BTEC level 3 extended Diploma IT practitioners.

Associate
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26 Feb 2012
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So I want to do an BTEC National Diploma level 3 I.T course and I was wondering if they would still let me on at college.
My results were: (Please don't say "You're dumb..." and such.)
Maths: C
Film Studies: C
I.T level 2 BTEC: Distinction*
Media: Pass
Applied science (BTEC): Pass
Core science: D (I may have messed this up...)
I failed my English... I had a bad stage during the year. Let's leave it at that.

The A level requires 4 GCSE's A* - C grade (Or equivalent) Including Maths.
I have the Maths with the Film Studies which is 2 GCSE's.
Would they accept BTEC's as Equivalents to one GCSE? And would the Distinction* In I.T help my case?

Thank you for reading, no bad comments please.
 
Soldato
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Brighton, UK.
Would they accept BTEC's as Equivalents to one GCSE?

I think that depends on the level of the BTEC.

Honestly just talk to your college, they will be able to tell you everything you need to know plus any different options you have.

Also don't worry about the GCSE/A Levels, I screwed up both and am starting my first year of Uni in September (I'm 23), there are always other ways to get where you want to go.
 
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Associate
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Maths
Btec science
Ict
film studies
Media

So you have 5. Each btec should be worth 1 gcse. So they should let you on.

You will have to retake English however, part of the governments changes to further education.
 
Soldato
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Tamworth, UK
Similar grades to mine when I did that course however I only had a pass for IT (I was lazy during school and regret it!), so you should be fine. All depends where you are applying to though but colleges aren't too strict.

I imagine you will have to re-sit English during your first year.
 
Associate
OP
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26 Feb 2012
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They made me do another I.T level 2 one... Which is one year, and then I'll do the level 3 one which is two years. So by the time I'm done I'll be 19. Is that a good time to finish? And even though its a long time, what kind of thing would I do at 19? Would I continue with further education such as University, or would it be worth doing one of them Foundation Degrees? They also said I could enquire about resitting my English GCSE Language. But I have a feeling I will fail it for the 3rd time... Although, I guess the classes wont be full of 'Chavs' that disturb the lesson for others.
Thanks for you answers guy, but now I know! :)
 
Soldato
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England
Any other colleges in your area you could try?

As for afterwards, it depends what you want to pursue career wise. If you want a career in I.T, then going to uni might be a good option.

If I was you I'd rather spend a year getting my English up to scratch and re-sitting it. Just so long as it ticks the same box for the college and allows you to do the level 3 course you want all the same.
 
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Soldato
Joined
5 Dec 2006
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15,370
They made me do another I.T level 2 one... Which is one year, and then I'll do the level 3 one which is two years. So by the time I'm done I'll be 19. Is that a good time to finish? And even though its a long time, what kind of thing would I do at 19? Would I continue with further education such as University, or would it be worth doing one of them Foundation Degrees? They also said I could enquire about resitting my English GCSE Language. But I have a feeling I will fail it for the 3rd time... Although, I guess the classes wont be full of 'Chavs' that disturb the lesson for others.
Thanks for you answers guy, but now I know! :)

What? They want you to do another Level 2 BTEC for which you already have a distinction on? That will achieve absolutely nothing for you mate you'd rather sit at home for a year. It will only achieve something for the college (i.e. filling up a class and improving their pass statistics since they can see you've already nailed it).

The correct procedure (for the benefit of the student and not the college) is to enrol you on to the Level 3 BTEC and make you retake English GCSE for a year (not just resit the exam).

I'm not sure what the college is smoking. Achieving your English GCSE is unquestionably better than another Level 2 BTEC.

College sounds dodgy and crap tbh. Would personally avoid.
 
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Soldato
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UK
I did Level 3 BTEC Extended Diploma, I came out of school with GCSE English and Maths as well as good grades in other subjects but a friend of mine didn't have GCSE maths or English but because he did GCSE IT and showed a good knowledge of software and hardware outside of what was taught they let him on the course and he simply retook the failed GCSE.

Both of us got D*D*D* for both years and are now going to uni to study Comp Science.

Any questions about the course you can always send me a trust message :), although I didn't the exact same one they are pretty much identical I would imagine.
 
Associate
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I didn't do brilliantly in my GCSEs to be honest, I got too distracted with online gaming in Year 11 and barely revised for any subjects at all, came out with mostly C's and a D in one vital subject which I never really enjoyed/grasped properly.

I phoned the college and the head of the department told me to come along to enrolment anyway. Next thing I knew I was sat in the same class as people who had got straight A's and better in their GCSEs, the course was a piece of cake anyway and I left college two years later with mostly Merits and a couple of Distinctions in each unit with very little effort. I think the course I was on was the one you're looking at, or similar. I know for definite it was the highest IT course available at college.
 
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