Well, in England, A-Level (which stands for advanced level) exams are taken at the age of about 18, after 2 years of studying. After the first year we take a Mock exam, but doesnt really count towards the final grade. Students normally take 3 A-Level subjects, but some take 4. They are what universities look for when considering applicants. The grades/points are as follows: -
A (80% +) = 10 points
B (70% +) = 8
C (60% +) = 6
D (50% +) = 4
E (40% +) = 2
N (which means "Nearly" - 30% +) = 0
U (which means "Ungraded" - (20% +) = 0
X (which means that the student was absent from the exam) = 0
For something like Medicine, most universities would want grades like AAA (30 points), or AAB (28 points). Some higher class universities might want something like 34 points, which would mean that the student would have to take 4 A-Level subjects. The number of points required depends on the subject, but I would think that normally, CCC is a good average.
I originally wanted to become an Optician, so I took Biology, Chemistry and Maths when I did my A-Levels. I dropped Biology after the first year, because I was basically crap at it! So I was left with 2 subjects.
In the end, I got NN, which was very crap indeed, but still I got into university, and after 3 1/2 years there, I have 2 qualifications - an HND (Higher National Diploma) in Computing and Mathematical Sciences, and a BSc (Bachelor of Science) in Multimedia Technology and Applications.
Right now, there is a slight change in the system whereby student now take 4 or 5 "AS-Levels". They can drop a subject after the first few months. I'm not sure how the new AS-Levels work though....
