International GCSE vs "an equivalent test"

SideWinder · 17 Jan 2012 at 21:41

So i have a friend in need and i feel she needs the assistance of OCUK.

She doesn't have any GCSEs as she moved over to England after the GCSE period but went straight into A-Levels, gained a degree and is looking to become a teacher. However she needs GCSEs or something equivalent.

She has 2 options...

1) International GCSE...she will need to pay £189 in total and she will need to study at home. The exams wouldn't be until June which means she wouldn't be able to apply for this years PGCE courses. She is also quite worried about fitting her long work hours around studying, plus the added cost for the additional books etc.She is already registered so all she needs to do is let them know. She

2) 'An equivalent test'....( http://www.equivalencytesting.com/ ). She would need to pay £435 in total but the pass rate for a 'C' grade is only 55% and she could also take the test, get her results and apply for this years PGCE courses very early. She has checked PGCE applications and they happily accept this as a way in to the course she wants to do.

Money isn't an issue but it is more the time constraints, the stress, fitting the studying around her long hours and ensuring she can apply this year.

I personally think option 2 is the better one as it fits this criteria but would option 1 be more suitable/better in any way? Are the exams different in many ways - difficulty level?

Thanks.

SuperTronNarwhal · 17 Jan 2012 at 21:44

I dont know much about topic but i would go for number 1, as with number 2 Pass rate seems a little low and aiming for just a C grade is a hit and miss from my experience as C is the highest meaning that you can also get D and below which isn't great score.

Although the cost for books will be too god dam high, and fact that you wont get much assistance with self studying maybe a problem.

SideWinder · 17 Jan 2012 at 21:45

SuperTronNarwhal said:
I dont know much about topic but i would go for number 1, as with number 2 Pass rate seems a little low and aiming for just a C grade is a hit and miss from my experience as C is the highest meaning that you can also get D and below which isn't great score.

I don't know the boundaries but if 50ish% is a C, perhaps 65% or so would be a B for Option 2 perhaps.

RomanNose · 17 Jan 2012 at 21:45

You won't need to do much studying for a GCSE compared to a degree and A levels. If I was her, I would do similar subjects so that it's easier.

Tefal · 17 Jan 2012 at 21:46

could she phone then/see them in person and explain?

qqg3 · 17 Jan 2012 at 21:47

She didn't do "equivalent tests" in whichever country she was in before England? If she did you can get some approved certificate of those results for most places.

SideWinder · 17 Jan 2012 at 21:49

qqg3 said:
She didn't do "equivalent tests" in whichever country she was in before England? If she did you can get some approved certificate of those results for most places.

I'll need to check. I am not sure.

SideWinder · 17 Jan 2012 at 21:50

RomanNose said:
You won't need to do much studying for a GCSE compared to a degree and A levels. If I was her, I would do similar subjects so that it's easier.

She only needs the standard Maths, English and Science.

Tefal said:
could she phone then/see them in person and explain?

I think she has phoned up and it seems both are 'just as good'.

Tefal · 17 Jan 2012 at 21:51

SideWinder said:
I think she has phoned up and it seems both are 'just as good'.

i mean that she has A levels and a degree. are these not in a relevant subject?

As normally that'll get you round "must have a C in GCSE maths" requirements on anything other than electronic applications.

Threepwood · 17 Jan 2012 at 21:54

Seems carzy that one needs a GCSE when one already has A leves and a degree. How melon twisting is that!

Tefal · 17 Jan 2012 at 21:56

shadesofgrey said:
Seems carzy that one needs a GCSE when one already has A leves and a degree. How melon twisting is that!

suppose they could be A levels in religious studies and welsh and the degree in media studies

SideWinder · 17 Jan 2012 at 21:57

Tefal said:
i mean that she has A levels and a degree. are these not in a relevant subject?

As normally that'll get you round "must have a C in GCSE maths" requirements on anything other than electronic applications.

She doesn't have any qualifications in a relevant subject. She did check and she does need the GCSEs it seems.

Chaos · 17 Jan 2012 at 22:12

Can she not do an Access to Teaching course at college ?

Lakeland · 17 Jan 2012 at 22:24

You need a C in eng and mat for teaching courses.

Best bet is phone the course leader at the uni she wants to go to. Solution is probably going to be to sit the gcse's with adult education students (presuming she has the knowledge and just needs the ticket) or to do a university equivalent test though I would strongly suggest you check with the uni she wants to go to as it might not be a universal programme. This is edge hills to give you an idea: http://www.edgehill.ac.uk/wideningparticipation/EquivalencyProgramme.htm

Killerkebab · 18 Jan 2012 at 16:59

Where is she from?

I can't believe they'd be that strict, especially since GCSEs are a bit of a world apart (I'd struggle to even name a country that has an equivalent). There are similar courses in other countries (I can only talk of the French system with any authority since I was in school there for a while) but nothing as comprehensive. I was under the impression that while intermittent testing (SATs/GCSEs) is used in the British system many countries favour continuous testing during the year, every year until their A-level equivalent.