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Level 3 Diploma or A Level?

Hi, first question on here :-)

Currently sitting my GCSE's and am looking at Sixth Form's and their open evening when we go back after Half Term.

I would like to do A Level:
- French
- History
- Computer Science
- Physics (As a 4th if required).

A Sixth Form i'm looking to go to only offers Computer Science as a L3 Diploma which is 'equivalent to 2 A Levels', as oppose to just standard A Level Computer Science.

Would choosing this affect my chances of gaining acceptance into top Universities - Russel Group, Oxbridge etc.

Thank you very much,
Kyle

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Might sound outdated and might get me a bit of bluff, but I wish well for you and every student so I advise you to take Pure A-Levels only!

(Or IB which is another standard of academia equally respected)
Reply 2
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ExamJon54
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13
Original post by New_to_tsr
Might sound outdated and might get me a bit of bluff, but I wish well for you and every student so I advise you to take Pure A-Levels only!

(Or IB which is another standard of academia equally respected)


Ok thank you, I am just curious - i'm the first in my family to go through sixth form and University so i'm pretty clueless :-)
Original post by ExamJon54
Ok thank you, I am just curious - i'm the first in my family to go through sixth form and University so i'm pretty clueless :-)


Nothing to shy away from, keep working hard!
Reply 4
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ExamJon54
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Original post by New_to_tsr
Nothing to shy away from, keep working hard!


👌👌
Reply 5
Avatar for Kambu
Kambu
7
Agree that it's better to take A-levels if you want to get into a top uni. I learnt that the hard way :frown: ...was told my BTEC would be equivalent to 3 A-levels...so i tried hard and put in the effort to get D*D*D* (which is supposedly the same as A* A* A* at A-level) but the top unis don't see it that way. They prefer more traditional qualifications or want extra stuff ontop of the BTEC (Atleast for oxbridge).
Original post by ExamJon54
Ok thank you, I am just curious - i'm the first in my family to go through sixth form and University so i'm pretty clueless :-)


BTEC will be good if you want to do comp sci at uni, and if the uni you want to go to accepts it. People say BTEC's are easier, but they are equivalent to A-Levels. They give you more of a practical way of learning that subject, getting more chances to use skills that you learn etc.
Reply 7
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ExamJon54
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Original post by Bill Nye
BTEC will be good if you want to do comp sci at uni, and if the uni you want to go to accepts it. People say BTEC's are easier, but they are equivalent to A-Levels. They give you more of a practical way of learning that subject, getting more chances to use skills that you learn etc.


See that’s where I’m confused. So is a L3 Diploma a BTEC?
Original post by ExamJon54
See that’s where I’m confused. So is a L3 Diploma a BTEC?


Well it should say BTEC level 3 diploma. I am not an expert on this, let me look it up for a second
Reply 9
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ExamJon54
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Original post by Kambu
Agree that it's better to take A-levels if you want to get into a top uni. I learnt that the hard way :frown: ...was told my BTEC would be equivalent to 3 A-levels...so i tried hard and put in the effort to get D*D*D* (which is supposedly the same as A* A* A* at A-level) but the top unis don't see it that way. They prefer more traditional qualifications or want extra stuff ontop of the BTEC (Atleast for oxbridge).


This helped me a lot- Thank you! Did you still get into Uni? :smile:
so a diploma is worth 2 levels, and a subsidiary diploma is worth one A-Level. I think that it might not say BTEC because it is with the OCR exam board?
Reply 11
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ExamJon54
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Original post by Bill Nye
so a diploma is worth 2 levels, and a subsidiary diploma is worth one A-Level. I think that it might not say BTEC because it is with the OCR exam board?


Yes, it’s an OCR L3 Diploma - I’m currently doing the new 9-1 OCR Computer Science at GCSE.
Original post by ExamJon54
See that’s where I’m confused. So is a L3 Diploma a BTEC?


It's a vocational course so yes. BTEC is quite time consuming but not that hard to achieve highly in if you just put in the time. A-levels are naturally exams oriented so you need to know how to use your time efficiently and find methods in which ways you can excel at revising and finding exam techniques as well (Basically, in terms of difficulty, usually A-levels>>BTEC but in terms of time invested, A-levels=BTEC). Am a 2nd year doing an extended diploma in Business (worth 3 A-levels) and I've tasted things on the other side (took on 4 A-levels...... T-T..... Maths,Chem,Physics and Accounting)
Reply 13
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Kambu
7
Original post by ExamJon54
This helped me a lot- Thank you! Did you still get into Uni? :smile:


Not yet :frown: hoping to apply to do an aerospace or mechanical engineering course in 2018. Unfortunately i won't be able to get into oxbridge...and imperial doesn't accept btecs whatsoever. I have the qualifications to apply for UCL and bristol though which are still decent unis...so fingers crossed! :biggrin:
Original post by Bill Nye
BTEC will be good if you want to do comp sci at uni, and if the uni you want to go to accepts it. People say BTEC's are easier, but they are equivalent to A-Levels. They give you more of a practical way of learning that subject, getting more chances to use skills that you learn etc.


