Not sure why people are so negative towards btec
Title says it all. Ive done A levels before and Im currently doing an extended diploma. Id say the workload is higher and theres more stress over the duration of the whole year since coursework cannot be retaken. Ive had to write atleast 10,000 words for each unit. I have to do 18 units. Thats 18 dissertations worth of work thats carried out!
Scroll to see replies
Put simply, BTEC simply do not have the academic rigour that A Levels do. If you're academically able you do A levels, not BTECs - sort of says it all.
I've done a BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma.. I can see both sides of the story tbh.
Yes, I get where you're coming from, I'd be under so much more stress if my reward for 2 years of college work were determined by an exam I'd do in one day. Whoever can do that and get a good grade deserves a pat on the back. Plus you're more likely to revise something time and time again so it sticks in your head instead of writing something once in your coursework which you'll probably never read again.
But then, someone could revise for 2 years and not understand the questions or have something going on in their personal lives at the time.. if they fail, does that mean they're dumb and shouldn't be employed in their industry? I don't think so.
And yes, I agree with what people have said about BTEC being easy. Yes, when I was at college we were allowed to amend what we didn't get right the first time and still got the grade. Hey, you could even ask the teacher if what you were writing was good enough.
But we also had to do roleplays and practical assessments, and you only got one shot at that I think. Definitely if you were going for higher grades, if you wanted a Distinction overall and you got a Pass in a roleplay, you got a Pass overall. That imo is the best thing about BTEC, if you want to get higher grades than the rest of your class, the chance is there, much better option that revising all year round for a not-guaranteed-chance of getting an A*. With BTEC you literally get back what effort you put in. The same can't be said for GCSE.
Plus it was a fail-safe way to make sure the entire class is writing down exactly what they need to know. With GCSE you can only teach the class the ins and outs of their subject and from then on you're just trusting they'll revise and hoping the exam questions, which you don't know, will be understandable and cover what you've taught them.
And it was pretty stressful doing the assignments. You don't have a deadline of next week to revise everything you need to know if you do GCSE. You didn't have to write a few thousand words when revising either, you could just read some books and take notes or highlight things, whichever method of revising suited you. If you're doing BTEC and you aren't good at writing or grammar.. tough.
I sound quite biased towards BTEC but I think honestly, I can see why people are negative towards BTEC... But they're just as good as GCSE, just in a completely different way.
Yes, I get where you're coming from, I'd be under so much more stress if my reward for 2 years of college work were determined by an exam I'd do in one day. Whoever can do that and get a good grade deserves a pat on the back. Plus you're more likely to revise something time and time again so it sticks in your head instead of writing something once in your coursework which you'll probably never read again.
But then, someone could revise for 2 years and not understand the questions or have something going on in their personal lives at the time.. if they fail, does that mean they're dumb and shouldn't be employed in their industry? I don't think so.
And yes, I agree with what people have said about BTEC being easy. Yes, when I was at college we were allowed to amend what we didn't get right the first time and still got the grade. Hey, you could even ask the teacher if what you were writing was good enough.
But we also had to do roleplays and practical assessments, and you only got one shot at that I think. Definitely if you were going for higher grades, if you wanted a Distinction overall and you got a Pass in a roleplay, you got a Pass overall. That imo is the best thing about BTEC, if you want to get higher grades than the rest of your class, the chance is there, much better option that revising all year round for a not-guaranteed-chance of getting an A*. With BTEC you literally get back what effort you put in. The same can't be said for GCSE.
Plus it was a fail-safe way to make sure the entire class is writing down exactly what they need to know. With GCSE you can only teach the class the ins and outs of their subject and from then on you're just trusting they'll revise and hoping the exam questions, which you don't know, will be understandable and cover what you've taught them.
And it was pretty stressful doing the assignments. You don't have a deadline of next week to revise everything you need to know if you do GCSE. You didn't have to write a few thousand words when revising either, you could just read some books and take notes or highlight things, whichever method of revising suited you. If you're doing BTEC and you aren't good at writing or grammar.. tough.
I sound quite biased towards BTEC but I think honestly, I can see why people are negative towards BTEC... But they're just as good as GCSE, just in a completely different way.
Exams test your knowledge, coursework tests your skills. To say people do A Levels if they are academically able is BS because I'm academic and have always gotten good grades, however I cannot cope with exams, this had nothing to do with my intelligence or academia but simply personal preference. You also learn the same content in A Level and BTEC, the only difference is how you are assessed. I do BTEC's and have yet to drop a Distinction but it is a lot of hard work and we get next to no help from our teachers who don't mark and remark our work as that is against the rules of BTEC's. Yes some people take BTEC'a because they aren't academic, some take BTEC's because their school or college doesn't offer the A Level in those subjects, some prefer coursework over exams and other believe the skills learnt in BTEC's are much more applicable in everyday life and in careers than exams. Generalising the people who take BTEC's is narrow minded, at the end of the day both BTECs and A Levels can get you to where you want to go so it really does not matter
Original post by VasDev
Title says it all. Ive done A levels before and Im currently doing an extended diploma. Id say the workload is higher and theres more stress over the duration of the whole year since coursework cannot be retaken. Ive had to write atleast 10,000 words for each unit. I have to do 18 units. Thats 18 dissertations worth of work thats carried out!
It's pure academic snobbery.
Original post by uberteknik
Because they want to big themselves up by belittling others.
It's pure academic snobbery.
It's pure academic snobbery.
