The Owls question

[Susan Atherton]

No: HPFGUIDX 53599

bboy_mn speculated:
Pure speculation, but I think the test are general knowledge tests.
You get credit for anything you can establish that you have sufficient
general knowledge in.
For example:
We have something called CLEP (I used to know what that stood for) tests. 
When you enter college, especially if you are an older student, you
can take the CLEP tests and 'CLEP out' of specific subject in which
you have proven that you already have knowledge. I 'CLEP'ed out of
Freshman Biology, which surprised me because I didn't think I knew
that much about Biology. So on that one subject I got a free ride. I
got the college credits without taking the class or paying the cost.

And I respond:
Can I first say, it's nice to hear a question on HPfGU I've never heard before? We're so short of unanalysed canon that it's nice when someone comes up with a fresh idea, not just a fresh perspective. 

Secondly, the question of OWLs. Well, I don't know whether the OWLs and NEWTs are supposed to correspond to GCSEs and A Levels, but having just finished college (ie finished A Levels) I find the question intriguing. The CLEPs that bboy mentions have a similar parallel in the UK - the General Studies exam. This is something you can take at A Level, either in AS or A2 (Advanced Subsiduary or Advanced2; the Curriculum 2000 names for the first and second years) without taking any classes. Basically, you turn up for the exam (you can choose whether or not to be entered for it) and you are tested on one language, GCSE level Maths skills, vocab, creative writing, general knowledge and the like. Actually, one of my group of friends made a bit of a screwup on the general knowledge - when faced with the essay "Do you think the current monarch should be head of the country?" she answered "No, I think the Queen should do it instead." True story, sadly. Ah, our Nic.

Anyway, the point is, you can take the whole A Level in one year, instead of two, simply by taking a couple of extracurricular brush-up lessons on your language and maths skills (ie during dinnertime or straight after school, not at weekends or anything) and then taking the exam. Some universities won't count the General Studies A Level to be a proper A Level (you are also required to take at least four to AS, with the option of dropping one for the second year - most people do) and insist on the correct grades for your other three, but some will, and if you screw up on your exam it can be very useful.

Of course, the GS exam is only available in A Level, and there's no GCSE equivalent (no classes but credit anyway), so unless Perce took himself some extra subjects in the teacher's spare time and with a lot of reading, I don't really know... of course, OWLs and NEWTs *aren't* GCSEs and A Levels, so I guess we won't know for sure until Hermione takes hers.



Susan
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