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UCAS points BTEC Applied Science/Biomedical Science

Does anyone know how much points is a distinction, merit and pass worth?
Original post by ilikefoodxox
Does anyone know how much points is a distinction, merit and pass worth?

Are we talking about three separate BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificates? If so, a distinction is 48 points, a merit is 32 points, and a pass is 16 points.

The UCAS Tariff Calculator is here.

Reply 2

Original post by DataVenia
Are we talking about three separate BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificates? If so, a distinction is 48 points, a merit is 32 points, and a pass is 16 points.
The UCAS Tariff Calculator is here.
Sorry that I didn’t make it clear. I am talking about one Level 3 Biomedical Science/Applied Science
Original post by ilikefoodxox
Sorry that I didn’t make it clear. I am talking about one Level 3 Biomedical Science/Applied Science

So you're talking about a BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma - equivalent to three A levels? That isn't graded as "distinction, merit and pass", so the question doesn't really make much sense.

The individual units within it are graded that way, but the whole BTEC Extended Diploma receives a three-letter grade, like PPP, DMM, or D*D*D. It's the overall grade which earns UCAS points.

Reply 4

Original post by DataVenia
So you're talking about a BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma - equivalent to three A levels? That isn't graded as "distinction, merit and pass", so the question doesn't really make much sense.
The individual units within it are graded that way, but the whole BTEC Extended Diploma receives a three-letter grade, like PPP, DMM, or D*D*D. It's the overall grade which earns UCAS points.

What I meant was how much points distinction is worth same with merit and pass.
Original post by ilikefoodxox
What I meant was how much points distinction is worth same with merit and pass.

UCAS points? None. It doesn't work that way.

Before we continue, can you please confirm that name of the qualification you're referring to. Not the subject, but the qualification. Is it a BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma - equivalent to three A levels?

Reply 6

Original post by DataVenia
UCAS points? None. It doesn't work that way.
Before we continue, can you please confirm that name of the qualification you're referring to. Not the subject, but the qualification. Is it a BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma - equivalent to three A levels?

Yes it’s a BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma.
Original post by ilikefoodxox
Yes it’s a BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma.

Great. So each unit within that BTEC will earn you points. These are not UCAS points, but are BTEC points. The number of BTEC points varies according to the size of the unit, the grade you get for that unit (pass, merit, or distinction), and - in the case of external units (the ones with exams) - the actual mark you get in the exam.

To work out your overall grade for the BTEC, they add up all the unit points and then convert that to a three-part grade, from PPP to D*D*D*. It is that grade which earns you UCAS points, from 48 for PPP to 168 for D*D*D*.

Reply 8

Original post by DataVenia
Great. So each unit within that BTEC will earn you points. These are not UCAS points, but are BTEC points. The number of BTEC points varies according to the size of the unit, the grade you get for that unit (pass, merit, or distinction), and - in the case of external units (the ones with exams) - the actual mark you get in the exam.
To work out your overall grade for the BTEC, they add up all the unit points and then convert that to a three-part grade, from PPP to D*D*D*. It is that grade which earns you UCAS points, from 48 for PPP to 168 for D*D*D*.

Yes sorry, I got it muddle up. I meant the points not ucas points.So far I got 109 BTEC points but I haven’t finished any of my assignment units do you think I can still get a DDD
Original post by ilikefoodxox
Yes sorry, I got it muddle up. I meant the points not ucas points.So far I got 109 BTEC points but I haven’t finished any of my assignment units do you think I can still get a DDD

So you're saying that you've achieved 109 points from only external units so far? (External units are the ones with exams, not coursework.) So you haven't finished any internal units so far? (Internal units are the ones with coursework.)

Which external units have you completed? Your BTEC has four of them:

1 Principles and Applications of Science I
3 Science Investigation Skills
5 Principles and Applications of Science II
7 Contemporary Issues in Science

Unit 1 can get you up to 24 points and Units 3, 5 and 7 can get you up to 32 points each. So the maximum points from these four units is 120. There's no way to earn 109 points from just three of these units, so if you "haven’t finished any of my assignment units" then you must have done all four external (exam) units. Is that correct?

To achieve DDD overall you need a total of 216 points. If what you've said is accurate, then you're well on your way to that total, which is certainly attainable.

However, I've never heard of any school or college which teaches all the external (exam) units before any of the internal (coursework) units. So my guess is that this isn't actually what's happened.

It makes things much easier to work out if you list the number of each unit you've done, together with the grade you achieved for each. If you know the mark you obtains for each exam, then that helps too.

