I have to disagree with that. The Cisco part will probably please employers, but Uni's won't be too fussed - most teach generic skills and ideas (unless they provide their own Cisco/MS/... qualifications). As for BTEC Vs A Levels it's horses for courses. Some courses will suit BTECs, while as others will suit A Level students. They're two parallel qualification paths, at least as far as universities are concerned.

Edd

I got in to uni with my BTEC.
You couldn't do A levels in sound engineering.

I agree.

No there isn't such a policy. I did teach a few weeks of the course, whilst still being supervised by the usual course leader. From my experience, the course does have a lot of work, but nowhere near as much as A-Levels.


By "Prestigious", I mean the universities who feature highly in the official university league tables and are well respected. Examples include Cambridge, Oxford, Warwick and York. From what I gather, I do not think you will be able to get a place in these universities without having three or four decent A-Levels to your name.

Also, where I work at the moment, they would definitely not think of a BTEC as being more attractive than proper A-Levels. I have also found that many other good employers in a computer-related industry would prefer three relevant A-Levels than a single BTEC qualification. As I have said earlier, employers believe A-Levels show a greater amount of commitment, independence and motivation, which should hopefully mean the candidate is superior. Whether this is slightly old fashioned is a different matter, but that is what I gather from respectable employers.


I agree that if you put that quote without the entire post, it does sound very demeaning. I was meaning that the vocational course leaders seem to bang on about how they are somehow "Equivalent" to A-Levels, so it isn't his fault that he believes that they are comparable. Every vocational student that I have met seems to make this same mistake, which is why I was pointing it out.


I still believe they are superior, but my point was that the BTEC is still worthwhile. If "A" was superior to "B", it doesn't mean that "B" is completely worthless and a waste of time, does it?


I'm sorry if they did sound arrogant and I can assure you they were not intended like that. I believed that the OP did ask for my opinion when he started this topic in the forum and I was genuinely trying to help him. If it didn't come across like that, then I apologise, but some things did have to be said.

Peter.

As has been said, I still think it depends on what you are doing.

I think most employers would believe that they are equal, certainly hasn't stopped anyone who has BTECs I know getting jobs in IT...From what I gather, it's probably more up to the departments in a university to decide what they are going to accept, so although the Oxford Middle-English department may not like BTECs, it doesn't meant that their computing department thinks the same.

Peter, may I ask if your posts are based purely on experience? I know mine are, I've no hard facts to back up any of my posts...

It's mainly from experience, yes.

Peter.

No, the thread is "help me find a uni".

Your response was basically "with a qualification like that unis aren't going to like you, and neither are employers". Just because you don't word it like that doesn't mean your point doesn't get through.

Good luck finding a uni mars-bar-man, and enjoy the rest of this thread.

I never meant it like that whatsoever, Nick. As I have said previously, some of the more prestigious universities may not accept applicants with BTEC qualifications, but I never said that the more modern universities won't accept you.

Peter.

Well, thanks for the help, well, those that have anyway.

I've found another course, which involves going abroad, well to the states for a year.

Here it is, looks pretty awesome, plus it gives me a lot to do and aim for

Norwich

The UEA does have a few good gigs & the waterfront is a proper dirty student nightclub.

Hmmm, elaborate?

Oh, and I can handle dirty, you should see the ones in my town!!!

Hmmm, elaborate?/quote]

Guessing to do with have you ever tried getting to Norwich

I live in the opposite end of the country. Ah well.

Even if you don't it still takes 10 hours to get there ( or at least seems like it )

Norwich is an interesting place. 80% of people there never leave the county. They speak funny and are generally slightly inbred (the old gimme six line fits in perfectly).
The town isn't bad, there's a few good bars, I'm there every couple of months to see the inlaws.
However, if you don't live in the city travelling is a nightmare. THe surrounding villages are remote (some don't even have streetlights) and trains/busses are rare. For example the last train to lingwood (between NOrwich & Great Yarmouth) leave at 11pm. The bus goes twice a day.