Flexibility in offers.

Hi, i'm currently in my first year of (Don't laugh, they apparently do accept them) a BTEC National Diploma for I.T. Practioners course. The typical offer is stated to be a DDM (320) but I'm on target to achieve a DDD (360 Ucas points) (Not hard to get really). The only problem is my GCSE Maths, which is shall we say...rather lacking due to an illness in my final GCSE year.

I'm thinking of Computer Science, and I wouldn't say I have an issue with maths but it's obviously not there on paper. I'll have a Key Skills Level 2 'qualification' in AoN (Which, according to many academic sources, is the equivalent of a C in GCSE Maths (The typical offer is a B) at the end of the course and I'll be a mature student as well as having a DDD from my course. Counting the last 2 factors, can this offset my lacklustre equivalent for a GCSE Maths result?

If needs be I'll try and get my GCSE Maths up to par during the summer, but since I'm rather skint right now I'd rather avoid the expense if I can.

Reply 1

Progashman

DeutschMarc

Hi, i'm currently in my first year of (Don't laugh, they apparently do accept them) a BTEC National Diploma for I.T. Practioners course. The typical offer is stated to be a DDM (320) but I'm on target to achieve a DDD (360 Ucas points) (Not hard to get really). The only problem is my GCSE Maths, which is shall we say...rather lacking due to an illness in my final GCSE year.

I'm thinking of Computer Science, and I wouldn't say I have an issue with maths but it's obviously not there on paper. I'll have a Key Skills Level 2 'qualification' in AoN at the end of the course and I'll be a mature student as well as having a DDD from my course. Counting the last 2 factors, can this offset my lacklustre equivalent for a GCSE Maths result?

If needs be I'll try and get my GCSE Maths up to par during the summer, but since I'm rather skint right now I'd rather avoid the expense if I can.

I'm pretty sure they would want a GCSE in maths and english language at grade C's, this is the bare standard minimum for like any university course.

Reply 2

DeutschMarc

OP

I understand that, and my English is at a grade C. However, as I've mentioned before the Key skills 'qualification' is, according to many academic sources, the equivalent of a C in GCSE Maths (The typical offer requires a B).

Reply 3

clementinek

5

Sorry to but in with not much help but if you cannot afford to pay for a GCSE Maths course at college, consider self teaching yourself and then booking the exams as an external private candidate.My college let me do this and because I was already a student there on a different course, I only had to pay £20 per module, so £60 total. Still not cheap but better.

I think highly respected universities are much less willing to accept AoN as an alternative, a few ex-polytechnics do, but most generally want the GCSE.

Reply 4

DeutschMarc

OP

Aye, that's what I thought. I'd really like to go to a 'real' university and am willing to acquire the grades that I need to achieve this. I suppose £60 is something that I could afford :wink:

I'll give the admissions office a call at some point. Perhaps they can shed some light on the matter. And please, just because my GCSE results are lacking, don't presume that i'm some BTEC moron. I'm no genius, but my lacklustre GCSE grades do betray my true intellect.

Reply 5

Tha_Black_Shinobi

17

If you can't get at least a C in GCSE maths then computer science is not for you. The fact that you are doing Btecs is going to make it even harder for you

Reply 6

clementinek

5

I'm definitely not assuming you're a moron :smile:

If anything I'm not much different (I'm a mature student, was very ill at school and only took one GCSE at the time)

Lots of luck to you for trying to better your life! Anything other than A levels will always be classed as second rate by most people and doing anything other such as Access, Btech etc makes it considerably harder to get into good universities, but that doesn't for a second mean you can't! I'm doing my second Access to HE in September and I often feel frightened to tell people where I am hoping to apply but all that matters is that you know what your abilities are.

Reply 7

Reformed2010

19

DeutschMarc

Hi, i'm currently in my first year of (Don't laugh, they apparently do accept them) a BTEC National Diploma for I.T. Practioners course. The typical offer is stated to be a DDM (320) but I'm on target to achieve a DDD (360 Ucas points) (Not hard to get really). The only problem is my GCSE Maths, which is shall we say...rather lacking due to an illness in my final GCSE year.

I'm thinking of Computer Science, and I wouldn't say I have an issue with maths but it's obviously not there on paper. I'll have a Key Skills Level 2 'qualification' in AoN (Which, according to many academic sources, is the equivalent of a C in GCSE Maths (The typical offer is a B) at the end of the course and I'll be a mature student as well as having a DDD from my course. Counting the last 2 factors, can this offset my lacklustre equivalent for a GCSE Maths result?

If needs be I'll try and get my GCSE Maths up to par during the summer, but since I'm rather skint right now I'd rather avoid the expense if I can.

It depends on the individual and their circumstances. I needed AAB and i got in with AAC but was given a unconditional offer. This is also despite having no A grades for GCSE and a fair few C's and D's. My teacher reckons my personal statement and academic reference was the saving grace.

So my advice is if you want to go to University of Nottingham that much, do pay for for that GCSE maths and score the best you can. Make sure your academic reference praises your abilities and achievements. I treated every day like it mattered, always working hard, head down and became the teachers pet. I was paid in kind with an amazing reference and I guess it helped.

Reply 8

DeutschMarc

OP

As I said before, I didn't get my Maths GCSE because of an illness, not because of an inability to cope with the work. Grrr.

I am aware that BTEC's are normally seen as '2nd rate' but the fact stands that they do mention that it's accepted and that my results will exceed the stated typical offer. That's all.

Well, we'll see. If I can't get into a half-decent University then I won't bother at all. A degree from some ex-polytechnic is not usually worth the paper it's written on. Having had Epilepsy has really ruined things for me, especially since the options available to me restrict my academic mobility. Gay.

I imagine my references will be excellent. I spend most of my time in the library or doing work at home as well as being active in lessons (Especially in Programming). My work normally ends up being 'over the top' for the required standard but it shows that i'm enthusiastic about the course material!

Reply 9

DarkWhite

17

Your best bet by far is to just contact Admissions and ask. You'll have a chance to explain your situation and so forth, so they can give you a proper answer :smile:

I'm not really sure a Key Skills Certificate in Application of Numeracy really lives up to much (I do have these myself), and I'm not sure how it equates to any GCSE grade, because I don't remember doing anything mathsy in my Key Skills; it's Numeracy, not Maths. Sorry if that sounds harsh, but I really think you'd be best to try and get your GCSE Maths done over the Summer. At this level, it shouldn't be difficult to do :smile:

Reply 10

DeutschMarc

OP

I agree. The work that I've seen with regards to AoN is a joke. Still, if they accept it, they accept it. Thanks for all the replies! (And thanks for the low BTEC bashing to useful replies ratio).