College or sixth form?

5

I am currently doing my gcses and i am thinking to go to either my school’s sixth form in september or a college that really caught my eye. My school’s sixth form offers many options and the options I chose have the same entry requirements as the college course i applied to. The college course I applied to involves psychology which is something that really interests me and what i wanna do at uni when i get in and also it seems like a very cool college. However I feel like its going to be hard making friends there because none of my friends are going to that college and are instead staying at my school’s sixth form, plus the sixth form has 3 different a levels which means i have more options for the future. Sixth form also has disadvantages in my eyes as i feel like i would really struggle with a levels and keeping up with all of the work…My question is: Which one should I choose?

Reply 1

BCU Student Rep

Official Rep

18

Original post

by snsnsnshshsh

I am currently doing my gcses and i am thinking to go to either my school’s sixth form in september or a college that really caught my eye. My school’s sixth form offers many options and the options I chose have the same entry requirements as the college course i applied to. The college course I applied to involves psychology which is something that really interests me and what i wanna do at uni when i get in and also it seems like a very cool college. However I feel like its going to be hard making friends there because none of my friends are going to that college and are instead staying at my school’s sixth form, plus the sixth form has 3 different a levels which means i have more options for the future. Sixth form also has disadvantages in my eyes as i feel like i would really struggle with a levels and keeping up with all of the work…My question is: Which one should I choose?

Hi @snsnsnshshsh

It's completely normal to have mixed feelings about what to do next - especially as there's lots of factors to consider like subjects and friendships etc.

The overriding question you might want to ask yourself is are you ready for a new change?
As the entry requirements are the same for both your sixth form and college option, then there isn't a 'back up' option needed in case you don't quite get the results you were hoping for - but I'm sure you won't need it anyway! Instead, it's more about which place will offer what you're looking for the most, and which one do you feel you'll enjoy the most.

Regarding your friendships if you choose to go to college, it can be difficult at first to meet new people. But there will be others like yourself who are also feeling a bit anxious about making new friends, and you could try to see this as an opportunity to meet new people and to gently push yourself out of your comfort zone. And if you plan to go onto uni later on too, this can be a nice stepping stone between school and uni as you'll have a similar new start experience at uni too. And as far as your current school friends are concerned, you can still keep in touch and arrange to meet up when you can. It's all about putting in the effort to see each other, which is more than doable once you get into a routine.

It sounds like both course options also have lots of positives in what they offer. My number one tip would be to choose the option you think you will enjoy the most. As you're specializing in fewer subjects than your GCSE's, you will have to focus more on the same subjects instead, so you want to feel excited and motivated to study. Have a think about what you're most interested in, what makes you excited to learn more about it, or do any of the options align to your passions and interests? It sounds like psychology is something you have a strong interest in, so don't ignore your gut feeling about which subjects excite you!

Having the three subject options at sixth form can be beneficial to keep your options open, while choosing the college course could provide you with a deeper understanding of that particular subject area. A key thing to remember is that no matter which option you pick, you can still change subject or pick something new if you decide to apply to university. Most unis will look at your UCAS points rather than the specific subjects you've taken (unless they say otherwise) so you can still change your mind later on if needed.

Either option will be feel new, and both options will bring some element of change, but neither will be a bad option. It really is down to personal preference and no matter which you choose, there isn't a right or wrong answer - it's just about which is best for you.

I hope this helps and best of luck! 🙂
Emily
Student Rep at BCU

Reply 2

hlatrache

10

The BCU student rep answered pretty well, but I do wanna also point out that I changed my mind on what uni degree to do 3 times. This lead to me changing my mind on my A Level options before starting, then changing in the 2nd term of y10. I don't think you'd have a chance to switch as easily with college, and I also found A Levels as giving me more options after 6th form as I have STEM, language, and humanities A Levels which allows for a wider range of possibilities if I have a last minute change, whereas with college it is a little more restrictive, from my own personal experience. But this isn't me saying choose 6th form, I'm just saying be sure you don't have doubts about your subject before making your choice.

That being said, if you are set on whatever subject you want to do in your post-16 education, then you kind of have free will to guide you and just do whatever feels right. I wouldn't recommend choosing 6th form just because of your friends, choose it because YOU want it. And yeah, I think either way you will do well I hope, and I wish you the best!!

Reply 3

nutz99

19

Original post

by snsnsnshshsh

I am currently doing my gcses and i am thinking to go to either my school’s sixth form in september or a college that really caught my eye. My school’s sixth form offers many options and the options I chose have the same entry requirements as the college course i applied to. The college course I applied to involves psychology which is something that really interests me and what i wanna do at uni when i get in and also it seems like a very cool college. However I feel like its going to be hard making friends there because none of my friends are going to that college and are instead staying at my school’s sixth form, plus the sixth form has 3 different a levels which means i have more options for the future. Sixth form also has disadvantages in my eyes as i feel like i would really struggle with a levels and keeping up with all of the work…My question is: Which one should I choose?

Are you thinking of taking a BTEC at college. If so, be aware that some universities requirements are BTEC and A levels. So before you make a decision on school or college check the entry requirements at the universities that you may be considering.

Reply 4

grabrierraaa

4

Original post

by snsnsnshshsh

I am currently doing my gcses and i am thinking to go to either my school’s sixth form in september or a college that really caught my eye. My school’s sixth form offers many options and the options I chose have the same entry requirements as the college course i applied to. The college course I applied to involves psychology which is something that really interests me and what i wanna do at uni when i get in and also it seems like a very cool college. However I feel like its going to be hard making friends there because none of my friends are going to that college and are instead staying at my school’s sixth form, plus the sixth form has 3 different a levels which means i have more options for the future. Sixth form also has disadvantages in my eyes as i feel like i would really struggle with a levels and keeping up with all of the work…My question is: Which one should I choose?

Probably depends on what you want to do after your gcses. Both could lead you to your end goal but imo I’d suggest a sixth form, especially if you’re considering going to uni afterwards. I’m currently I college and applying for uni and I’ve had a ton of problems with my qualification not meeting certain entry requirements for some schools.

College or sixth form?

Quick Reply

Related discussions

Articles for you

How The Student Room is moderated