The Student Room Group

Reasons to do a-levels not a vocational course (read post pls before replying)

Can anyone help me in coming up with reasons to convince my college to let me do a levels instead of a vocational course?

For some context, I'm 17 and struggle to get into school for a lot of personal reasons. Because of circumstances outside of my control I wasnt able to attend my first year of college (and also due to the college lowkey kicking me out instead of offering me support, it was all pretty blunt and I'm salty), and my plan WAS to just to restart year 12 again, just a year later at 17 instead of 16. Everyone in the college last year reassured me it was totally possible, and it didn't seem to be anything too complicated.
Unfortunately they've now turned back on that, and I've been told the only courses I'm allowed to do due to the college's pretty specific regulations are t-levels or a vocational course (level 3 btec). Apparently it's because of my age and government funding, etc. This isn't really what I actually want to do since I want to study three subjects (history sociology and drama) instead of just one for 2 years (which would most likely be acting performing arts if I was forced to pick). The flexibility in subject and career choice later on is a lot more appealing than just betting every single thing on performing arts which is a pretty difficult career to pursue
The advice I got from the future steps team at the college was to write an email summarising why I wanted to do a-levels instead of a vocational course (since they apparently in exceptional circumstances do allow it, and I would consider mine to be exceptional). It has to be pretty convincing (although I guess I don't have to be completely truthful about things like what I want to pursue later on, since they probably wont hold me to it when I'm on the course).
Hopefully that isnt all too complicated, I'm just really looking for some advice from people more knowledgeable about how the education system works and could come up with some more reasons for me. Thank you!!
Original post by beekats
Can anyone help me in coming up with reasons to convince my college to let me do a levels instead of a vocational course?
For some context, I'm 17 and struggle to get into school for a lot of personal reasons. Because of circumstances outside of my control I wasnt able to attend my first year of college (and also due to the college lowkey kicking me out instead of offering me support, it was all pretty blunt and I'm salty), and my plan WAS to just to restart year 12 again, just a year later at 17 instead of 16. Everyone in the college last year reassured me it was totally possible, and it didn't seem to be anything too complicated.
Unfortunately they've now turned back on that, and I've been told the only courses I'm allowed to do due to the college's pretty specific regulations are t-levels or a vocational course (level 3 btec). Apparently it's because of my age and government funding, etc. This isn't really what I actually want to do since I want to study three subjects (history sociology and drama) instead of just one for 2 years (which would most likely be acting performing arts if I was forced to pick). The flexibility in subject and career choice later on is a lot more appealing than just betting every single thing on performing arts which is a pretty difficult career to pursue
The advice I got from the future steps team at the college was to write an email summarising why I wanted to do a-levels instead of a vocational course (since they apparently in exceptional circumstances do allow it, and I would consider mine to be exceptional). It has to be pretty convincing (although I guess I don't have to be completely truthful about things like what I want to pursue later on, since they probably wont hold me to it when I'm on the course).
Hopefully that isnt all too complicated, I'm just really looking for some advice from people more knowledgeable about how the education system works and could come up with some more reasons for me. Thank you!!

Well that sucks and is incredibly unfair. Personally, I would offer to pay for the difference if it came to that.

I can pretty much argue and protest for a long list of reasons based on principle why everyone should go ahead with A Level if they intend to go to uni or want options to a wide range of qualifications or courses. I could also say that by making you do T-Levels that are not widely accepted or well received would drastically limit your options for qualifications in the future. Those aren't the main points here.

If you were arguing about the following (choose appropriately based on what you actually want to do in the future), it might help you case:

You intend to do a history degree, and highlight the % of unis that would accept T-Levels (make the teachers squirm). Alternatively, you can specify your top choices for degrees and specify their entry requirements, where you say that they don't accept T-Levels or BTEC, and you are confident that you would meet the grade requirements given the opportunity to do the A Levels.

You are wholly intent on doing A Levels, be it through the college or privately. However, in order to do them privately you would have to pay extortionate amount of fees in order to pay for the NEAs for drama and history (quote these exact figures from private exam centres - usually in the thousands)

The specific jobs that you want to go into, after contacting a list of potential employers or professionals through your network, you have substantial evidence to suggest that employers would have a strong preference for A levels over T-Levels and BTECs. I don't know what job you want, so you would need to research this

You have researched the professional qualifications that you need to do to get into your desired career (e.g. accounting), and they do not accept T-Levels or BTECs as entry requirements, and only accept A Levels. You would need to provide evidence of this.

