The importance of A-levels: Employment after university

I have been rejected for two “High Potential Fast Track Schemes", one based in the US and the other based in the UK. What was really unbelievable is that they bothered phoning me, expressing their interest in my C.V only to ask about my A-level grades and reject me thereafter! I was rather flabbergasted.

Upon inquiry into this strange recruiting habit I was informed that the only way recruitment consultancies could distinguish between prospects for such high demand roles, prospects holding degrees from top universities Harvard, Oxford etc.., is to look beyond, the university degree, at the A-level results.

I am particularly affected by this for two reasons. One reason is formed of a variety of personal factors which impaired on my performance during my A-levels, the other is a more public concern and is the reason why I am writing this article.

A-levels vary in standard, and often these variations are ignored by the rather arrogant approach the U.K educational system takes when translating other countries standards into their own UCAS point system.

In Malta for example, we employ the Matriculation System which consists of 2 A-level and 3 Intermediate level examinations. This would translate into 3 English A-levels. The 3 intermediates are taken as a single A-Level and two Maltese A-levels are made equal to two English A-levels.

Well to any Maltese person this conversion rate would smell a lot like a protectionist policy focused on ensuring foreigners are at a natural disadvantage in the U.K.

There is only one public university in Malta which simply can not cope with demand. For this reason entry requirements are made tremendously high.

The examinations are structured to impose the maximum amount of stress and difficulty on the student. The syllabus is twice as large as the U.K equivalent - as new theories are introduced to the subject, old ones are not replaced and the content just keeps getting bigger, more abstract and less relevant.

Choice in Malta is also stifled each student is forced to study a science subject and an extra compulsory intermediate –“Systems of Knowledge"- is also introduced, making the total amount of intermediates 4 (3.1/3 English A-levels?). A-levels in Malta are a bit of a nightmare, and if a student averages at a C they would be considered to have done well. An A average is unheard of.

How could such a system be equivalent to the system in the U.K where a-levels are split into 2 separate parts, AS1 and AS2 level, in order to reduce examination stress, and where the average seems to be B!!

The real problem is not only that the U.K is badly translating grades but more that the Maltese standards are too high and uncompetitive, they despiratly need to be modernised in the advent of European union membership.

» left by ANITYA

from SHAKYA 4 years 268 days ago.

im too an Alevel student so after reading urs article im happy that the decisions i have took is not bad about studying a level #

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