Stop overthinking it, and take this quiz instead! Your teenager may have close friends near home and a busy social life outside school, which may lead them to feel isolated and/or struggle with institutional living when away at boarding school.

You will have academic tutors who can help with any study problems you have; you’ll probably be assigned to a 'personal tutor' too, who can help you with any other issues to do with college life. Institutional living presents less parental challenges with supervision of access to smoking, drugs and alcohol. The Pre-U is usually offered in a small range of subjects as a compliment to one of the other programmes of study. We spoke to university admissions tutors to find out.

Access to new teachers with differing teaching styles may refresh your teenager’s enthusiasm for education. What do you look for in a friend? Some schools offer just IB, some just A levels, or some offer both. A larger school may expand access to a wider range of subject choices at A level. Maths recently overtook English to become the most popular A-level subject. Specialist vs traditional courses. Try to have a tour of the college to see the facilities in the teaching areas, library, common room (though try not to spend TOO much time there when you’re a student!) However, in all parts of the country there are colleges which provide a much wider range of courses at different levels; these are usually called 'Further Education' (FE) colleges. At Abbeywood school in Bristol, students are being entered for AS exams so that teachers are able to get a sense of whether they’re on track: “It gives us predictions for university admissions and can be useful at a time when the A-level reforms are up in the air,” says Gemma Shafto, head of post-16 at the school. A levels, IB or Pre-U all have merits as sixth form programmes of study. At college it’s also possible to study on a part-time basis, rather than take a full-time course. ".

And are there any that you should avoid? For example, attending Monday to Friday studying a BTEC National, together with a GCSE resit one evening per week. Friendships, particularly amongst girls in an all-girls school, tend to be very strong so leaving the support of these behind may be a challenge. Women   |  Men   |  Couples   |  Adults   |  Kids   |  Living   |  Health   |  Career   |  Animals   |  Entertainment   |  Food   |  Personality   |  Technology   |  Sport   |  Travel, Home  |  Advertise  |  Contact  |  About  |  Privacy Policy  |  Cookie Policy. Nothing crap, promise. If there’s a particular university course that you’re keen on applying to, he advises checking that BTecs are accepted by its admissions tutors. Your perfect school fit is … Number 7346594. postgraduate or professional qualifications.

Unless your teenager has a car, the parent taxi service demands will increase! The number of facilitating subjects required will vary according to degree programme, explains Mike Nicholson, head of admissions at Bath University. For example, for primary teaching courses you need to have a GCSE in a science subject, irrespective of your A-level grades,” says Bloor. Each year it publishes an updated guide called Informed Choices, which explains what they are looking for. They may also have other types of courses but that will depend on where you go. I have read your Privacy Notice and Terms and Conditions and am happy for TIEC to send me updates. Most schools carry out their testing process for sixth form during the autumn term with exams usually in October or November. However, in most cases, there’s no harm in doing one subject that falls outside this list, even if you are keen to go to a Russell Group university. School fees, however it may be an option to apply for a sixth form scholarship or bursary. If you are studying in England, there are two main types of exams you can sit – BTecs or A-levels, says Jamie Bradford, school and college liaison manager at De Montfort University. What clothes do you normally wear? quizony.com Â© . So, what options are available to year 11 students? If you’re looking for a fresh start after GCSE then going to a new school can the best way to get that. The answer may surprise you, and give you a push in the right direction! Maybe you'd prefer Computer Science, because you want to go into programming. I think you should go to College to be honest you get more freedom, in sixth form its all rules rules rules and bad consequences if you break them plus your attendance has to be over 95%, so you’ll rarely get to take days off if you’re sick or can’t be bothered to go to college. You're totally fabulous, and you belong in an equally fab city like New York, LA, or Miami—maybe even Paris or London (why not?). Hope you like this PLEASE RATE!!!!! (For further information on these examinations see our Education Tips piece on sixth form examinations.) Some tutors work full time so you can contact them any time of the week if you have any problems; others are part time and may only be in college for their actual teaching duties.

Class sizes will be significantly larger meaning less individual support. 3. Sixth form, you can study a variety of subjects and A-levels are generally viewed as "better" than a BTEC by some, despite them both being worth the same UCAS points. Take this quiz! Maybe you'd prefer Computer Science, because you want to go into programming.

These are subjects my school has. Doing so means that if a student wants to drop a subject after year 12, they’ll still have a qualification to show for their work. At school your classmates were all the same age but at college they could be anything from 16 to 80! "SnapRevise has made a huge impact on my grades helping me go from an E to an A.

