A levels or Pre-U

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Does anyone know much about the differences?

Have any opinons on which to choose?

Anyone's DC done pre-u?

Pre U's are harder, the roughly equivalent grades carry more UCAS points the but I suspect you already know this!
My DS when in yr 11 to get a feel for the difference he looked at AS and A2 papers for the subjects he has chosen for the sixth form. He could answer all AS questions and say 6/7 out of 8 on A2 papers he definitely can't say that about the Pre U.
He also compared MFL papers there is a lot more studying of literature required for Pre U which is what put him off but he felt his would be more fluent in the language if he did Pre U than if he did A level this was confirmed by a teacher (not at his school) who teaches A level.
Pre U further math is notoriously difficult a D1 is hard to achieve.
Most boys at Win Coll only do three because it's so hard to get a D1 prior to their introduction boys did at least 4 A levels often 5 6 or even 7.
I understand the syllabus is more joined up the topics are put into context so teachers prefer teaching it boys find it more interesting.
The downside is that you apply to Uni without AS grades to predict A2 results so IGCSE grades are scrutinised very carefully those without a whole hand of A*'s are being advised to consider applying to Oxbridge if they can top grades at Pre U.
Having said this aim think no exams in yr 12 is a good thing, after the stress of yr 11 it's nice to have a year without exams.

Bloody iPad get not can and I think not aim think.

Thank you happy.

At this point (beginning of year 11) I know very little about pre-u. Just that it's now on the radar.

Si your DS plumped for A levels right?

No Pre U's Win Coll only offers Pre U's. He looked very seriously at a school offering A levels, he was surprised by how easy they were and this is one of the reasons he didn't jump ship he wasn't sure what he'd do for the next two years except piss around the staff at the school also felt the same!

I've been told that preUs are most like old style A levels with a more open ended syllabus and question style therefore allowing a higher level of knowledge to be tested for. Languages contain more literature as HG says.

I see happy.

At W the boys get a choice. I think most still do A levels (though I know hardly any sixth formers so could be just plucking that out of thin air).

When (if?) DD joins she will defo do A levels . She has no desire for the extended programme and cannot wait to specialise.

DS is spectacularly chilled and undecided. Sigh.

summer thank you. I think literature in MFL probably won't float DS' boat. He nearly collapsed having to Pagnol recently .

I believe the literature requirement for a Pre U MFL includes a play, poetry, and prose, I think DS said there were five different pieces of literature studied. Not great for those who are not excited by literature. The level of fluency would not be perfect but you'd be pretty good but it requires a lot of work again I think those doing MKL Pre U's get less free periods a week, another reason DS was put off!

I love Pagnol, still cry at le chateau de ma mere. Wonder which one he read?

Manon Des Sources.

A book about trying to find an undergorund spring, says DS (missing the point entirely).

Probably too touchy feely for a teenage boy, they should have done la gloire de mon Pere or le temps des secrets, much more manly .
I hate to break this to your DD but I am pretty sure that A level vs pre U at Westminster is by subject not by pupil choice. We had a perusal for my other DC.

Is that right summer?

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She wants to do French, Spanish, English Literature and History. I need to check what's on the table!!!!!

Get her to look at the sixth form options booklet on the website. Pretty sure from memory most of tho subjects are preUs.

I will summer but actually thinking of it, the literature element of MFL will play to her strengths...

Since she wants to do English Lit sounds as though she would enjoy more MFL literature.

We were told by the MFL dons that if you were aiming for the top two grades on top of the trips/exchanges to the relevant countries organised by the school we would need to organise trips of our own so that they had plenty of exposure to the language. My DS saw this a plus point, I could see little trips to France/Germany (paid for by his parents of course) in his eyes, stretching out on a beach somewhere in the South of France drinking wine talking French, kayaking down the Rhine and drinking beer with a leggy German girl who speaks fluent English discussing German literature with some like minded friends.

That's interesting happy

No doubt my pair will be at the front of the queue for any chance of a trip.

DS is toying with maths , further maths, economics, French ...

Paris here we come!

I think an MFL is a great option sadly DS2 was keen on too may subject so in the end something had to go.
At Win Coll like Westminster I suspect further math (whatever the hell that is) and math counts as one choice.

Yes it does. Though am not sure how they structure lessons (getting info from DS is hopeless).
DS has no idea what his fourth choice might be. Sometimes he thinks biology, but then the powers that be will probably also recommend chemistry ?

Fortunately we soon have a meeting to discuss.

Wonder what literature delights will be facing your DS if he chooses to do French . Might be worth checking out at the meeting because it may be a deal breaker.

Biology used to one of only two the other being DT that for some unknown reason Win Coll did not offer a Pre U in they offered A level instead.
I think it now is offered at Pre U but that's only a fairly recent change.
DS2 was lucky the powers that be didn't influence his choices at all, he seemed to have freedom to choose anything God knows how they timetable it.