Help! Understanding the O.W.L.s

[mcdee1980]

No: HPFGUIDX 102830

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Betsy Cortés" 
<betsymarie123 at h...> wrote:
> >~Maitresse <ciceronian at h...> wrote:
> >Bill and Percy both received twelve O.W.L.s, I assumed Hermione
> >would be on par with Bill and Percy but as to my calculations she 
is
> >only taking ten classes so how would you get twelve O.W.L.s from
> >that?
> >
> >Did Bill and Percy take that many more classes? Why wouldn't
> >Hermione take the max amount, although I do understand that the one
> >O.W.L. would have been dropped for Divination. 
> 
> Betsey:
> Hi.  I guess that some classes counts for two O.W.L.S. because they 
include 
> a theory and a practical exams.

Lady McBeth

Okay,  there are 12 courses offered before OWLs: DADA, Potions, 
Transfiguration, History of Magic, Charms, Astronomy, Herbology, 
Arithmancy, Ancient Runes, Divination, Care of Magical Creatures, and 
Muggle Studies.  It is possible to earn 12 OWLs.  It would make sense 
then, that each course has only one OWL.  How on earth could you earn 
all 12?  Hermione couldn't stay in all 12 classes, she dropped Muggle 
Studies and Divination.  I think particularly adept students could 
learn a subject on their own or with help from the teacher for that 
class, a 7th year, or their Head of House.  Muggle Studies, for 
example could probably be passed without taking the course, just by 
doing the readings for the class.  Divination and Care of Magical 
Creatures would probably fall into the same catagory.  I took and 
passed several Advanced Placement tests, in high school, without ever 
taking the classes, just did some studying on my own.   
Students at HOgwarts take 7 classes their first two years and then 
add 2 more their 3rd year.  If each practical exam and each theory 
exam counts for one OWL it adds up to 17 OWLs (History of Magic would 
not have a practical exam)  Either JKR is having trouble with her 
maths again or . . .


Lady McBeth