Topic: GCSE Vs. BTEC Vs. Diploma - Which is better?

[Evil Rampy]

Hello!
I'm in Yr9 at school, so I'll be taking my options soon. Before I take my options, I'd like to know the difference between these three qualifications and the advantages of each.

[Neon Nocturnal]

Between GCSE and BTEC I wouldn't be able to tell you what is better.

BTEC courses are designed for people who know which direction they want to take their lives and it focuses on that aspect. GCSE's are for the people who want to study many subjects, and are usually for those hoping to progress to A-Levels.

BTEC courses are often percieved as being for the people with less intillectual manner. This is completely not true.

I started a course in BTEC Drama, I wanted to do a broader amount of subjects though so I swapped courses. After this I found that the BTEC course was a lot more practical and was more focused on Drama in the industry.

[Milsap]

GCSEs- You have to do them whether you like it or not. This is English, Maths, Science, History and so on.

BTEC- I did BTEC National Diploma (Level 2 or 3 cant' remember) at college. Do that if you prefer loads of coursework and no exams. I think Umbreon#100 is doing the course below what I did. They tend to have a practical and coursework element.

Diploma- Dunno if my BTEC National Diploma is the same as that, but other than that, no idea.

[Mik]

Between GCSE and BTEC I wouldn't be able to tell you what is better.

BTEC courses are designed for people who know which direction they want to take their lives and it focuses on that aspect. GCSE's are for the people who want to study many subjects, and are usually for those hoping to progress to A-Levels.

BTEC courses are often percieved as being for the people with less intillectual manner. This is completely not true.

I started a course in BTEC Drama, I wanted to do a broader amount of subjects though so I swapped courses. After this I found that the BTEC course was a lot more practical and was more focused on Drama in the industry.

If you're hoping to progress to University, you should only be thinking of GCSEs.

[Neon Nocturnal]

If you're hoping to progress to University, you should only be thinking of GCSEs.

You can still go to university with BTEC courses. You can even go and study A-levels after.

BTEC's are essentially alternate GCSE's.

[Dragonpika]

If you're hoping to progress to University, you should only be thinking of GCSEs.

No.
If you want to go to Oxford to study medicine you should only be thinking of GCSEs.

If you want to do A-levels, then nobody at university (apart from one or two medicine schools) will give a damn what you did in Year 10/11 =P

If you want to do a more hands-on course at a vocational uni (the ones with extra words tagged on, such as Leeds Metropolitan or Liverpool Hope) then BTECs may even be the better option.

As Leon said, BTECs are often seen as being the course for the non-intellectual - not true. They're less academic than GCSEs, more hands-on. I personally did GCSEs because I'm an academic person, I like my sciences and my maths, but BTECs are tailored for the drama and ICT nuts among you.

and if you're not going to uni, don't worry and do whatever looks most fun!

The diploma is peculiar because the government sort of.. brought it in without telling everybody what it actually is xD

[Neon Nocturnal]

BTEC Diploma's, If I'm not mistaken, have different levels of  which you can progress. I don't know the exact levels and such, but the levels become equivalent to GCSE's and A-levels. I'll ask my sister when she's not asleep about it. She Does Beauty BTEC courses.

[Mik]

If you want to do A-levels, then nobody at university (apart from one or two medicine schools) will give a damn what you did in Year 10/11 =P

That's simply not true. Many universities care about Year10/11 grades. Universities such as Cambridge would obviously care, but even the great ones such as Leeds, Birmingham and Durham care.

[Webby]

BTEC Level 2 is the equivalent of a certain number of GSCEs - usually 4. BTEC Level 3 is the same, but the equivalent of A-Levels.

Diplomas don't have a set "trend" on what they are. I have a Diploma in Digital Applications, which is worth 4 GCSEs, but this won't be the same as other Diploma courses. They tend to differ, and most of them aren't explained. :\

That's simply not true. Many universities care about Year10/11 grades. Universities such as Cambridge would obviously care, but even the great ones such as Leeds, Birmingham and Durham care.

GCSE results honestly do not matter. They all care about your A Level results and give you offers on your A Level predictions only. Only if you got A*s at GCSE and your A Level results should be lower than they want will they consider looking at GCSEs.

[Dragonpika]

That's simply not true. Many universities care about Year10/11 grades. Universities such as Cambridge would obviously care, but even the great ones such as Leeds, Birmingham and Durham care.

Leeds don't care.
Durham don't care for the two courses I looked at (maths and biochemistry), couldn't tell you about anything else.
York is a well-respected university, and they don't even care for medicine and law, let alone anything else.

Honestly, if you're not shooting for the insanely competitive courses at the insanely competitive unis then, so long as you get good A-levels, they don't care. Where did you hear that?

[Mik]

I was actually saying it as to not sound incredibly pompous. But what I was originally going to say is that it's really just Camford (it'll catch on) that care. And the only reason I know that is because the school I attend drum into our heads that those are the only two universities we're going to.

[Gurren_Lagann]

I had to do GCSEs and then 1 BTEC Qualification (which was an equivalent to 4 GCSEs). My BTEC was Business and I got 4 A*s, but looking back on it, if I tried, I would have had AS Business done by Year 11 as well.

In A Level, I'd much rather go for the A Level rather than the BTEC, sicne it's more suited to me.

But yeah, listen to Kay, she knows her stuff.

Also, just thought I'd add - pick whichever would suit you more. If you prefer exams, pick GCSE. If you prefer coursework and not having exams, then pick BTEC. BTECs were brought in to cater to individuals who had the intellect to get good grades, but when the exam came, they couldn't put pen to paper. Coursework just shows how well you do over the whole process rather than one exam to finish it.

[Mik]

I really don't understand as to how a BTEC in Business Studies is in any way 'equivalent to four GCSEs at A* grade.' Realistically, BTECs are (apparently) nothing like GCSEs, so it would be extremely unfair to those who have completed GCSEs and BTECs to have the two compared in such a way.

[Neon Nocturnal]

I really don't understand as to how a BTEC in Business Studies is in any way 'equivalent to four GCSEs at A* grade.' Realistically, BTECs are (apparently) nothing like GCSEs, so it would be extremely unfair to those who have completed GCSEs and BTECs to have the two compared in such a way.

Both require just as much work. BTEC puts the stuff you learn into practice and relates to how you would use it in your career.

[Snagprophet]

One diploma will take more of your time than a single GCSE would. However, if you are choosing between, say, GCSE ICT and ICT Btec (and intend to get a job in ICT) then the Btec is probably better. You don't get exams, it's all really just coursework. I'm in my second year of my Btec.

x.