Uni entry requirements for DC with a setback?

[LeylaOfCircassia]

DC2 is 16 and did not do as well as he could have in his GCSEs (4s across the board). This was due to him, basically doing absolute minimum and not revising (his own admission). As a result he is doing a BTEC in Sports (can be equiv 2 A Levels + an A level or equiv. 3 A levels).

He was 'allowed' by special arrangement to select an A level alongside because he submitted a strong summer assignment and spent weeks speaking to teachers and subject teachers. It turns out the subjects he would have liked (History or Classics) are full so cannot now do this.

However, it seems the GCSE results, that he was gutted about have lit a rocket and I have never seen him as driven as he was to get an A level place, even for one A level and is working extremely hard to make sure he does well in his BTEC. He has spoken to all the relevant staff and made sure he can do an EPQ (in the history space).

He is now completely set on going to uni and wants to study a historical subject (history, Ancient History, Archaeology etc). He wants to do this on the same timeline as his peer group, so no 3 year Sixth Form etc.

We've found lots of unis that accept BTEC, but I have only ever seen them in certain subjects, never anything humanities based, so:

(1) are unis understanding that the student is likely coming from Business, Sports, Health and Social Care or similar and as long as you achieve DDD or whatever and demonstrate commitment and interest in the subject then it is fine?

(2) will he need to look at Foundation Year (we have done this and he is ok with this if it is the only way)

(3) will demonstrating interest via EPQ, wide reading, engagement in his topic be enough

He knows some options are out for him, but there are plenty still available.

I know many will say 'is he suited to uni'. My view is he has learnt a very hard lesson and is capable - but more importantly he wants to try and wants a chance and I am keen to support that.

The foundation year is a good idea.

You need to look at specific entry requirements for specific courses.
I can't imagine any history course will let him in with BTec sport (or any other non-related qualifications).

Has the full a level course thing only just come to light? Courses started in sept so this seems strangely late.

I would suggest completing year 1 of the BTec, then transferring to a full a level programme for 2 years if he really is motivated and showing uni potential.

3 year a level/btec will be significantly cheaper than adding a foundation year.

Would the school he is at write a letter about his GCSEs? My school did that 30 years ago and it did the trick. Not sure about your other questions but where there is a will there is a way. Good on him for pulling his socks up!

It was a complicated college situation re the extra A level and we've closed that off, so now just looking forward.

He prefers Foundation to switching to A levels next year (though not ruled that out, he might change his mind).

I have looked at specific entry requirements.

For example (from a list I have of 35):
Liverpool (applications encouraged from BTEC students)
Leeds DDM
Winchester DMM I think it was

Even with A levels none of them ask for history or even an essay subject. Which is my confusion, there isn't a plethora of BTEC Humanities knocking about as far as I am aware, so they must be aware someone with a BTEC is coming with a subject far removed?

@House4DS that is a fair point to consider actually. We will have his older sibling still at uni at the same time so cost might well factor somewhere.

Will personal statements be 'out' by then? If so it's going to be difficult to demonstrate a passion for history. Does the EPQ title go on the UCAS application?

My dd does history, she's in her final year and she absolutely loves it. She got BBB in history, English literature and geography and she had to go through clearing. She wanted to go to York and her offer was ABB which were her predicted grades.

I agree with the previous poster that you will have to look at each course.

I think he will be able to get in without a foundation year if he selects universities carefully. Actually, foundation years are not that common for humanities subjects - they're more often used for science based subjects where students need to catch-up with foundational concepts before a degree. History just isn't like that.

Is his A Level in an essay based subject? Hopefully that the EPQ will show his interest and ability, and if he is very motivated and works consistently he may achieve well in the BTEC.

Look at the courses he's interested in on their own websites, not just UCAS Hub to check the entry requirements in detail, they really do vary - for example Nottingham is AAB with an A in History, Queen's Belfast (a Russell Group) is ABB with no subject requirements, through they only accept 1 BTEC.

He will find courses, but it's important to check the requirements carefully - he could do that this year and make 2 shortlists: 1 which would be possible for 2026 entry and 1 which might require a Foundation year.

We have looked in detail, I just cannot work out what BTEC it is that they would be accepting as I cannot see how any of them can be relevant?

PS will be finished when he applies, but as I understand it will be replaced by two questions e.g. why do you want to study this. The Director of Sixth said that they could also give a reference speaking to his commitment to the subject (of course, if he follows through).

The A level didn't happen in the end - classes were full, but he was offered the opportunity.

I found 31 unis for History that offer foundation year- I was surprised too, we have recently had sibling off for history and I also studied history until not very long ago. They look designed to build academic skills, so perhaps mature students.

Did he take history-type subjects at GCSE?
Could it be worth resitting some of them as a private candidate (at your own cost) this year if he has now focused, to see if he can get a much better mark?
You can sit exams through private exam centres such as Tutors and Exams, which has branches in various cities, as well as through some schools etc.

Ok so this is similar to what happened to me.
I did BA archaeology, which is a close cousin of history/classics, with easier entry requirements.

