A Guide To Choosing A Sixth Form College

There are a few options available to young people over the age of sixteen who want to take A-level and other higher education exams. Many schools do not provide sixth form study programs, and so many students find themselves trying to decide if they should stay at their current school or move on to sixth form college. There are a number of advantages, as well as disadvantages, when it comes to options for continuing study.

When deciding where to study, there are a few questions to ask yourself: Can you and your family afford the costs of an independent college? Are you willing to travel far? What do you want to study? Is there anything you want to specialize in? Where can you go to study what you want to study? Some sixth form colleges specialize in subjects and provide study options that others do not.

Many students start their college careers by enrolling in courses that they enjoyed before, such as Art, History, Geography or Chemistry, especially if they scored well at GCSE level for those subjects. If you already have a career path in mind, than it may be that you need certain courses in order to qualify for a degree or an apprenticeship. Few students, however, feel very confident about where they want to be and where they want to end up. Starting at college then, is a fantastic time to learn about new worlds and experiences that you may not have had the chance to study before.

Generally, sixth form colleges have a more relaxed approach to learning than secondary schools. Sixth formers who stay on at their school are given more freedom and often privileges than their juniors and are encouraged to study in a more independent way. Styles of teaching do vary significantly between different schools and sixth form colleges. Some will use continual assessment rather than big exams, while others may have practical workshops rather than classroom lectures.

Before you commit to a sixth form college, you should research all your options. Find out about the average class size, and how many graduates were able to find jobs or continue their education. Checking sixth form colleges that are near you is fairly easy, and you should take advantage of an open day to further your efforts. You will also be able to determine if the college takes a more relaxed approach or if a more stringent plan is followed. More distant colleges may be difficult to visit, but a great deal of information about each college is available on the internet. There are no limits on the number of colleges where you may apply but you do need to be sure that you meet the deadline. Every college sets their own deadline, so make sure you know what it is for each one. More popular classes fill up quickly, so you will need to apply for those in Year 11, Autumn term.

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