Reply 10

Original post by DataVenia
So you're saying that you've achieved 109 points from only external units so far? (External units are the ones with exams, not coursework.) So you haven't finished any internal units so far? (Internal units are the ones with coursework.)
Which external units have you completed? Your BTEC has four of them:
1 Principles and Applications of Science I
3 Science Investigation Skills
5 Principles and Applications of Science II
7 Contemporary Issues in Science
Unit 1 can get you up to 24 points and Units 3, 5 and 7 can get you up to 32 points each. So the maximum points from these four units is 120. There's no way to earn 109 points from just three of these units, so if you "haven’t finished any of my assignment units" then you must have done all four external (exam) units. Is that correct?
To achieve DDD overall you need a total of 216 points. If what you've said is accurate, then you're well on your way to that total, which is certainly attainable.
However, I've never heard of any school or college which teaches all the external (exam) units before any of the internal (coursework) units. So my guess is that this isn't actually what's happened.
It makes things much easier to work out if you list the number of each unit you've done, together with the grade you achieved for each. If you know the mark you obtains for each exam, then that helps too.

So far from my units that I have completed I have 109 points. So that’s Unit 1,2,3,4,5,7,8,17.

Reply 11

I have done my unit 1 exam in January last year. I retook my Unit 3 exam in January. I have already done my Unit 7 and 5 in January.
Original post by ilikefoodxox
So far from my units that I have completed I have 109 points. So that’s Unit 1,2,3,4,5,7,8,17.

OK. So when you said "I haven’t finished any of my assignment units" you means except for units 2, 4, 8 and 17 - all of which are based on coursework (assignments)? :confused:

You still have unit 6 (Investigative Project) to do, plus four of the optional units (from units 8 through 26).

Unit 6 is larger the the other four remaining units, so can earn you up to 24 points (for a distinction). The other four units can earn you up to 16 points (for a distinction) each. So there are 88 points (24+16+16+16+16) still available. Added to your current 109 points, that's a best case scenario of 197 points.

Unfortunately, you need 216 for DDD. The best you can hope for is a DDM (which requires 196 points). And even that's "iffy" given that it requires distinctions in every remaining unit. :frown:

Reply 13

Original post by DataVenia
So you're saying that you've achieved 109 points from only external units so far? (External units are the ones with exams, not coursework.) So you haven't finished any internal units so far? (Internal units are the ones with coursework.)
Which external units have you completed? Your BTEC has four of them:
1 Principles and Applications of Science I
3 Science Investigation Skills
5 Principles and Applications of Science II
7 Contemporary Issues in Science
Unit 1 can get you up to 24 points and Units 3, 5 and 7 can get you up to 32 points each. So the maximum points from these four units is 120. There's no way to earn 109 points from just three of these units, so if you "haven’t finished any of my assignment units" then you must have done all four external (exam) units. Is that correct?
To achieve DDD overall you need a total of 216 points. If what you've said is accurate, then you're well on your way to that total, which is certainly attainable.
However, I've never heard of any school or college which teaches all the external (exam) units before any of the internal (coursework) units. So my guess is that this isn't actually what's happened.
It makes things much easier to work out if you list the number of each unit you've done, together with the grade you achieved for each. If you know the mark you obtains for each exam, then that helps too.

Can you please do for all the units am panicking i want to calculate how much i have so far
Original post by popfidgi
Can you please do for all the units am panicking i want to calculate how much i have so far

What BTEC are you studying? This is defined by its level (Level 3?), it's size (Diploma or Extended Diploma?), and it's subject (Applied Science?).

What units have you done do far? What grades have you got in each of those units?

Reply 15

Original post by DataVenia
What BTEC are you studying? This is defined by its level (Level 3?), it's size (Diploma or Extended Diploma?), and it's subject (Applied Science?).
What units have you done do far? What grades have you got in each of those units?