The apprenticeships that you have researched and want to apply for require A Levels, and not BTECs or T-Levels

You want to apply to a foreign university, and T-Levels and BTECs are not accepted there. They do accept A Levels.

You have the capability and determination to excel in A Levels, despite them being more difficult than T-Levels

You have references on your academic ability from your previous teachers to suggest that you can progress and do well in A Levels

You have a longing and intense passion for history, sociology, and drama (not sure why you would, but hey). You would otherwise consider it a complete shame that you would have otherwise missed out on such an opportunity. In fact, you have already read ahead in the A Level textbooks required by the college for the subjects, in anticipation for doing the subjects next year (actually do this if you are making this claim). You have even done extra reading during your spare time for the A Level subjects e.g. recommended summer reading on specific history books and specific sociology books by universities (google for these e.g. Oxford, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Warwick). Essentially, say you have turned it all around and you would set yourself up to be the college's poster boy and valedictorian, but don't sell it too hard.

You are so determined that you are willing to pay for any difference required in funding in order do the A Levels regardless.

Your previous circumstances that made you absent from school no longer applied and you have sorted yourself out. You would be willing to commit and go full out for the next 2 years for your A Levels regardless of the circumstances and challenges that you will face (actually do this and don't just claim it). I think this is the main thing the college wants evidence of, despite what I have listed out above, and it's likely what will win them over.


I don't know what your personal circumstances are, but examples of extenuating circumstances that the college would likely accept include those listed out in the following websites (they are for study at various institutions, but the principles are similar):
https://www.gold.ac.uk/gam/categories-of-extenuating-circumstances/
https://www.lees.bradford.sch.uk/safeguarding/examples-of-exceptional-circumstances
https://bristol.ac.uk/students/support/academic-advice/assessment-support/exceptional-circumstances/
https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/exceptional-circumstances.pdf (pages 3-4)
https://myuni.swansea.ac.uk/academic-life/extenuating-circumstances/#what-are-extenuating-circumstances=is-expanded
https://www.yorksj.ac.uk/students/exams-and-assessment/exceptional-circumstances/
If any of those listed apply to you, I would definitely list those. If you have any third party evidence to back your claim up, the better e.g. medical letter, solicitor letter, police document. However, I would only provide copy of the evidence if they ask for it.

You would have a stronger case if you wanted to study for example medicine, physics, or mathematics, where almost all exclusively require academic qualifications (A Levels or IB) and T-Levels and BTECs are redundant for your application. However, as you have chosen History, Sociology, and Drama, this is less relevant. History is probably the only semi-required subject you can use to argue your case. Sociology and Drama are not required subjects.

As far as I know, you don't really need to score that high in order to enrol in any drama/theatre/acting degree, so don't use this in your argument. In fact, some don't even require you to have any qualifications at all, just a good acting ability. You also don't need any qualifications of any sort to go into theatre, performance arts, drama, etc. So doing it as a T-Level, BTEC, or A Level makes little sense to me if you just want to get into the field e.g. I can do a PhD in physics, worked as a solicitor for 10 years, and still can go into theatre.
consider getting a doctor's note saying that your mental health is getting very bad as you cant do what you want and also your situation meant that you couldn't do anything about it
Reply 3
Original post by MindMax2000
Well that sucks and is incredibly unfair. Personally, I would offer to pay for the difference if it came to that.
I can pretty much argue and protest for a long list of reasons based on principle why everyone should go ahead with A Level if they intend to go to uni or want options to a wide range of qualifications or courses. I could also say that by making you do T-Levels that are not widely accepted or well received would drastically limit your options for qualifications in the future. Those aren't the main points here.
If you were arguing about the following (choose appropriately based on what you actually want to do in the future), it might help you case:

You intend to do a history degree, and highlight the % of unis that would accept T-Levels (make the teachers squirm). Alternatively, you can specify your top choices for degrees and specify their entry requirements, where you say that they don't accept T-Levels or BTEC, and you are confident that you would meet the grade requirements given the opportunity to do the A Levels.

