The Millennium College Years (TMCY)

AS level (Advance Subsidiary Levels) and A Levels are the most widely accepted qualifications for university admission. A level Certificate is equivalent to higher secondary School Certificate. AS Level generally takes one year to complete and A Levels are studied across two years.

Generally students progress to AS and A Levels in the academics year following their IGCSE, MYP and Matric result. Both qualifications focus on traditional study skills. A Levels is graded A* – E. A* was introduced to differentiate highest performing students from other A – Grade candidates. Examination are taken in May/ June and Oct/ Nov every year.

The advantage of taking AS Examination is that pupils can judge how they are progressing and whether they want to continue the subject to A Levels. Most students study three to four AS Levels. The CIE board is the main body to offer International AS and A Levels. Schools can offer wide range of subjects and the freedom to offer them in almost any combination.

Learners can specialize or study a range of subjects, Ensuring breadth. Giving learners the power to choose helps motivate them throughout their studies. This flexibility enables building blocks to build an individualized curriculum that develops your learners’ knowledge, understanding and skills in.

> In-depth subject content
> Independent thinking
> Applying knowledge and understanding to new as well as familiar situations
> Handling and evaluating different types of information source
> Thinking logically and presenting ordered and coherent arguments
> Making judgements, recommendations and decisions
> Presenting reasoned explanations, understanding implications and communicating them clearly and logically working
and communicating in English.

The syllabuses are international in outlook, but retain a local relevance. They have been created specifically for an international student body with content to suit a wide variety of schools and avoid cultural bias.

The content, the structure and the administrative support make Cambridge International AS & A Level the answer to the needs of schools worldwide. According to CIE” flexibility means schools can build an individualised curriculum and learner can choose to specialize in a particular subject area or study a range of subjects”.

The CIE International AS Level is graded A – E and the CIE international A Level is graded A* – E. There is no A* for Cambridge international AS Level.

In AS Level, the subject content is half a Cambridge International A Levels.

Many schools use Cambridge International AS Level to give learners valuable feedback on their performance, identifying strengths and weaknesses before they complete their full Cambridge International A Levels.

At Millennium Colleges, A levels composite is discouraged. However, there can be an exception as a special case  to facilitate some students by the approval of the  principal.

The Students can choose from a range of assessment options to gain Cambridge International AS & A Level qualifications:

Take the Cambridge International AS Level only. The syllabus content is half a Cambridge International A Level.

Take a ‘staged’ assessment route – take the Cambridge International AS Level in one examination series and complete the final Cambridge International A Level at a subsequent series.

Take all papers of the Cambridge International A Level course in the same examination session, usually at the end of the course.

For all MC’S and TMUC’S offering A levels Qualification nationwide, the first option for assessment will be implemented for the following benefits that the students would have as experienced and found to be successful at RMS.

Each Subject that learner takes receives a separate grade in AS and A level. After receiving the AS level grades ( A- E) the students have a clear idea of the standard of achievement and this sets the future course more clear in terms of effort that needs to be made do better or maintain the grade.

Cambridge International AS & A Level assessments give students a variety of ways to show their knowledge and skills. Our school has opted Cambridge International AS Level assessments to give learners feedback on their performance before they complete their full Cambridge International A Level. This helps the students and understands their strengths and weaknesses, and improve their results and also relieves them from half of the content from A level.

AS level is recognized worldwide. Completing AS level also helps in University Application. The candidates tend to produce better results if they appear in AS rather than composite Examination. Students appear in AS are required to prepare half of the content in one year and later half in one following year, predicted grades on the basis of AS result are more authentic and realistic.

Cambridge International IGCSE/A/AS Level syllabuses have been created specially for an international student body. They provide an interesting and relevant course of study that Access, challenge, flexibility Cambridge International IGCSE/A/AS Level helps students to develop the in-depth subject knowledge and understanding that universities and employers look for.

Schools can encourage breadth through a combination of International IGCSE, A and AS Levels or allow students the right to specialise in their chosen area. For example, many students choose to concentrate on Sciences and Mathematics at IGCSE/A/AS Level. Results in a qualification equivalent in standard to the UK version.

The content of International IGCSE/A/AS Levels is created to suit the wide variety of our schools and to avoid any cultural bias. The structure and administration of International IGCSE/A/AS Levels meet the needs of our schools around the world.

Cambridge International IGCSE/A/AS Levels are accepted in universities throughout the UK and Europe. University course credit and advanced standing is often  available in countries such as the  US and Canada where good  grades in carefully chosen Cambridge International A Level subjects  can result in up to one full year of credit.

Many universities in other countries also recognise Cambridge International IGCSE/A/AS Levels for matriculation purposes.

Employers also look for good Cambridge International IGCSE and A Level grades when recruiting new employees.

Wherever students want to go, locally or internationally, Cambridge International IGCSE/ A/AS Levels make it happen.

Choosing a course of study is one of the most important decisions a student will make. It is essential to check that qualifications are widely accepted and valued by further education institutes, universities and employers. Choosing Cambridge international qualifications opens up a world of opportunity – helping you get a place at your chosen university, or proving your achievements to your future employer.

Universities in countries around the world, including Pakistan, recognise and welcome Cambridge international qualifications. The government of Pakistan recognises Cambridge qualifications and provides equivalence to the local system of education in order to ensure smooth progression for students who choose to pursue their education in Pakistan. The government body responsible for issuing equivalence conversion is the Inter Board Committee of Chairmen (IBCC). Cambridge O Levels and Cambridge IGCSE® qualifications are equated to the local Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and Cambridge International A Levels to the Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSSC).

To qualify for equivalence at the HSSC level, IBCC has given a list of compulsory and elective subjects that must be studied at Cambridge O Level, Cambridge IGCSE and Cambridge International A Level. You will find this at www.ibcc.edu.pk

Cambridge International A Levels are considered equivalent to Higher Secondary School Certificate(HSSC), subject to meeting the specified requirements for various groups:

Pre-medical group

Eight Cambridge O Level subjects (including English, Urdu, Islamiyat, Pakistan Studies, Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Biology) and three Cambridge International A Levels (Physics, Chemistry and Biology) with minimum E grade

Pre-engineering group

Eight Cambridge O Level subjects (including English, Urdu, Islamiyat, Pakistan Studies, Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Biology or Computer Science or ICT) and three Cambridge International A Level subjects (Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics) with minimum E grade.

General science group

Eight Cambridge O Level subjects and three Cambridge International A Level subjects are required to qualify for the General Science Group. Students belonging to the general science group are not eligible for admission into engineering or medical colleges.

Humanities group

Eight Cambridge O Level subjects including English and Mathematics with three Cambridge International A Level subjects. Students belonging to the humanities group are not eligible for admission into engineering or medical colleges.

Always check the IBCC website for updates on equivalence: www.ibcc.edu.pk