A Levels are an internationally recognised pre-university programme with high academic standards. They are exam-based and require in-depth knowledge of the chosen subject matter are equivalent to other pre-university programmes such as Australian Matriculation, Canadian Pre-University (CPU) and the Malaysian STPM.
Though they are known to be challenging, students with this accreditation prove to university selection committees that they are well prepared for the demands of university level study.
A Levels can take anywhere between 15 to 24 months to complete and are typically studied in Years 12 and 13.
There are prerequisites for taking the A Level exams. For more information on how to apply for A Levels in Malaysia, click here.
Students can choose between two to and up to four different subjects, though most universities accept three subjects as the standard. Some students choose to take a fourth subject, as certain courses are only offered as an additional fourth topic.
A Levels in Malaysia are administered by two exam boards, either Cambridge Assessment International Education (CAIE) or Edexcel. At Alice Smith the selection of the examination board varies between subjects depending on which fits our students' needs best.
At Alice Smith, we provide a personalised learning experience for our students undertaking A Levels and have witnessed incredible results. In 2019, 52% of our Year 13 students earned A*/A grades in their A Levels, which compared to the UK National average of 25.2% is a remarkable achievement. Click here to learn more about what our Higher Education Programme looks like at Alice Smith, and how it benefits your children.
Giving Students Choice
At Alice Smith, your children have the option of choosing between 24 A Level subjects, all of which are taught by our team of UK-qualified teachers.
Our incredible range of subjects means that no matter what passion or interest your children choose to undertake for their A Level, we have the programme for them. These include:
- Art and Design
- Biology
- Business
- Economics
- Further Maths (offered as an additional fourth subject only)
- History
- Media Studies
- Psychology
- And many more
With so many options available to choose from, you may be wondering how our students narrow down their selections from 24 to at most four. This is an important decision, as choosing certain topics may limit which university or college courses they can apply to.
We guide our students through the selection process, making sure to consider their career goals, talents and passions so they select the appropriate topics. This undertaking will take over a year to complete, and we believe it’s important our students choose topics that interest them while also providing the necessary prerequisites for their university programme of choice.
Regardless of what subjects your children choose to study, we provide them with one-on-one academic coaching as well as supervised study groups to help ensure they can pass their A Level exams with ease.
Extended Project Qualification
Another aspect of our Sixth Form provision is the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), which distinguishes our students even more during their university application process.
The EPQ consists of either a 5000-word university style essay or an artefact with a long book. Essentially, students gain the experience of writing and defending a thesis, much like writing a dissertation at university level. It’s worth 50% of an A Level and is undertaken by many students in the UK.
Students can choose whatever topic they like as long as it doesn’t overlap with their A Level course content and many use the opportunity to explore a personal passion or interest.
With this freedom, students are able to study a topic they love in depth while developing logic-based argumentative skills, and due to the rigorous demands of completing it, EPQs are regarded with esteem by colleges and universities.
Benefits of A Levels
While undoubtedly challenging, A Levels prepare students for the rigour of post-secondary studies, and performing well on these exams can make gaining entry to world-class universities much easier.
The impressive post-secondary destinations of our graduates at Alice Smith showcase the skills they have developed, and with our rigorous curriculum, our students show top tier universities worldwide that they have earned their top pick status.
Graduates from our Class of 2020 have been accepted to top international universities, with four of our students heading to the University of Cambridge. Additionally, our students have received multiple offers to US universities including Yale University, Duke University and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
To learn more about academic results at Alice Smith and discover how our students are recognised globally for their educational prowess and examination results, click the link below.
