I don't know whether to stay in my school for sixth form or go to a grammar school

I've been looking at loads of schools for a while now (mostly grammar schools) and I find that they have a lot more resources than my school as well as extra-curricular activities. However, the thing that holds me back the most is having to make new friends, taking a bus and struggling to fit in with the students who have already been at the school before sixth form (I'm quite shy) . My friends also tell me that theres not really any point on moving but i want to get into a good university to study medicine. I don't really know what to do.

Reply 1

klafow

Original post

by poijdhv

if the new grammar school has a large cohort of externals joining the sixth form then you don't need to worry about making new friends! i switched from one grammar school to another for sixth form, and even though loads of people from my old school came with me most of my current friend circle are actually new people, who also joined the school as externals from different schools! from my experience externals are really friendly and even if you don't have a friend group as such, as long as you're remotely social and willing to talk you'll probably find people to spend time with :smile:

honestly the main thing with grammar schools is that there is a lot of competition between other people in sixth form, which can get toxic depending on the school and your social circles. even if there isn't outright competition, it's natural to feel imposter syndrome when you're not doing so well but everyone else is. it's really important to have good resilience if you're going to a grammar school, because sometimes you can be your own greatest enemy and bring yourself down.

but i agree, the extra curriculars and resources i've received throughout secondary school have been great! grammar schools do open up loads of opportunities which you don't get in some other schools, and esp for medicine they're great for meeting like-minded people and forming a community, which really helps during ucat summer and interviews. i'm not saying you can't get any of this at a state school, or that every grammar school provides these opportunities, but i've found it's more likely at a grammar school.

you can always apply to wherever you want and then decide on results day. in the end, only you can determine what is the best environment for you. good luck with making a decision!!

(edited 9 months ago)

Reply 2

MonzaLuna

Does your school get As in bio and Chem and the other subject you want to do. Do they have a history of getting pupils into medical school? The medical school application process is very different from other uni applications, many schools have a dedicated teacher in charge of prospective medics. Do they provide mock medical interviews and support for your medical school applications? This is what some schools and sixth form colleges provide and it’s what you need for a medical school application.