Cambridge - Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is AICE Comparable with IB and AP?
   Yes, all three programs are well established in the education community and in universities around the country. All 3 programs offer students the ability to obtain college credits while in high school by passing the end of year exam.  AICE exams encourage more conceptual thinking and writing than your typical AP/IB exams.
2. How well known is the AICE Program?
   More than 9000 schools offer Cambridge programs worldwide. Cambridge operates in 160 countries across 6 regions: Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, South Asia, and Southern Africa.  Over 130 schools in Florida and over 200 across the U.S. offer the AICE Program, while more are being added each year.  The 800th anniversary of Cambridge University was celebrated in 2009, and Cambridge Assessment, which is the world’s largest provider of international examinations, celebrated 155 years in 2013. 
3. Do many universities give college credits for AS/A Level exams passed?
   Yes. Cambridge International Examinations publishes a list on its website of US universities that have provided written statements of their AICE (which includes AS and A Levels). If a university admissions counselor is unfamiliar with AICE, CIE suggests that you ask to speak to the international admissions counselor.  All public universities and community colleges in Florida award up to 45 hours of college credit for AICE and AP exams passed.  https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/recognition-search/  You can also review the information from the Florida Department of Education:  https://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/5421/urlt/0078391-acc-cbe.pdf
4. Do students have to earn the full AICE Diploma in order to earn college credits?
   No, students receive General Certificate of Education (GCE) subject certificates for AS and A Level examinations passed. Colleges award credit on a subject–by–subject basis according to grades earned on individual examinations passed.
5. What do I have to do to earn an AICE Diploma Award?
   Students must pass seven credits worth of examinations in a 25 month period. At least one examination must come from each of the three subject groups: Mathematics & Sciences (Group 1), Languages (Group 2), and Arts & Humanities (Group 3) and one credit must come from AS Global Perspectives and Research.  Advanced Subsidiary (AS) Level exams count for one credit and Advanced (A) Level exams can count for a second credit. Students must take and pass the AS exam before taking the A Level exam. If, after taking the exams, a student fails to earn seven credits but has completed the seven classes, he may still qualify for the Florida Medallion Scholarship as long as he has the required SAT/ACT test scores and community service hours.
6. Does earning the AICE Diploma Award qualify students for the Florida Bright Futures tuition scholarship?
   Yes, currently, students who earn the AICE Diploma Award and complete 100 service hours during their high school careers automatically earn the current Florida Academic Scholars tuition scholarship regardless of grade point average and/or college entrance examination scores.  This academic scholarship currently pays 100% of tuition and fees at a Florida Public University.
7. Why should I take AICE courses?
   A study by Bill Kolb, former director of admissions at the University of Florida, found that AICE program graduates attending the University of Florida had an average end-of-freshman year G.P.A. of 3.46 whereas students who came from other acceleration mechanisms like Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) had an average G.P.A. of 3.12 and 3.10 respectively. 
   
   A Cambridge / FSU Study regarding success in the US (titled Are Cambridge International Assessments Good Preparation for University Study?)  outlines the success of Cambridge AICE students at Florida State University and how they are outperforming all other acceleration mechanisms including IB and AP.  https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ962510.pdf
   
   Regarding Cambridge USA Recognition, universities are speaking out on how prepared AICE students are when they enter college. View the video of FSU, DUKE, University of Washington, MIT, and others as they share their opinions on the AICE program: http://www.cie.org.uk/usa/videos/.