Bit of advice please?

Hi, I am also doing a BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma, however mine is in Applied Science (Medical Science).

I am currently in my second year, but this time last year I was in exactly the same position as you, worried that universities wouldn't accept the BTEC qualification. It made it worse that I wanted to do Chemistry, as a lot of uni's didn't believe the BTEC had enough chemistry content.
I started to email unis asking if they'd accept it for Chemistry and I started to get the same response 'not enough chemistry content'. I spoke with my tutor and he said that there definitely is enough Chemistry content, it's just that the Uni's don't understand the BTEC. So I started to email the Uni's the list of the units I did within the course and I also highlighted all of the chemistry content from the syllabus (you can find it on Edexcel)

Some universities were still snobbish about the BTEC, still giving me the same response. However, others started to understand the amount we actually do.

York invited me to visit them and chat more about my course, where the admissions tutor showed me about the BSc Chemistry, showed me around the department and asked me a few chemistry questions. After the interview-type meeting, the admissions tutor was convinced I do enough chemistry and now I have an offer from them. It really does make a difference if you can meet up with the admissions tutor, either on an open day or on an independent visit and prove to them that you can do what they need you to do for the degree. York is now my firm choice

Some universities suggested I applied for foundation chemistry, so I did that for those.

The uni's i have applied for are York BSc (received offer - DDD), Nottingham Trent BSc (Received offer - DMM) Birmingham Foundation (waiting on offer), Keele, Foundation (waiting on offer) and Loughborough BSc (waiting on offer).

It may also be noting that York is joint 5th in the country for Chemistry, so doing a BTEC doesnt mean you'll only get offers from lower ranked uni's, if you put the effort in to show them that you really can do what they need you to so then they'll be happy to give you an offer. It's definitely worth meeting the admissions tutor face to face.

I know that you want to do Computer Science, and I wanted to do Chemistry so it wont be exactly the same, but I dont think you should lose hope with BTEC. It's alot harder to get into a decent uni with a BTEC but it's not impossible! Just try and you'll get there

I agree with Chloe. You do have to do a lot to get into a top 10 University with a BTEC, but it isn't impossible. I am also studying a level 3 extended diploma in IT, and I can tell you that a lot of Universities are willing to take you on with a good GCSE grade in Maths. If you're looking at a top 10 University like UCL or Bristol, they will likely want you to have A level Maths along with your BTEC course having triple distinction.

I recieved an offer from Newcastle University to achieve triple distinction in my course for 2013, which I am very happy with, and I regard Newcastle to be a good University. So you definitely shouldn't worry so much. Retake GCSE Maths if you can and try to reach an A or A* grade as I feel this will help a lot, as will A level Maths if you think you're capable of achieving a B grade or above in this.

Quite a few high-ranked universities do accept BTECs these days, but some are rather reluctant to express that directly.

One key issue can be for those departments that require 'A' level maths for all computing courses - often they will accept BTECs alongside an 'A' level maths, but not otherwise. From what you say, I suspect you've not studied maths 'A' level, so that may be a key issue.

However, there is a second concern I think you should be aware of. While some places now take BTECs, they're relatively unfamiliar with the needs of students from a BTEC background. What I would strongly recommend is asking specifically how many BTEC students they take, and what they think the differences between BTEC and 'A' level students is. I suspect you'll find a sharp distinction between different departments.

Some good ones have a long record of taking BTEC students, and have ensured their first year gives you an equal chance to A level folks. Others have made relatively little accommodation. For example, City, where I work these days, has a long track record of taking BTEC students, and the first year is balanced between different assessment types; whereas when I was in Wales, I know similar departments there took a 'sink or swim' attitude, and were focussed on closed exams. Despite the formal BTEC-friendly admissions policy, lecturers poured scorn on BTEC students in private. The different rates of success of BTEC students between one or other style of department is striking.

A few simple questions should give you some idea of where things are heading - if BTEC students have similar success rates and they can tell you what the differences are, it's probably a good place (even if they're quite new to taking BTECs).

As other posters have noted, some really good departments are BTEC-friendly - but not all that take BTECs are!

All the best!

George

Thanks, I have an A in GCSE maths so I should be fine with that, the only other GCSE requirement I see is English and I have a B in that. Again may I ask what are your GCSE's? They are kind of bothering me as much as my course, although I'm taking an extra GCSE in something next year as most of the rest of my class are getting a scheduled class of GCSE maths as a lot don't have it. And congrats on your offer for Newcastle, by all accounts a good uni. Also could I ask where else you applied to actually?

