? for those across the pond about school

[RelaxByWater84]

I have been confused about how the school system over in the UK runs. I have heard on here people talking about college and university. I thought I would ask so I won't be confused lol. Would it be like college is where you get your undergraduate degree and then university is where you get your graduated degree? Or does college=high school?? Could someone please explain this to me?? Thanks in advance for the replies!!!

[gingerlemon]

No wonder you're confused, 'college' in the UK can mean lots of different things:

 

link removed

 

What level of studies are you wanting to go for?

[superfox]

You can leave school at 15/16 and find work or go on to college for further qualifications or stay on at school for A Levels which you need for universities or you can leave for work or other qualifications. You get your degree at uni. Although we are meant to be the country with a class system there isn't any shame on not having a degree or from not going to university.

[agent1607307371]

The usual age grades are:

High School = 12 - 16

College = 16-18

Uni = 18 -21

 

College is for A levels and then University is for degrees.

[RelaxByWater84]

No wonder you're confused, 'college' in the UK can mean lots of different things:

 

link removed

 

What level of studies are you wanting to go for?

 

I'm not wanting to do studies over there, I just wanted to know what people were talking about. I wanted to get educated on school systems the weren't like the US. The US school system had their own levels and phases.

[RelaxByWater84]

The usual age grades are:

High School = 12 - 16

College = 16-18

Uni = 18 -21

 

College is for A levels and then University is for degrees.

 

Would A levels be for someone who is going to pursue a degree?? My high school had different tracks that we could take.

1.) College Prep would be for those who would go on to college.

2.) College Prep/Vocational Training for those who didn't know what they wanted to do.

3.) Vocational Training for those who did not want to go to college but wanted to be trained so they could go to work right out of high school.

 

So would it be like this where A levels=college prep??

[Saffron_]

Colleges can be for A levels (Highers in Scotland) or vocational training such as culinary colleges or technical colleges. Some people go to get qualifications such as HNCs'/HND's (Diplomas) then depending on what sort of career they want to pursue they can skip the first year or two of university. Some friends of mine who weren't accepted to Uni when they applied chose to take an HND at college, then when they completed that they applied to Uni again and were accepted into the third year. Some universities are called colleges eg a college of art but they are in fact universities which offer a range of qualifications/courses from as a simple portfolio prep course to a Diploma to a BA and post grad courses.

 

Overall though, when most people here refer to college they're not talking about university. No one who was at uni would say "I'm in college" because to some it's seen as a step down. However that's slightly unfair because often the vocational courses such as joinery or plumbing or whatever can lead to a more lucritive career. Also, people who are in further education don't refer to college or uni as 'school'. 'School' is either primary or secondary.

 

As a general rule though, ignoring the exceptions, school is primary or high school, college is A levels/vocational training and university is for obtaining a degree.

[Saffron_]

Would A levels be for someone who is going to pursue a degree?? My high school had different tracks that we could take.

 

So would it be like this where A levels=college prep??

 

A levels in England are the exams high school pupils take in their final 2 years. In Scotland we take Highers which are similar to A levels but they're only taken over 1 year and you're expected to take more of them. So we take Highers in 5th year of high school and then some more in the 6th year whereas in England A levels are studied over the 5th and 6th year. A levels and highers are required for entry to college and university and normally you are only accepted if you get the required grades. E.g. For the course I wanted to study I needed an A in art and design, a B in English and a further higher that had to be a B or above. Now, I achieved those grades in my fifth year and could have gone on to University had it not been for the minimum age requirement for my chosen uni which was 17 year old and I was only 16 so I had to stay for a 6th year or leave and do something else (I stayed on).

 

If someone wanted to go to uni but didn't have any highers then they could go to a college, get the required highers/A levels and apply from there. To apply for Uni you go through a system called UCAS and if you don't get in to your chosen course you can go through a system called 'clearing'. A levels and highers are often needed for colleges also though depending on your area of study you may be able to get in through your 'standard grades' or English equivilent (GCSE's). Standard grades precede highers and those exams are sat in your 4th year of high school. The grade you get in those can determine wether or not you'll be allowed to study certain highers. So if you got a D in Art and you wanted to sit it at higher level you may be discouraged or refused. Also, english schools have something called SAT's but I have no idea about them or if they're relevant to further education because we don't have them here.

[RelaxByWater84]

Wow, thanks, Saffron that was very helpful. The SAT's I remember taking them. So glad I don't have to take them anymore. When I took them they had 3 sections verbal, math and writing. They probably have changed. It is to see your ability in each category.