DP has just declared that A'levels are harder than a degree.

[supersop60]

And that's what employers are looking for.
AIBU to think he's a twit?

I wouldn't necessarily disagree with him. The standard of work I produced and the quality teaching I received for my A levels was definitely higher than that of a lot of my undergrad studies and i ended up with a 2:1 from a very well respected red brick uni. I think to a certain degree it depends on how high a level you are taught in 6th form. I went to a super selective school where the vast majority of A levels were grade A or B and an awful lot of the study in Upper Sixth particularly was way beyond A level and well into undergrad territory. I remember thinking how low the standard of discourse and analysis was in my first few terms at uni in comparison to what I had experienced at school and how I could wing it in terms of assignments and that overall the standards were lower.

I am involved in recruitment and we do look at grades all the way from GCSE, via A level and degree, to professional qualifications. A levels make it easier to compare people, but we look at subject as well as grades.

It is only one factor though and not that big a factor once professionally qualified, but for those we take on who are not professionally qualified it can matter far more depending on the role.

I kind of agree. I have A levels, a 2:1 degree, have done PGCE and a Masters as a distance learning course alongside teaching full time. I'd say my A levels were my hardest and busiest years. I was at a competitive grammar school though, and alongside 4 A levels and 5 AS levels I did an extra GCSE and a language course studying mandarin as well as the typical extra curricular stuff. It was fantastic though - I thoroughly enjoyed it all and did very well. I found uni pretty boring by comparison.

I found A Levels harder because I was juggling 4 things at once. Hardest thing I've ever done!

A levels harder than a degree in the 90s decent uni and degree course

I actually agree. I struggled with GCSE’s, started A levels but found them much too hard and gave up. Got into Uni as a mature student and in spite of not working that hard, still managed to get a 2.1.

Well, A levels are massively harder than GCSE, and a real step up. A level teaching varies enormously and even the great teachers are teaching someone else’s syllabus. Degree content is harder and more in depth than A level, but the course material is set at department/lecturer level and lecturers usually have freedom to teach parts that fit with their own interests. So for that reason, being taught by a real expert, it could seem far easier to learn. The exams for both A level and degree are probably equally hard to be honest, just the material gets more complex throughout the degree. Disclaimer: my degree is in the physical sciences

I kind of agree. I’m a teacher.

The biggest educational jump is from GCSE to A level. A level to degree level is much easiet

Depends on the degree surely?

Some of them are nonsense and a piece of piss 🤷🏻‍♀️

I found my A Levels harder than my degree. I was told that the jump from GCSE'S to A Levels was harder than from A level to degree. Must admit I tend to agree with that. I Cant remember who told me this though. And my education was many many years ago now. I suppose it depends on the A Levels / degree.

A Levels are more intense than a degree in my experience.

I found my A-levels much harder than my degree.

Sorry OP!

I found a degree harder - A Levels, at least with French, history and English, it was still basically “learn this stuff and replicate it” whereas degree (English) suddenly I needed to have my own opinions and ideas and stuff. I wasn’t prepared at all!

I think he’s right that a levels are harder, not that employers would prefer them tho

I understand some employers set some store by A-level grades (so it isn't always the case that the higher qualification is of sole importance) but even that is not at the absence of degree information.

Having done both, A levels were much harder

DD wouldn’t agree with you. She took two science and one humanities A level, and is doing a science degree at an RG university. She found her A levels hard enough, but her degree work is relentless, and she has already had loads of exams, and she is only in her first year.

Well, no. Although I personally thought the transition between GCSE and A level was bigger than that between A level and a degree. So maybe there's an element of that

I think that is more likely to be the case. Plus, maybe students are a little more mature and are more likely to apply themselves?

I’m not in England so didn’t do A levels but I found my highers pretty easy and got straight As without doing much work. Didn’t find the degree too difficult either, prestigious and competitive degree from a RG Uni.

I can see that the pressure attached to A levels and the fear if you don’t get certain grades to get onto a course might be harder and more pressure than once you’re actually on the degree.

I agree - I found A levels harder than my degree and the hardest thing I've done.

Although I think employers are more likely to ask for a degree than A levels, A levels are often a better indicator of someone's academic ability. As they are national exams there is a consistent standard across the country, whereas degrees can be very variable, making it difficult for employers to differentiate, e.g. it can be much harder to achieve a First or a 2.1 in some universities than others. I know of people who got Es at A level, were accepted into a not-so-good university, then came out with a 2.1. Most application forms would ask for a list of A levels / GCSE as well as details of any degrees anyway.

@BrimfulofSasha

depends on the a levels and the degree I suppose. I'd say advanced maths A level is probably harder than a drama degree- in general he is probably wrong

Sure I mean my drama degree came from a top 10 Russell group university and also required 8-8 rehearsals ahead of practical exams along with dissertations and in-depth theoretical knowledge, along with higher grade entry requirements than most other courses but sure dramas just a piss take.

I think you are probably a lot brighter than most people PointlessAddict. Not everyone finds it easy.

Stealth boast?

Graduated 10 years ago with 2:1 in an arts subject from a Russell group university and I’d definitely agree that A-Levels were easier. I barely did any of the required reading as the essay topics were so wide you could pick/choose. I had 1 exam in my first year, none after that.

I think he’s wrong about employers though.

I think he's right. And O-levels (showing my age) were the worst of the lot. All those subjects you're not interested in! Once I'd dropped maths, I knew nothing could ever be as bad again - and it wasn't!

I did the IB and found it harder than my degree as you need a variety of subjects whilst my degree was specifically what interested me.

I did my a-levels in late 80s and degree in earlyb90s. I think a-levels were harder. Maybe because there was so much riding on them.

Possibly, the style of learning at university suited me better.

I found A levels really hard and coped with degree work much better.