The Student Room Group

Regret doing a btec

Does anybody else regret doing a btec?

Because i do. At first it’s alright, pretty basic however when you start applying to unis and realise most top unis ask for an level alongside it, you feel like it was a waste of two years.

does anyone else regret it? Or can anyone tell me some success stories because I’ve taken a gap year to reapply and need some :frown:

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Reply 1
i am in the same situation. many top universities do allow btec but you need to have an a level as well so my choices are limited :/
I guess it depends on what you plan to do afterwards.

I did a BTEC in Applied Science and do not regret it one bit, as it was what got me into university and I am now studying physiotherapy. :smile:
Reply 3
Original post by quara007
i am in the same situation. many top universities do allow btec but you need to have an a level as well so my choices are limited :/

Yes many do list BTEC as a qualification but there’s always something else. Either an alevel or specific modules. It’s never this complicated with a level students.
Reply 4
Original post by watermelon16
I guess it depends on what you plan to do afterwards.

I did a BTEC in Applied Science and do not regret it one bit, as it was what got me into university and I am now studying physiotherapy. :smile:

I studied Business, maybe it’s harder for business students. And it is easy to get into a uni but many top unis which in looking at ask for an alevel alongside it.

I feel like it would’ve just been easier to do alevels to begin with.
Original post by Van3ssa001
I studied Business, maybe it’s harder for business students. And it is easy to get into a uni but many top unis which in looking at ask for an alevel alongside it.

I feel like it would’ve just been easier to do alevels to begin with.

May I ask what you're looking to study? Just business?
Reply 6
Really? None of my mates that did a BTEC have been complaining. Most of them got into a Russel group university such as Queen Mary for CS, including one to UCL for a similar course.

Although, they did all get distinctions and higher, so maybe your grades is the problem?
Reply 7
Original post by Van3ssa001
Yes many do list BTEC as a qualification but there’s always something else. Either an alevel or specific modules. It’s never this complicated with a level students.

Can you send us a link to a course requiring BTEC and an additional a-level?
Reply 8
Original post by Xarao
Really? None of my mates that did a BTEC have been complaining. Most of them got into a Russel group university such as Queen Mary for CS, including one to UCL for a similar course.

Although, they did all get distinctions and higher, so maybe your grades is the problem?


I got D*DD but I’m literally 2 UMS points from D*D*D so I’m resitting an exam in January. So I don’t think my grades are a problem.

UCL was my first choice but for some reason they changed their information management degree from DDD to D*D*D*. Crazy that they’re asking for this when no one in my sixth form has even achieved this.

I know it’s possible to get into Russell group but if you’re aiming for top ten unis then a btec s no good. That’s why I’m regretting it.
(edited 3 years ago)
Reply 9
Original post by Xarao
Can you send us a link to a course requiring BTEC and an additional a-level?

https://warwick.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses-2021/management
https://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/business-management-bsc
+ UCL information management course was increased from DDD to D*D*D*

I know these might be aspirational of me but two years ago I didn’t know BTEC had limitations.
Original post by watermelon16
May I ask what you're looking to study? Just business?

Yup. Management. I like economics so I’m also looking into that too.
that’s same course i’m on and i was worried i wouldn’t get physiotherapy opportunity- which uni and what other quals do you have ?
Original post by benjaminjh
that’s same course i’m on and i was worried i wouldn’t get physiotherapy opportunity- which uni and what other quals do you have ?

I also did business, with my grades totalling my ucas points to around 128. In addition, I did work experience in a local hospital which also helped loads in the personal statement. I go to Winchester Uni, and had also got an offer from MMU.
(edited 3 years ago)
Original post by benjaminjh
that’s same course i’m on and i was worried i wouldn’t get physiotherapy opportunity- which uni and what other quals do you have ?

