are btecs better than A levels?

At my high school we had different college staff come in so we could ask them questions about their colleges. Most of them said 1 btec is equivalent to 5 A levels.. They all said btecs are better because they help you through it and it's all course work but are btecs better than A levels? Is that what good universities want? Don't get me wrong I will be doing A levels and I did ask alot of questions about this but they all seem pretty set on the fact btecs are better than A levels. Are they?

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Reply 1

PILEDRIV3R WALTZ

1btec = 5.5 A-Levels (AS & A2)
A merit = 3.5 A*s at A-Level

So yh

Reply 2

Matriix

Depends. What course do you want to do at uni? What uni do you intend on going to?

Reply 3

Buxtonwater

Quote from Cambridge's admissions page - 'All applicants are required to have BTECs in a similar subject to that applied for to attain a place. Failure to meet these requirements will result in an instant rejection.'

Oxford, Durham, LSE, and UCL have also all released similar statements.

So yes, BTECS are much better than A levels, 100%.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 4

tomfailinghelp

Yes, you need a good BTEC to get into Oxford, MIT, Cambridge etc.

No. Not at all.

Original post by Kiz1234

This is what teachers push at low-achieving schools/to schools full of pupils who likely aren't aiming to go to university, or who at least aren't at all academic. If you are capable of A-levels, choose A-levels every time.

Reply 7

crayolaguy

Is it me or is this thread like completely backward? I'm really confused as to why the hell a BTEC would be better than an A level. A levels are harder... everyone knows it.. including universities obviously. If you don't think you're smart enough for A levels then yeah BTECs are good but other than that this thread is just wrong.

Reply 8

username1599987

Original post by Ronove

THANK YOU! I was getting nervous reading these and having chosen to do A levels. Plus WHAT? How does one BTEC = 3.5 A*? One student in my math AS was failing so they moved her to BTEC, so I'm not sure how BTEC is supposed to be better. Like would that student be accepted into cambridge and I wouldn't? Please elaborate!

Reply 9

C0balt

Original post by crayolaguy

They're all troll XD maybe except the OP

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 10

crayolaguy

Original post by C0balt

They're all troll XD maybe except the OP

Posted from TSR Mobile

I can never tell these days.

Reply 11

Ronove

Original post by gagafacea1

BTECs are more vocational, less academic. My sister just got D*D*D in Performing Arts BTEC (or a similar grade at least) but completely failed AS English Lit. By which I mean she got a U.

Saying D*D*D* at BTEC is equivalent to A*A*A* at A-level is only true in the sense that it's the maximum possible grade. It absolutely does not mean that the person would be able to achieve A*A*A* at A-level (and I dare say 99% of people who are encouraged to do BTECs, or even choose to do them themselves, would absolutely not get A*A*A* at A-level).

Reply 12

username1599987

Original post by Ronove

Oh thank god (you)!

Reply 13

Kiz1234

Thats exactly what I thought, but somehow they've convinced students and even some of the A grade students that btecs are good and you can get into university with btecs. Honestly I thought it was a whole load of crap and my brother who's going to university agreed, but it's confusing because now some very clever students are going for btecs because of what these colleges have said, and that was that a btec is equivalent to a certain amount of A levels.

Reply 14

Kiz1234

Thankyou for helping. It was just confusing cause in high school btec student are the ones getting Ds and Es but colleges are encouraging people who are capable of As to do btec courses.