[*pitseleh*]

(Original post by naiadania)
Oh thanks

I got Maths- a*, Bio- a*, Physics- a*, Chem- a, English Language- a, French- b, Further Maths- c

And just the one BTEC H&Soc Care - D*

Not that many subjects, as Year 11 was my first year here in the UK, and I had to do everything in just one year. The BTEC was really too much coursework for one year, but it was the one that I worked hardest on at the expense of the other subjects. I was ill-advised and thought I was working going to get 4 a*.

It was actually through applying for work experience that I found out that BTECs might not count. I applied to some medicine residentials and medical summer schools thinking I was eligible but actually not having the required amount of a* without my BTEC to be accepted. It's a closed circle for those with poor GCSEs.

I'm really disillusioned now, but yeah. There's no way but forward, so I'll just have to do my best with A-levels.

While I know it must be very disappointing to have found out so late that the BTEC wouldn't count as much as you thought it would, you really don't have poor GCSE grades: you have great results in all the most important subjects. Did you know that universities take poor advice from schools into consideration? If whoever writes your university reference explains that it was school policy to get students to take BTECs rather than more GCSEs, that won't go ignored by the admissions people.

As for work experience: think less about specific programmes, and more about places local to you: care homes, hospitals, GP surgeries, day care centres, etc. You don't have to have A*s pouring out of your ears to apply for work experience at these places.

It's a real shame that your school advised you poorly, but fortunately you're still in a position where this won't hold you back unless you let it. Keep on keeping on.

[im so fresh]

Just one question,
How do people get about into doing a btec?
correct me if im wrong but i thought everyone is entered for GCSE first? in yr 11
Also why do people do btecs instead of GCSEs?

[Tahooper]

BTEC = Vocational qualification (good for apprenticeships)

GCSE = Academic qualification (good for A-Levels)

[im so fresh]

(Original post by Tahooper)
BTEC = Vocational qualification (good for apprenticeships)

GCSE = Academic qualification (good for A-Levels)

that made sense now.
thx

[kidoo]

(Original post by naiadania)
It's ridiculous, isn't it? This year my head of Sixth form is forcing us all to do the Extended Project Qualification. When I tried to drop out, she said I'm not allowed to because the fees have already been paid for, and I'd be losing the school money. Also said if I don't do it I'd have a "U" in my UCAS application. When someone's parent called in to complain about this, they found out the head's been lying all along, and that none of the students have even been entered yet.

Hopefully some aspiring medical students will see this thread and drop the Health and Social Care BTECs they've been conned into doing. Two subject blocks, enough coursework to be worth 4 GCSEs in terms of workload. Just a terrible waste of time.

I know it sucks, Secondary schools get a larger grant per student who does some of these vocational courses as the government is trying to encourage schools to take them up, as a result they often deceive students into doing these qualifications which are hardly recognised.

It's also an even bigger blow that now the Tory governemnt has decided to take a U-turn on Labours vocational qualifcation plans and cut most vocational qualifications from league tables - In other words those qualifications are now useless. If the government dosent recognise them then who on Earth will?!?

(Original post by BBC)
Most GCSE equivalents axed from school league tables:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-16789215

[KingGoonIan]

(Original post by Hippokrates)
But it not equivalent in unis' and employers' eyes is it?

Well aye it is if it's relevant. Am well sick of people telling me it's as good as A Levels, am a Nursing applicant and my BTEC is far better than other people's A Levels because it means I actually have experience of practice and actually have a lot of relevant knowledge to Nursing unlike applicants taking A Levels.

People negging me for saying it's equivalent need ta open ya minds a little.

[Hippokrates]

(Original post by KingGoonIan)
Well aye it is if it's relevant. Am well sick of people telling me it's as good as A Levels, am a Nursing applicant and my BTEC is far better than other people's A Levels because it means I actually have experience of practice and actually have a lot of relevant knowledge to Nursing unlike applicants taking A Levels.

People negging me for saying it's equivalent need ta open ya minds a little.

