The Student Room Group

BTECs are just as hard as a-levels

Scroll to see replies

Original post by ckfeister
x






In academic, A-Levels are harder.
In practical, BTEC is harder.

BTEC is also more stricter in some ways to require 70-80% of effort all the way through, while A-Level goes, 20%, 30%, 50% then 80% near exam.

This. This is why it is so hard to take both A-levels and BTECs
Hmm it is debatable. I honestly think it depends on how much time you put in both! A BTEC student will do loads of assignments whereas A Level students revise and then do an exam. I do both and A Levels are harder, BTEC students only require the spec and they are guaranteed D*. But again this is dependent on the subjects you take! Engineering will be hard and Business is easier.
Original post by Ayaz789
TSR people will but there a reason why they are slowly accepting them into univerities. I'm done now.

Are these views of yours like these because you know you can't hack A levels and are doing Btecs now?

I'm actually going into A-Levels this September, but do your research before being ignorant and smearing over BTEC.
I don't want to sound like an academic snob, but come on now. There is a reason that BTEC's are not accepted in oxbridge, nor mostly other top 10 unis.
Hint:

Spoiler

Original post by ckfeister
Are these views of yours like these because you know you can't hack A levels and are doing Btecs now?


I'm actually going into A-Levels this September, but do your research before being ignorant and smearing over BTEC.
You are going into a levels? Haha so you havent even done them yet😂😂😂
And you are telling me Btecs are harder than A levels?
Original post by callumhowieson
In order to take Further Maths? Yeah, my teacher is only letting me take further maths on the condition that I get a B or above, but I will stop at nothing to get an A.


love that determination!
Yeah if you can get an A in AS maths you can get an A in AS FM.
A levels are hard in terms of revising and remembering information for exams. BTECs are hard in terms of handing in multiple assignments at the same time.

Really they both have their pros and cons so neither are better than the other
Original post by The-Spartan
I don't want to sound like an academic snob, but come on now. There is a reason that BTEC's are not accepted in oxbridge, nor mostly other top 10 unis.
Hint:

Spoiler


There's more to life than a top 10. There's plenty of people that go to mid-low ranking universities and do perfectly well upon graduating.
Original post by Binary Freak
There's more to life than a top 10. There's plenty of people that go to mid-low ranking universities and do perfectly well upon graduating.


I absolutely agree. I do not really agree on ranking graduates/people on what rank the uni they went to is, however I do agree that generally the higher 'rank' the university, the higher average intelligence needed to go there.
I am just making the point that unis in the top 10 generally do not accept BTEC as it is not of high enough merit, but they accept equivalent A-Levels. Which tells me that A-Levels are more sought after, and are therefore generally harder to obtain.
Not as many people get A* in A-Level as D* in BTEC.
Original post by The-Spartan
I absolutely agree. I do not really agree on ranking graduates/people on what rank the uni they went to is, however I do agree that generally the higher 'rank' the university, the higher average intelligence needed to go there.
I am just making the point that unis in the top 10 generally do not accept BTEC as it is not of high enough merit, but they accept equivalent A-Levels. Which tells me that A-Levels are more sought after, and are therefore generally harder to obtain.
Not as many people get A* in A-Level as D* in BTEC.

I wouldn't necessarily say the more intelligent - The more academically able yeah. Just look at some of the absurd threads created on this forum and my point speaks for itself! :smile:

Problem is there's not really strong moderation behind the subject. So you could end up accepting someone with D*D*D*, and subject wise they might be less knowledgeable than someone achieving MPP-DMM at a completely different institution. I'll accept the point though as generally those on A-levels would have more reinforced knowledge of the subject area (assuming the A-levels are relevant). With BTEC it's just a case of what you make of it. Some people go out, get experience in the meantime, others go and do relevant professional qualifications (e.g. CCNA), as they don't have the constraints of studying for several exams at a time.

Though I suppose most A-level students in higher education barely remember what they done last week, let alone any of the content from the A-levels!
personally depends on the grade of BTEC the one i did was equal to 3 A-levels
Reply 31
I'm an A Level student, but feel that B-techs are the right step for education. The idea of timed examinations is ridiculous, if you want an academic essay written, why give me 30 minutes? Due to the time pressures and the nature of exams, I think A Levels are harder, from my perspective. But coursework is clearly the best way to assess many subjects, essay based subjects especially!!!
Reply 32
Original post by jamesthehustler
personally depends on the grade of BTEC the one i did was equal to 3 A-levels


That's true in theory, but in practice that doesn't work as well, some of the higher up universities won't see it this way. I'm not saying B-techs are bad, but they just haven't got the level of respect that A Levels have!
Original post by Binary Freak
I wouldn't necessarily say the more intelligent - The more academically able yeah. Just look at some of the absurd threads created on this forum and my point speaks for itself! :smile:

Problem is there's not really strong moderation behind the subject. So you could end up accepting someone with D*D*D*, and subject wise they might be less knowledgeable than someone achieving MPP-DMM at a completely different institution. I'll accept the point though as generally those on A-levels would have more reinforced knowledge of the subject area (assuming the A-levels are relevant). With BTEC it's just a case of what you make of it. Some people go out, get experience in the meantime, others go and do relevant professional qualifications (e.g. CCNA), as they don't have the constraints of studying for several exams at a time.

Though I suppose most A-level students in higher education barely remember what they done last week, let alone any of the content from the A-levels!

Hmm, i would class being more academically able as being more intelligent :unsure:
Yes, it is at the end of the day up to the student to see what they get out of the subjects they complete, whether it be A-Level or BTEC.
The question which is harder though, is simple really. A-Levels are widely accepted to be of higher difficulty than BTEC (academically, which i assume is the 'difficulty' here)

I am an A-Level student and i cant remember what i ate for breakfast :rofl:
Why lying for


sorry :frown:
Original post by The-Spartan
Hmm, i would class being more academically able as being more intelligent :unsure:
Yes, it is at the end of the day up to the student to see what they get out of the subjects they complete, whether it be A-Level or BTEC.
The question which is harder though, is simple really. A-Levels are widely accepted to be of higher difficulty than BTEC (academically, which i assume is the 'difficulty' here)

I am an A-Level student and i cant remember what i ate for breakfast :rofl:

If you look hard enough on here, you'll soon begin to think otherwise! :rolleyes:

Being an academic forum we can probably safely assume the measurement is academic difficulty. But personally, I like looking at the grand scheme of things; getting a job, which this becomes more debatable depending on the subject!

Wouldn't worry about it, completely forget yesterday was a bank holiday Monday! In fact, since I'm more of a typist and don't have very many exams, except for one earlier this year I ended up questioning how I needed to hold the pen! :tongue:
Original post by Youngmetro


sorry :frown:

It's okay, you can always be credit for having the originality levels equal to that of a school yard bully throwing around mummy jokes! :h:
Original post by Youngmetro


sorry :frown:

Original post by Binary Freak
It's okay, you can always be credit for having the originality levels equal to that of a school yard bully throwing around mummy jokes! :h:


*credited

If you noticed, it was an image. So no, i didnt intend to be credited.

And chill, its just a joke.
(edited 7 years ago)

Quick Reply