Not working or driving in 6th form
I'm in y12 and won't work or drive in sixth form to save time/energy to do well in my a-levels. Want 3 A*s and a good EPQ and can only get that if I don't lose time to other things.
Has anyone else done this? Did you feel behind if you started these things a bit later?
Has anyone else done this? Did you feel behind if you started these things a bit later?
Hi! I'm year 13 just about to do my A levels. I worked in a job for the first half term of Year 12 and ended up having to quit because it was too much. I also haven't yet learnt to drive and am starting in the summer after my exams.
I am taking a gap year so I didn't really feel much pressure to rush into learning earlier and I can now continue learning next year (I also felt that at university I wouldn't drive much anyway so even if I hadn't taken a gap year I was planning on either learning in the summer or even after university.)
I haven't really felt that driving is important in 6th form - I have been driven somewhere by my friend once in the two years, and I could've taken the train. Train tickets are expensive but so is having a car - buying the car, insurance, petrol etc. Car insurance is especially expensive before you're 18.
It really depends on how often you need to travel when no one is available to take you.
I am taking a gap year so I didn't really feel much pressure to rush into learning earlier and I can now continue learning next year (I also felt that at university I wouldn't drive much anyway so even if I hadn't taken a gap year I was planning on either learning in the summer or even after university.)
I haven't really felt that driving is important in 6th form - I have been driven somewhere by my friend once in the two years, and I could've taken the train. Train tickets are expensive but so is having a car - buying the car, insurance, petrol etc. Car insurance is especially expensive before you're 18.
It really depends on how often you need to travel when no one is available to take you.
Original post by ManUtd_21
Same here! I'm also in Y12 and I don't have a job or drive; even though lots of people in my year do. But I think I want to start learning how to drive soon though, rather than learning during university or even after.
Same cos I know I want a license. But I won't need it now or in uni as I'm commuting by train. Glad to know I'm not the only one! It's kind of a trend in my year but right now I'm like, naaaah.
Original post by Sop 27
I'm in y12 and won't work or drive in sixth form to save time/energy to do well in my a-levels. Want 3 A*s and a good EPQ and can only get that if I don't lose time to other things.
Has anyone else done this? Did you feel behind if you started these things a bit later?
Has anyone else done this? Did you feel behind if you started these things a bit later?
Hey year 13 doing A-levels here, I didn't do either of these, driving because I turned 17 in august so by the time I would've started it would've messed with year 13 especially because our school didn't initially let us out for frees, I think you'll be OK, I haven't worked a job either, if a job is something you want you'd want to try and get one for the summer if you're worried about it clashing with studies.
Although a driving license is nice, its something you can do during your year 13 summer holidays like I plan to do, I don't think you're missing out.
I think it depends on everyone's situation tbh. I don't think either are essential, I worked for a month in Year 12 before deciding it is too much for me with A Levels, but I was also really struggling with chemistry and needed that extra time. I was also supported by my parents and never felt I 'needed' the money. If you're in a situation where your parents aren't helping you financially at all or you need to save for something specific, then I think working around A Levels is perfectly doable. Having savings for uni if that's what you're doing after is very very useful - I took a gap year which really helped for finance but working in the Year 13 summer would be a good idea too.
Driving, again depends. If you're doing a normal course then a lot of people don't use cars in uni, a lot of unis it's not possible to keep your car anyway in cities and just generally it's probably financially not worth having if you're going to use it just for a trip to the shops once a week - may as well learn after uni. But for example I do vet med and we have placements in our holidays and a lot of farms etc aren't overly accessible by public transport or are simply very far away, so a car makes life soooo much easier. Our actual vet campus which we will use once a week in 3rd year and then stay near in 4th and 5th year is also not that great for public transport and so having a car or knowing someone with a spare seat is pretty essential - but if financially/timing wise it isn't possible then it is fine to get by just with contacts and helping someone else pay for fuel etc. I passed my test at the start of Year 13 and luckily my parents help me with the costs, and I am very glad I did as now I'm 21 the insurance is a lot cheaper and I do use my car quite a lot even at uni, and I think the freedom is nice to have. So both depend on everyone's personal situation.
Driving, again depends. If you're doing a normal course then a lot of people don't use cars in uni, a lot of unis it's not possible to keep your car anyway in cities and just generally it's probably financially not worth having if you're going to use it just for a trip to the shops once a week - may as well learn after uni. But for example I do vet med and we have placements in our holidays and a lot of farms etc aren't overly accessible by public transport or are simply very far away, so a car makes life soooo much easier. Our actual vet campus which we will use once a week in 3rd year and then stay near in 4th and 5th year is also not that great for public transport and so having a car or knowing someone with a spare seat is pretty essential - but if financially/timing wise it isn't possible then it is fine to get by just with contacts and helping someone else pay for fuel etc. I passed my test at the start of Year 13 and luckily my parents help me with the costs, and I am very glad I did as now I'm 21 the insurance is a lot cheaper and I do use my car quite a lot even at uni, and I think the freedom is nice to have. So both depend on everyone's personal situation.
