Who dares wins. My mate who did btec business and had a c at maths was told not to apply to ucl for accounting and management or something to that effect, and that he should instead not take another year and apply for ucl. He got in, I was encouraged to go to Birmingham city uni, took a year out, got into Sheffield. Your personal tutors definitely mean well (and mine later helped me out for my Ucas reference in November before last) but it's in their interests to encourage you to go to uni. To them it Dosent matter what you do after you leave college/sixth form, your just a stat that is published. Use your own judgement and stand your ground if you really want to apply to a certain uni, but do be respectful and consider their advice to