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

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just banter tbh

Not really though is it?

Whats banter is the higher employment generally, better chance of graduate employment (80% vs 73%) and more chance of getting a managerial or professional job (49% vs 46%) in favour of those who take BTEC

Just saying...

Reply 561

John Fluffy Bunny

Original post by yt7777

I bet BTEC students settle for less and boost up these statistics by working at McDonald's. Truth is the BTECs are not even close to be accredited as much as A levels are and there's a big reason for that which you'd know had you tried them.

Reply 562

The_Internet

Original post by John Fluffy Bunny

I did an IT BTEC. I worked for the second largest company in the industry it was in, an ex mod here works in cyber security. I have friends who work or have worked at Sky, GSK, Cisco, IBM, Eurocopter, etc... Etc...

Jus' sayin

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 563

Sandra1

Tbh the more qualifications and the experience you have the better.

Reply 564

Binary Freak

Original post by John Fluffy Bunny

You've done both have you?

Reply 565

John Fluffy Bunny

Original post by Binary Freak

You've done both have you?

No but my mates who do combined BTECs and A levels find A levels to be quite a struggle. In fact many of them dropped them after some time for that reason. Also it can't be a coincidence that a big proportion of students at good universities did a levels rather than BTECs it's kind of a standard thing to do for every high school student. It's like comparing GCSEs and functional skills it's just a different route and both are perfectly fine.

Reply 566

scorpius14

Well at the end of the day, you are pretty much trying to get a job out of it all, even graduates are finding it hard to find work and BTEC's are kind of geared towards jobs rather than education. Networking I hear is essential in finding a job also, but I have no-one to network with and you'd usually get these contacts when you graduate or have a placement year at university.

So think of it this way. BTEC can be a fast-track into employment but theres no guarantees, like myself for instance I got top grades in my IT Ext Diploma, my tutor assured me companies like IBM, Microsoft and Google would fight over me for my employability skills that I gained in the BTEC, so far none of that has happened, maybe my college at the time lacked credibility.

A-level on the other hand prepares you for university, to do a degree, masters, doctorate etc and this will gain you contacts in whatever industry you are studying for with an added placement year for either working for yourself or a prestigious company.

Contacts (Networking) will help more than qualifications will, but qualifications are also required and experience is also a good indicator of how employable you might be.

I don't regret leaving university, I didn't know what I was getting into, as previously I hadn't known anyone else who went whom I could get advice from.

Reply 567

yt7777

Original post by John Fluffy Bunny

I made an explicit reference to professional and managerial jobs....

Also i have taken A level Computing exams and they are a piece of piss compared to what i learnt on my BTEC

And i dont need to try them im at a good university studying Computer Science which was the target i set out to achive, A levels mean nothing past getting a place at uni whereas BTECs are recognised in industry aswell

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 568

AstroNandos

I have a friend who does an IT BTEC, and whilst he is good at IT, he really doesn't need to do much for D*D*D* with some assignments being ridiculously easy and most require a couple of hours work the previous day to get top grades

But A*A*A* in maths, further maths and physics is much harder and a lot more work, yet UCAS say they're both the same in terms of UCAS points

Reply 569

yt7777

Original post by AstroNandos

It depends what units he foes in IT

Computer Architecture, OOP, EDP, Procedural Programming, Maths for IT, Data Analysis, Computer Networks (and other advanced networking units), System Security, Software development and Systems Analysis/Design are all challenging modules and cover content in more depth than Computing, CS or ICT A levels

However your friend is probably referring to the easier ones which tend to be business based like: E-commerce, IT in Business, Info Systems, Spreadsheet modelling and Database design, they are not that challenging and the work can be done quickly, however the first set that i mentioned certinally are challenging and equal (if not more relevant) to/than A level subjects in similar areas, as i previously said

Reply 570

Binary Freak

Original post by scorpius14

That's why you used LinkedIn. You gain these professional contacts and make your 'debut' :wink:

I will say this once, and I have no intentions on insulting you whatsoever. But expecting to have major companies crawling over you instantly is naive. Teachers are there to teach and make it appear that you've made the absolute best decision (For some a BTEC is an absolutely great option, for others it isn't). Which is why they 'big up' the course.
Qualifications at ANY level are just a means to an end.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 571

BCMFM16

Quite a lot of uni courses want DDD in BTEC for an ABB A level course...the answer is obvs

Reply 572

Rosehc

Original post by keromedic

What sorts of things do you cover out of curiosity?

The units this year are genetics, chemistry, biology, biomedical science, medical physics, using science in the workplace, microbiology - pathogens, viruses, diseases and infections, scientific investigation

Reply 573

Rosehc

Original post by TheCrazyCatfish

The only thing that annoys me is how someone going to college 3 days a week insists their level 3 BTEC is worth 4 A-levels that people go to sixth form 5 days a week for. I just can't take them seriously when they insist their level 3 sports science is worth 4 A-levels and therefore "better" than Maths, Physics and Chemistry A2 would be, even though it's easy to see these are much harder and more highly regarded.

Can I just point out a level 3 BTEC extended diploma is worth 3 A levels no one I know has claimed theirs is worth 4.

Reply 574

Rosehc

At the end of the day guys I don't think the exam boards are stupid they wouldn't claim something was equivalent to 3 A levels if it wasn't. It doesn't matter what you decide to do if you're passionate about what you've chosen you will do well in life regardless.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 575

yt7777

Original post by BCMFM16

Quite a lot of uni courses want DDD in BTEC for an ABB A level course...the answer is obvs

You cant get the equivalent to a B grade in BTEC and thats why the offer is DDD

However DDM is equal to ABB but tben you would he letting in someone who has the equiv to a C at A level and then that would suggest to A level stidents that they could get in with AAC which they probably shouldnt

Reply 576

ohhello92x

Original post by yt7777

Actually DDM is AAB

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 577

yt7777

Original post by ohhello92x

Actually DDM is AAB

Posted from TSR Mobile

Nope, its AAC 100%

D = A, M= C hence DDM = AAC

You can also prove this by the UCAS point value, DDM = 320

A = 120
A = 120
C = 80
Total (AAC) = 320

You cant get B or D equivalents in level 3 BTECs, whar may be getting you confused is that i think a merit in level 2 BTEC (GCSE level) is worth a B, but in level 3 you can only get A*, A, C or E grade equivalents.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 578

harry sayers

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.