Original post by RambleAmple
I think it depends on everyone's situation tbh. I don't think either are essential, I worked for a month in Year 12 before deciding it is too much for me with A Levels, but I was also really struggling with chemistry and needed that extra time. I was also supported by my parents and never felt I 'needed' the money. If you're in a situation where your parents aren't helping you financially at all or you need to save for something specific, then I think working around A Levels is perfectly doable. Having savings for uni if that's what you're doing after is very very useful - I took a gap year which really helped for finance but working in the Year 13 summer would be a good idea too.
Driving, again depends. If you're doing a normal course then a lot of people don't use cars in uni, a lot of unis it's not possible to keep your car anyway in cities and just generally it's probably financially not worth having if you're going to use it just for a trip to the shops once a week - may as well learn after uni. But for example I do vet med and we have placements in our holidays and a lot of farms etc aren't overly accessible by public transport or are simply very far away, so a car makes life soooo much easier. Our actual vet campus which we will use once a week in 3rd year and then stay near in 4th and 5th year is also not that great for public transport and so having a car or knowing someone with a spare seat is pretty essential - but if financially/timing wise it isn't possible then it is fine to get by just with contacts and helping someone else pay for fuel etc. I passed my test at the start of Year 13 and luckily my parents help me with the costs, and I am very glad I did as now I'm 21 the insurance is a lot cheaper and I do use my car quite a lot even at uni, and I think the freedom is nice to have. So both depend on everyone's personal situation.
Driving, again depends. If you're doing a normal course then a lot of people don't use cars in uni, a lot of unis it's not possible to keep your car anyway in cities and just generally it's probably financially not worth having if you're going to use it just for a trip to the shops once a week - may as well learn after uni. But for example I do vet med and we have placements in our holidays and a lot of farms etc aren't overly accessible by public transport or are simply very far away, so a car makes life soooo much easier. Our actual vet campus which we will use once a week in 3rd year and then stay near in 4th and 5th year is also not that great for public transport and so having a car or knowing someone with a spare seat is pretty essential - but if financially/timing wise it isn't possible then it is fine to get by just with contacts and helping someone else pay for fuel etc. I passed my test at the start of Year 13 and luckily my parents help me with the costs, and I am very glad I did as now I'm 21 the insurance is a lot cheaper and I do use my car quite a lot even at uni, and I think the freedom is nice to have. So both depend on everyone's personal situation.
Thankyou!
I also wanna use uni to save up. Thats why I'm commuting so I'm only paying for train tickets which I can get quite cheap.
I only need a car to drive to the train station. Even then I'm living at home and my parents will happily drive me instead of paying for a whole other car. I'm just scared of passing now, not driving for another 4 years, then being out on the road having only done it years ago for 3 weeks.. it definitely seems more beneficial when you actually use your car.
Original post by Sop 27
Thankyou!
I also wanna use uni to save up. Thats why I'm commuting so I'm only paying for train tickets which I can get quite cheap.
I only need a car to drive to the train station. Even then I'm living at home and my parents will happily drive me instead of paying for a whole other car. I'm just scared of passing now, not driving for another 4 years, then being out on the road having only done it years ago for 3 weeks.. it definitely seems more beneficial when you actually use your car.
I also wanna use uni to save up. Thats why I'm commuting so I'm only paying for train tickets which I can get quite cheap.
I only need a car to drive to the train station. Even then I'm living at home and my parents will happily drive me instead of paying for a whole other car. I'm just scared of passing now, not driving for another 4 years, then being out on the road having only done it years ago for 3 weeks.. it definitely seems more beneficial when you actually use your car.
Yeah in that case I’d probably just wait until after uni. I mean there’s also nothing stopping you from having a couple refresher lessons post uni before driving again if you felt you needed it so you’re not just thrown onto the road again, but I do feel it’s probably best to learn after when you probably also have a job which can more easily support the cost of lessons etc.