I disagree:
If you wish to study CompSci at a prestigious institution I advise you take Maths, which is highly sought requirement, now often they'll want another scientific subject which may be Computing for this course.

Although I'm aware several other providers will not demand any subjects though if you wish to study at a Russell Group Uni, you must meet the conditions.

Finally from a factual lens BTECs are not A-Levels, and that was never the intention when they were introduced in 1984, and in effect elite institutions of academia rightly or wrongly, it's up for debate, have formulated their entry requirements on the basis of pure A Level qualifications.

Btw I study Maths & Computer Science myself. :smile:
Original post by New_to_tsr
I disagree:
If you wish to study CompSci at a prestigious institution I advise you take Maths, which is highly sought requirement, now often they'll want another scientific subject which may be Computing for this course.

Although I'm aware several other providers will not demand any subjects though if you wish to study at a Russell Group Uni, you must meet the conditions.

Finally from a factual lens BTECs are not A-Levels, and that was never the intention when they were introduced in 1984, and in effect elite institutions of academia rightly or wrongly, it's up for debate, have formulated their entry requirements on the basis of pure A Level qualifications.

Btw I study Maths & Computer Science myself. :smile:


Yes. I agree. Why not a computer science btec, maths and a science (probably physics)?
Reply 16
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ExamJon54
OP
13
Original post by New_to_tsr
I disagree:
If you wish to study CompSci at a prestigious institution I advise you take Maths, which is highly sought requirement, now often they'll want another scientific subject which may be Computing for this course.

Although I'm aware several other providers will not demand any subjects though if you wish to study at a Russell Group Uni, you must meet the conditions.

Finally from a factual lens BTECs are not A-Levels, and that was never the intention when they were introduced in 1984, and in effect elite institutions of academia rightly or wrongly, it's up for debate, have formulated their entry requirements on the basis of pure A Level qualifications.

Btw I study Maths & Computer Science myself. :smile:


That’s where I kind of drop- that’s the one subject I’m not even considering doing at A Level, Maths. I’m a solid grade 6 at GCSE and hope to get a 7 but that’s it.
I was told that GCSE CS was very maths-orientated but I haven’t found it to be. Is the maths involved similar at A Level?
Original post by Bill Nye
Yes. I agree. Why not a computer science btec, maths and a science (probably physics)?


Because the question is hoping to attend a Russell Group University where very unfortunately non-conventional routes to further education are frowned upon.
If the OP studied the subjects you referenced and replaced the Btec for an easier/soft A Level, the chances of entry would increase.

This may sound impractical but sadly the operation of our academic system enshrines textbook and chalkboard learning over innovative education designed to inspire the generation rather than spoon-feed.
Original post by ExamJon54
That’s where I kind of drop- that’s the one subject I’m not even considering doing at A Level, Maths. I’m a solid grade 6 at GCSE and hope to get a 7 but that’s it.
I was told that GCSE CS was very maths-orientated but I haven’t found it to be. Is the maths involved similar at A Level?


I haven't completed an A-Level in Computer Science and I disbelieve in the wisdom that a Maths A2 is needed to understand the field of Computing although it does really help in vaguer areas such as logical operations and calculations.

Above all of this, the sad reality is Maths is a requirement alongside another scientific subject (or CompSci) however this is certainly not the case for mid-level universities such as Goldsmiths :smile:
Reply 19
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yt7777
18
Your problem is not taking the BTEC (that will help you) bit more importantly you need to be taking maths to go to a top uni for computer science

The BTEC is really good in my opinion, I did the one that was worth 3 A levels and didn't take an extra A level and I now have my Computer Science degree from a top 30 uni and am currently studying my Masters at a top 10 uni.

Also Oxford and most Russell groups accept the BTEC for computer science as long as its combined with Maths A level

If I were you, I wouldn't take French or History as they would be pointless for a Comp Sci degree, I would take the Com Sci BTEC (2 A levels) and then Maths + Physics as a 4th if you can handle it

Hope this helps :smile:
(edited 6 years ago)

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