College or Sixth Form?

tyllwyd

My DD is trying to decide whether to go to college to do Level 3 Diploma or to 6th Form to do A-levels.


She's a bright girl, predicted As & Bs in GCSE, so the school would be keen for her to stay on and do A-levels. But she went to a local college and saw the kids studying for a Performing Arts diploma, and she would really love to do that. She's also seen that her friends who are a year older and starting A-levels are really unhappy and on the verge of dropping out after a few months, which has unsettled her.


She's not sure about university - she might decide to go although probably not at 18, and I can't really see her heading for a Russell Group university so getting the grades for a top university is probably not an issue. But I can't help thinking that she would be selling herself short by not doing A-levels when she could - but then if there are no jobs anyway for young people, would she regret not studying in an environment where she would be doing what she would love to do, rather than taking the more academic route of going to Sixth Form.


I suppose I'm asking people with children of a similar age who made the decision not to go to Sixth Form, do you think it has held them back?

jackieblack

My DD decided to go to college to do an Extended L3 Diploma in Animal Management, instead of sixth form for A levels, for mainly the same reasons as your DD, lots of friends who started A levels, hated it and dropped out or persevered and ending up not achieving as well as they hoped/ needed to.
She absolutely loved college (having hated school) particularly the more practical/'hands on' aspects, did really well and has just started a Veterinary Nursing Degree.
In hindsight, although I was very unsure at the time, it was absolutely the best choice for her. Although I do still believe that A levels (assuming she had got decent results) would keep more options open for later on, should she ever decide to change career path as hers is very limited.

jackyann

I think that she should keep her options open for as long as possible - applying for both (and even more) and not making a decision until the last minute. I also think that she should look widely.

My experience with my children was that the ones who went to college did much better than those staying at school, but they did academic subjects at college - Alevels, and one did International Baccalaureate. I know others who have run 1 or 2 Alevels alongside practical diplomas. Colleges are often more flexible about such things. I wonder if the school friends who are unhappy are unhappy with their subjects & study, or just unhappy with the school?

I also suggest that she thinks about jobs she might like to do (again think widely) and work backwards to see what qualifications she might need. Even if she doesn't choose a specific job or area of study, the process sparks more creative thinking.


My own experience was so long ago that the details are irrelevant, but the principle was that my parents said "we think you should stay on at school, and are willing to support you, at the end of that, if you still want to do (what I wanted) then we will support you to do that - and they did.

chiefpossession

In some respects, she has to go with her heart. The amount of work required to succeed in any course needs her to be committed - that will not happen if she is doing what she thinks she should as opposed to what she loves. (May also explain why many of her friends have considered dropping out!) However, she needs to speak to as many people as possible - research her options after college/school.

Whether she thinks she wants to go to university or not, it is worth exploring and even starting the application process because it takes a long time to do the research/personal statements etc. She can withdraw her application at any time but it is really difficult to play catch up. (I am a sixth from tutor in a school and we have started initial presentations with our Year 12 already)

It is really difficult to help without telling them what to do, but it must be her decision. Remember that she can always change her mind about what she wants to do. My own son enrolled in the sixth form at a local school (his previous school didn't have one) - but when he got there, they didn't do English language (his choice) and put him into English Lit (which he hates). He tried it for a few days, really didn't like it and was really upset - until I just told him to go to the local college and do the course he wanted there. No problem. We have students who drop courses, pick others up or even just do a year and then swap institution. Obviously you don't want to get too far in before making a change - but it isn't a one time only decision.

Best of luck in all this but she has plenty of time and really should not get too stressed about it

xx

GoldenShadow

Does she know what she wants to do as a career?

I did go to sixth form but a lot of my friends went to college. To be honest, they weren't sure what they wanted to do and none of them are doing anything related to their college course that I can think of. A Levels seem to be helpful if people aren't sure what they want to do, and college if you know the route and it will help you go down that more vocational route if it is what you want.

Depends how academic she is too. Lots of my friends wanted to do something they really enjoyed that they thought would be easier because they enjoyed it. Uni was always the plan for me so it was always going to be A Levels.

