A Level

[The Myth]

Title says everything.This is a thread for all ex-,current,would-be A Level students to learn,to teach and to share experience,advice,information and tips here.

Let me start with some questions.

How many types of A level available in M'sia?I merely know there are Cambridge A level and GCE A level.Are they the same?In lieu,What are the differences between them?How do you think A level is different from other courses like Form 6 and Matriculation?

Feel free to share...

[Blubery Euglena]

Well..I dun actually know how many types of A level is available in Malaysia..But i do know there's loads of A level available..So I am telling you what I know..

There's edxcel which is available in HELP college & USCI which is under the London examination board if I am not mistaken...
There's cambridge A level which is available in Taylor, Ktt and other colleges under CIE board..
I thought GCE A Level is only famous in Singapore..So now i know there's GCE A in Malaysia too..But since GCE A level is being used in Singapore..It should be more harder than the other a level in Malaysia..Or am I wrong ?

Well..For Edexcel and Cambridge...They are almost the same..It's just that some of the content might be different...But not very much big difference..I personally think that the education level of Sinagpore is higher and harder than Malaysia..What do you think about it ?

A level is more easier than the form 6..Because what they study in form 6 is more harder and the range is far wider than the contents we study in A level..They have to memories more things compare to us which means they are studying more knowledge than what we are studying..And what we study currently is just slightly harder than form 5...So A level is more easier than form 6..

But i feel that matriculation is more easier than A level...I dun know why but i just feel so..Perhaps is what i heard from the others about the matriculation..Btw..Is the matriculation you mention the same as the matriculation under MARA or are you talking about SAM ? I am confuse..

[Sillyboy]

The format for Edexcel has changed.

[tanyijing2007]

Title says everything.This is a thread for all ex-,current,would-be A Level students to learn,to teach and to share experience,advice,information and tips here.

Let me start with some questions.

How many types of A level available in M'sia?I merely know there are Cambridge A level and GCE A level.Are they the same?In lieu,What are the differences between them?How do you think A level is different from other courses like Form 6 and Matriculation?

Feel free to share...

The GCE A-level you mean can be specifically known as Edexcel A-level, which I think is the only A-level available now in Malaysia. It is conducted by Edexcel, an examination board under Pearson and University of York. I am afraid to say there are quite a number of differences between Cambridge A-level and A-level conducted by Edexcel London Examination. As far as I know, there are actually five main examination boards administering the examinations for GCE A-level currently in UK and they are OCR, WJEC, AQA, Edexcel and CEA. However, only some of these boards also offer A-levels to international students, one of them is Edexcel, which I am having now. Cambridge A-level is an exception and is conducted privately by University of Cambridge. It can be considered as the world’s largest provider of international qualifications for youngsters with ages ranging from 14 to 19 year olds. By the way, I wish to inform that UK government is now having reformation of education for 14–19 year olds and therefore there will be dramatic changes to the syllabus starting from 2009. :( (For Edexcel, we are having new syllabus now, it is quite bothering as we have to get all our textbooks very late) :(

[The Myth]

The GCE A-level you mean can be specifically known as Edexcel A-level, which I think is the only A-level available now in Malaysia.

I'm taking Cambridge A Level in M'sia though.:)

By the way, I wish to inform that UK government is now having reformation of education for 14?19 year olds and therefore there will be dramatic changes to the syllabus starting from 2009. :( (For Edexcel, we are having new syllabus now, it is quite bothering as we have to get all our textbooks very late) :(
Alas,so its true that A Level syllabus will be(or already) reformed.Edexcel already have new syllabus?But Cambridge A level which I'm taking now don't seem to have yet.I wonder...

[tanyijing2007]

I'm taking Cambridge A Level in M'sia though.:)


Alas,so its true that A Level syllabus will be(or already) reformed.Edexcel already have new syllabus?But Cambridge A level which I'm taking now don't seem to have yet.I wonder...

"Cambridge A-level is an exception and is conducted privately by University of Cambridge. It can be considered as the world?s largest provider of international qualifications for youngsters with ages ranging from 14 to 19 year olds." :amuse I hope you would have read this in my previous post.

