Btec Thingey


I did something like that, leaning more towards the programming side was mine. Its easy anyway, but not worth much I dont think. Probably a merit and an A level in something else or distinction and get you into a good uni or something. I dunno. I got a pass, pass, pass.
 
hmmmmmmm ok maybe. But why are you so obsessed with maths? Also ya its worth three A level's. I will possibly do that or the maths and various sciences arrangement.
 
they say its worth 3 a levels, but when you come to applying to a decent uni i doubt itll be viewed in the same light. you really should do maths, physics, further maths. itll teach you the basic principles.
 
There was no option to do further maths at my school so i had to do ict it was a complete waste of time, Dont Make My Mistake! (though it was out of my hands)
 
yes but I wont know where to start learning it my self etc...
Seriously you are getting it all wrong.
That is what I thought, I looked at tutorials and was like "Hello World!? meh - I will learn how to do all of this when I go to University and they teach me".
I expected people to spoon feed me or have some magical way of teaching that would make it all easy, but the reality is: learning from a tutorial is pretty much exactly the same as watching a lecture, only lectures go slower (and it takes you longer to get to the same standard), and yes the topics they cover first in tutorials are exactly the same as the topics you would cover in lessons. So that is where you should start learning.
You should start now, and on your own without lessons, there are plenty of people on this forum that would help out - there are also irc chanels if you have any programming questions unanswered from tutorials.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
For you. I personally found being taught (sp?) by a tutor easier. I mean it was much easier for me having an ex-programmer who'd moved to teaching to look over my work, give ideas, distribute ideas and that. I learnt alot more in the two years of my BTEC than the following two teaching myself.
 
Thank you pink spider. yes plus you cant go to university and say. 'I know C++ honest! I taught myself.' and dont start about UCAS points!
Well it might surprise you that if you don't take Maths in A-level only the worst Universities will take you for Computer Science. ICT is no subsitute for it.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Thank you pink spider. yes plus you cant go to university and say. 'I know C++ honest! I taught myself.' and dont start about UCAS points!
Well it might surprise you that if you don't take Maths in A-level only the worst Universities will take you for Computer Science. ICT is no subsitute for it.

quite true, most universities look for maths and a science (they're really asking for physics here btw ;) ) for A levels...

although, depending on the University they will take into consideration your current knowledge... i totally messed up my A levels but still got onto my University course due to being involved with computers and using various languages since i was 10 years old...

btw, dont bother doing a Uni degree at any University that doesn't promote sandwich courses... they're wasting your time (especially the old Uni's with computer science degrees, its just theory theory theory and no actual program writing)... Sheffield Hallam is one of the best rated Uni's for software engineering in the UK, highly rated by lots of european company's for spitting out well taught students and highly reccomend all students to do sandwich courses :)
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Thank you pink spider. yes plus you cant go to university and say. 'I know C++ honest! I taught myself.' and dont start about UCAS points!
Well it might surprise you that if you don't take Maths in A-level only the worst Universities will take you for Computer Science. ICT is no subsitute for it.

quite true, most universities look for maths and a science (they're really asking for physics here btw ;) ) for A levels...

although, depending on the University they will take into consideration your current knowledge... i totally messed up my A levels but still got onto my University course due to being involved with computers and using various languages since i was 10 years old...

btw, dont bother doing a Uni degree at any University that doesn't promote sandwich courses... they're wasting your time (especially the old Uni's with computer science degrees, its just theory theory theory and no actual program writing)... Sheffield Hallam is one of the best rated Uni's for software engineering in the UK, highly rated by lots of european company's for spitting out well taught students and highly reccomend all students to do sandwich courses :)
Well my third year is in Industry.
I know there are some Universities that are really good despite doing loads of theory, I have heard the Computer Science course at Oxford contains huge ammounts of maths.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Last edited by a moderator:
Bah. I'm taking Physics, Maths, computing and music (odd one out there really :)) for my AS levels, and dropping music for A2. looks like I chose the right subjects ;) Seriously, I could not have taken Further maths as well...

Mind, even at the low standard as a programmer I currently stand at I already know most of the stuff we got taught in class so far- well, I've never touched Pascal before our "proramming introduction" (Turbo Pascal 5 or 6 IIRC) but the language is extremely simple to learn the basics of if you already know the basics of other languages like C, so that was no problem. This is great in some ways, because it means that the knowledge I didn't already have beforehand generally fits well into my cranium because I know about the surrounding stuff already ;)

Anyway, this course thing sounds a little odd- a little like the vocational qualifications- MVCQs or something along those lines- that some schools are now providing. Officially, they are worth something like an A level each (please correct me if I'm wrong here, this is information filtered through a friend who goes to a school that encourages students to take these MVCQs) but in actual fact, it is not really of any "real" value- not for universities at least. Maybe they are good for some jobs though. I always think that actual experience with a subject would far outweigh a diploma or a degree or one of those things (I don't know the difference...) when it came to applying for a job, but then again, a degree or whatever might be considered a symbol of the fact that you have proven yourself to be commited to a subject or some such. And I guess it can't harm ;)

Anyway, that was a little rambling, sorry.

Is this course meant to supplement/support candidates A-Levels or is it entirely stand-alone?
 

I'm on that course, specialising in system support. Honestly, you'll know most things they're teaching you, for the first 3 months, you'll be learning more about businesses then computers. If you'd rather write essays then take an exam, then I'd imagine you could like the course, otherwise, take some A-Levels.
I dont care about whether somethings are exams or essays.

Its standalone I think.

Ill just apply for it and sixth form. And choose between the two later.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Back
Top