Cambridge CPE Proficiency Was Easier Than Expected
Yesterday I took the Cambridge CPE (Certificate of Proficiency in English) English exams at a certified university in town. The Cambridge English exams come in five levels, and Proficiency is the highest. The exams started at 9:00 AM and ended at 4:00 PM, and on the night before I thought it was going to be hell doing a test for 7 hours (or actually slightly less than 6, as we were to be given an hour for lunch and some small breaks in-between the different parts of the test).
The test cost quite a bit (1600 SEK, $200 USD+), but luckily our school, being an English one, paid half the fee. Looking at practice tests, I got the impression that it would be very hard and was pretty nervous. However, doing the actual test went much better than expected. Me and a few friends always finished the parts much (20-45 minutes) before the deadlines so we had comfortable breaks in between, arriving fully refreshed for the next part. I answered all the questions, and had very few problems. I expect an A, or at very least a B.
Why did I take the test?
Some universities abroad require an English certificate. I’m planning to study in Sweden, so I don’t need it for my education. The reason I took this test is because I’m planning on taking a year off for adventure in China before university, and as a high school graduate, I really have nothing to offer potential employers.
Nowadays, everyone graduates from high school, and graduating from high school alone will get you nowhere. Therefore, it can feel good for me to head off to China with a CPE certificate so I at least have a backup plan - working as an English teacher if my web adventures goes kaput. Also, CPE certificates are valid indefinitely unlike many other English certificates, so I’ll definitely have use for it in the future. At the very least, a good CPE grade can be used as a qualification when looking for a job.