[Sillyboy]

The GCE A-level you mean can be specifically known as Edexcel A-level, which I think is the only A-level available now in Malaysia. It is conducted by Edexcel, an examination board under Pearson and B. I am afraid to say there are quite a number of differences between Cambridge A-level and A-level conducted by Edexcel London Examination. As far as I know, there are actually five main examination boards administering the examinations for GCE A-level currently in UK and they are OCR, WJEC, AQA, Edexcel and CEA. However, only some of these boards also offer A-levels to international students, one of them is Edexcel, which I am having now. Cambridge A-level is an exception and is conducted privately by University of Cambridge. It can be considered as the world?s largest provider of international qualifications for youngsters with ages ranging from 14 to 19 year olds. By the way, I wish to inform that UK government is now having reformation of education for 14?19 year olds and therefore there will be dramatic changes to the syllabus starting from 2009. :( (For Edexcel, we are having new syllabus now, it is quite bothering as we have to get all our textbooks very late) :(

Could you list down the sources where this information is extracted? Edexcel has ties with the University of York??? Unheard of.

[tempurungfrog]

I've been doing my A-level in Concord College. Alas, it was a fun memorable and enriching experienced! :P

[starlover]

hey, no one is doing a level here?

why this thread is so..dead :sweat

i'm taking CIE A Level now, hopefully can score all A's. sigh. gonna be hard

[woonmathic]

Some anwers to your query about the types of a level being offered in Malaysia.

There are 2 widely studied A level courses namely:

CIE stands for the Cambridge International Examinations which is strictly for, obviously, international students, conducted by Cambridge University.
The Singapore syllabus is different from the Malaysian CIE syllabus.
To sit for CIE, one has to do A level for one and a half years.
There are 2 stages(levels) involved. First, a student need to sit for the AS level exam which is very easy and then the AS level, which is much harder.
Both AS and A2 constitute the whole A level.

Edexcel, another type of A level which is run by a private company.
It is perceived that this is easier than the CIE A level because of the modular system. Modular means you are allowed to take a subject made up of units unlike CIE where the students sit for the final A2 exam covering the entire one and a half years' work. Modular is easier because, you study less and the exam is based on the few topics covered. Then you select another module(unit) and there is another exam based on that module.

[AnnieChan]

So, would it be better to take the Cambridge one or the Edxcel one ? Im planning on taking A levels but I'm not sure what the differences are except for the structure of the curriculum. Is the GCE A level more accepted into overseas university compared to the Edexcel one..or there is no differences?

[Sillyboy]

So, would it be better to take the Cambridge one or the Edxcel one ? Im planning on taking A levels but I'm not sure what the differences are except for the structure of the curriculum. Is the GCE A level more accepted into overseas university compared to the Edexcel one..or there is no differences?

Whichever you choose, you will alright because they are both internationally recognised.

[Mirianchoo]

Edexcel A-Level is generally easier because the topics are not studied in as much depth as those in Cambridge A-Levels. I studied Cambridge A-Levels for 6 months before leaving for INTEC, UiTM and taking Edexcel A-Levels and what I found was that the Edexcel A-Level syllabus is not organised well and does not cover as many areas as the Cambridge A-Levels.

So, if you want easy A's, take Edexcel A-Levels. If you want more detailed learning of your subjects, I would suggest taking Cambridge A-Levels for more of a challenge.

[phan_nop]

hi im new in forums, so i hav no idea where should i direct my questions to.

i am a malaysian who studied in singapore for the past 2 years, i sat for the 2010

singapore-cambridge a-lvl. the results have not been released yet but i hav a very strong

feeling tat i will not do well. therefore, i hav decided to retake the cambridge

international exam in malaysia ( now that im back here). I hav no idea how the private

candidate CIE will be conducted. back in s'pore, we have to sit for practical lab test for

different science subjects in year 1 and it is only during year 2 that we sit for all the

written papers. i wonder if, as a private candidate, i would be able to resit for the

following subjects : chemistry, biology, math and General Paper all in one sitting during

the June 2011 CIE which is now open for registration.

Also on the application form

http://www.britishcouncil.org/malaysia-exams-school-exams.htm

where we are asked to choose for subject registration, under the chem and bio sections

there is this "carried forward June AS mark" option. this really confused me as in s'pore, i

only had the choice of either H1 or H2(deeper in depth and scope).

my main and most desperate concern now is to know whether i can COMPLETE THE

CIE ALL DURING THE JUNE 2011 PERIOD ONLY, as i really wish to do well this time

and enter a decent Uni (IMU hopefully). my family is not well off, so i really hope to

finish my studies ASAP and work. and if this is the case, which subject/syllabus code

should i register for my Chem, Bio, Math and GP(gp is quite clear cut case). the math

alone has as many as 7 papers.. which papers combination should i take?

