Bath, York, Edinburgh, Bristol & Warwick were my non Oxbridge choices.

Edd

I'm really sorry, but this is honestly not a rant at you because everybody makes the same mistake as you. It doesn't help when the vocational course leaders drill this into your head.

A vocational course is not equal, equivalent or even similar to three A-Levels. How anybody can actually believe that is beyond me!

Peter.

Yeah, I'm looking at the UAE, and I it seems pretty good. Just checking out the others the Prof said.

PG, note the link further down.

Do you meant the UCAS tariff? To be honest, that doesn't exactly mean a lot in the real world because no respectable person would think these vocational courses were in any way equal to A-Levels.

Peter.

Think about the City as well as the actual uni.
You don't want to live in a hole for three years.
Cities like York, Bristol etc are nice, Bradford, Coventry etc are dumps.
I turned down a place on a Disaster Engineering & Management course at Coventry as I couldn't stand the city.

If you like getting stabbed

Nah, it's a nice city, but like I've stated previously, I want out of the South West, too many cows....and too much cattle

PG, also, read the other link in that same post, look typical offer they receive for that course, then look at the chart in the link, you'll see they are very similar. So effectively the same. Oh and please, don't rain on my parade.

What you talking about? And what are you basing that on, exactly?

If two equally good candidates attended a job interview for a decent job and one had a BTEC and the other had A-Levels, which would you honestly hire?

Therefore, how can anybody claim these vocational courses are equivalent to A-Levels?

Peter.

Depends entirely in the area of study the BTEC was in, in comparison to an A Level.
If it had more in common with the area of study, then I'd go with the BTEC student. SImples.

I understand where you're coming from, but A-Levels show a far greater level of commitment, independence and motivation. If they have got three or four good A-Levels then they'd definitely get the job in my opinion.

Peter.

I suspect public perception in the market place would endorse that to a certain level. However, as soon as you have a degree, your prior qualifications don't really make that much difference to your chances of success.

I know Southampton is very good for computer science related fields. Exeter is really [LIFTED] (to the point that they are closing down the straight CS course).

Other than that, generally highly regarded universities are always good; Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial, Warwick, Bath, St Andrews etc.

Okay, so you're saying the course I've worked hard on, is effectively worthless? Thanks, really, thanks.

Isn't that called snobbery? Just because I find being sat in front of a whiteboard insanely dull, and that I simply cannot learn that way, you're saying I'm less equal?

TBH? I think that full of [LIFTED] [LIFTED], really. I didn't want to say this, but if you're not going to help. GTFO!

EDIT -

Thanks Jon, but I don't think I'm quite up to the calibre of Oxford and Cambridge I'll keep looking though

@ PG:
I think you're overstating the value of modern a-levels

The higher education system is over filled and increasingly irrelevant, unis are still worth going to, you yourself will know if you're learning something valuable to you, and at uni it's all down to you how well you learn, but a-levels are still pretty much jumping through hoops, where exam-taking strategy is more important than knowledge.

http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_s ... ivity.html

In what regard do A Level's show a greater commitment? You seem to labour under the belief that a BTEC is awarded for merely turning up.

Again, what exactly are you basing that on?



Even if they aren't relevant? Then you're a fool, the whole point of vocational qualifications is that they are relevant.



Exactly.