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BTEC applied science

I am taking Pearson BTEC level 3 National Extended certificate Applied science. I have received distinctions in all the first year (year12) pieces of coursework and a Merit in the first year exam. I then received merits for my coursework in year 13 (current year). Am I still on track for achieving a distinction for my final grade? What grade will I need to get in the final exam which is upcoming in May to achieve a distinction as the final grade for my course? I am asking this because the BTEC grade calculator isn’t working on my device. Thanks for your answers!
Original post by rajjfilms
I am taking Pearson BTEC level 3 National Extended certificate Applied science. I have received distinctions in all the first year (year12) pieces of coursework and a Merit in the first year exam. I then received merits for my coursework in year 13 (current year). Am I still on track for achieving a distinction for my final grade? What grade will I need to get in the final exam which is upcoming in May to achieve a distinction as the final grade for my course? I am asking this because the BTEC grade calculator isn’t working on my device. Thanks for your answers!

A Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate in Applied Science consists of four units. I emphasis that point just to double-check that you're not talking about the Extended Diploma. You're not? OK, then I'll continue...

Overall BTEC grades are calculated by establishing how many points you obtained for each unit, adding those up, and then mapping your total points to an overall grade. For a D in the Extended Certificate, you need at least 74 points in total. So keep that number in your head as you read the below.

Unit 1, Principles and Applications of Science I, is an external unit (i.e. it's assessed via exams). I assume this is the unit for which you obtained "a Merit in the first year exam" - although schools and colleges are under no obligation to teach the units in a sensible order. The size of this unit is 90 GLH (guided learning hours), which means that a merit is worth between 15 and 23 points, depending upon your mark. (If you know your mark, and when you took the exam - June 2023? - I can lookup the points you'll have earned from it.)

Unit 2, Practical Scientific Procedures and Techniques, is an internal unit (i.e. it's assessed via assignments/coursework). As you say you "received distinctions in all the first year (year12) pieces of coursework", I assume you obtained a distinction for this unit. As this is a 90 GLH internal unit, that gets you 24 points.

Unit 3, Science Investigation Skills, is another external unit and is the exam you've yet to take. (Probably; I'm assuming you took Unit 1 in Year 12.)

Your final unit could be any of Unit 8 through Unit 16. As you "received merits for my coursework in year 13 (current year)", I'm going to assume that you have obtained a merit for this unit. As it's smaller than Unit 2, at only 60 GLH, a merit earns you 10 points.

So, right now, you're on between 49 and 57 points, depending on your mark for Unit 1, with a target of 74 points for a D overall. So you need somewhere between 17 and 25 points from Unit 3. In this unit, as it's larger then Unit 1, a merit is worth between 20 and 31 points - depending on your mark.

To be sure of a D overall, you want a good merit in Unit 3 (i.e. a mark at least half way between the merit and distinction grade boundaries).
Reply 2
Original post by DataVenia
A Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate in Applied Science consists of four units. I emphasis that point just to double-check that you're not talking about the Extended Diploma. You're not? OK, then I'll continue...
Overall BTEC grades are calculated by establishing how many points you obtained for each unit, adding those up, and then mapping your total points to an overall grade. For a D in the Extended Certificate, you need at least 74 points in total. So keep that number in your head as you read the below.
Unit 1, Principles and Applications of Science I, is an external unit (i.e. it's assessed via exams). I assume this is the unit for which you obtained "a Merit in the first year exam" - although schools and colleges are under no obligation to teach the units in a sensible order. The size of this unit is 90 GLH (guided learning hours), which means that a merit is worth between 15 and 23 points, depending upon your mark. (If you know your mark, and when you took the exam - June 2023? - I can lookup the points you'll have earned from it.)
Unit 2, Practical Scientific Procedures and Techniques, is an internal unit (i.e. it's assessed via assignments/coursework). As you say you "received distinctions in all the first year (year12) pieces of coursework", I assume you obtained a distinction for this unit. As this is a 90 GLH internal unit, that gets you 24 points.
Unit 3, Science Investigation Skills, is another external unit and is the exam you've yet to take. (Probably; I'm assuming you took Unit 1 in Year 12.)
Your final unit could be any of Unit 8 through Unit 16. As you "received merits for my coursework in year 13 (current year)", I'm going to assume that you have obtained a merit for this unit. As it's smaller than Unit 2, at only 60 GLH, a merit earns you 10 points.
So, right now, you're on between 49 and 57 points, depending on your mark for Unit 1, with a target of 74 points for a D overall. So you need somewhere between 17 and 25 points from Unit 3. In this unit, as it's larger then Unit 1, a merit is worth between 20 and 31 points - depending on your mark.
To be sure of a D overall, you want a good merit in Unit 3 (i.e. a mark at least half way between the merit and distinction grade boundaries).


