IGCSE/GCSE/O & A Level/IB/University Student Forum

Teachers and Students => Debates => Topic started by: $tyli$h Executive on December 16, 2009, 05:40:45 am

Title: Which is easier - CIE or Edexcel?
Post by: $tyli$h Executive on December 16, 2009, 05:40:45 am: Hi Everybody,

We all know that CIE is an examination body under the University of Cambridge. And Edexcel is under University of London. These two examination bodies are undertaken extensively by international students. Different formats of questions, as well as of different difficulty levels are prepared by both the examination bodies.

I decided to conduct a verbal and informal survey among 18 of my friends, all of whom are studying CIE. Among them 13 answered that CIE question papers are ‘significantly harder’ than their Edexcel equivalent. Three said that they are the same. Only two said that CIE question papers are easier. I also asked all of them if they have ever solved Edexcel papers. Surprisingly, only 3 of them solved ‘a few’ Edexcel question papers. And they are ready to comment that Edexcel is easier!

So, I downloaded some English language question paper of Edexcel (GCE O’ Level). When I tried to solve them, I found that the Edexcel question paper was too lengthy, tested much more skills and was much more difficult than the equivalent CIE language papers. Similarly, I downloaded commerce, physics, chemistry and biology question papers. Physics Edexcel question papers was very easy compared to the CIE ones. Chemistry was much easier for edexcel. Biology paper was easy for CIE. The Bengali question papers were much more harder, lengthy and difficult in Edexcel too. While Bengali in CIE is a piece of cake for many!

What I think is that, Edexcel question papers tests more theoretical aspects. Whereas, CIE tests more applied and practical /creative concepts. Another interesting finding was that question repetition in Edexcel question papers were fairly common. If anybody solves the previous 10 years question paper before going to exam, he/she is bound to get fairly common questions and do well in the exam. Whereas, in CIE, I didn’t find a single example of question repetition in the past years questions (except few MCQs).

Feel free to express your own opinion regarding this. Try to present your own views and experiences in solving these two bodies’ question papers.

Cheers!
Title: Re: Which is easier - CIE or Edexcel?
Post by: Saladin on January 29, 2010, 06:25:34 am: You've hit the nail on the head.
Title: Re: Which is easier - CIE or Edexcel?
Post by: The Golden Girl =D on July 08, 2010, 02:28:00 pm: i've been told the Edexcel is the easier. I'm takin it cuz most UNIs ask for the GCE- A Level ,u see.
Title: Re: Which is easier - CIE or Edexcel?
Post by: I'm a mistake - legalize abortion! on July 08, 2010, 02:32:42 pm: gg is bored... ::)
Title: Re: Which is easier - CIE or Edexcel?
Post by: The Golden Girl =D on July 08, 2010, 02:33:20 pm: Quote from: Kheper on July 08, 2010, 02:32:42 pm
gg is bored... ::)

haha lol , i actually yes lol :D :D :D
Title: Re: Which is easier - CIE or Edexcel?
Post by: Heart Hacker on July 09, 2010, 12:45:19 pm: this is what i have heard

IGCSE > CIE is easier

A levels > Edexcel is easier

i dnt knw how because i havent had much experience in Edexcel as im just starting Edexcel
Title: Re: Which is easier - CIE or Edexcel?
Post by: M-H on July 12, 2010, 11:50:50 am: HH and SE...i apeard fr gce edxcel bangla..and i duno tuf or hard..
but the markin was seriously HORID n confusin...
look im not a v good student in bangla..esp cz i make alota mstakes ..nd i scored 83-wich was imposible
hw did u guys find the CIE markin?
Title: Re: Which is easier - CIE or Edexcel?
Post by: Heart Hacker on July 12, 2010, 12:23:12 pm: sorry , didnt understand what u actually want to know :)
Title: Re: Which is easier - CIE or Edexcel?
Post by: $tyli$h Executive on July 12, 2010, 12:31:56 pm: Quote from: M-H on July 12, 2010, 11:50:50 am
HH and SE...i apeard fr gce edxcel bangla..and i duno tuf or hard..
but the markin was seriously HORID n confusin...
look im not a v good student in bangla..esp cz i make alota mstakes ..nd i scored 83-wich was imposible
hw did u guys find the CIE markin?

I did solve some Edexcel bangla questions. They were VERY hard. There were translations, with several paragraphs which used complex words and sentences.

Whereas, you can easily download the CIE Bangla paper for any year from FEP or xtremepapers. It is more lengthy, but much easier than edexcel. :)
Title: Re: Which is easier - CIE or Edexcel?
Post by: M-H on July 12, 2010, 12:47:43 pm: i meant i m convinced sths definitely wrong wt edexcel markin as far as bangla is concerned...hw dd u guys find the CIE markin...fair and ok??
if i get 83 in bangla...il b kazi nazrul islam..so the case is like that..i cudnt hav scored that much
ekhon bujle?? :D
Title: Re: Which is easier - CIE or Edexcel?
Post by: Heart Hacker on July 12, 2010, 12:53:07 pm: ha ha ekhn buchhi ;D ekhn theke bhalo moto bujhaba ;D

a couple of my friends gave edexcel bangla too .. they said it was tough..
but anyways i asked some senior frnds about edexcel ..and they say edexcel marking is weird .they even give minus marks :O

and i have even heard that they give students less marks intentionally ..is it true?
Title: Re: Which is easier - CIE or Edexcel?
Post by: $tyli$h Executive on July 12, 2010, 12:53:27 pm: Quote from: M-H on July 12, 2010, 12:47:43 pm
i meant i m convinced sths definitely wrong wt edexcel markin as far as bangla is concerned...hw dd u guys find the CIE markin...fair and ok??
if i get 83 in bangla...il b kazi nazrul islam..so the case is like that..i cudnt hav scored that much
ekhon bujle?? :D

