A Levels or BTEC - are they really equal?

crazy_guy

Thanks for all your responses - they've been very useful for my brother to look over. He was going to opt for 3 A levels in the end to leave his options open in the future.

However when contacting the 6th form they have now informed us he can do 3 A Levels plus the BTEC. I've already told him it will be alot of work but yeah he often does go for a challenge!

savvy

crazy_guy wrote:

However when contacting the 6th form they have now informed us he can do 3 A Levels plus the BTEC. I've already told him it will be alot of work but yeah he often does go for a challenge!

Hmmm I'm surprised they're happy for him to attempt that workload!!! :eek:

lazymoezy

Is the BTEC a nationa diploma, if so, techically he is doing 6 Alevels:eek: .

nikkif_3

I did the BTEC National Diploma, and when I started uni everyone that did A Levels kind of looked down at me and made comments, now I have come to my second year and much of the work is similar to what I did in my BTEC but more in depth, and the people who did A Levels aren't sure what they are writing on and that so I have a benefit there. I also got loads of experience with my BTEC so I knew this was exactly what I wanted to do before going to university.

freebie_junkie

what i find interseting is the child tax credit issue. i did a-levels (a few years ago now!) and my little sister just started college this time. initally she was goign to do BTEC in performing arts but the silly giggly girls and teh couldnt-care-less attitudes of her fellow students made her want to change to A-Levels after about 3 weeks. when she was doign the BTEC my mum got no child tax credits but once she changed to A-Levels my mum stated gettign them again. her friends who is doign BTEC childcare isnt entitled to them either. i find this very odd indeed. also teh sttitude of fellow students is orth bearing in mind too. as my sister found some people think that teh BTEc is a bit of a doss and an excuse to get out of working for a couple of years, my oh's brother found a similar thing on his sports science BTEC he finished this august. my oh's brother worked hard and is now at leeds uni doing sports science and business management but he found some of the people he was forced to work in groups with unbearable at times and some of his group-work grades were affected by them also.

crazy_guy

lazymoezy wrote:

Is the BTEC a nationa diploma, if so, techically he is doing 6 Alevels:eek: .

What i understand of it - it a 6 unit diploma which is the equivalent to 1 A Level - so if i'm correct then its 4 A levels, not too bad in the first year but when in the 2nd year i found 3 A Levels plenty!

ads_2

I did a BTEC many years ago and have done well out of it. I wasn't going to do well at A levels so it turned out to be one of the best decisions I have made.

However, my options were definately limited because of my BTEC and therefore if you have the choice and would do well with A levels I would suggest taking that line.

I know he has already made the decision but what the heck.

Sausage_Roll

I think definitely, the main disadvantage to a BTEC as compared to doing the traditional A levels is the inflexibility. Your pretty much deciding your career path if you choose a BTEC, more so when doing HNC/Ds.

Obviously you can go back to college and do A Levels if at some point after doing the BTEC you decide it wasn't for you, but then that's another year in education.

If it's been a lifelong dream as my choice was, then go for it. Otherwise, talk to people who have done the course, doing the career it leads to etc. and find out just what it will be like.

lazymoezy

crazy_guy wrote:

What i understand of it - it a 6 unit diploma which is the equivalent to 1 A Level - so if i'm correct then its 4 A levels, not too bad in the first year but when in the 2nd year i found 3 A Levels plenty!

Oh, so its the level 1, I think its called, not bad but what do you mean by the 3 alevels? His BTEC will finish in the first year so he will carry on with the a levels?

I love doing BTECT Business, i think it was on of the best decisions I have ever made included my college, I know a lot of colleges my friends dread and some who moved to mine love it now!

studentphil

BTECs are more designed if you want to go the BTEC, HNC, HND, degree.

A levels are more if you want to go straight to Degree.

BTECs can be foundation, intermedate and advanced level, with the advanced level being equal to A levels.