Wow! Thank you for this, it’s very informative and I assume you’re correct with all your calculations because I asked another and their answer was similar to yours.
Reply 3
i got this for my grades. do you think ill get a MMP
Unit 1: P
Unit 2: M
Unit 3: P
Unit 4: P
Unit 5:
Unit 6: D
Unit 7:
Unit 8: D
Unit 9: P
Unit 12: M
Unit 13:
Unit 15:P
Unit 21:M
Original post by suki_suki
i got this for my grades. do you think ill get a MMP
Unit 1: P
Unit 2: M
Unit 3: P
Unit 4: P
Unit 5:
Unit 6: D
Unit 7:
Unit 8: D
Unit 9: P
Unit 12: M
Unit 13:
Unit 15:P
Unit 21:M

You haven't mentioned your grade for units 5, 7, or 13. Given that the difference between a P in those three units and D in those three units is significant, any estimate of your overall grade would be very vague. Do you not know these grades yet?

Also, can you confirm that this is a BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma in Applied Science, the same as the original poster in this thread?
Reply 5
I resat unit 7,5 I got a p in unit 7 and a near pass in unit 5 in January. I got M for unit 13 and I do level 3 extended diploma. I don’t know if I’ll get MMP and I’m doing a foundation course aswell it’s so disappointing.
Original post by DataVenia
You haven't mentioned your grade for units 5, 7, or 13. Given that the difference between a P in those three units and D in those three units is significant, any estimate of your overall grade would be very vague. Do you not know these grades yet?

Also, can you confirm that this is a BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma in Applied Science, the same as the original poster in this thread?

Hi @DataVenia I have already been replying to @suki_suki on the other thread about this. If you look at Pages 12 and 13 of the spec, you will see that they need to complete six optional units. The optional units are grouped. Learners must take 1–3 units from group A, 1–3 units from units group B and 1–3 units from units group C. According to the post, they have not completed any units from Group B, which could cause issues with certification, so I have advised them to check with their teacher ASAP to clarify; https://qualifications.pearson.com/content/dam/pdf/BTEC-Nationals/Applied-Science/2016/specification-and-sample-assessments/BTEC-L3-Nat-ExtDip-in-Applied-Science-Spec.pdf
Original post by bamtutor
Hi @DataVenia I have already been replying to @suki_suki on the other thread about this. If you look at Pages 12 and 13 of the spec, you will see that they need to complete six optional units. The optional units are grouped. Learners must take 1–3 units from group A, 1–3 units from units group B and 1–3 units from units group C. According to the post, they have not completed any units from Group B, which could cause issues with certification, so I have advised them to check with their teacher ASAP to clarify; https://qualifications.pearson.com/content/dam/pdf/BTEC-Nationals/Applied-Science/2016/specification-and-sample-assessments/BTEC-L3-Nat-ExtDip-in-Applied-Science-Spec.pdf

Thanks for this. You'll note that in my post above I specifically asked @suki_suki to "confirm that this is a BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma in Applied Science" (as just because that's what the original creator of this thread was asking about doesn't mean that's also what people who piggy-back on the existing thread are necessarily asking about). This thread has yet to receive an answer to that question, although I note from the other thread (thanks for that tag!) that they've confirmed that "i did applied science".

@suki_suki, could you double check the unit numbers you've listed above? Units 1 through 7 are fine, its the other units where things appear to have gone awry. I've highlighted below the units you say you've completed. Can you please read through the list and confirm that the six optional units you've done are the six highlighted - checking the name of each unit might be safer.

BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma in Applied Science - Optional Units.JPG

As @bamtutor has pointed-out, you appear not to have taken any units from group B (the middle group), which is a requirement for the qualification.
Reply 8
I haven’t done any units from group B and I also asked my teacher what my overall grade is and she said MMM. I don’t know anything about those units but I’ll ask

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