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Btec vs A-Levels and scholarships.

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I think one of the main issues with A levels is you're crammed with loads of knowledge for a year and then given some exams which don't have half of what you were taught on it; yet btec you learn everything you need around a topic and given coursework to complete 9 times in that same year(extended lvl 3 btec etc).
Although btec students don't have the same exam experience (although they probably do if they did gcse even though I'm sure it's probably not that same amount of stress), they instead do get the 'don't ****ing hand in coursework late, know how to get higher marks in hitting exactly what the coursework question/task wants from you'. There is obviously coursework in most a levels but it isn't as focused as btec.
If you could have seen my classroom near the end of the year, 15 students silent as they type furiously at their computers, teachers barely helping even the ones close to tears because they couldn't get the words they needed to hit the higher marks.

I don't agree with you that btec students shouldn't get to go to uni with the grades they worked for. The universities decide for themselves who they want, their grades may not be good enough but a excellent personal statement is handy. (probably less so for top 10 idno I never wanted to go to one).

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Reply 41

S1elyak1

I completely disagree with you. Why should someone who worked just as hard as you not be allowed to get the scholarship they deserve?

I chose to do a BTEC just because I'm bad at exams, I can understand the material but as soon as I go into an exam I mess it up and will get a D but give me the exact same question in an essay format and I can get an A in it. That's not exactly fair but it's life and life isn't fair. I'm sure you were given the choice to do a BTEC so you could have done one if you wanted something 'easier' to do.

Reply 42

steelman1000

so is it different from uni to uni?

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Reply 43

Average girl

I totally disagree!!! BTEC subject are just as challenging and are actually more work for example I study health and social care (worth two grades) and applied science (worth one grade).both of these courses are very large and you need to cover a lot of different units.(12 units with 11 maybe more tasks per unit) . We are often given a week to complete a task which is mostly as essay. And I must add not one of my essays is less then 10 pages. The demand is a lot higher and the stress levels are a lot harder to deal with .some days you can literally have up to 8 pieces of course work due in . And if you miss it you fail the task .and if that task is only worth a pass you have failed the unit and the course.I have had to sit A level but had to back out due to health and lack of attendance. But when I went back to sixth form I wanted to change my courses and I am glad I did . They are a lot more demanding I will admit but they just makes sure the pressure is on you for the full two years.in stead of just a few months before the exam .They should definitely be awarded a scholarship because at the end of the day they are just as demanding and challenging as a Alecel .i mean come on why do you think they are worth the same on the tariffs.

Reply 44

Average girl

Original post by einnap101

I didn't mean you personally, your situation is different. I meant generally people who do btec didn't get good enough grades to carry on with a levels.

And a lot of people do btec business for instance and go on to university to do Law so not everyone continues with what they were doing.

Like I said, I don't have an issue with people doing btecs, my issue is that they can get onto some courses much easier than people doing a levels can and that's what isn't fair.

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Can I just say you can get easy every thing you can get some A levels that are not as demanding as the others and it is the same with BTEC's .

And BTW law is a subject area where no specialised subjects are required . The reason for this is you get thought from scratch. Many law professors have told me that even sitting A level law can put you in a bad place .As most of the time you have to forgot what you learnt and learn it a different way .

Reply 45

jonathanemptage

Original post by Jelly150

I always felt that way. It is A LOT easier to get into university with a BTEC than A-Levels. However, the only advantage with A-Levels is that you will have a slight advantage in university because you have already done several exams before going to uni. Plus, I don't think you can get into medicine, engineering, etc. with a BTEC?

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I'm living proof that you can get into engineering with a BTEC BTEC s are actually better for things with practical skills like engineering