I went to british council in KL the other day but the person at the counter is of not much

help. i can't afford to enroll myself into a local College anymore, so i hav to sit as a

private candidate. this mean having to deal with registration on my own.

I really hope that any of you who have the experience or knowledge in this field to

lend me a helping hand. your kindness is greatly appreciated :) thanks a million

p/s i obtained all the app form from the british council website :
http://www.britishcouncil.org/malaysia-exams-school-exams.htm

[jingyi]

where we are asked to choose for subject registration, under the chem and bio sections

there is this "carried forward June AS mark" option. this really confused me as in s'pore, i

only had the choice of either H1 or H2(deeper in depth and scope).

my main and most desperate concern now is to know whether i can COMPLETE THE

CIE ALL DURING THE JUNE 2011 PERIOD ONLY, as i really wish to do well this time

and enter a decent Uni (IMU hopefully). my family is not well off, so i really hope to

finish my studies ASAP and work. and if this is the case, which subject/syllabus code

should i register for my Chem, Bio, Math and GP(gp is quite clear cut case). the math

alone has as many as 7 papers.. which papers combination should i take?

I went to british council in KL the other day but the person at the counter is of not much

help. i can't afford to enroll myself into a local College anymore, so i hav to sit as a

private candidate. this mean having to deal with registration on my own.

I really hope that any of you who have the experience or knowledge in this field to

lend me a helping hand. your kindness is greatly appreciated :) thanks a million

p/s i obtained all the app form from the british council website :
http://www.britishcouncil.org/malaysia-exams-school-exams.htm


actually, the "carried forward June AS mark" option is to carry forward your mark for A2 level.

We have AS level and A2 level in cambridge A level, like your H1 and H2.

It is advised to carry forward your As mark as A2 level will be a lot harder. By carrying forward your AS mark, the entire result of A level will be an average of AS and A2 level according to a specified weightage . You have the choice to include your AS mark or not.

And it is impossible to have a short route to complete an A level as far as i concern, 1.5 years is a must. I'm sorry about this.

I took Chem, Physics, Bio and Maths

Yes, there are the code for exam papers.

http://www.xtremepapers.net/CIE/index.php?dir=International%20A%20And%20AS%20Level/

lol........this is the website providing free past year exam papers, 9700 will be the code for bio and etc...

fyi, 9700(bio) s10 (summer/june 2010) qp (question paper) 51

for AS level, paper 1 and paper 2 will be it.

and u may encounter things like paper 33 paper 32 paper 51, 52

actually the 1st digit matters only. it is like paper 3 and paper 5 but the 2nd digit means 1st variant 2nd variant.

they have 3 different papers for the same exam taken by the same batch of candidates. Different colleges take different paper.

I hope it helps =)

[xJing]

Well, it's like this. Cambridge A-levels is divided into TWO sections: Advanced Subsidiary (AS) and A2. For Bio, Chem and Maths, AS comprises Papers 1, 2 and 3; A2 comprises Papers 4 and 5. Most people sit for their AS first, then their A2 half a year later. The total score from all FIVE papers will give you your overall A level grade. AS contributes 50% to this, and A2 contributes the remaining 50%. This is what is meant by 'bringing forward the AS score'. You can also opt to take all five papers in one go, but I would advise against that because it is rather demanding. Even good students avoid that.

If you really fail to understand the whole system, I suggest you arrange for a session with a college counselor to talk this over. It'll give you a better view of this.


And it is impossible to have a short route to complete an A level as far as i concern, 1.5 years is a must. I'm sorry about this.



they have 3 different papers for the same exam taken by the same batch of candidates. Different colleges take different paper.

I hope it helps =)


1.5 years is NOT a must. I'm doing a 1 year program, and so far I'm on track to getting straight As for my A levels. There are colleges across Malaysia offering it. Penang, especially, is well-known for that. Sunway College also offers the one-year program in their main campus, if I'm not mistaken.

There are also more than three variants now. Paper 3 has gone up to 5 or 6 variants, according to the Oct/Nov 2010 scheme.