Don't do A levels.

Scroll to see replies

I prefer A-levels as I tend to do well on exam based subjects. I don't think I would enjoy BTEC as much as I suck at doing coursework :smile:

Reply 181

ICEN_Prophet

Original post by BinaryJava

BTECs are worthless and will only get you into bad universities. Good universities don't ask for UCAS points and if they do they get around it by asking for UCAS points and an A in A level maths.

HAHA
Please check your facts dude.

Reply 182

Angry Bird

Original post by similarBlank

15 people have repped you and I don't know why.. What does "peak" mean?

it basically means sad

Reply 183

beautifulbigmacs

Original post by hololand

The fact that A level student's are put through the amount of stress that they are. Is just unacceptable and shows how wrong the UK education system is.

I fully agree. I think after A levels a lot of people are like "nuts to this sh1t". I can see why a lot of people party like mad at uni. One of the reasons I am proud of my 2:2 degree is that I reached a point of thinking that my validity as a person does not come down to my grades. I spent a large proportion of my energy at uni recovering from how the A level years made me feel and I don't regret that one bit.

Reply 184

hololand

Original post by Zygomaticus

Although my statement may be an outlier, I disagree that A levels are stressful especially in comparison to my Med degree. In fact, I think A levels left me and a huge number of my peers ill prepared for the academic rigours we would face and the A level courses seemed to be fairly easily self taught. A bundle of past papers, mark schemes and a revision guide could often suffice for below par teaching.

What I do however think is that the course could certainly be more focussed and that instead of the syllabus covering vast swathes of content, it could focus on certain key areas of interest. Certainly for many, A levels is the first proper time they can choose subjects they are truly interested in and the syllabus should help further this or at least complement it! This could possibly reduce the 'stress' of a levels you speak of where students are panicked that they have to revise lots of irrelevant content for a 60-120 minute exam.

When did you do your A levels? Also I think this year is especially bad because due to a new course coming in. Which means all our retakes are only competing against our own year and not the year below. Which means that we will have especially high boundaries for AS retakes.

Reply 185

username2488725

Original post by hololand

So 2 years ago I made the choice to go through with A levels, My best friend chose the route of B-Tec level 3 extended diploma. Initially I laughed at him and thought he had made a stupid foolish decision.

By the end of the first year I was getting weighed down by the 7 days a week constant revision from maths, physics, business studies and that coursework from art. Meanwhile my friend was merrily on his way with his 3 days a week of relaxed work and practical outdoors filming.

And we arrive at the now. I have not been able to go out with friends on many occasions due to work. Nor have I had any significant free time to pursue my passion and hobbies. I have been locked away revising information that I will likely never need again just to get the grades for a university course of my choice.

My friend meanwhile has already finished for the year, during which he has pursued and integrated his course into his passion for BMX. He has had more free time in the last two weeks than I have had in the entire year.

And he just got his results back. Now at GCSE you must bear in mind he was a B/C student, I was slightly higher with pretty much straight B's. However he just got given D*D*D*, which is the equivalent of 420 ucas points or 3 A*'s at A level. Meanwhile after 7 days a week of far more difficult and challenging work constantly throughout the year, I have barely attained a prediction of BBB.

I don't see how it is fair that 3 days of much easier and far more enjoyable work a week. Can almost DOUBLE the amount of ucas points of far more stressful, much more difficult A levels.

Now obviously I am happy for my friend, I am currently contemplating my life and why I didn't choose the same option as him. But how... HOW is this fair?

I have done just over 2x the work of easily 5x the difficulty and I am getting HALF THE REWARD?.

Now obviously I cannot change the entire UK education system. But I warn anybody considering A levels to read up on this and consider how much pain you will go through for such little reward. Do BTEC's.

Why doesn't Oxbridge take Btec then?

At the end of the day A-Levels are the gold standard and well recognised compared to Btec

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 186

ValkyrieScythe

It depends on how you learn, I barely do two hours of revision sometimes and many times have achieved A* (mocks, i get anxiety in exams so it is mostly Bs :s-smilie:

) but with course work I spend hours and hours just trying to complete it before the deadline. Last minute work is ma thing and coursework requires consistent effort...

Reply 187

B_9710

Original post by hololand

The fact that A level student's are put through the amount of stress that they are. Is just unacceptable and shows how wrong the UK education system is.

Why? A degree may be more stressful, working may be more stressful. Life is stressful. It's good preparation.

Reply 188

saladays

What about in my case? I see myself as pretty academic. I like the classroom environment. I'm not interested in trade - I don't want to be a hairdresser or a florist or a beautician or a brick layer or a construction worker. I know some colleges offer more than those but the BTECs in my colleges are limited to industrial or catering courses.

I adore everything English. It's by far my best subject and my entire future is set around writing. I can't wait to study it more. The only BTECs I know of that do *anything* remotely art-worthy is one that involves drama (which I do not do) and a business course involving one English subject... and Maths etc.

There's not a BTEC out there that appeals to me. I simply love creative writing - and guess what? I'm doing a Creative Writing A Level. I also enjoy graphics and I'm doing that, and literature, and an EPQ where I can do whatever I want and it's absolutely perfect to me.

I'm willing to put the work in. I know I am. Why? Because I don't consider going out with my friends all the time more important than my studies. It's important, but I'm willing to sacrifice a few parties to ****ing secure my future.

And I think no less of people doing BTECs. It suits them. A levels suit me.

Reply 189

username2694491

Original post by hololand

Oooft, I'm going back down memory lane. I sat A2s in 2012?

In my opinion retakes unless you failed are a bad idea, come university for most courses you can only resit if you've failed or had an extenuating circumstances affecting your first sit. If you failed and you resit then you're capped at the pass mark! That's the way I think it should be since it ensure it's fair for all.

You all get the same one shot, a completely level playing field. If you've prepared and done well then fair play to you, if you didn't, you can't say it wasn't fair and you'll resit because it didn't go how you wanted. Also, I do like the idea that you're compared to the other A2 students for AS resits.

Reply 190

username2694491

Original post by CrazyFool229

Why doesn't Oxbridge take Btec then?

At the end of the day A-Levels are the gold standard and well recognised compared to Btec

Oxbridge isn't a be all end all. They use A levels for offers and admission because in their eyes it's what they consider the best PREDICTOR of academic prowess. It's not an ideal fit, of course there are vast swathes of people who do poorly in a levels, don't even do a levels etc who are academically excellent and go on to do brilliant things. Doing BTECs isn't to say the student is incapable academically just that their admissions office doesn't see it as solid and reliable an indicator.

A levels aren't the gold standard, when you go to university you'll see people who've done other board type exams which frankly make A levels look like a primary school exam in comparison.

Reply 191

Jaiomi Roberts

Original post by hololand

But regardless of whether you like it or not. Why should BTEC students get more reward for less work? hardly fair is it?.

This isn't the case for all BTEC Courses. I'm currently studying Musical Theatre (level 3) and I am in college 5 days a week from 9am till 3/4pm. Since the first day I have been given written work and assignments to take home everyday because there's no time to do it in class due to all the practical work and technique classes we have to take.
It's not easy at all and requires a whole lot of commitment and effort just like A level students have to do. So I'm just saying that not all BTECs are easy and do deserve just as much credit as A levels.