I only did BTEC because my sixth form didn’t offer the alevel and btec combo. Two years ago I wasn’t very proactive and only applied to one sixth form.
Reply 14
Original post by Van3ssa001
I got D*DD but I’m literally 2 UMS points from D*D*D so I’m resitting an exam in January. So I don’t think my grades are a problem.

UCL was my first choice but for some reason they changed their information management degree from DDD to D*D*D*. Crazy that they’re asking for this when no one in my sixth form has even achieved this.

I know it’s possible to get into Russell group but if you’re aiming for top ten unis then a btec s no good. That’s why I’m regretting it.

First of all, good job on the grades. Hopefully you can get that D*D*D* when you resit, but even if you don't, you still have done very well. It's a shame, but you can't really do anything about certain universities requiring A-levels alongside your BTEC grade.

Also, you may always have the "regret" of doing a BTEC, but honestly ask yourself, do you think you would've gotten A*AA or even higher to meet some of the entry requirements? Even if you did A-levels, you could've said exactly the same thing about BTEC and creating a thread about why you regret doing A-levels.

But anyways, you should focus on what you can get into now rather than what you could have, because there are tons of great universities that would take you with your current grades and see where you can go from there.
Original post by Xarao
First of all, good job on the grades. Hopefully you can get that D*D*D* when you resit, but even if you don't, you still have done very well. It's a shame, but you can't really do anything about certain universities requiring A-levels alongside your BTEC grade.

Also, you may always have the "regret" of doing a BTEC, but honestly ask yourself, do you think you would've gotten A*AA or even higher to meet some of the entry requirements? Even if you did A-levels, you could've said exactly the same thing about BTEC and creating a thread about why you regret doing A-levels.

But anyways, you should focus on what you can get into now rather than what you could have, because there are tons of great universities that would take you with your current grades and see where you can go from there.

Thanks very much! There isn’t anything I can do now and you’re right. I can’t say confidently I would’ve gotten the equivalent grades at a levels.

And I wouldn’t necessarily be going to a bad uni. I’ve looked at Nottingham, Uni of Birmingham, maybe even UCL through clearing. Fingers crossed.

But thanks for your response, i should just try and ace my resit so I can have more options.
I did a BTEC, now i’m going to study physiotherapy. I don’t regret it at all, although i did study psychology As level alongside it too.

BTEC + work experience will make you a very very valuable candidate opposed to someone with A levels and little to none work experience.
Omg I’m in the same situation !! I really really regret doing health and social care & sociology . At the time I didn’t care about school, just wanted to be a nurse so I took the easier route - however a year down the line I love learning, and I really want to become a lawyer one day but I’m stuck as I did these a levels. I have no idea what to do. My GCSEs weren’t bad as well, I just wish I tried as I think I could have gotten very good grades but back then school was just so dismal for me .
which university are you studying at? am thinking about physiotherapy also doing btec in applied science pe and a level business
Original post by Van3ssa001
Does anybody else regret doing a btec?

Because i do. At first it’s alright, pretty basic however when you start applying to unis and realise most top unis ask for an level alongside it, you feel like it was a waste of two years.

does anyone else regret it? Or can anyone tell me some success stories because I’ve taken a gap year to reapply and need some :frown:

I get how you feel, although not all hope is lost for me because I still have a good unis- Heriott-Watt, Sussex, Lancaster, Nottingham- that I can get into with my Btec; but, I've been struggling to cope with the stigma associated with taking a Btec.

At the time I received my GCSEs, I got good grades in most of my subjects (mainly Bs including maths) but I was told about how hard A level Maths was and I ended up thinking I wouldn't hack it; on top of that, I got a 4 in Eng lang so I thought I failed. So much more was going on back then- I wasn't even aware of the stereotype that came with taking this Btec. It's a shame really because many of my peers, family members and teachers expected quite a lot from me.

I'm just venting about how frustrating it is to come across this sort of stuff, but I'm sure that ones I get my foot at a good uni all these things won't matter.

PLUS: I'm doing an AS level Maths- and that kinda cheers me up- although I'm finding it easy...

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