I applied for Newcastle, Kent, Reading and Aberystwyth.

I have 7 GCSEs A*-C including A grades in Maths and Double Science. I am attending an interview with the University of Birmingham for Computer Science soon from now too. Check out posts I have made recently around TSR if you want to know where else I've applied, as I've posted it a few times. You have very little to worry about in terms of getting into a good University with your GCSE grades, as most look for 5 A*-C and a good Maths grade which you have. All you have to do is focus on getting those distinctions.

Good luck!

E: Here ya go

If your applying for computer related courses, then i wouldn't worry, I'm in my second year of that same course and have received offers from universities, LJMU and Plymouth both wanted around DDM from that course. A good maths GCSE grade will help you out as well as a lot of the more reputable institutions ask for higher maths grades, if not an A level in maths on top of the BTEC< which seems fairly steep. :P

I do think that the universities asking for UCAS points rather than direct grades will consider those qualifications equally, however you might have to shoot a little higher for the universities with higher requirements, as i think it's seen as a more vocational qualification as opposed to academic. Although from what i have gathered from people already on CompSci courses, the BTEC courses are well suited to the IT industry, and what you're expected to know, in comparison to IT related A-Levels.

I take it you did a BTEC too? Would you tell me where you applied to and where you are now? I'm a bit torn between aiming for uni's like Newcastle or Birmingham or a uni like LJMU. LJMU would be more realistic but the other guy that posted here got an interview for Birmingham with similar qualifications to me. A lot for me to ponder until September lol. Thanks for your help

Hi, I am also doing a BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma, however mine is in Applied Science (Medical Science).

I am currently in my second year, but this time last year I was in exactly the same position as you, worried that universities wouldn't accept the BTEC qualification. It made it worse that I wanted to do Chemistry, as a lot of uni's didn't believe the BTEC had enough chemistry content.
I started to email unis asking if they'd accept it for Chemistry and I started to get the same response 'not enough chemistry content'. I spoke with my tutor and he said that there definitely is enough Chemistry content, it's just that the Uni's don't understand the BTEC. So I started to email the Uni's the list of the units I did within the course and I also highlighted all of the chemistry content from the syllabus (you can find it on Edexcel)

Some universities were still snobbish about the BTEC, still giving me the same response. However, others started to understand the amount we actually do.

York invited me to visit them and chat more about my course, where the admissions tutor showed me about the BSc Chemistry, showed me around the department and asked me a few chemistry questions. After the interview-type meeting, the admissions tutor was convinced I do enough chemistry and now I have an offer from them. It really does make a difference if you can meet up with the admissions tutor, either on an open day or on an independent visit and prove to them that you can do what they need you to do for the degree. York is now my firm choice

Some universities suggested I applied for foundation chemistry, so I did that for those.

The uni's i have applied for are York BSc (received offer - DDD), Nottingham Trent BSc (Received offer - DMM) Birmingham Foundation (waiting on offer), Keele, Foundation (waiting on offer) and Loughborough BSc (waiting on offer).

It may also be noting that York is joint 5th in the country for Chemistry, so doing a BTEC doesnt mean you'll only get offers from lower ranked uni's, if you put the effort in to show them that you really can do what they need you to so then they'll be happy to give you an offer. It's definitely worth meeting the admissions tutor face to face.

I know that you want to do Computer Science, and I wanted to do Chemistry so it wont be exactly the same, but I dont think you should lose hope with BTEC. It's alot harder to get into a decent uni with a BTEC but it's not impossible! Just try and you'll get there

Well i'm in the second year of the BTEC at Harrogate College. I've sent off my application, it was for Computer science at Plymouth, Lincoln, KCL and Brighton. I also applied fr software engineering at LJMU, since it didn't offer a CompSci course.

I have offers from Plymouth, Lincoln and LJMU asking for DDM/DMM and no replies from Kings or Brighton yet. So don't be too discouraged, some top universities ask for a maths A level on top, which can be unrealistic for us BTEC students, but the main thing that has kept me back is GCSE maths grades, so if you can I would improve your grade if you need it.

Congrats and good luck with uni. One last thing, how many D's, M's etc. do you need to get DDD, DDM, DMM etc? I've looked up grade calculators before but different calculators gave me different answers so i'm not sure what to trust

Top marks for getting out there and taking what you want.

Thanks so much for your detailed answer! What are your GCSE's like? And btw what do you make of Nott Trent? I'm tempted to apply there as I have an uncle in Leicester and that's my only family in England