Are degrees in the UK value for money?

chucknorris

Jackieboy wrote: »

An unconditional offer doesn't overide the minimum entry criteria - you'd still need to pass your BTEC, just not with Distinctions or Credits.

Unconditional offers are nothing new, friends of mine had them in the late 60s.

There is a massive difference though, under the old system of points (they changed this year) we generally offer a conditional place on 280 points (I can't remember though it might be 260). That would be:

A levels: 2B's and 1C

or

BTEC 1 distinction and 2 merits (there is no way that they would be accepted with just a pass). I am still waiting for happyandcontented to identify which university and degree courses, that would accept this extremely low qualification as acceptable.

chucknorris

kinger101 wrote: »

OK, we only had pass/merit/distinction in my day. But triple D* still won't get you onto a medical degree. So universities don't always pay much attention to what UCAS believes is equivalent.

I believe it's largely snobbery, but universities are free to set their own entrance criteria.

I realise that, but I am talking about mainly engineering/surveying degrees etc. Where snobbery is far less prevalent.

Jackieboy

chucknorris wrote: »

There is a massive difference though, under the old system of points (they changed this year) we generally offer an unconditional place on 280 points (I can't remember though it might be 260). That would be:

A levels: 2B's and 1C

or

BTEC 1 distinction and 2 merits (there is no way that they would be accepted with just a pass). I am still waiting for cakeguts to identify which university and degree courses, that would accept this extremely low qualification as acceptable.

When I used to teach a BTEC National course, many universities didn't want to accept it at all until they found that our course had unseen exams as well as continuous assessment - on that basis they were prepared to accept it.

Jackieboy

chucknorris wrote: »

There is a massive difference though, under the old system of points (they changed this year) we generally offer an unconditional place on 280 points (I can't remember though it might be 260). That would be:

A levels: 2B's and 1C

or

BTEC 1 distinction and 2 merits (there is no way that they would be accepted with just a pass). I am still waiting for cakeguts to identify which university and degree courses, that would accept this extremely low qualification as acceptable.

Apologies for being dense but how can an unconditional offer ask for a certain number of points?

chucknorris

Jackieboy wrote: »

When I used to teach a BTEC National course, many universities didn't want to accept it at all until they found that our course had unseen exams as well as continuous assessment - on that basis they were prepared to accept it.

I welcome BTEC students, I teach quantity surveying, and the better (obviously there is a range of ability) BTEC students hit the ground running, with not only their previous educational experience, but they are usually part time students and also working as trainee QS's.

chucknorris

Jackieboy wrote: »

Apologies for being dense but how can an unconditional ask for a certain number of points?

It can't, we wouldn't make an unconditional offer, what I was saying was that we make conditional offers based on 280 points, so I really don't see how another university could make an unconditional offer, when the points could end up being so low with a mere pass.

EDIT: Sorry I noticed my typo in your reply, I have now corrected it, to conditional.

justme111

Re doctors - bottleneck is postgraduate training they have to do to fully qualify , it has limited spaces. Very likely funding as well - for example trusts or whatever is now the name of organisations that manages hospitals would fund only one consultant position in whatever discipline. Hence however many doctors are around public would not see them because there is no money to pay them.

Cakeguts

I found a university that accepts CCC at A level for some of its courses. These degrees will be examples of degrees that are the same standard as an A level 50 years ago.

CLAPTON

justme111 wrote: »

Re doctors - bottleneck is postgraduate training they have to do to fully qualify , it has limited spaces. Very likely funding as well - for example trusts or whatever is now the name of organisations that manages hospitals would fund only one consultant position in whatever discipline. Hence however many doctors are around public would not see them because there is no money to pay them.

why are their limited place for post grad training, if there are graduates available and demand for trained dotors.

if there are vacancies, presumably that means there is funding

silvercar

CLAPTON wrote: »

why are their limited place for post grad training, if there are graduates available and demand for trained dotors.

if there are vacancies, presumably that means there is funding

Demand is so high, there are students who apply to the undergrad courses with a degree in a biological subject already obtained. Self funded in most cases as SLC won't give loans for a qualification at the same level as you already have.

As one example, Birmingham Uni (the RG one) will give unconditional offers for certain subjects for people who are predicted to get AAA if they agree to put Birmingham as their first choice.