Have you ever been asked what your “level of education is?”. If you don’t know how to answer that question, here is our guide on helping understand what it means.
What Does Education Level Mean?
Your “level of education” is the highest level of school that you have completed if you are finished with your formal education. For those still in formal education, it is the level that you are currently undertaking. It is not talking about your grades.
But what are the levels of education? When will it matter? Are there any issues with such a question? (spoiler: yes)
Today, we’ll look at why and how to answer the common question of “What’s your level of education?”
The Ladder Of Education Levels
In America
In the United States of America, once you leave kindergarten, you then go onto elementary school. This is usually the first introduction to the school system that people have.
Once that’s finished, they then go onto middle school, this is where the learning gets taken up a notch. And after middle school, American teenagers go onto high school.
Once at high school, they work hard on getting their first qualifications, the high school diploma.
And then, those who can and who choose to go onto either college or an apprenticeship. Here, they learn the skills they need for the working world.
In The UK And Australia
In England and Australia however, the system works a bit differently.
Once they leave preschool (if they choose to go), they enter primary school. This is where the learning begins. After primary school, they go onto secondary school to get their GCSEs.
What happens next is up to the student. They can either go onto college to earn A-Levels, or they can go on to do an apprenticeship.
After college, you can go to university to do a degree, or you can do a high-level apprenticeship.
Which pathway is best depends on the individual and their skill set.
At University Level
At university level, there are once again different levels of education. You have not reached the top of the educational ladder yet, you have just climbed high enough to get onto the next ladder.
When you first start at university, you do a bachelor’s degree or Graduates degree in America. If you want to continue with your university education, you can go on to do a masters degree. This one is a bit more difficult, but you can get better jobs with it.
For some jobs such as Doctor, even a masters degree isn’t good enough. For these kinds of jobs, you will need to move on to a Ph. D. Once you have completed your PhD, that is the highest level of education you can get.
When Might You Be Asked About Your Level Of Education?
The most common time to be asked about your “level of education” is when you are applying for a job. If your employer wants someone of a certain educational background to be able to undertake the required work, they need to know if you are qualified for the job.
On a date, there is a small chance someone will want to know if you will be able to get a good job and provide enough money.
You may also be asked by a poll taker or government statistics person so that they can see how well the country is educated.
3 Examples Of “level Of Education” In Sentences
- “Thank you for applying for this role. Unfortunately, we are looking for someone with a higher level of education”
- “She asked me what my level of education was. It was a date, not a job interview, so I left”
- “I took a poll about my level of education. It was kind of embarrassing, but hopefully it will wake the government up to what’s been happening”
Do Grades Matter With Your Level Of Education?
You might be wondering if your specific grades matter when someone asks you about your level of education. And most of the time, the answer is “no”.
If the job you are applying for needs you to have a bachelor’s degree, it shouldn’t matter what your score was. There are very few jobs where your specific grade makes a lot of difference.
The only time it might matter is if you are wanting to go on to further education. For example, you will need specific grades at A-Level to be able to go to university. But, after university, grades do not matter anymore.
Why Knowing Your Level Of Education Is Important
I’m sure there are some of you who are wondering why your level of education matters. But actually, it serves two purposes.
The first, which we’ve already mentioned, is for employers. If you want to be a doctor or a lawyer, you will need to have the right educational background. I wouldn’t want someone operating on me who doesn’t have a university degree.
It can also help the government to understand the importance of education. If they find that people with a degree are 75% less likely to be unemployed than people with just a high-school diploma, they know that getting more people into university will be a goal.
The Issue With Level Of Education
However, there might be some issues with the question “What is your level of education?”.
Let me give you an example….
Daniel has a masters degree in travel and tourism. Mark has an A-Level in biology.
The head of a biology lab asks them both “What’s your level of education?”. Based on this question alone, Daniel is more qualified. But, what use is a masters in travel and tourism in a biology lab?
Even though Mark has a lower level of education, he would be better suited for this role than Daniel.
It also doesn’t account for people who have been successful despite not doing well in formal education, such as business people, performers, and authors.
Conclusion
And now you should know what to say when someone asks about your level of education. All it means is what is the highest level of schooling you have completed. And it is a question most commonly asked by people who you want to be hired by.
Although there are a few issues with the question, it is still important as people with more education, on average, tend to do better than people with less.
Next time someone says “What if your level of education?”, you will now be able to confidently tell them the honest answer.
Martin holds a Master’s degree in Finance and International Business. He has six years of experience in professional communication with clients, executives, and colleagues. Furthermore, he has teaching experience from Aarhus University. Martin has been featured as an expert in communication and teaching on Forbes and Shopify. Read more about Martin here.
