Upset but know i have no right to be.

j.e.j.

Careers guidance would be able to offer her the best (impartial!) advice on whether the 6th form with A levels, or the college BTec would be the better option for her with regard to her career choice.

If she has a particular degree course in mind, you (or she) could ask at the university which would be the better option.

lika_86

Also, I hope you've genuinely celebrated her results and achievement with her without the shadow of this looming over it. She's done really well.

LostandAfraid

Thank you again,the college course is a BTEC extended diploma in art and design that she will be doing over a 2 year period but if she wants to go to university to do a degree in that area will they accept a BTEC or will they want A levels instead?

Sorry for being thick but I didn't go to university so have no idea if it would make a difference.

I know a lot of you are right where you say about her doing better in an environment she will enjoy more though,if she did A levels in 6th form she might be miserable and end up doing badly and I do honestly want her to be happy in life,her own happiness is very important to me and it is her life,i will never forget that these are choices she must make even if I secretly feel a bit disappointed by them,it's her future she is mapping out,it's not mine and I want what is best for her emotionally as well as academically.

ETA: Yes we have very much celebrated with her for doing so well,it was tears of happiness all round and heaps of praise,we are extremely proud of her and made sure she knows that.

spike241

It will depend on the uni, I guess.
I have A levels and a BTEC and either can get you into uni. Some BTECs are worth more than 1 A level as well. Mine was a National Certificate so worth 2, National Diplomas were worth 3.

krlyr

Angelil speaks a lot of sense!

I dropped out of college, much to my mum's dismay, due to personal issues at the time. I worked retail jobs for a while, then got a job as office junior with on-the-job training, spent 7 years there and started doing a work-relevant course. I'm now in a better paying job that's funding the remainder of my course (3 year course - I've already achieved the equivelant of A levels by finishing year 2), which has already given me some new opportunities with the promise of more, and I intend to go on to do the equivelant of a degree after this course (infact, I can likely submit the work I do to a Uni and get a legitimate degree). And as a bonus, I've done this whilst earning a wage and with no Uni debts at all - I own my own house (planning to be mortgage-free within the next 10 years, max) and have a much more definitive idea of what I want, career-wise. As a teenager, I wanted to be a vet - now I'm studying accountancy, so a little different!

This isn't the end of her world, it's a path in life she'll explore. If it's right for her now, support her and let her know her options, but don't pressure her into doing what you want.

How a 16/17 year old is expected to plan out their life and make all the right decisions is beyond me - at 26 I'm only just figuring it out myself!

lika_86

Start having a look on UCAS for entry requirements:

http://search.ucas.com/search/providers?CountryCode=&RegionCode=&Lat=&Lng=&Feather=&flt1=&flt2=&flt3=&flt6=&flt7=&Query=graphic+design&ProviderQuery=&Location=&Vac=1&AvailableIn=2014&SubjectCode=

Start looking at the best universities for graphic design and looking at their entry requirements, that's your best bet. Many arts subjects may want a foundation degree and/or an Art A level. If she went for the BTEC might she be able to combine it with an Art A level?

skintandscared_2

You have EVERY right to be upset - you have the right to feel however you want to! Unfortunately, though, you don't have the right to make your daughter do something she doesn't want to, although doing whatever you can to persuade her what is best is definitely allowed

Mojisola

LostandAfraid wrote: »

My husband does understand how important education is for girls but because he went to college and did well he thinks this is good enough and he never really liked the grammar school because he blamed it for her loss of confidence.

If he's right about this and the college course still keeps her options for the future open, going to college could be the best thing.

I did my 'A' levels at the local poly instead of going into 6th form. It was lovely being treated like a young adult instead of an older "girl" as the 6th formers were.

flower24

I went to a grammar school, got all As & Bs in my GCSEs and went to the Sixth Form that was attached to my school. I hated it. I left in the April of my first year. The following September I went to college and did a BTEC. I've had children in between but am now at university. If she's bright and wants to make something of herself she will do it. I can understand your worries, I'm sure my mum had some when I decided to leave sixth form, but I'm sure she'll be fine.

Georgiegirl256

Personally I couldn't wait to get out of school and go to college. I really enjoyed my time at college. I don't know if you had to get a certain grade to get into 6th form or not, it was never an option for me. Some of my class mates stayed on at school, some went to college and some just left all together.

I also did the BTEC Diploma in Art, and had the best time! My parents (especially my Mam) weren't happy about it at the time, not because they wanted me to stay on at 6th form or anything, but because they wondered what sort of job it was going to lead to at the end....they had a point, there are very few art and design based jobs up here. As a compromise, I did a year doing a business and admin course, which I also actually enjoyed, and then I went onto the art course.

A lot of people then went onto to Uni from there. I never had any ambitions to go onto Uni, and so went straight into work.

I really can't see the big deal in general about 6th form tbh, college also opens up many a possiblity, depending on what course you do, you're gaining life and work skills straight away. You're gaining skills and knowledge on your chosen profession, ie if you were doing a catering course or a plumbing course for example, you get work placements and things like that, skills to get you out into the world of work. Admittedly, on the art course....maybe not so much. But then again, if your daughter is really good at it and that's what she wants to do for a career, it gives her a good platform to then move on to Uni.