Oh and if you haven't already, you can get a saver discount for train tickets - a 16-17 saver gives you 50% off every train ticket and a 16-25 saver gives you 25% off every train ticket. You pay a fee of about £40 upfront and the amount you save over time gets you your money back and more.
first year uni student here - had a job briefly in year 13 but didn't drive. i feel like having a job took away the time i should've been using to revise, and i just didn't enjoy it so it affected my motivation and energy levels a lot tbh. not driving doesn't really have an impact on anything if you already have a method of getting to school and back 
Original post by Sop 27
I'm just scared of passing now, not driving for another 4 years, then being out on the road having only done it years ago for 3 weeks.
There wouldn't be anything to stop you getting a couple of refresher lessons from an instructor before you start driving again after an extended gap.
Original post by Anonymous0305
Oh and if you haven't already, you can get a saver discount for train tickets - a 16-17 saver gives you 50% off every train ticket and a 16-25 saver gives you 25% off every train ticket. You pay a fee of about £40 upfront and the amount you save over time gets you your money back and more.
The 16-25 railcard gives you one-third off (33%), not 25%.
The discount applies to most tickets, but not all. See the respective terms and conditions for details.
They both cost £30 (currently).
Original post by Anonymous0305
Oh and if you haven't already, you can get a saver discount for train tickets - a 16-17 saver gives you 50% off every train ticket and a 16-25 saver gives you 25% off every train ticket. You pay a fee of about £40 upfront and the amount you save over time gets you your money back and more.
Thanks, I already have a 16-17 saver which I'm using to get used to travelling before I go
You can do whatever you want but don't feel like you can't get a job or drive during year 12. I have an offer from Cambridge and I did driving lessons and a job where I worked 12+ hours per week
I'm currently doing my alevels. I didn't have a job at all during sixth form, I'm starting my first job this summer. A lot of my friends did have jobs, but for me I felt like I wouldn't have enough time to study on weekends. My friends who did have part time jobs on the weekend, just did more work during the week and that worked for them. Just do whatever works best for you.
Re driving, I started learning in the summer last year, and then did my test in the middle of April this year. I had a lesson once a week but quite a few were cancelled, which is why it took quite a long time. For me this felt like good timing. I'd advise not doing your test any later then the middle of April, otherwise it takes too much focus away from exams, and if you don't pass it still gives time to book another test (or 2) in the summer. I would advise learning to drive during sixth form, unless you are taking a gap year, just so that you have the option to drive around during the holidays when back home and because it's really difficult to learn in just the holidays as consistency is so important.
Would add that even though you're learning to drive or passed, it doesn't mean you need a car. If your parents or siblings have one, just learn in that, as it's expensive to have your car sat at home whilst you're at university, or to take it to university it's a bit of a faff
Re driving, I started learning in the summer last year, and then did my test in the middle of April this year. I had a lesson once a week but quite a few were cancelled, which is why it took quite a long time. For me this felt like good timing. I'd advise not doing your test any later then the middle of April, otherwise it takes too much focus away from exams, and if you don't pass it still gives time to book another test (or 2) in the summer. I would advise learning to drive during sixth form, unless you are taking a gap year, just so that you have the option to drive around during the holidays when back home and because it's really difficult to learn in just the holidays as consistency is so important.
Would add that even though you're learning to drive or passed, it doesn't mean you need a car. If your parents or siblings have one, just learn in that, as it's expensive to have your car sat at home whilst you're at university, or to take it to university it's a bit of a faff
Original post by Sop 27
I'm in y12 and won't work or drive in sixth form to save time/energy to do well in my a-levels. Want 3 A*s and a good EPQ and can only get that if I don't lose time to other things.
Has anyone else done this? Did you feel behind if you started these things a bit later?
Has anyone else done this? Did you feel behind if you started these things a bit later?
Hi,
Try not to worry about feeling behind. I did exactly the same and started working the summer after I had completed year 13 so I had the maximum time to focus upon getting the grades I wanted. This paid off in the end and I did not feel behind at all in the workplace.
In terms of learning to drive I know lots of students who wait until they have graduated to start learning. The cost of a car is expensive and can be an added, sometimes unnecessary, strain upon students' pockets. Therefore, you should decide whether you think it will benefit you to learn before university or whether it can wait until later. Lots of university cities have good public transport connections, so I didn't find it necessary to have a car during my uni years.
I hope this helps!
Jasmine (an Official University of Southampton Rep)
Original post by Sop 27
I'm in y12 and won't work or drive in sixth form to save time/energy to do well in my a-levels. Want 3 A*s and a good EPQ and can only get that if I don't lose time to other things.
Has anyone else done this? Did you feel behind if you started these things a bit later?
Has anyone else done this? Did you feel behind if you started these things a bit later?
Hi there,
So unless you have the need to drive soon then not learning to drive and passing your driving test isn't an issue. You can always do this in the summer when you have completed your exams!
Malachy - University of Liverpool Student Rep
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