why do A-Level Students Look Down on BTEC's?

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Posted from TSR Mobile

Out of interest,what are your personal reasons for doing a BTEC.

No local college offered CS at A-level. I would've needed to do ICT.. I had my interview for it.. Asked about the content and left. I don't want to make spreadsheets.

The other A-levels I wanted to do alongside CS required a B at GCSE Maths.. I had Science. That's my fault (not getting a B) I shouldn't have cared about how badly I got bullied for being autistic. I got to the point where I refused to attend school. I just went in for my exams..

Given the opportunity I still would've stuck with the BTEC. It provided me with the practical skills I needed. Network engineering isn't a theoretical field.

Reply 341

urbanforestry

Original post by ckfeister

If BTECs are so good, you tell me this..

In USA, you goto college if you get Bs and above.
In UK, you do A-Levels if you get Bs and above.

In USA, you don't goto career if you don't get Bs.
In UK, you do BTEC then career at the age of 18-21.

When I applied for BTEC they said I can do retakes with it.
When I applied for A-Level they said I can't because it isn't at a B and only had 2 GCSEs (becuase I just switched from BTEC pathway to GCSE/A-Level)

Also, if BTEC are soooooo good, then why does all colleges do BTEC but very few A-Levels and no GCSEs apart from English/Maths in foundation.

My college offers loads of GCSEs, A Levels, and BTECs (my local sixth form does too). AND you can do a mixture of them. I plan on taking up AS biology in my second year and a girl in my class currently does AS maths. My college and my BTEC are pretty dandy :biggrin:

Reply 342

ckfeister

Original post by Binary Freak

You retake your high school subjects through Apex. Don't be so ignorant.
In UK doing A-levels you do the same. You do A-levels until 18.. Then you go to university and put yourself in debt. Apprenticeships offer employment as young as 17.. For those able enough can be on graduate salary. Your second point for entering a career just enforced the point as to why you should do a BTEC.

You do retakes on a BTEC at mediocre institutions that care far too much about pass ratings than student preparations. If a student doesn't get it first attempt they shouldn't be able to resit.
With A-level you can take resits on a gap year.

Seems like your results weren't good enough for A-level. Blame yourself.

They offer a more practical approach to learning which is why a majority of people enjoy doing a BTEC. The amount of courses offered as a BTEC at a college highly depends on the students applying.

:facepalm2:

I'm giving a bloody example chill.

Reply 343

Binary Freak

Original post by ckfeister

I'm giving a bloody example chill.

Your comment was poorly written and the reasoning was even worse.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 344

Sandra1

Original post by ckfeister

Don't put autistic on me idiot, I went to a bad school and now self-studying upto As already and at least I'm actually doing something not just going to the BTEC pathway becasue you failed in GCSEs.

Wait but this guy could retook and still did btec/alevels I'm confused..

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Reply 345

realcloud

A level students are just jealous of BTEC students. People have a different way of learning. Just because a level students were in their comfort zones so they never went to college they don't understand. Yes an a level person who has triple As is better than BTEC triple Ds but o can tell you that grades don't define intelligence.

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Reply 346

MrHarry

Original post by Ryanx623

I get that with certain courses, Health + Social care for example are complete knobs, However courses like Engineering are filled with A-level capable students...

You posted this topic trying to outline the reasons for the social stigma against BTEC students, yet you just enforced stigma yourself. Don't be a hypocrite. Somebody with absolute adequate merit to contribute to A Levels could be doing a BTEC in Health and Social because they aspire to become a carer (for example); hell, I have friends doing it.

What you're doing is creating an additional hierarchy, essentially:
Superior A Level students > Engineering BTEC students > Other inferior BTEC students.

If you want equality, don't go creating stigma about people doing the same qualification as you but in a different subject.

Reply 347

lucy.stephens2

Original post by scrunkie

A-Levels are HARDER than Btec. It's simply a fact.

Something that I hate is that excellence scholarships are offered to Btec students with DDD and A-Level students with AAA. As if a Distinction is equivalent to an A in A-Level. An A is so much harder to obtain than Distinctions so that's not fair at all.

Should have done a **** Btec and got some extra money from it and still do the same course at the same University. What utter nonsense.

If you have not done a BTEC then you do not have the right to say that they are easier than a levels. With the new rules in place, BTEC is just as difficult as a level. And an A is equivalent to a distinction. I'm sure if the exam boards have agreed that, they don't need you to tell them otherwise!

Reply 348

username1162972

Original post by lucy.stephens2

Universities would understand this if this was true. But it isn't. Yes I know some universities take BTECs and for some courses but top ones don't I'm afraid.

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Reply 349

yt7777

Original post by physicsmaths

Universities would understand this if this was true. But it isn't. Yes I know some universities take BTECs and for some courses but top ones don't I'm afraid.

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95% of UK universities accept BTEC including 'top' ones

Reply 350

username1162972

Where did you get that bull**** from?

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(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 351

username1162972

By top unis I mean Oxbridge Imperial UCL LSE Durham etc.

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Reply 352

urbanforestry

Original post by physicsmaths

Universities would understand this if this was true. But it isn't. Yes I know some universities take BTECs and for some courses but top ones don't I'm afraid.