You are wholly intent on doing A Levels, be it through the college or privately. However, in order to do them privately you would have to pay extortionate amount of fees in order to pay for the NEAs for drama and history (quote these exact figures from private exam centres - usually in the thousands)

The specific jobs that you want to go into, after contacting a list of potential employers or professionals through your network, you have substantial evidence to suggest that employers would have a strong preference for A levels over T-Levels and BTECs. I don't know what job you want, so you would need to research this

You have researched the professional qualifications that you need to do to get into your desired career (e.g. accounting), and they do not accept T-Levels or BTECs as entry requirements, and only accept A Levels. You would need to provide evidence of this.

The apprenticeships that you have researched and want to apply for require A Levels, and not BTECs or T-Levels

You want to apply to a foreign university, and T-Levels and BTECs are not accepted there. They do accept A Levels.

You have the capability and determination to excel in A Levels, despite them being more difficult than T-Levels

You have references on your academic ability from your previous teachers to suggest that you can progress and do well in A Levels

You have a longing and intense passion for history, sociology, and drama (not sure why you would, but hey). You would otherwise consider it a complete shame that you would have otherwise missed out on such an opportunity. In fact, you have already read ahead in the A Level textbooks required by the college for the subjects, in anticipation for doing the subjects next year (actually do this if you are making this claim). You have even done extra reading during your spare time for the A Level subjects e.g. recommended summer reading on specific history books and specific sociology books by universities (google for these e.g. Oxford, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Warwick). Essentially, say you have turned it all around and you would set yourself up to be the college's poster boy and valedictorian, but don't sell it too hard.

You are so determined that you are willing to pay for any difference required in funding in order do the A Levels regardless.

Your previous circumstances that made you absent from school no longer applied and you have sorted yourself out. You would be willing to commit and go full out for the next 2 years for your A Levels regardless of the circumstances and challenges that you will face (actually do this and don't just claim it). I think this is the main thing the college wants evidence of, despite what I have listed out above, and it's likely what will win them over.


I don't know what your personal circumstances are, but examples of extenuating circumstances that the college would likely accept include those listed out in the following websites (they are for study at various institutions, but the principles are similar):
https://www.gold.ac.uk/gam/categories-of-extenuating-circumstances/
https://www.lees.bradford.sch.uk/safeguarding/examples-of-exceptional-circumstances
https://bristol.ac.uk/students/support/academic-advice/assessment-support/exceptional-circumstances/
https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/exceptional-circumstances.pdf (pages 3-4)
https://myuni.swansea.ac.uk/academic-life/extenuating-circumstances/#what-are-extenuating-circumstances=is-expanded
https://www.yorksj.ac.uk/students/exams-and-assessment/exceptional-circumstances/
If any of those listed apply to you, I would definitely list those. If you have any third party evidence to back your claim up, the better e.g. medical letter, solicitor letter, police document. However, I would only provide copy of the evidence if they ask for it.
You would have a stronger case if you wanted to study for example medicine, physics, or mathematics, where almost all exclusively require academic qualifications (A Levels or IB) and T-Levels and BTECs are redundant for your application. However, as you have chosen History, Sociology, and Drama, this is less relevant. History is probably the only semi-required subject you can use to argue your case. Sociology and Drama are not required subjects.
As far as I know, you don't really need to score that high in order to enrol in any drama/theatre/acting degree, so don't use this in your argument. In fact, some don't even require you to have any qualifications at all, just a good acting ability. You also don't need any qualifications of any sort to go into theatre, performance arts, drama, etc. So doing it as a T-Level, BTEC, or A Level makes little sense to me if you just want to get into the field e.g. I can do a PhD in physics, worked as a solicitor for 10 years, and still can go into theatre.

Thank you SO SO much. This is all incredibly helpful!! I'll definitely check everything you've linked/put here, I'm sure it will help my case immensely. Seriously thank you!!!
Reply 4
Original post by niqabiforever21
consider getting a doctor's note saying that your mental health is getting very bad as you cant do what you want and also your situation meant that you couldn't do anything about it

I actually am already in the CAMHS system and I'm working with them to try and get the college to listen to me (thank you anyways for the tip!). Unfortunately they seem less likely to work with me the more I "let on" about my specific situation, I've been advised by the future steps team that I should keep most of it to myself and then try to look for support when I'm in the course. They're basically looking for me to be the "model student" which I unfortunately am not, so I have to pretend I am until then, you really have to play the system which is really annoying

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