O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s

[alhewison]

No: HPFGUIDX 34584

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "jrwilkens" <wilke013 at g...> wrote:
> As an American (well out of high school!) I was curious if anyone 
familiar with education in Britain could 
> tell me if there are anything similar to these delightfully named 
tests taken by Hogwarts students in the 
> British system?  In other words, standarized tests taken around age 
15 as well as in the last school 
> year?  
> 
> Also what are the twelve possible O.W.L.s one can achieve?  (I'm 
assuming twelve is maximum based on 
> quotes relating to Percy and Barty Crouch, etal.)  Are passing 
these tests necessary to graduation and if 
> so, does passing at least one O.W.L. count?
> 
> JRW (who is terribly obsessive-compulsive about tests and likes to 
know exactly where she stands on 
> them!)