I got 92 in Bengali in May/June 2009 session. Some of my friends too got near marks. Tahole ki ami Kazi Nazrul hoye gelam...? ::)

CIE is much easier. Download any one question paper from here : http://www.xtremepapers.net/CIE/index.php?dir=Cambridge%20O%20Levels/3204%20-%20Bengali/ (http://www.xtremepapers.net/CIE/index.php?dir=Cambridge%20O%20Levels/3204%20-%20Bengali/)

There are 2 papers. First one deals with letter/essay etc. Second one tests grammer and comprehension(MCQ)

ebar bujhle? :D
Title: Re: Which is easier - CIE or Edexcel?
Post by: M-H on July 12, 2010, 01:32:20 pm: u still dont understand...i cudnt hav got 83...not 83 ohk...i mean i kno my capabilities in bangla..i literally suck at it! i mean to say that if i get 83 ...tht says sth...ayt..il chk those..thx fr gvin them :)
Title: Re: Which is easier - CIE or Edexcel?
Post by: $tyli$h Executive on July 12, 2010, 01:33:18 pm: Quote from: M-H on July 12, 2010, 01:32:20 pm
u still dont understand...i cudnt hav got 83...not 83 ohk...i mean i kno my capabilities in bangla..i literally suck at it! i mean to say that if i get 83 ...tht says sth...ayt..il chk those..thx fr gvin them :)

I used to "Suck" in bengali too in school. Never got more than 75.
Title: Re: Which is easier - CIE or Edexcel?
Post by: M-H on July 12, 2010, 01:36:25 pm: haha tbh never more than 60 :P
cz i hav suckin spelin mstakes...i didnt kno the spelin of poribesh :P
u kno..wt those..ugh..cant xplain :D
Title: Re: Which is easier - CIE or Edexcel?
Post by: $tyli$h Executive on July 12, 2010, 01:37:53 pm: Quote from: M-H on July 12, 2010, 01:36:25 pm
haha tbh never more than 60 :P
cz i hav suckin spelin mstakes...i didnt kno the spelin of poribesh :P
u kno..wt those..ugh..cant xplain :D

Haha, don't worry! :D

So, you're giving IGCSE this session?
Title: Re: Which is easier - CIE or Edexcel?
Post by: M-H on July 12, 2010, 01:49:29 pm: told u...im done wt AS :P
i gave my igcse last sumer
wil b startin A2 next month :P when skul re opens :P
Title: Re: Which is easier - CIE or Edexcel?
Post by: $tyli$h Executive on July 12, 2010, 01:51:42 pm: Oh,, then you need not give Bengali! Theres no bengali in AS or A2 in CIE as far as I know. DOn't know about edexcel though.

tumi ki atokhon edexcel A level bangla niye kotha bolchile?? OMG! Ami bhabchilam O level niye!!! :D :D
Title: Re: Which is easier - CIE or Edexcel?
Post by: M-H on July 12, 2010, 10:16:03 pm: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO o level!!! goshhhh...eeeeee y wud i ever tk bangla in a levels...matha kharap? :D..im so sry if didnt mention it earlier

anyway anyway..conclusion..the person who checkd my paper is an illiterate :P:D whom i need to b xtremly thankful to cz i got the A anyway :D
Title: Re: Which is easier - CIE or Edexcel?
Post by: $tyli$h Executive on July 12, 2010, 10:33:51 pm: Its great to hear you got an A! Congratulations! :D
Title: Re: Which is easier - CIE or Edexcel?
Post by: M-H on July 13, 2010, 06:49:28 am: thanks for that post
thanks for that post :P :P

i know u didn't do it on purpose..but haha let it be like that ..it reinforces what a great thing i did with the A and how happy you are ::):P
Title: Re: Which is easier - CIE or Edexcel?
Post by: $tyli$h Executive on July 13, 2010, 05:27:36 pm: Okay, I removed it now. :P
Title: Re: Which is easier - CIE or Edexcel?
Post by: M-H on July 14, 2010, 12:46:52 pm: Quote from: Heart Hacker on July 12, 2010, 12:53:07 pm
ha ha ekhn buchhi ;D ekhn theke bhalo moto bujhaba ;D

a couple of my friends gave edexcel bangla too .. they said it was tough..
but anyways i asked some senior frnds about edexcel ..and they say edexcel marking is weird .they even give minus marks :O

and i have even heard that they give students less marks intentionally ..is it true?

OMG! i read ur post jst now...
so well...the marking is WIERD indeed!!...