Cambridge Technical with A levels for uni entry?

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DS has just started 6th form.
He is doing 3 A levels and a Cambridge Technical Certificate - equivalent to half an A level in UCAS points, and takes 1 year to complete.

It now turns out, one week in, that the CTEC is his favourite subject.

He’s talking about dropping one of the A levels and doing an extended certificate CTEC - 2 years and equivalent to one A level.

DH and I are supportive, as we think he should study what he wants.

But we are cautious about closing university doors. Lots of universities don’t seem to list them on their entry requirements.
Or they say something like “maximum of one considered alongside two A levels”.
Does “considered” mean they don’t really like them, and DS therefore needs to try harder to make himself sound appealing?

While DS may end up applying to continue studying the same subject, or even not going to uni at all, we don’t want him to narrow his options at this stage without understanding the implications fully.

Has anyone’s DC applied to uni with a CTEC?

Can you say the subjects, as advice might vary depending?
Generally one is fine alongside two A Levels. A few of the very top unis might see it as an issue (think Oxbridge) but if he’s loving studying it right now, and the style of learning, then he probably wouldn’t want Oxbridge anyway? Whatever he does at post 16 will close doors, so I wouldn’t worry too much.

CTEC is in digital media.

Government and politics, English language and Spanish A levels.

Interested in journalism as a career, but was thinking about English, international relations or American studies at uni.

And no, I don’t think Oxbridge is really on the cards. GCSEs were solid, but not stellar.

If he is really keen to be a journalist I have some top tips I can offer.

You say his GCSEs were not stellar - that can mean different things tbh. What did he get in Spanish? MFL is my subject and I wouldn’t advise A level with less than a 7 (Apols to him if he has a set of solid 7s!)

Actually he did get a 7 for Spanish. 8 for English, the rest mainly 6s with a couple of 5s.

(Edited to add, Spanish is the one he is thinking most likely to drop, or maybe just to drop to AS level).

I’m sure he would love to hear top journo tips!

Ah OK well if it was a fairly straightforward 7 (ie not a massive struggle!) then that's all good for A level.

OK journo tips
If you are not really really keen it's probably not a great idea. It's not the profession it was bc no one buys newspapers or advertises in them any more. It's tough to find jobs and hard to advance.

If you are still keen, know that it's very poorly paid, mainly bc so many people want to do it. Very few graduates going into journalism will earn the kinds of salaries bandied about on MN. And even tho I suspect some of those salaries may not be true, most journos outside London don't earn enough to pay higher rate of tax.

If you still want to do it - the way forward is to write as it's writers that are still needed. He should write and try to get it published - write a blog about his passion, write reviews of music or theatre or whatever he loves and send them to the local paper for its website, write up local matches (football, athletics, rugby, whatever) and send the reports to the club for its website, start a school newsletter. It's easier than ever now to get your stuff out there and the more you do, the more you have to show a possible employer.

Offer to do the social media for a local club or organisation he is interested in - sporting, drama, music, local pub that stages gigs - they will probably bite your hand off and it's great experience.

Basically if I were offering a journalist role to a graduate, I would expect them to be able to produce a portfolio of published work for me to look at and be impressed with.

HTH :)