A level or btec

Hi I wanted to ask something about a levels. My cousin did all three sciences and math at a level and got AAA and as math. Then he went on to doing biomedical science in a good in a good uni which I forget the name of. He graduated and got 1st class degree, what ever that is and now works in a hospital doin I dont know and care but he said it is a high position job. Whatever. His friend is doimg the exact same job and he did shi.. In his gcses and then he went to collage and did btec level 2 in science, business and It and resat his gcses in english and math. Then went on todo btec level 3 applied science which he got ddd which is apparently an A in btec. Then he said he did a foundation year called applied science extended degree in northumbria uni and then went on todo biomedical science degree like my cousin and got a 2:1 degree, which I dont know what it means. Now he has the exact same job as my cousin bro. So I wanted aski is working extremly hard in gcses, a level worth it. Because I know other true great stories like this. Apparently I have heard btec studemts can do anything but medical degree and get in tje top 5-10 unies. Which aint so bad if you think of it .So im jus wonderimg is it really worth it. Do you waste 6 yearz or more of your life trying so hard to get good job where there is a more easy way todo it. Leave comments about the story thanks.

(edited 8 years ago)

A level

so glad i made it to study btecs this year
next year all btecs are going to have exams that contribute to 50% of your overall grade

Reply 3

suirrel

Do a BTEC if you are not a fan of exams, and would like to work in a specific vocation. If you are ambivalent about coursework or exams, are unsure of what you want to do later in life, and are definitely academically inclined, go for A levels.

While it is 100% possible to go to a good university to study an academic subject with a BTEC (through foundation years or otherwise), and likewise is possible to get a job straight after A levels, both pathways have their strengths and weaknesses. There are obstacles for both pathways. For example, I am fairly academic (got mostly As and a B at GCSE), circumstances meant I dropped out of A levels and went to college to do a BTEC instead. While I can go to university provided I get the grades (around DDD), it would definitely be simpler for me to apply had I done A levels.

Reply 4

Baleroc

Original post by mnak123456

Do you waste 6 yearz or more of your life trying so hard to get good job where there is a more easy way todo it. Leave comments about the story thanks.

A young man once said: "It's all about balancing the scales.", how far this is true for BTEC depends on the person.

A-level is an academically intense course, focusing on theoretical aspects; whereas BTEC is a practical and vocational course, focusing on the practical aspects of the subject. The scale here is balancing the theory and practice to achieve success. The scale begins by balancing the work load; it is expected the A-level course to be a higher work load than BTEC. Thus, the real question is: what do you do with your spare time? Answering this question will make you as successful, if not more, successful than an A-level student. You see, the reason A-level students are generally more wanted, is because they are expected to work harder, and have a higher work load compared to those studying a BTEC, so they have less time to do as they wish.

If you're a BTEC student, the first item you have on your hands is: time. Compared to that of an A-level student, you are expected to have a lot more time compared to others. So, the real question here is, what do you do with your "time"?

Relating to your cousin - he did a Math degree. Is there any resources we can use to improve mathematics? Yes - Project Euler. If you have spare time, allocating it to websites that are mathematical or scientific will be more warranted than some A-levels, to demonstrate your ability in mathematics. Try and find a website that directly relates to an area that you invest in; it will show commitment. If you're a medical student, perhaps investing time in reading biologically related books would improve you adequately. Perhaps find the equivalent experience, maybe apply for internships at certain areas of specialties; such as hospitals, businesses, IT companies.

Again, it is about balancing the scales with your time; think of a BTEC as only "part" of a qualification; that to get the other half, you need to go and invest your time in participating in other activities in the world, to gain the knowledge greater than or equal to that of an A-level student. The A-level qualification is more demanding because of the time investment and risk is much higher than a BTEC. By managing this time correctly, you can become more knowledgeable and skilled than any A-level student.

Ultimately, it comes down to: how you manage your time in a BTEC; managing your time effectively will give you more skills, knowledge and theory that those who study A-level.

Reply 5

suirrel

I agree. You get out of a BTEC what you put in. If you use your time well and get industry experience as well as distinctions then you're laughing. However if you do the bare minimum of work experience and only get passes then your BTEC is worth very little and you've wasted your time.

Reply 6

ckfeister

Original post by mnak123456

A-Level, the end.

Reply 7

username2165807

It looks like his friend would have taken a lot of extra time though:

Re-sitting GCSEs + doing the level 2 BTEC and THEN doing the level 3 BTEC as you would with A-levels

Foundation year of university (which your cousin probably didn't do)

And then pulled up his socks and got a 2.1, so he did work hard in the end.

It's not the best way, it looks like he spent a lot more time and money getting there due to his initial laziness. Sorry, your post comes off as someone who wants an excuse to slack off in school and thinks they'll still sail into a good job. I assure you his friend worked hard in university.

I don't understand your comment about "6 years". His friend probably spent more time than your cousin did, so it's not an "easier way".

Reply 8

mnak123456

believe me he was chilling soooooo much. he barely passed his resit. And he basically copied most of btec coursework from the internet. I overheard him saying it. plus I meant 6 years because after year 11 it took him 6-7 years to be where he is now. and me cousin took 5-6 years, 2 years a level and 3-4 years degree but I guess your right about one thing that he did try in his foundation year full on. but for his degree he mostly tried in the first year and half way through the second.
for uni my bro spent 40000, 27000 on tuition and 18000 grand for rent, accomadation etc.
his friend paid 6000-7000 for the foundation year and 27000 on uni. he lived at home not by himself. so kinda technically he paid less. in this scenario.
his friend took 1 year to resit his gcse and complete his level 2 btec, 2 years to complete btec level 3. 1 year foundation year, and 3-4 for a bachelor degree. that's 6-7 years of school after year 11. and me cousin bro did in 5-6 years. time wise I would say my cousin finish quicker. but your right there is no excuse for hard work. also who thinks how awesome my cousins friend story is, you have to admit its kinda inspirational for people who failed and people who take vocational subjects