Course changes

I started College September 2024 and I am currently not doing the best in the courses I am doing. in my report which im closer to E's more than i am for . I do A level Law(Grade E), A level media studies(Grade D) and BTEC IT(Grade pass) level 3 diploma (2 A levels 1 BTEC). I picked A level law cause i had a mini interest in law but now that's falling out. BTEC IT I chose as I did it for GCSES and found it interesting and at the moment i enjoy it still. However with media studies i hate the subject so much i only chose it cause it was the only course available, its my biggest regret picking this course. I have been looking into degree apprenticeships and looked into data analyst and like finance. I'm thinking of changing my courses and do a full BTEC extended diploma that's equivalent to 3 A Levels in either IT again or maybe BTEC Business as I think i would rather do degree apprenticeships and not go University. The only downside is everyone I know will be a year ahead and my ego is getting a hold of me but at the same time I believe if i make the switch ill do better in a BTEC than A levels. What do you guys think?

Reply 1

DataVenia

Volunteer Team, Clearing and Applications Advisor

21

Original post by isman16

I started College September 2024 and I am currently not doing the best in the courses I am doing. in my report which im closer to E's more than i am for . I do A level Law(Grade E), A level media studies(Grade D) and BTEC IT(Grade pass) level 3 diploma (2 A levels 1 BTEC). I picked A level law cause i had a mini interest in law but now that's falling out. BTEC IT I chose as I did it for GCSES and found it interesting and at the moment i enjoy it still. However with media studies i hate the subject so much i only chose it cause it was the only course available, its my biggest regret picking this course. I have been looking into degree apprenticeships and looked into data analyst and like finance. I'm thinking of changing my courses and do a full BTEC extended diploma that's equivalent to 3 A Levels in either IT again or maybe BTEC Business as I think i would rather do degree apprenticeships and not go University. The only downside is everyone I know will be a year ahead and my ego is getting a hold of me but at the same time I believe if i make the switch ill do better in a BTEC than A levels. What do you guys think?

Before you make any decision, carefully check the entry requirements for the degree apprenticeships you're interested is. For subjects like data analysis and finance, they can be surprisingly high and getting a place can be surprisingly competitive.

If a BTEC Extended Diploma it IT or Business will do the trick, and you meet any GCSE requirements, then go for it. Ignore the fact that "everyone I know will be a year ahead". You'll be earning money before them, and will be in a much better position than them once you graduate (as you'll have all that experience behind you).

Reply 2

bouncyrabbit23

1

Original post by isman16

I started College September 2024 and I am currently not doing the best in the courses I am doing. in my report which im closer to E's more than i am for . I do A level Law(Grade E), A level media studies(Grade D) and BTEC IT(Grade pass) level 3 diploma (2 A levels 1 BTEC). I picked A level law cause i had a mini interest in law but now that's falling out. BTEC IT I chose as I did it for GCSES and found it interesting and at the moment i enjoy it still. However with media studies i hate the subject so much i only chose it cause it was the only course available, its my biggest regret picking this course. I have been looking into degree apprenticeships and looked into data analyst and like finance. I'm thinking of changing my courses and do a full BTEC extended diploma that's equivalent to 3 A Levels in either IT again or maybe BTEC Business as I think i would rather do degree apprenticeships and not go University. The only downside is everyone I know will be a year ahead and my ego is getting a hold of me but at the same time I believe if i make the switch ill do better in a BTEC than A levels. What do you guys think?

Hiya, I was in the same position as you back in 2023 when I was doing my A-levels. I had chosen Art, Photography, and RS, but I realised that I wasn't enjoying Art and wanted to switch to Business. Unfortunately, I was told it was too late to change subjects, so I made the decision to leave sixth form and start fresh at a college the following academic year, doing an Extended Diploma in Business.
At first, it was tough knowing that all my friends would be a year ahead of me. But honestly, it’s not as bad as it seems. You still see your friends just as much, and if you go on to university, chances are you’ll end up in the same year group as them anyway—especially if they take a gap year or choose a different path.
If you feel that you’d do better with BTECs, then go for it. I know how hard and scary it can be to make a big change like this, especially when it feels like you’re falling behind, but trust me—it’s worth it if it means you’ll enjoy your studies more and do better overall.
If you want to talk more about this, feel free to reach out!

Reply 3

foisha

3

Original post by isman16

I started College September 2024 and I am currently not doing the best in the courses I am doing. in my report which im closer to E's more than i am for . I do A level Law(Grade E), A level media studies(Grade D) and BTEC IT(Grade pass) level 3 diploma (2 A levels 1 BTEC). I picked A level law cause i had a mini interest in law but now that's falling out. BTEC IT I chose as I did it for GCSES and found it interesting and at the moment i enjoy it still. However with media studies i hate the subject so much i only chose it cause it was the only course available, its my biggest regret picking this course. I have been looking into degree apprenticeships and looked into data analyst and like finance. I'm thinking of changing my courses and do a full BTEC extended diploma that's equivalent to 3 A Levels in either IT again or maybe BTEC Business as I think i would rather do degree apprenticeships and not go University. The only downside is everyone I know will be a year ahead and my ego is getting a hold of me but at the same time I believe if i make the switch ill do better in a BTEC than A levels. What do you guys think?

Hi there, I have a few suggestions, hope it helps.⭐️

Firstly, everyone has their own pace in life, and I think you should do what you believe is best for you and your future career, seeing as you believe you will do better in the BTEC and you are interested in data analysis and finance. Also don't feel the need to rush to a decision.

I would say make sure you do a lot of research into current apprenticeship role postings, you can find these on indeed, LinkedIn, the government apprenticeship website as some examples. From here you can clearly identify the entry requirements that you need achieve in order to be considered. Also, you may realise that what you are aiming for is not a degree apprenticeship but a Level 4 apprenticeship in some cases, such as a L4 Data Analyst Apprentice role which is quick common at the moment as apposed to the Data Analyst Degree Apprenticeship. Moreover, for some finance degree apprenticeships you may find that they require Maths A-level so its always good to research on current roles to know what is required of you before coming to a decision.

As well as this, try and do some extra work or research, such as from data analysis maybe find out common tools used and how to use some of them that you have access to for free like Excel. This is because the applications can be very competitive so try and make yourself stand out by demonstrating your interest.

I'm not sure how much you are leaning towards starting BTEC extended diploma in IT, but if you really not enjoying your current subjects and don't expect yourself achieve high grades (just to note some apprenticeships also require minimum of a grade C), then I would suggest doing the BTEC extended diploma in IT as you are doing well in it and enjoy it.

I really hope this was helpful.

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