However, you should … Once you have decided which qualification is the best route, ensure the school you chose has the relevant and proven teaching expertise. “A-levels are exam-focused, and the benefit is that you pick three or four different subjects in your first year, so you don’t need to commit to studying just one area.” These are well established, have an academic focus and are recognised by all universities across the country, he adds. Each one has benefits as an option and it is important to consider which route is the best for your teenager. At school you won’t have had much free time and even if you had a 'free' period you were probably expected to spend it studying! Personal Statement Editing and Review Service, International Student Personal Statements, Personal Statement Frequently Asked Questions, Writing a Postgraduate Personal Statement, Platinum Express Editing and Review Service, Silver Express Editing and Review Service, UCAS Personal Statement Editing and Review Service, Oxbridge Personal Statement Editing and Review Service, Postgraduate Personal Statement Editing and Review Service. However, it doesn’t suit everyone. Keep up with the latest on Guardian Students: follow us on Twitter at @GdnStudents – and become a member to receive exclusive benefits and our weekly newsletter. There’s good reason for this: it’s valued by admissions tutors and can help students to keep their options open, says Bloor. They should hopefully raise some important questions that can be asked when meeting with the potential new school to discuss opportunities for admission. There are likely to be students from a wide range of ages, backgrounds and interests. At the end of the day, it comes down to your preferences. Offering both programmes, particularly within a smaller school, may mean you are not getting the best teacher expertise in the subject or exam type of your choice. Sensible students use their free time for homework or study! so this is one less thing to think about, and you can enjoy wearing what you want at college. You need to take a look at yourself and work out where you would achieve better – after all, that’s what matters in the end.IMPORTANT: Up until now you have progressed from one academic year to the next automatically.

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1. Find out for sure with this quiz! Broader educational opportunities through the extra-curricular programme. Depending on the college and how courses are organised, you might be able to combine a full-time course with something part time. Six questions to ask before choosing your A-levels | Students | … Some will include this in their offer requirements. “In some cases the BTec might be better preparation for university, depending on the study style. Sixth forms are commonly attached to secondary schools, so a lot of students go straight from secondary school into their school’s sixth form. A clean and minimal question and answer theme for WordPress and AnsPress. In many areas of the country there are schools with their own sixth forms, offering courses which are designed to follow on from your GCSEs. There may be a more diverse programme of extra-curricular activities and larger schools often mean more facilities.

Lots of courses will, however, ask for GCSEs in maths, science and English. One of the first things you will notice at any further education college is that the range of courses is much wider. This range of people does also mean there are typically larger class sizes at college due to more students. Reason – Moving from independent into state education. Maybe you'd love PSYCH because you love studying and helping people. Should I go to sixth form college or vocational college? “A problem we often have is parents become obsessed with their dream, rather than their son or daughter’s reality. They’re acceptable for lots of courses, but not all.”. And it’s not just a case of picking between subject areas – you’ll need to decide what type of qualifications you want to sit and whether it’s best for you to do them at school or a college. Choosing The Right School And Subjects For Sixth Form, Evaluating IB Vs A Level For Sixth Form Study. As always, talk to family, friends, school staff and your careers adviser and make sure you have all the information you need before making any decisions. Living back at home full-time may lead to challenges for the whole family. “This means some students will have to resit, which can be a problem if they don’t find out until it’s too late. Something... What book would you normally be If you go to Sixth Form to study Geography, the subjects that would go with it are Biology, and Travel & Tourism, but you should really speak to your the sixth form person about those choices first and no you don’t have to go to University after you’ve finished sixth form, instead you can get a job if you want to. Their needs are different and should be treated as such. There are some schools of thought which argue that this may improve your teenager’s access to university due to government social engineering, although this is, as yet, unproven. This is a great if you worry about settling in or making friends as it removes at least some of those concerns, meaning you can focus on your studies from the start. Picking subjects can feel high stakes, but Nicholson adds that – as long as you’ve done your research – there’s no reason to be put off trying something new. One of the first differences between school and college you will notice is your timetable! Exams are usually taken in the subjects that your teenager wishes to take at sixth form level. Careers advice, university applications and assistance with arranging work experience, so vital now in applying to university, may be less accessible. Reason – Sixth form examinations offered Pros. Colleges tend to be more specialist (for example in the arts) and tend to offer a wider variety of qualifications. In other areas you will, depending on the qualifications you have already achieved, have the option of moving on to a sixth-form college instead.