would help you a lot in your university admissions which is its advantage in long run. If you plan to go to LUMS then A level would be much better for you otherwise the safer option is FSC. I did A level too and it didn't really benefit me since I was to study in Pakistan too.

If you have any other questions, let me know. Thank you.

Thanks for your help I've gathered more info about it and it turns out that I've to go for F.Sc, as in Pakistan A'levels wouldn't benefit me much, apart from the knowledge of course, but here marks are high above knowledge...

 

[linkinpark]

Thanks for your help I've gathered more info about it and it turns out that I've to go for F.Sc, as in Pakistan A'levels wouldn't benefit me much, apart from the knowledge of course, but here marks are high above knowledge...

Yes sadly here marks are more important than knowledge. Best of luck for FSC then, it might be shocking initially but you'll manage.

 

[Abdul_Aziz]

Please help me as well.I did my IGCSE this year and i am confused what to do.FSC OR A LEVELS.My aim is to go for medical as a local candidate by giving entry test.Universities that i have aimed in Aga khan uni dow medical kmdc mostly.My o lvl resukts will be out in august.
PLEASE HELP

 

[linkinpark]

Please help me as well.I did my IGCSE this year and i am confused what to do.FSC OR A LEVELS.My aim is to go for medical as a local candidate by giving entry test.Universities that i have aimed in Aga khan uni dow medical kmdc mostly.My o lvl resukts will be out in august.
PLEASE HELP

Abdul, you should know that the merit of government university is pretty high and you'll have to do amazingly well in MCAT and in A level too otherwise chances are less. If you can afford private medical school then it won't be much of a problem, their merits are low but their fees are quite high. My friend studies at a local med school in Lahore and pays 8lac a year which is almost twice the fees of LUMS.
MCAT is usually closer to A level Biology than FSC and also in A level your concepts would be sharper than FSC students so you'll have an edge there but MCAT is unpredictable, sometimes it's biased towards FSC pattern and sometimes A level (as far as I know, I hope someone in Medical can inform you better)
You should wait for your O level result and then seek advice again but like I said MCAT is the major deciding factor, O/A won't count much in government medical colleges. My senior at Agha Khan had 8A* in O level, 2A*,1A,1B in A level and scored moderately high in MCAT too.

 

[mistique_bee]

Abdul, you should know that the merit of government university is pretty high and you'll have to do amazingly well in MCAT and in A level too otherwise chances are less. If you can afford private medical school then it won't be much of a problem, their merits are low but their fees are quite high. My friend studies at a local med school in Lahore and pays 8lac a year which is almost twice the fees of LUMS.
MCAT is usually closer to A level Biology than FSC and also in A level your concepts would be sharper than FSC students so you'll have an edge there but MCAT is unpredictable, sometimes it's biased towards FSC pattern and sometimes A level (as far as I know, I hope someone in Medical can inform you better)
You should wait for your O level result and then seek advice again but like I said MCAT is the major deciding factor, O/A won't count much in government medical colleges. My senior at Agha Khan had 8A* in O level, 2A*,1A,1B in A level and scored moderately high in MCAT too.

Wow..much knowledge you have about all thus stuff xD
Will you help me??

 

[linkinpark]

Please help me as well.I did my IGCSE this year and i am confused what to do.FSC OR A LEVELS.My aim is to go for medical as a local candidate by giving entry test.Universities that i have aimed in Aga khan uni dow medical kmdc mostly.My o lvl resukts will be out in august.
PLEASE HELP

Another advice, do study Maths in your A level if you are not planning to because if God forbid you don't make into any medical college due to high merit and can't afford high fees of private colleges then you'll have Engineering as backup and there are many Engineering schools with affordable fees and not-so-high merit. If you don't take Maths, you'll have to take a gap year and try your luck next time and who knows if you don't make it next year either? You must always keep a backup option when deciding careers because future is always uncertain!

 

[linkinpark]

Wow..much knowledge you have about all thus stuff xD
Will you help me??

Only if you follow me back xD

 

[mistique_bee]

Only if you follow me back xD

Hahahahaha..
Im sorry but i can just follow you once no option for double following

 

[Rizwan Javed]

Hahahahaha..
Im sorry but i can just follow you once no option for double following

lolol xD

 

[Anny Mazhar]

Please help me as well.I did my IGCSE this year and i am confused what to do.FSC OR A LEVELS.My aim is to go for medical as a local candidate by giving entry test.Universities that i have aimed in Aga khan uni dow medical kmdc mostly.My o lvl resukts will be out in august.
PLEASE HELP

For Medical F.Sc is better.

 

[rafid8]

So I've just done IGCSE and now I'm confused where to go. I'll be studying in Pakistan so most of the people are saying to go for F.Sc, as it is preferred in many universities here. Plus the equivalency certificate in IGCSE would lead me to get good marks, instead of getting it after A'levels.
In IGCSE, I've got 1 A*, 2 As and 1 B. I'm waiting for results in August.
Please guide me on this and share your experiences. Thanks

i was same in hell confusion as u but as now i am thankful to God that i have prefered A levels over fsc,dont go for the fsc its jst bulshit go for a levels its have deep knowledge of subjects rather then understanding same knowledge at fsc u must conqure and aim for advance knowledge by choosing a levels,i am in advance studies after a levels and i can observe how hard is it for fsc to cope with us

 

[Anny Mazhar]

i was same in hell confusion as u but as now i am thankful to God that i have prefered A levels over fsc,dont go for the fsc its jst bulshit go for a levels its have deep knowledge of subjects rather then understanding same knowledge at fsc u must conqure and aim for advance knowledge by choosing a levels,i am in advance studies after a levels and i can observe how hard is it for fsc to cope with us

I've finally chosen A'levels!

 

[rafid8]

I've finally chosen A'levels!

wht subject did u opt for ?

 

[linkinpark]

Please read this guide then you'll be able to decide for yourself which one is better!
https://www.xtremepapers.com/commun...g-cs-university-admissions-in-pakistan.43835/
https://www.xtremepapers.com/community/threads/alevels-or-f-sc-help-needed.43622/#post-968258

 

[Rucksikaa.R]

So I've just done IGCSE and now I'm confused where to go. I'll be studying in Pakistan so most of the people are saying to go for F.Sc, as it is preferred in many universities here. Plus the equivalency certificate in IGCSE would lead me to get good marks, instead of getting it after A'levels.
In IGCSE, I've got 1 A*, 2 As and 1 B. I'm waiting for results in August.
Please guide me on this and share your experiences. Thanks

I recently finished the Edexcel IGCSE O/L exams in June and now I am waiting for my results. I was also confused where to go but this site helped me.

 

[Anny Mazhar]

I recently finished the Edexcel IGCSE O/L exams in June and now I am waiting for my results. I was also confused where to go but this site helped me.

Go for ALEVELS!!!

 

[Anny Mazhar]

wht subject did u opt for ?

Economics, Maths, Accounting, Physics and Urdu....

 

[Rucksikaa.R]

Go for ALEVELS!!!

Thanks 4 ur help