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UCL

http://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/undergraduate/degrees/engineering-mechanical-beng
EQUIVALENT QUALIFICATION

Edexcel Level 3 Extended Diploma (QCF), or Edexcel Level 3 BTEC National Diploma (NQF) with Distinction*, Distinction*, Distinction* to include Maths for Technicians and Further Maths for Technicians.

Bath
http://www.bath.ac.uk/study/ug/prospectus/subject/biology-biochemistry-molecular-cellular-biology/entry-requirements/

Typical offer: BTEC Extended Diploma DDD
A BTEC Extended Diploma in Applied Science is acceptable on its own. BTEC Diplomas and Subsidiary Diplomas are generally acceptable in combination with other qualifications such as A levels.

Lancaster
http://www.lancaster.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/biological-sciences-bsc-hons-c100/

BTEC: DDD

Oxford
http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/courses-listing/fine-art

Applicants interested in applying for Fine Art who are studying for a BTEC National Extended Diploma (BTEC) will have to submit a portfolio of work, and any offer will require candidates to achieve DDD grades. As the Fine Art degree also includes a substantial history and theory component, BTEC applicants will be expected to have successfully completed a range of modules that include art history.
Please note that because of the practical nature of the Fine Art degree, which also includes a substantial theoretical component, a candidate who has successfully completed the BTEC may be well suited to the content and structure of the degree course at Oxford
http://www.cs.ox.ac.uk/ugadmissions/why_oxford/standard_conditional_offers.html#Vocational_qualifications:_eg_BTEC_National_Diploma

For students taking the BTEC National Extended Diploma in IT, a conditional offer will normally be: DDD in the Extended Diploma and A* in A Level in Maths, Further Maths, Physics or Computing, including at least A in A Level Maths.

http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=3056611&page=2
If a BTEC candidate (as with a candidate from any other educational background) does well in the test we would be very happy to invite them to interview. If they do well at interview they'd be offered a place.

http://www.theguardian.com/education/ng-interactive/2014/jun/02/university-league-tables-2015-the-complete-list
Oxford= 2nd
Bath= 4th
UCL= 11th
Lancaster= 10th

Sure, a lot of them ask for A Levels alongside them, but these are some of the top universities saying that they accept BTEC. All of these are top universities in the UK and worldwide. At least do some research first :smile:

Reply 353

yt7777

Original post by physicsmaths

Where did you get that bull**** from?

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Edexcel BTEC website
And UCL accept BTEC for loads of their courses, so do Durham and Oxford do for some

Imperial are the only ones who don't for most courses but there was someone who got into imperial for BSc Physics with BTEC in Electronic Engineering

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 354

username1162972

Original post by yt7777

My point still stands, btec arent as accepted as a levels because a levels are harder. Give me a course which doesn't accept a level in the UK and i will shut up.

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Reply 355

urbanforestry

Original post by physicsmaths

My point still stands, btec arent as accepted as a levels because a levels are harder. Give me a course which doesn't accept a level in the UK and i will shut up.

Posted from TSR Mobile

There wouldn't be one because A Levels are accepted and have been around 30 years longer than BTEC, they've had more time to build up a status. Furthermore, BTECs have only just started to be accepted by universities, it's unfair to compare BTECs and A Levels in terms of university acceptance because A Levels have been around since around 1951 and BTECs have only started being accepted to university in the last 10 years or so (correct me if I'm wrong)
Seeing as top universities have started accepting BTECS (as explained in my previous post) they're setting an example for other universities to follow in regards of being more accepting of qualifications that aren't A Levels, which universities are following. A lot of the Russel Group universities now accept BTEC.

Reply 356

Michael_Real

Lol at the ignorant A levels students in this thread...
If you're not doing "difficult a levels" chem maths fmaths physics...then you don't have the right to look down on btec students.

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Reply 357

urbanforestry

Original post by Michael_Real

I wouldn't say anyone has the right to look down on anyone (with obvious exceptions) but I like where you're coming from :tongue:

Reply 358

yt7777

Original post by physicsmaths

My point still stands, btec arent as accepted as a levels because a levels are harder. Give me a course which doesn't accept a level in the UK and i will shut up.

Posted from TSR Mobile

A levels are not harder, they cover the same content, obviously you can't do full BTECs in Physics or Maths but if you could it would cover the same content as the A levels

I guarantee you that someone who has completed the IT/Computing BTEC can do A levels in ICT, Computing, CS and maybe Electronics, because it covers the same content. And that applies for most other subjects:

BTEC Health and Social - H&S A level, Psychology, Sociology

BTEC Applied Science - Biology, Human Bio, Applied Science (A level), Chemistry

BTEC Engineering - Design tech, Systems & Control, Electronics, Engineering (A level), and possibly certain content from Maths/Physics A levels if the correct units are taken.

BTEC Business - Business, ICT Economics

That's impossible because A levels are older and more traditional pathway after leaving school so it was what everyone used to take and thus used to get university places, BTECs are gradually becoming more popular and the number of universities accepting them is rising every year and as I said previously that currently stands at 95% of universities in the UK.

Also in some cases BTECs can fulfill entry requirements that are compulsory for A level students for example: I have seen places (good universities) accept the BTEC in Engineering for various Engineering courses and then not making them take Maths/Physics A levels which is a compulsory requirement for A level students also when I appliy to uni the A level offer was ABB including Maths, Physics or Computing I got in with my BTEC in IT because I took a lot of computing based units including learning 2 programming languages which was more than the typical A level Computing student would've learnt in their A level