If your dc did BTECs, do you say they have A levels?

[Milsonophonia]

My nephew did a BTEC in Media and a BTEC in Music production. He passed them all, which is fab. But my BIL keeps telling everyone he got 4 x A levels. My dd got 3 x A levels and I'm starting to feel a bit fed up with him saying dn got 4 x A levels. We were at a bbq yesterday and someone was congratulating dd and he interrupted and said well, dn got 4 A levels!

I think he may have got the equivalent of 4 A levels, so a great achievement whatever, but its beginning to annoy me. I know I'm being petty. But ds1 did BTECs a few years ago and did really well in them and ended up at uni but I am pretty sure I always told people he'd done BTECS!

It's not causing me any harm. It annoyed me when BIL cut across dd to say that dneohew had more A levels than her. It annoyed dd as well. Obviously neither of us said anything.

Course they do I did my Alevels in 1993 and failed them I was far more suited to the Btec course. I still kick myself for listening to my mum .

I wouldn't as I know the difference between the two. However if parent didn't go into higher education and they have been told btec is equivalent to 4 A levels then I can see why they do it. Also some people think btec aren't as good as A levels so would say A level instead

I feel similarly when I hear colleagues who have PGCEs say they have "two degrees". No you don't... you have a bachelors and a postgraduate certificate.. the clue is in the name! (I presume some DO have two degrees but I'm referring
specifically to those who say they're "graduating from their second degree" when they complete it!) I don't know why but it irks me.. almost as if they are being disingenuous with their qualifications. There's nothing wrong with a BTEC or a PGCE but they aren't the same as A-Levels or a degree and that's fine! No need to try to dress it up as something it's not as they are valuable qualifications.

Actually tbf that may be true. He could well just think dnephew actually has 4 A levels.

I feel bad now.

See this makes me worried. Dc school font offer a great range A levels but wider range btec I do worry they won't prep him for uni.

I think they are quite good prep for uni as most uni courses are a mix of coursework and exams like BTECS.
When dd1 did one we did have to double check that the uni course she wanted would accept it (science based)

I wouldn't worry about that. Unis have been admitting students for yrs to do degrees and those students have no less success than those who did A'Levels.

I work on FE and I think BTECs are fab prep for uni. They, in my experience, teach more applied skills and these can be seriously lacking in some A Level learners. Just check the entry requirements for any course he's thinking of applying for at uni to make sure it's ok (it usually is!)

No because BTECs are valuable in their own right and I'd not feel the need to pretend theyre something else - I am proud of my BTEC for what it is.

This. I work at a University and helped out in Admissions during Clearing, You can have as many BTEC UCAS points as you like, but a lot of Uni courses will still ask for either A level English or Maths (depending on what you want to study) so BTEC are not equal to A levels, even if it’s polite to pretend otherwise

Sure it is incorrect but why does it matter? This seems childish to worry about

The science degree dd applied for accepted BTEC but you had to do certain modules.

Why does it bother you? Just ignore him.

Yes and I've also seen entry requirements that ask for A Level Maths alongside the relevant BTEC (I think this was engineering). It's so important to double check 😊

I did BTECs in the mid 1980s on a day release from work. I got into university and did a degree and postgraduate qualifications. I never say I've got A levels because I haven't.

My husband and I did the same degree. His btec was much closer in content to the degree than my a level, meaning he could chill for his first year at uni while I had a lot more ground to cover.

Why do you care? It’s not a competition. If your brother wants to tell people your nephew has A Levels to avoid stigma, then let him. It doesn’t have any effect on you or your son’s life whatsoever. Seems like you just want people to recognise your son as more academic or more intelligent than your nephew? I don’t get it, really. Just live and let live.

From OP's posts I think it bothers her because when BIL says DN got 4 A levels, it's as though DN has outshone her daughter who got 3.

Presumably this wouldn't be a problem if he actually did have 4 A levels, but because his qualifications are only equivalent to 4 A levels, to some people this is unacceptable.

I wonder if OP would prefer BIL to specify that the qualification DN achieved were BTECs, because there is a level of snobbery associated with them vs A levels. Rather than be proud of them both, she is keen for people to understand that her daughter is the shining star.

We were at a bbq yesterday and someone was congratulating dd and he interrupted and said well, dn got 4 A levels!

Regardless of any comparison between two very different qualifications, the issue seems more your BiL attempting to upstage your dd's achievement. Even if nephew had got 4x A* A levels, it's still not etiquette to interrupt or attempt to belittle like that.

Out of interest, I looked up the current entry requirements for my old uni. They want either 3x A levels all at grade A, or btec at DD plus two A levels at grade A. So they're effectively only considering a btec diploma as worth one A Level.

Sorry I mean your DD, not son! But I’d have definitely challenged him and asked why he felt the need to compete with DD, rather than sit stewing about it.

BTECs are the equivalent to A'levels a D is the equivalent to A (interesting I've no idea why my phone chose bold!) any who 2 of my children did btecs, one now has a private cognitive behaviour therapy practice and the other is a senior OT. Neither of them would say they have a'levels but, then again, it really doesn't matter which way round you got onto your degree. Even degrees rarely get spoken about once you have a degree classification no one is that bothered if you got a first or a 2:2

BTECs are the equivalent to A'levels a D is the equivalent to A

But not in real life

Why are you bothered?

I think its weird to be so bothered by it. Why can't you celebrate your daughter's achievements independent of anyone else's? Why are you even comparing them? Does his dad saying he got 4 a-levels diminish your daughter's achievements in any way?