Upset but know i have no right to be.

peachyprice

LostandAfraid wrote: »

Thankyou everyone,she has chosen a level 3 BTEC diploma and says she wants to go to university after doing that.


She wants to be a graphic designer,she needs university to realistically do that as far as I know,

i had a look at various job sites to see what they want from a junior or even an intern and they all want a degree.

If that is what she is sure she wants to do then she probably IS doing the right qualification. A good Btec grade is just as good as A levels for getting a uni place in some subjects. You seem to thing that she won't be able to go to uni with it, but she will.

We went through this with a similar subject with one of my sons he spent a year doing AS levels, but when it came to look for uni places they all wanted the level 3 BTec in his subject, the AS were a waste of a year as he then had to start the BTec a year later than everyone else. All his friends are off to uni this September, he has another year at college.

I suggest you have a look on the ucas course search website for the degree course she wants to do and see what entry requirements the majority of Uni's have.

http://search.ucas.com/

CH27

LostandAfraid wrote: »

Thankyou everyone,she has chosen a level 3 BTEC diploma and says she wants to go to university after doing that.

My husband does understand how important education is for girls but because he went to college and did well he thinks this is good enough and he never really liked the grammar school because he blamed it for her loss of confidence.

I did say to her that if this relationship ends it is going to be extremely awkward and difficult and she says they have spoken about it but I don't think she understands quite how this could impact her education,right now she thinks they will never go wrong but back in the real world we all know how easily it could end.

She wants to be a graphic designer,she needs university to realistically do that as far as I know,my husband did that before becoming my full time carer and managed it without a degree but things were different back then,i had a look at various job sites to see what they want from a junior or even an intern and they all want a degree.

It's hard,i don't want to push her away and I don't want to take her life over for her,i want to support her and I want her to feel happy with what she does in life but I am sad that she has thrown the chance away.

I will get her to have a look at the SWOT analysis to make sure she is truly happy with the path she is on and after that if she still decides on college all I can do is encourage her to work hard there and make the best of what it has to offer.

The UCAS Course Guide will be a big help in showing your daughter what she needs to do now to get on the Uni course she wants.

ciderwithrosie_2

My son's just done the BTEC extended diploma in Graphic Design at our local college. He could have gone on to Uni this year, and some of his course have done. He wants to specialise in special effects so is staying another year to do the foundation course. He hated school from the very beginning and it was a real achievement that he passed as many GCSEs as he did. Yet at college he's thrived and matured nicely because he was doing something he's good at and interested in.

I'm also a graphic designer and started taking 3 A levels at 6th form in Art, English and History. I dropped out after a year as I was so bored of school. I went a did a foundation art course for a year then 3 more years of graphics. Basically though, I wasted a year at school, the foundation course was a waste of time as we didn't have any graphics tutors. i didn't start learning my craft properly until the 3rd year post O levels. I still work in this field 28 years on although a lot of my coursemates didn't pursue a design career.

If she stays on and does A levels, she'll still have to do a foundation course for a year before applying for Uni, so she could be 6 years in higher/further education in total rather than 5 if she does it her way.

I daresay the boyfriend will fizzle out somewhere along the way, I shouldn't worry too much about that.

SmallL

I would say give her the benefit of the doubt about her relationship....you know her best and know if shes mature enough to have a commited relationship at that age.

I started dating my fiance 6 years ago when i was 15. I understand how she feels regarding wanting to be with him, i'm not sure my relationship would have survived if i wasn't in the same sixth form.

At the end of the day it is her decision but try not to let your 'disappointment' show, it might be a good decision on her party but only time will tell.

Kate78

Hi there, please don't be put off by the fact that your daughter has decided to follow the BTEC route rather than A-levels.

The level 3 diploma is an equivalent qualification to A-levels and if your daughter knows that she wants to study Art and Design at University, is a good qualification to take. As other posters have stated she would still need to take the Art Foundation to build her portfolio before applying to a good university even with Art A-level. So you would be looking at 3 years at college and then Uni if that's what she wants to do.

The only down side is that for some people it could be specialising too early (not saying that is the case for your daughter) and by studying A-levels they are keeping their options open to an extent.

One thing to be aware of is that once she has a level 3 qualification and then decides she wants to study something else at level 3, once she is over 19 the funding rules mean that she might have to pay fees, so it's important to get this right.

Might be worth having a chat with the National Careers Service too.

https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/aboutus/contactus/Pages/default.aspx

**Patty**

As someone who's daughter has just pushed the self-destruct button after 1 year of A level's , I have to say......

Whilst taking a step back & allowing them to choose their own way.......By God it's bloody hard!

wik

Hi, I have a 17 year old daughter who is about to start her 2nd year of the level 3 BTEC diploma, in art and design. She has been told that by the end of 2nd year her results could be equivalent to 3 A levels and she is intending to attend uni.
I hope that your daughter enjoys the course as much as mine is xxx
It has been the making of my very introverted shy daughter... She has blossomed in the past year.

wik xx

Frith

Lots of family members plus me then my sister did A levels (generally at college as schools round here don't tend to have 6th forms).

My brother bucked the trend by going to agricultural college and taking a GNVQ and a extra NVQ.

He then got into the same Uni my sister went to (with her 4 A levels) and got a good degree then the ecology job he wanted!

I hope all goes well for your daughter.

Galaxy1987

I understand you only want whag you think is best for your daughter. But sometimes making mistakes is part of growing up.

I am in scotland so things are a bit different but, I left school after 6th year without a higher to my name with a place at uni to study a nursing degree. I got on this course because of my voluntary and community work. I dropped out of this course after 2 years as I wanted to go down social care route. With determination and self development I was the registered manager of a kids home with little qualifications but the right attitude. I am no longer employed but have worked social care managers jobs over the years and it has proved worthy. I do at times wish I stuck in at school or uni but I made my choices and have to live with them.

What I am trying to say is that if you really want to succeed you will but it may take longer or a more difficult route but the end product is the same.

stiltwalker

My parents and I are great friends now

BUT

I went to a grammar and LOATHED it - at 16 I wanted to leave and go to the local college to do A levels, my parents insisted I stay at the grammar "how would it look on your UCAS form to have left a well respected school to go to a local college of further education?" etc etc. So I stayed and did A levels, reluctantly and to far from the best of my abilities. I got a uni place but turned it down - in the meantime I had left home to live with a totally unsuitable boyfriend (who I probably wouldn't have considered living with otherwise).

15 years later I finally started an Open University degree - I'm now 2/3of the way through and heading for a 2.1, or maybe even a first if I pull my finger out!

Teenagers will do their own thing - regardless of whether it is good for them long term or not - offer advice by all means but if you try to insist then you may find you are doing more harm than good.