At 16, I made a terrible mistake and did a BTEC media studies in my first year of college, then I left after 1 year and switched to A-levels, but due to personal reasons only completed 2 A-levels (I moved schools through no choice of my own between AS and A2 and couldn't continue all 4).

I made it clear on my application that any offers needed to be on the basis of 2 A-levels. I had individual unit awards for the modules of the BTEC I had completed, and 3 of these made an AS while 6 made an A-level.

Two universities were useless and didn't read the info and offered based on 3 A-levels/too many UCAS points, but the majority offered me based on the context of what I'd actually studied, including the top Russell Group uni I went to in the end.

It was a convoluted pathway but it did get me to the degree. Whether that degree subject was a good idea for my career/earnings is another question entirely. 😁

I will say if he's choosing between history and classics, you wouldn't think it, but history is more employable than the others in that type of subject, IME of knowing many people in the classics, archaeology and history departments who are all now 20 years into their careers. BUT archaeology is the easiest by far to get into, especially if you apply for BSc rather than BA (you can switch later if you want). The science aspects of the sports BTEC will be relevant to skeletal archaeology and human osteology, for example.

Good archaeology departments don't largely mind what you've studied, they want genuine enthusiasm and interest in the subject which you can get from reading around it and also getting some real experience on a dig.

He did take History at GSCE, so yes, that is a good idea if not too expensive, even just to demonstrate commitment.

We did talk about him possibly sitting the A level himself, and though now committed felt he would disadvantaged without a teacher that everyone else would benefit from. I can help with content, but I am not a teacher. I also have not read great stuff about self taught results even with young people who are super committed and have a history of high achievement.

Also despite my awful grades/lack of A-levels/GCSEs, I finished with a respectable 2:1 so it was absolutely worth me pushing for the stars despite being advised by my head of sixth form to "lower my sights" when she found out which unis I applied to.

That is really interesting about archaeology and how he could link it.

He will have extra UCAS points for universities that base on points from various Coaching qualifications he will get over the two years, plus extra from the EPQ.

We are going to see two very close to home unis in the next few weeks just to demonstrate to him the level of engagement he does need if he really wants this.

Who know maybe he ends up loving this course and Arsenal offer him a job :-)

I think it might be tricky with a 4 at gcse and an unrelated level 3. He needs to speak to the admissions tutors at open days to assess what route they might suggest . Some will offer on points but it would help if his ps can substantiate his enthusiasm such as taking online courses, attending seminars and lectures, reading around his areas of interest, visiting museums and exhibitions.

This is such an inspiring story. I have no A levels (or equivalent) but do have two degrees and a couple of years of unfinished research under my belt, but I would prefer for him not to do it my way - full time work and 3 kids under 6. I'm just trying to facilitate what I can.

So much useful and helpful input, but I guess none of us know what they mean by accepting BTECs when they don't really exist widely in that space?

Yes, that is part of the reason for the two visits now, as opposed to waiting until summer - to ask our questions and then see what they say.

You can contact the admissions departments now and not wait for a visit.

I would look at a shortlist of universities and email the undergraduate secretary of the department (not the admissions secretary unless you can't find the department secretary's email address on their website) and ask on what basis would an offer be made for the specific course if the applicant has a BTEC. That way you'll know where you stand and can filter out any universities who say vague things like it needs to be "relevant" with no explanation. They might point you back to admissions but they might just give you a straight answer.

With archaeology, it's so interdisciplinary in modern departments that pretty much anything could be argued to be relevant. For my MSc, for example, I did a project on the archaeology of computers from the 1960s.

My daughter got all 4s at gcse bar maths which was a 6. She did a btec after and is now at uni. It having a levels didn’t restrict her. Hope that helps x

@Scutterbug Did she do a relevant subject? I can see how if you do BTEC Business, you can do a variety of Business and Business adjacent degrees. I just don't really 'get' why a history degree says BTEC accepted when you can't get a BTEC in an adjacent subject.

But yes, depts are the place to ask. We are visiting anyway so he can also ask and hear the answers.

Is it worth steering him towards something more practical or vocational that might play to his strengths? I'm going through this with one of mine and university is so incredibly expensive that we are thinking really carefully about what might work for him specifically, what might lead to employment etc. Its so tough for young people at the moment. (obviously you may be able to fund the whole thing so his debt level/employability at the end may not be a factor).

I mean, he has other strengths, but he is a pretty decent history student when he does the work. He writes very well and can form a really decent argument - what he didn't do at GCSE was revise any of the material AT ALL. Hard to formulate anything with no content. That 4 is based on turning up to lessons (with 4 different teachers, one of whom was beyond useless - but that is another thread - and DS was responsible for himself), that is it.

He may well change his mind, a good job opportunity might occur etc, who knows, but he has always liked and been drawn to history and like a good historian probably has documentary evidence to demonstrate this back to age 6 or something.

That said, I do take your point on cost, which will be a concern as his older sibling will still be at uni when/if he goes.

My dd does history, she's in her final year and she absolutely loves it.

My DS graduated a couple of years, he also did a masters in modern history, like your DD he loved it.