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In all honesty, do people look down on BTECs?

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Reply 20
My advice to anyone reading this thread and considering taking a BTEC would be to do 1 or 2 A levels simultaneously, you'll have plenty of time around the BTEC to study for the A level exams and you'll get noticed more by the universities you apply to.
Original post by DiddyDec
They aren't worthwhile subjects.


**** u
Yes A levels are harder due to the fact that there are exams meaning they will have to revise and memorize information for more than 1 subject. But then BTECs are difficult in terms of having tight deadlines for several assignments at the same time throughout the whole year. But really both A levels and BTECs have their pros and cons so I can't say one is better than the other.

There are certain unis that don't accept BTECs. I actually know someone who did A levels and got rejected to do a degree in children's nursing because they end up choosing a student who did a BTEC simply because she did around 4 placements meaning she had the experience in working with children.
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 23
massively
Yes because most people do A levels and they dont understand BTECS.
Original post by 1secondsofvamps
Yes A levels are harder due to the fact that there are exams meaning they will have to revise and memorize information for more than 1 subject. But then BTECs are difficult in terms of having tight deadlines for several assignments at the same time throughout the whole year. But really both A levels and BTECs have their pros and cons so I can't say one is better than the other.

There are certain unis that don't accept BTECs. I actually know someone who did A levels and got rejected to do a degree in children's nursing because they end up choosing a student who did a BTEC simply because she did around 4 placements meaning she had the experience in working with children.


It depends on the modules as well as placement. BTEC childcare goes more indepth in childcare, the modules revolves around childcare itself, training students to become practitioners or go further into education e.g. University. Having experience within a childcare environment is a bonus.
Both have their pros and cons and are suited to a particular type of student.
Reply 27
Original post by Lookingforlight
I heard a staff member say to do that A Levels are much harder, I go to a college and not many people do A Levels. I do a Level 3 BTEC but talking to a few people, they all seem to put it down even though it's equivalent to 3 A Levels, I guess the A Level equivalent of the subject would be harder, so do university honestly look down on BTEC's as opposed to A Levels students?


It's a working class/Chav Qualification
Original post by IFoundWonderland
**** u


soz luv
Original post by Lookingforlight
I heard a staff member say to do that A Levels are much harder, I go to a college and not many people do A Levels. I do a Level 3 BTEC but talking to a few people, they all seem to put it down even though it's equivalent to 3 A Levels, I guess the A Level equivalent of the subject would be harder, so do university honestly look down on BTEC's as opposed to A Levels students?


Those are pretty big words for a BTECH student.
Original post by CrazyFool229
Because you can't do a BTEC Science Level 3 course and be accepted by a medical school.

Spoiler



At undergrad yeah but it's possible for a btec student to study a science at university, do well and then apply for med school. Longer route but still possible
BTEC's are good in that they specialize in that area and not quite as modular and academic as Alevels and usually offer some practical scope which I think makes them incomparable but certainly some worth.

But back in school Btecs did seem to be for those considered low ability and I always felt it was a way for schools to appease the data and league tables. I unfortunately couldn't see the value in their use at the time, as my friends just didn't seem to do nearly as much work, or even practical learning.

It isn't just about the qualification but about the educational journey.
Original post by DiddyDec
Exams have absolutely no bearing on the world outside of education. They are an arbitrary test of memorising facts.
Completely agree and wrote as such in my Education Degree.
Original post by ODES_PDES
YesMost students in my school which were in the bottom sets did BTEC
Your school sucks for having such an outdated method of grouping by the confused term, 'ability'.



Original post by 1secondsofvamps
I actually know someone who did A levels and got rejected to do a degree in children's nursing because they end up choosing a student who did a BTEC simply because she did around 4 placements meaning she had the experience in working with children.


THIS is spot on I think towards the value and worth of Btecs and I know of similar instances.
Original post by Tom__
My advice to anyone reading this thread and considering taking a BTEC would be to do 1 or 2 A levels simultaneously, you'll have plenty of time around the BTEC to study for the A level exams and you'll get noticed more by the universities you apply to.


I second this.
A-levels are for kids who dont know what they wanna study.
Original post by JohnGreek
nice bait


He has some standing? A-levels offer a broad range of subjects whilst Btec's are more directly involved into that field.

Don't you think so?
Original post by JohnGreek
He made a silly, unsubstantiated point that was trying to inflame some sort of debate. One can do A-levels with a set of uni course choices in mind - I picked my A-levels with the expressed purpose of going into Law one day at the same time that BTEC students picked theirs (end of Y.11). Besides, there is something to be said about not committing oneself prematurely to a single career path, particularly when you broadly know what field you wish to go into (say, STEM), but haven't decided on specific course/unis yet.

Leaving the decision as to what you wish to do a year later in your life is hardly something that should be treated pejoratively, as that poster tried to do, particularly when it appears that a number of BTEC students were more or less compelled into specialising early by the school system owing to their poor academic performance.


Great point, I agree with y.ou
Reply 36
Original post by CrazyFool229
Because you can't do a BTEC Science Level 3 course and be accepted by a medical school.

Spoiler



Plymouth, UEA, Keele and I think Nottingham accept (the last 3 for Medicine (6 years) )
Yep..
Reply 38
Original post by Blue_Mason
Can you even fail a BTEC?

If you fail one Pass task from any unit you fail the entire qualification, I've seen people do this, literally 2 years worth of working towards a qualification just to miss one question and fail
Yes, OP.

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