Is it worth it on my application?

Ok, so I'm looking to take law or a humanity at a (hopefully) top university.
These are the four A levels that I take:

English lit.
Religious Studies
History
Biology.

I also however take music level 3 btec for the pure fact that my school does not offer music A level. I primarily take this lesson as I enjoy music, but I do however realise it will be next to worthless on my application.
Will having it on my application make a university think less of me as a student if I complete the btec? As it is vocational and not deemed very highly?

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Reply 1

bramley

I'm pretty sure you have to declare all your qualifications on your UCAS form? So you would have to put it down. Don't quote me on that though..

Otherwise, I'm sure they wouldn't look down on you for the BTEC, on the contrary it might show you as more diverse. I'm sure it wouldn't be seen as negative in any light.

Reply 2

DanJHunter

Original post by bramley

Do you have to declare a subject that you drop? I was wondering this as I have recently dropped a subject :s
And oh ok thankyou :smile:

I was getting worried

Reply 3

iWoof

Do it! There could be a student competing with you, with same grades + courses except the music btec. So if you add the music btec, the chances are you'll get chosen more..
It also shows that you're strong, vocationally and academically.

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Reply 4

Exon

As said above, you don't really have a choice. Omitting qualifications may lead to your application being invalidated.

Reply 5

bramley

Original post by DanJHunter

Do you have to declare a subject that you drop? I was wondering this as I have recently dropped a subject :s
And oh ok thankyou :smile:

I was getting worried

If you search for 'declaring grades on ucas applications' on tsr on a search engine a thread comes up which might answer some of your questions. Basically it says, you MUST declare all qualifications, regardless of whether you dropped them.

eg. I dropped critical thinking and biology at AS but I still had to declare them.

You can get in a bit of trouble if you don't declare them.

But seriously, I wouldn't worry about declaring it. It won't be seen in a bad light, especially as you've got the relevant A-levels, that's all that matters :smile:

Reply 6

username851717

I was under the impression that if you dropped them then they never went on your record? Due to the fact that you withdrew from the course.

Reply 7

DanJHunter

Original post by bramley

Oh Ok because I recently dropped IT btec which I have already completed the AS equivalent, but decided not to continue any further. I suppose that this would not look bad if I explained that it was not relevant?

Reply 8

Acrostics

Some schools certificate at the end if Alevels so techically this is okay to do this (leaving grades blank) unless you have done extremely well in a module show this to to your universities. Definetly include your GCSE grades though. I would not advise leaving this blank.

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Reply 9

Acrostics

Also I think IT is relevant in some ways to the work place. Its good to show you are IT literate. Some at some schools it is compulsory to take ICT or an extra language if you are a specialist school for this area.

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Reply 10

bramley

Original post by DanJHunter

If you didn't complete the IT BTEC and didn't gain the qualification at the end of it, then you may not have to declare it on UCAS. Check this with whoever is handling your UCAS form.

I don't think it will 'look bad' that you have this AS equivalent, if you declare it then they're hardly going to question you on whether it's relevant or not, there's really no need to justify it. It's another qualification at the end of the day, and they won't see that as a negative.

Reply 11

bramley

Just checked what other people are saying: some clarification over the word 'dropped' is needed.

If you 'dropped' a subject after getting a qualification, eg. dropping a subject after AS-level, you need to declare it.

If you 'dropped' a subject halfway through the course and didn't get a grade or equivalent from it, that's different, and I believe you don't declare it. Check this with whoever handles your application though.

Reply 12

DanJHunter

Original post by bramley

Ok so I will probably continue music and complete the AS equivalent, but ive been asked by the school to drop IT as Ive taken up English.
Hopefully they will certify ICT as AS level and music I suppose will look ok

Reply 13

DanJHunter

Original post by bramley

So dropping IT after doing a few weeks of doing year 2, will it look the same as if I had dropped it at the end of year 1?

Reply 14

bramley

Original post by DanJHunter

So dropping IT after doing a few weeks of doing year 2, will it look the same as if I had dropped it at the end of year 1?

I believe so, you would declare the qualification for year one but obviously not for year two as you did not finish it. They will not have the information that you started year 2, so yes, it will look like you just did one year. [edit] Unless like carnationlilyrose said you've already send it in, then you will need to contact UCAS.

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 15

Carnationlilyrose

Original post by DanJHunter

So dropping IT after doing a few weeks of doing year 2, will it look the same as if I had dropped it at the end of year 1?

Yes, but if you have already sent in your Ucas form with IT on as a subject you are continuing, then you need to contact Ucas to get it changed and taken off.

Reply 16

DanJHunter

Ok so here is another query, Is it possible to complete the AS equivalent of BTEC It (like I have), and then resume year 2 after a years break? I did first year in year 11, so could I continue the same course in year 13 and get the A2?

Reply 17

Carnationlilyrose

Original post by DanJHunter

I'm guessing only the college concerned can tell you if they are willing to allow that.

Reply 18

DanJHunter

Ok so I have another question, I am being forced to drop either IT (second year of the BTEC) or Music (First year of the BTEC) which is the better one to drop? (the school are making me drop one :s-smilie:

Reply 19

bramley

Original post by DanJHunter

I'd carry on whichever you prefer. Neither is particularly needed for what you want to apply for but either would be a positive to your application. I would honestly just choose whichever you prefer as you're more likely to do better at it.