I'll laugh when I get offers from russell group unis from my btec grades
how did you end up doing a btec and a levels
Probably inbetweeners lol. People just love to hate on something to feel superior, it's just natural.
You're still being lenient imo. Even BBB would be more impressive than D*DD.
Or because you can effectively keep retrying coursework in BTEC to get the grade you desire. But with a levels you can study for 2 years then bottle it on the day.
That and the content in a levels is harder. BTEC doesn't have "hard" content. They just have lots of content. There's a difference
Original post by uberteknik
Because they want to big themselves up by belittling others.
It's pure academic snobbery.
It's pure academic snobbery.
Or because you can effectively keep retrying coursework in BTEC to get the grade you desire. But with a levels you can study for 2 years then bottle it on the day.
That and the content in a levels is harder. BTEC doesn't have "hard" content. They just have lots of content. There's a difference
I'm sorry but you are totally deluded if you think that BTEC is analogous to A levels. I know enough secondary teachers to be able to tell you categorically that the academically weaker students are pushed towards BTEC whereas the ones who can actually do it get to do the A levels. Part of this is the league tables: they can't risk entering low ability students for A level and have them fail. The overall content of BTECs is considerably simplified, and the assessment made as easy as possible, with unlimited resubmission of coursework and no terminal examination. It's Level 3 standard, but on a much reduced syllabus. This is not academic snobbery. It's fact.
BTEC does have a different skill set, and it suited to a different student. It's certainly not worthless. But to trying to equate it with A levels is both disingenuous and unfair to those who are studying hard at difficult academic A levels.
BTEC does have a different skill set, and it suited to a different student. It's certainly not worthless. But to trying to equate it with A levels is both disingenuous and unfair to those who are studying hard at difficult academic A levels.
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by stereoashhh
You're still being lenient imo. Even BBB would be more impressive than D*DD.
Or because you can effectively keep retrying coursework in BTEC to get the grade you desire. But with a levels you can study for 2 years then bottle it on the day.
That and the content in a levels is harder. BTEC doesn't have "hard" content. They just have lots of content. There's a difference
Or because you can effectively keep retrying coursework in BTEC to get the grade you desire. But with a levels you can study for 2 years then bottle it on the day.
That and the content in a levels is harder. BTEC doesn't have "hard" content. They just have lots of content. There's a difference
Oxford are very clear that they consider D* equivalent to A* and D equivalent to A
"A D grade (distinction) in a BTEC National would be considered equivalent to an A at A-level, and a D* in a BTEC National would be considered equivalent to an A* at A-level."
https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/courses/entrance-requirements?wssl=1
Some universities are a lot less welcoming to BTECs but Oxford aren't nearly as up themselves as TSR.
Original post by Reality Check
I'm sorry but you are totally deluded if you think that BTEC is analogous to A levels. I know enough secondary teachers to be able to tell you categorically that the academically weaker students are pushed towards BTEC whereas the ones who can actually do it get to do the A levels. Part of this is the league tables: they can't risk entering low ability students for A level and have them fail. The overall content of BTECs is considerably simplified, and the assessment made as easy as possible, with unlimited resubmission of coursework and no terminal examination. It's Level 3 standard, but on a much reduced syllabus. This is not academic snobbery. It's fact.
BTEC does have a different skill set, and it suited to a different student. It's certainly not worthless. But to trying to equate it with A levels is both disingenuous and unfair to those who are studying hard at difficult academic A levels.
BTEC does have a different skill set, and it suited to a different student. It's certainly not worthless. But to trying to equate it with A levels is both disingenuous and unfair to those who are studying hard at difficult academic A levels.
I do somewhat disagree with the point you made on academic students. While I cant talk on behalf of all btec students,the course that I'm doing has some topics that go into as much as detail as A level computing.
I am, however, teaching myself java and discrete mathematics in my own time so you can't say im academically incapable of doing a-levels.
Original post by stereoashhh
You're still being lenient imo. Even BBB would be more impressive than D*DD.
I'm sure oxford admissions would put you in your place
So you where 20 when you finished collage??
This is TSR. Most of the people on here are virgins and have no friends. They need to feel good about something.
Lmao BTECs are a joke
Quick Reply
Related discussions
- Interested in an Apprenticeship but concerned about my Employability
- What can I do with a BTEC Level 3 in Business?
- Is it true that BTEC’s struggle at university?
- Official Audiology @ University of Manchester UG 2023 Thread
- Three A Levels & a WJEC?
- Is applying for Leeds a long shot?
- BTEC H&S Care Unit 5: Meeting Individual Care and Support Needs Work Explained
- Why is it that I complain about stuff when I do a lot of work?
- french alevel La haine essay
- Can I get into engineering with these subjects at A level?
- BTEC Applied Science Unit 5 2023
- Should I have finished sixth form college to keep the uni door open
- going to uni with a btech
- Entry requirements with mixed courses
- I need help - does my friend still want to be friends with me?
- Aqa A level physics Electric field question (1)
- Would you do an extra year of sixth form and an extra year of uni?
- I'm 17 and Hate my Apprenticeship.
- IDK I'm lost.
- Be honest
Latest
Trending
Last reply 10 hours ago
Edexcel A Level Politics Paper 1 (9PL0 01) - 21st May 2024 [Exam Chat]A-levels
10
Trending
Last reply 10 hours ago
Edexcel A Level Politics Paper 1 (9PL0 01) - 21st May 2024 [Exam Chat]A-levels
10
