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

Lmaoo where do you see Oxbridge accepting BTECs? Haha

And please stop, "btec content is comparable to my a levels" um please find me a btec student who can do FP3 and then we'll talk lmao

Also it's spelt BTEC

Lmaoo where do you see Oxbridge accepting BTECs? Haha

And please stop, "btec content is comparable to my a levels" um please find me a btec student who can do FP3 and then we'll talk lmao

Also it's spelt BTEC

Just wondering why people seem to think A-Levels are superior?

I'm on a Level 3 Extended for EEE Engineering, backed up with a A-level in Maths, planning on going to University of Southampton for EEE...

Just to be clear, I have nothing against A-Levels.. What's your opinion on the whole A-Level > BTEC thing?

firstly id like to point out that as an A-level student your levels of internet research should be at a higher level, oxbridge has accepted btecs in the past and so do other very highly recommended universities.
if you can find me an A-level student that can complete up to 40 hours of coursework a week to a distinction * level, which usually includes essays that can reach up to 15 pages, at the same time as completing our two work placements and our two voluntary placements (10 weeks per placement) as well as charitable events for our personal profiles and then we'll talk L M A O

Yes might be somewhat valuable but not as much as an a level



Girl why are you telling me your life story? No offence but did I ask? How is it relevant when I'm saying btecs are for people that can't cope with exam stress (or just don't do well enough to do a levels), and people doing btecs might not be as employable as those with a levels and exam based degrees because of their lack of ability to cope with pressure? It doesn't matter if you have a condition I'm not talking about that am I?

Oh dear btec people trying to defend btecs once again lol

Honestly, I find this so true. It's not like employers are going to give you an exam in an interview..


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Repped for the levels of internet research bit exactly what I was saying!

But pleeease don't switch to insulting A levels; we do work experience too - I mean, I get one hour of homework for every lesson, so 20 hours a week, as well as coursework. A levels aren't lower work load, just like BTECS aren't easier - it's all just myths and preconceptions. Having done the EPQ as well as 4 ASs and Gold DofE last year, I did do that much work. A level students insulting BTEC students is ****ty, but BTEC students insulting A Levels is just as ****ty.

BTECs are coursework based. The work load is significantly lower and they are easier (regardless of what some of you try and argue). If you are capable enough to do A levels there is literally no reason to do BTEC unless you want to be a hairdresser lol. There is a reason why the majority of top unis don't accept BTEC as an alternative to A levels...

BTECs are coursework based. The work load is significantly lower and they are easier (regardless of what some of you try and argue). If you are capable enough to do A levels there is literally no reason to do BTEC unless you want to be a hairdresser lol. There is a reason why the majority of top unis don't accept BTEC as an alternative to A levels...

okay just like to ask a question based on your response if you don't mind.

Using my own personal workload as an example;
i currently am in my 3rd month of college doing a btec, i currently have 5 outstanding assignments that are due in and none of them are overdue.
We have 12 units to complete this year, each unit contains three individual assignments and then each assignment contains a further 2-4 tasks (which usually contains a essay that is up to 6 pages in length)

i have two finished a-levels in psychology and sociology and am now studying a btec in health and social care specialising in nursing and midwifery and i can honestly say that i am struggling with the workload i am being given as a btec student.
I am working for up to 45 hours at home per week on coursework as well as spending three days a week in college from 8:30-4 completing my coursework.

Also the university that i will be attending will be accepting my btec so that i can study midwifery. So excuse me for getting abit aggy but i find your opinion completely invalid.

So please could you please explain to me how a 50 hour + workload per week, to get into a university to study midwifery how i should only be studying as a hairdresser for taking a btec?

Just as a further point; both my parents were btec students, my mother is a fully qualified midwife and my father was an intravenous specialist, who then went on to be a renal dialysis specialist both in qa hospital in portsmouth. In fact my father won awards which still hang on their walls.

So please, tell me again how my 'hairdresser qualification' is inferior to yours.

Preach IT!!!!..
You're constantly learning knowledge during a BTEC (and yes A levels obviously do too) but at the same time you get to apply the knowledge you learning into the work place and experience.
NOT everyone wants to be a doctor, etc
Don't you think we know this before choosing a BTEC course??
A BTEC is suited to the career that you want to go in to. It's more focussed. It revolves around the career path that you want to take.

To be honest, we're not really insulting, we're getting heated and it's because all you A level students think that you're better than us BTEC students which gets us heated.
I know not every single person is like that, However, it is an extremely large majority and I think we should be just as respected as A level students.
How do you think it makes us feel?

This is a bit of a poor reference because Oxbridge aren't normal universities.Many universities, including Red Brick, accept BTEC (even if in lieu with an additional A level).

