Should I choose CIE or Edexcel for AS level?

[sasuke474]

And please give reasons why one is better than others?

 

[mimi1077]

I think edexcel is easier but has tight boundaries so it is not that flexible , u should be careful not make so many mistakes while cambridge is harder i guess but has somewhat looser boundaries and u still have a high possibility to score an A. Another thing i like about edexcel is that they state whether your grade is a low one, middle, or high while cie doesn't give any indication how far you are from the grade u wanted to obtain but both of them are good in reputation. I would prefer to take a combination of both boards because if u don't like ur grade in any particular subject , u will have the choice not to send it to universities but if u just choose one board all ur grades will be in one certificate which is kind of a risk because you might need to attain high grades in all of them because u will eventually send it to universities. See which subject is easier in which board(cie or edexcel) and then take it. This is just a suggestion. Hope i helped.

 

[sasuke474]

I think edexcel is easier but has tight boundaries so it is not that flexible , u should be careful not make so many mistakes while cambridge is harder i guess but has somewhat looser boundaries and u still have a high possibility to score an A. Another thing i like about edexcel is that they state whether your grade is a low one, middle, or high while cie doesn't give any indication how far you are from the grade u wanted to obtain but both of them are good in reputation. I would prefer to take a combination of both boards because if u don't like ur grade in any particular subject , u will have the choice not to send it to universities but if u just choose one board all ur grades will be in one certificate which is kind of a risk because you might need to attain high grades in all of them because u will eventually send it to universities. See which subject is easier in which board(cie or edexcel) and then take it. This is just a suggestion. Hope i helped.

Thanks, but can you summarize? I don't get all the details and what their practical implications are
And how is it possible to take mixed, most schools offer one or the other? Which city/school are you in and how would you rate it?

 

[zack1090]

Edexcel is by far easier than CIE, but I believe that the CIE exams give you a preparation for University! I think that's what you should consider.

 

[mimi1077]

well you can register as a private candidate if ur school doesn't offer this board of certificate. I am from international school of choueifat , Doha i am sure u heard about this school. I did AS bio cambridge cie but i did AS math edexcel so yeah and they're both good.

 

[mimi1077]

Most universities say IGCSE/GCSE so it really doesn't matter but i cie exams are more qualified

 

[sasuke474]

well you can register as a private candidate if ur school doesn't offer this board of certificate. I am from international school of choueifat , Doha i am sure u heard about this school. I did AS bio cambridge cie but i did AS math edexcel so yeah and they're both good.

School with same name in UAE also, so heard of it
But I think it's gonna be more trouble than it's worth don't you think?

 

[sasuke474]

Most universities say IGCSE/GCSE so it really doesn't matter but i cie exams are more qualified

So I can go directly?

 

[sasuke474]

Edexcel is by far easier than CIE, but I believe that the CIE exams give you a preparation for University! I think that's what you should consider.

What if I don't go to a british university, then it's all for nothing

 

[zack1090]

What if I don't go to a british university, then it's all for nothing

If anything CIE (and A levels in general) will give you an even better preparation for University if you're NOT going to one in Britain!

My friends at American colleges said that their AS's pretty much covered their first year. Funnily enough, one person I know took AS Physics and got a B. He went to college in America, never went to single Physics lecture, and came top of his year in his end of year exam!

 

[sasuke474]

If anything CIE (and A levels in general) will give you an even better preparation for University if you're NOT going to one in Britain!

My friends at American colleges said that their AS's pretty much covered their first year. Funnily enough, one person I know took AS Physics and got a B. He went to college in America, never went to single Physics lecture, and came top of his year in his end of year exam!

Is the difference that significant between the two?

 

[zack1090]

Is the difference that significant between the two?

Well, undergrad degrees in America are 4 years whilst in Britain they are 3. So, essentially the first year you'd do in America is equivalent to A levels (lots of people going to America who did A levels get enough college credits as to even skip Freshman Year).

 

[sasuke474]

Well, undergrad degrees in America are 4 years whilst in Britain they are 3. So, essentially the first year you'd do in America is equivalent to A levels (lots of people going to America who did A levels get enough college credits as to even skip Freshman Year).

I mean CIE and Edexcel, is the much difference (in perspective of university)

 

[zack1090]

I mean CIE and Edexcel, is the much difference (in perspective of university)

No, they're both equally recognised on a grade-for-grade basis.

 

[sasuke474]

No, they're both equally recognised on a grade-for-grade basis.

So what you're saying is there's absolutely no loss if I go for the allegedly easier one? Won't make a difference in the future?
Thanks.

 

[zack1090]

So what you're saying is there's absolutely no loss if I go for the allegedly easier one? Won't make a difference in the future?
Thanks.

The only difference would be that you wouldn't be as prepared for University by taking Edexcel. You should see taking CIE as bearing a particular advantage rather than Edexcel bearing a particular disadvantage.

You'll find CIE noticeably harder. For example, about a third of my Edexcel Further Maths syllabus was identical to my standard CIE Maths syllabus.