They're negging you because you're wrong. BTECs are for less academically capable people so they should by right be worth less. You can get experience outside the classroom hours anyway, otherwise how would medical applicants get experience. You can argue how valuable BTECs are forever but someone with AAA is much more intelligent than someone with DDD in a BTEC. The government have stopped them counting in league tables because they are soft choices.

[shirlene1411]

(Original post by Hippokrates)
They're negging you because you're wrong. BTECs are for less academically capable people so they should by right be worth less. You can get experience outside the classroom hours anyway, otherwise how would medical applicants get experience. You can argue how valuable BTECs are forever but someone with AAA is much more intelligent than someone with DDD in a BTEC. The government have stopped them counting in league tables because they are soft choices.

I do agree that A levels are academically better, and students that work at an A level standard are probably more prepared for uni work, but in terms of Nursing, you can't just rely on good work on paper to be a nurse, you need good people skills and to be physically good at the job role. A lot of A level students I have worked with couldn't deal with vomit, urine or faeces at all and had totally unrelistic idea's of what a nurse does, where as those at a BTEC level had the vocational practice to know what it was actually like to work on a ward with the patients. As well as this, many maturer students who maybe did not do so well as a student, do great access or BTEC courses to get them into university to do Nursing. I dont think its fair that you say those that do A levels are 'much more intelligent'......some ways work for others and some don't, everyone has their own preference on how they want to achieve career

[machines]

(Original post by naiadania)
I got Maths- a*, Bio- a*, Physics- a*, Chem- a, English Language- a, French- b, Further Maths- c

And just the one BTEC H&Soc Care - D*

Not that many subjects, as Year 11 was my first year here in the UK, and I had to do everything in just one year. The BTEC was really too much coursework for one year, but it was the one that I worked hardest on at the expense of the other subjects. I was ill-advised and thought I was working going to get 4 a*.

It was actually through applying for work experience that I found out that BTECs might not count. I applied to some medicine residentials and medical summer schools thinking I was eligible but actually not having the required amount of a* without my BTEC to be accepted. It's a closed circle for those with poor GCSEs.

I'm really disillusioned now, but yeah. There's no way but forward, so I'll just have to do my best with A-levels.

How frustrating! What proportion of your classmates were doing majority BTECs versus doing only traditional GCSEs? I for one am so very glad that the government are dropping a ton of qualifications from the league tables. It looks to me like your school only encouraged people to do them to beef up their rankings - absolutely despicable behaviour that has left you less well equipped to do what you're probably capable of.

And I must disagree with a couple of earlier posts.

(Original post by shirlene1411)
some ways work for others and some don't, everyone has their own preference on how they want to achieve career

This is just the kind of thing you hear a lot of from careers advisors. Just no. No no no no no. Its just not helpful. ~17000 people apply for ~7000 places - medical schools (rightly!) don't want to hear sob stories about how your career plan is a good 'fit' for you etc etc etc.

(Original post by kidoo)
It's also an even bigger blow that now the Tory governemnt [sic] has decided to take a U-turn on Labours [sic] vocational qualifcation [sic] plans and cut most vocational qualifications from league tables - In other words those qualifications are now useless. If the government dosent [sic] recognise them then who on Earth will?!?

(Some!) of the qualifications were always 'useless', in the sense that they lock you into low prestige jobs and, by being blanket enforced by loads of schools and colleges, lead to an educational apartheid where thousands of kids will never, ever, enter middle class professions like law and medicine. It didn't take the bloody Tories to make them useless!

Best of luck anyway. You've got a string of other good GCSEs and if you keep working hard you'll get good A-levels. You're going to need to work extra hard because of this, but it'll all be worth it. I'm also going to agree with an earlier post - you MUST make sure your referee makes it CRYSTAL CLEAR why you haven't done those extra GCSEs instead.

For anyone else reading this who is being let down and pushed in the BTEC/vocational direction... please, please just ignore your careers advisors with their low expectations. Research everything yourself. TSR is a good place to start.