@RonnieRJIm a second year at a top 20 uni studying Computer ScienceI did a Computing BTEC Level 3 with no A levels, the BTEC Computing course was far superior to the A level Computing course at my college, especially for people wanting to pursue Software Engineering

Oxford do *accept* (they've stated that they will consider people, but no one thus far has made it in) an IT BTEC with an A-level in Maths for Computer Science. Cambridge is the same, they accept a BTEC in Engineering with an A-level in Maths.Not all BTECs are god awful, it's just there are more pointless ones than there are good ones.Cambridge:Oxford:

firstly id like to point out that as an A-level student your levels of internet research should be at a higher level, oxbridge has accepted btecs in the past and so do other very highly recommended universities.if you can find me an A-level student that can complete up to 40 hours of coursework a week to a distinction * level, which usually includes essays that can reach up to 15 pages, at the same time as completing our two work placements and our two voluntary placements (10 weeks per placement) as well as charitable events for our personal profiles and then we'll talk L M A O

I told you this because you suggested that I wouldn't do well in the future, and I explained that having anxiety was not my fault and that exams made it worse. Just because I can't take exams to the best of my ability doesn't mean that I'm incapable of learning the knowledge that A level students learn.Sorry but at first I thought you'd told me that a BTEC student would 'cry' if they had to take A levels, implying that they are incapable.

Right then, I'd like to add to this debate and provide some clarification on BTECs, especially toward their recent and future changes. First of all, some background. I'm a BTEC student studying IT and have previously done some in Engineering. I initially wanted to do A levels however due to my mature student status of 20 going on 21, I was told I would've had to pay a couple thousand pounds to do them, thus not being a suitable route for me. However, as part of my BTEC I'm required to do an A level along side it (absolute doss of a subject, however). I know many friends that went on to do A levels previously and I know people currently doing BTECs such as health and social care and hairdressing.

I've been told and have discerned from both specifications, anecdotal information gathered online from people's personal experiences as well as comparing assignments that the only BTECs that are rigorous in nature are (as mentioned previously by prince) IT, Engineering and Sciences. 'RonnieJ' claims that a D* student isn't the equivalent of an A* student; this is true in most cases. However, there are exceptions such as those studying the aforementioned BTECs and those that aren't interested in the subject they excel at and rather do something they find more interesting.

I myself as an example have done around 30,000 - 56,000 words per module, some of which have been seen by university lecturers from a summer university programme as well as one of my course lecturers who's spent the past three years at a top 25 CS institution and both have stated how well written and in fact better they are than a lot they have seen at undergraduate level. Note: (this wasn't me bragging, just simply an attest that BTEC students can be of the same quality as A level students).

I've had times where I have had several or more assignments due in one week and whenever I talked to my A level buddies, they have literally done a single piece of coursework. Essentially, this led to them doing next to nothing for the year and just cramming a month or two before exams. Most of them ended up with grades ranging from AAA - ABB (one got BBB).

Three lecturers and a previous BTEC IT student informed me that it's much better for preparing you for CS than A levels are as you'll have a grasp on pretty much everything already (if you've taken the relevant units like maths for IT practitioners, network security and programming, for example).

Furthermore, the arguments provided by certain A level students in this thread that purely base it on exam pressure, will no longer be able to use that as a reason as new BTEC specifications are coming in around 2016 - 2017, where all BTECS will have to undertake exams as well; this is in addition to the recent changes of those who started BTECS in September 2014 (such as myself) where the course's failings of allowing multiple assignment submissions, too detailed feedback and lecturers providing students with the answers have all been blacklisted.

okay just like to ask a question based on your response if you don't mind.

using my own personal workload as an example;
I currently am in my 3rd month of college doing a BTEC, I currently have 5 outstanding assignments that are due in and none of them are overdue.
we have 12 units to complete this year, each unit contains three individual assignments and THEN each assignment contains a further 2-4 tasks (which usually contains a essay that is up to 6 pages in length)

I have two finished A-levels in psychology and sociology and am now studying a BTEC in health and social care specialising in nursing and midwifery and I can honestly say that I am struggling with the workload I am being given as a BTEC student.
I am working for up to 45 hours at home per week on coursework as well as spending three days a week in college from 8:30-4 completing my coursework.

also the university that I will be attending will be accepting my BTEC so that I can study MIDWIFERY. so excuse me for getting abit aggy but I find your opinion completely invalid.

so please could you please explain to me how a 50 hour + workload per week, to get into a university to study midwifery how I should only be studying as a hairdresser for taking a BTEC?

just as a further point; both my parents were BTEC students, my mother is a fully qualified midwife and my father was an intravenous specialist, who then went on to be a renal dialysis specialist both in QA hospital in Portsmouth. In fact my father won awards which still hang on their walls.

so please, tell me again how my 'hairdresser qualification' is inferior to yours.

Love it how no-one even has an answer for this one lmao
Just shows how naïve some people can be...
funny how taking a BTEC supposedly makes you 'less able' and 'inferior' ha
talk about inadequate...