Snakey

I went to a further education college because I hated school so much. I did A levels though - because I also hated living at home (I must have been the most horrible child, looking back) and saw University as a gauranteed way out of the area.

As an old biddy of 42 I cringe to think of an impressionable fifteen-year-old seeing a bunch of cool older kids mucking around doing a glorified Drama class and making a career decision based on how much fun it looks to spend two years studying it. The reality of trying to find regular work as a professional actor is, I'm told, somewhat less exciting, and it's worse for women as most roles are for younger women and so you have a limited career life. But, you know, that makes me sound like such a negative, stifling old cow. You have to let people make their own mistakes if it's what they really want, otherwise they'll always resent you for having stopped them finding out for themselves.

If all indications are that she's going to drop out of her A levels if she stays on in the sixth form then there isn't much point in pushing her into them, but there are plenty of options in between the two extremes. If she's an able student, it seems a shame to cut off formal studying at sixteen, just as she's getting to the level where further study of a subject starts to get really interesting (and more challenging). How about doing A levels at college? Or, as someone else has mentioned, trying a mixture of both - although that'll cut into the social side of the Performing Arts thing.

Lots of options - exciting times! - and you can always drop out and go and do something else if you get it wrong, nothing's final at that age apart from tattoos, criminal records and pregnancy. A girl on my A level course had previously done an NNEB, got a job as a nanny, realised how much she hated it, and was back with us at age 18 having in effect a second chance.

tyllwyd

Thanks for all the feedback! I think it is a bit harsh to say the college course is 'a bunch of cool older kids doing a glorified Drama class' - the Diploma is (supposed to be, at least) equivalent to 3 A-levels and covers a range of different areas, so it's not as if she is proposing to drop out completely. The local colleges don't offer separate A-level courses.


It's difficult for me because I did A-levels but looking back my parents pushed me towards the wrong subjects, and although I got good grades I struggled later on because they sent me off on a career path that basically I didn't have enough interest in.


My DD's ambition is to act professionally - it's difficult because obviously that's a tough profession to get into, but maybe if she heads off in that direction there are other related jobs that might become an option, so a blanket no from us at this stage might cut her off from career options that would work for her. She is academic, but also laid back and creative, so an option that is all about hard work and studying for the sake of it will probably put her off, she needs to have a bit of space.

lostinrates

Where is the nearest college that does offer separate a levels?

What would be a planned route into acting if she didn't do this course?

What are her plans for income while she's 'resting'. We have quite a few friends who act or have acted who have or have had other jobs too. Some didn't go to university, lots did.

GwylimT

My son went to college instead of the sixth form at his school as he thought five years was long enough, you often find students are require to be more independent at college which helps them settle into university a little better if the student chooses that route.

lostinrates

GwylimT wrote: »

My son went to college instead of the sixth form at his school as he thought five years was long enough, you often find students are require to be more independent at college which helps them settle into university a little better if the student chooses that route.

I went for a term of sixth form and there was a huge disappointment in my timetable. I tried to stick it out but really I was very sad I was not able to do a particular subject I'd requested, and after convincing my parents I wasn't giving up on eduction permanently I left school and returned to college the following year. The flexibility this offered me was really great. I was able to do my a levels in one year, so 'lost' no time, though did have a fairly hefty commute. Even the commute was good for me as I'd not had that daily commute for a while and that it was not close cemented my commitment.

It was a VERY different environment to any educational establishment I'd been in before and a good learning experience and transition to what came after.

Wyre

My eldest went to 6th form for a year. It wasn't for her so she left and went to college to do diplomas. Firstly she did a basic diploma, then the more advanced that gave her the points she needed to go to university.

She is in her final year of doing something she loves, that she had a head start on the kids that came the more traditional route (she already knew the IT used, had made films and radio programmes for instance), and in a field she hopes to work in.

My current year 11 daughter isn't even considering 6th form. She has seen the course she wants to do at college and is applying there. She has, however, had in her head the job she wants to do for some time now and this course is a perfect lead in.

I suppose what I am saying is that the traditional route isn't for everyone, but this doesn't mean that your daughter can't go to university later if she wants to.