Don't do A levels.

peak

I don't see how it is fair that 3 days of much easier and far more enjoyable work a week. Can almost DOUBLE the amount of ucas points of far more stressful, much more difficult A levels.

No rigorous, academic course offering even a moderate amount of prestige selects its candidates on the basis of UCAS points, as you would already know had you undertaken even the most cursory research into the topic.

For a start, I do know that. But what i also know is that if you only did 3 days a work on A levels for an entire year. You would not even get into a single university. In fact you would probably drop out before the year even finished.

This is not the problem though, I am working smart and I am happy with the grades I am predicted. (at least in terms of A levels). The problem I have is why... just why a b-tec student that only works 3 days a week would just outshine me with 420 ucas points.... FOR LITERALLY NO COMPARABLE EFFORT.

How many hours of work would you say you do in a week on average.

Why should I jut focus on myself? If everyone just focused on themselves we would still be in the stone age.

The whole point in my original post is that even though A levels may be more prestigious than B-Tecs.... A levels have a significantly worse work/reward ratio. And I am trying to give a more fair view to people that are undecided. Or perhaps in that same misguided position (where I though b-tecs were for dropouts) that I was.

So 2 years ago I made the choice to go through with A levels, My best friend chose the route of B-Tec level 3 extended diploma. Initially I laughed at him and thought he had made a stupid foolish decision.

By the end of the first year I was getting weighed down by the 7 days a week constant revision from maths, physics, business studies and that coursework from art. Meanwhile my friend was merrily on his way with his 3 days a week of relaxed work and practical outdoors filming.

And we arrive at the now. I have not been able to go out with friends on many occasions due to work. Nor have I had any significant free time to pursue my passion and hobbies. I have been locked away revising information that I will likely never need again just to get the grades for a university course of my choice.

My friend meanwhile has already finished for the year, during which he has pursued and integrated his course into his passion for BMX. He has had more free time in the last two weeks than I have had in the entire year.

And he just got his results back. Now at GCSE you must bear in mind he was a B/C student, I was slightly higher with pretty much straight B's. However he just got given D*D*D*, which is the equivalent of 420 ucas points or 3 A*'s at A level. Meanwhile after 7 days a week of far more difficult and challenging work constantly throughout the year, I have barely attained a prediction of BBB.

I don't see how it is fair that 3 days of much easier and far more enjoyable work a week. Can almost DOUBLE the amount of ucas points of far more stressful, much more difficult A levels.

Now obviously I am happy for my friend, I am currently contemplating my life and why I didn't choose the same option as him. But how... HOW is this fair?

I have done just over 2x the work of easily 5x the difficulty and I am getting HALF THE REWARD?.

Now obviously I cannot change the entire UK education system. But I warn anybody considering A levels to read up on this and consider how much pain you will go through for such little reward. Do BTEC's.

I know an Asian who's doing 7 A-levels

That's me

Anyway starting in September 2016 exams are being added.

I have done btecs, A levels, nvqs.

They both have value in their own way although what I will say is that btecs and or nvqs can open more employment doors.

I was so stressed from A levels at 16 to 18 and it is something I could have seriously done without in terms of how it effected my health. Give or take a bit, I would probably be in the sameish place now had I have done just btecs and nvqs.

The formative late teen years can be so destructive to young adults health what with all the emphasis and stress on getting particular A level grades. It is not a time of my life I would want to relive (I'm 28 now).

The fact that A level student's are put through the amount of stress that they are. Is just unacceptable and shows how wrong the UK education system is.