I done unit 1,2,3,4,8, 10,and 15 i got pass for 1,3 external ecams but i will redo to hopefully get higher grade and i got pass also for 2,10 and 15 i got merit for 8 and unit 4 were still doing but iys most likely pass im doing nation extended diploma applied science level 3 btec and want to study at any university im doing ucat test soon hopefully that boosts my application and my gcse are avg 5s and i worked most on my extracurricular activitys so i can talk alot in my personal statment, what i was wondering is is it possible to het DMM in uear 13 as some units are more then others and i will ne studing unit 6,19,21 and externals are 5 and 7 im gonna hopefully het distincttions for all as j have no more extracurricular stuff so is it possible to get DDM or DMM for foundation year in dentriy ir dental hygiene
Original post by popfidgi
I done unit 1,2,3,4,8, 10,and 15 i got pass for 1,3 external ecams but i will redo to hopefully get higher grade and i got pass also for 2,10 and 15 i got merit for 8 and unit 4 were still doing but iys most likely pass im doing nation extended diploma applied science level 3 btec and want to study at any university im doing ucat test soon hopefully that boosts my application and my gcse are avg 5s and i worked most on my extracurricular activitys so i can talk alot in my personal statment, what i was wondering is is it possible to het DMM in uear 13 as some units are more then others and i will ne studing unit 6,19,21 and externals are 5 and 7 im gonna hopefully het distincttions for all as j have no more extracurricular stuff so is it possible to get DDM or DMM for foundation year in dentriy ir dental hygiene

OK, here goes...

Each unit you do earns you points - the larger the unit (in guided learning hours, GLH) and the better the grade, the more points you get. See the tables below for the points you get depending on the unit size and unit grade.

BTEC Unit Points - Internal.PNG
BTEC Unit Points - External.PNG
Note that for external units (the ones assessed by exams), your mark also plays a role. If your mark is halfway between the Pass and Merit grade boundary, then you get the points which are halfway between the Pass points and the Merit points. (It's on a sliding-scale - halfway is just an example.)
Also note that the diagrams above are generic in nature - your qualification only has 60, 90 and 120 GLH units. The points are correct.

To get a particular grade overall you need to reach one of the thresholds below, once they've summed all your unit points:

BTEC Nationals - Extended Diploma - Points Threshold per Grade.jpg

Based upon what you've currently done, before any exam resits, and assuming that your exam marks are smack in the middle of the grade boundaries, you have 68 points. If you resit the exam for Unit 1 and Unit 3, and improve to a merit (again, in the middle of the boundaries) then you'll be on 85 points.

If you then proceeded to get distinctions for units 5, 6, 7, 19 and 21 you'd be on 205 points and have DDM. However, I believe you've only listed 12 unit numbers - an Extended Diploma in Applied Science has 13 units. So there are more points available. :smile:

Reply 17

Original post by DataVenia
OK, here goes...
Each unit you do earns you points - the larger the unit (in guided learning hours, GLH) and the better the grade, the more points you get. See the tables below for the points you get depending on the unit size and unit grade.
BTEC Unit Points - Internal.PNG
BTEC Unit Points - External.PNG
Note that for external units (the ones assessed by exams), your mark also plays a role. If your mark is halfway between the Pass and Merit grade boundary, then you get the points which are halfway between the Pass points and the Merit points. (It's on a sliding-scale - halfway is just an example.)
Also note that the diagrams above are generic in nature - your qualification only has 60, 90 and 120 GLH units. The points are correct.
To get a particular grade overall you need to reach one of the thresholds below, once they've summed all your unit points:
BTEC Nationals - Extended Diploma - Points Threshold per Grade.jpg
Based upon what you've currently done, before any exam resits, and assuming that your exam marks are smack in the middle of the grade boundaries, you have 68 points. If you resit the exam for Unit 1 and Unit 3, and improve to a merit (again, in the middle of the boundaries) then you'll be on 85 points.
If you then proceeded to get distinctions for units 5, 6, 7, 19 and 21 you'd be on 205 points and have DDM. However, I believe you've only listed 12 unit numbers - an Extended Diploma in Applied Science has 13 units. So there are more points available. :smile:

Hey sorry im on different account, i kept checking this daily, thank youu so much you dont understand how grateful i am. i been stressing thinking theres no hope but i can salvage this. i told my school i want to resit unit 1,3 and your right theres another unit which is unit 18. if that alone is 205 plus les say 24 for unit 18 thats 229 plus 16 points i gatherd from other extracurricular activities in year 12 i should be on 245 which is equivalent to D* D* D
Original post by Popfigs
Hey sorry im on different account, i kept checking this daily, thank youu so much you dont understand how grateful i am. i been stressing thinking theres no hope but i can salvage this. i told my school i want to resit unit 1,3 and your right theres another unit which is unit 18. if that alone is 205 plus les say 24 for unit 18 thats 229 plus 16 points i gatherd from other extracurricular activities in year 12 i should be on 245 which is equivalent to D* D* D

You're welcome. :smile:

(By the way, I've never heard of anyone gaining extra BTEC points via extra curricular activities. Do you have any more detail on that? Or are you talking about UCAS points, rather than BTEC points?)

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