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College or Sixth Form?

24

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  • PlymouthMaid
    PlymouthMaid Posts: 1,550 Forumite
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    Young people opting to study dramatic arts always worry me a little as it is so wildly competitive but if she does actually intend to try to make a career of it then perhaps this would be a good choice for her. At least she can always still do A levels later if she wants but be careful of drifting past the age at which the Government is happy to fund courses (19 I think normally). It is not great when as yong person, you feel choices are made for you. I still strongly regret not studying art further than O level as my parents did not consider a proper choice of A level. I think I may well have ended up on a different career path if I had.
    "'Cause it's a bittersweet symphony, this life
    Try to make ends meet
    You're a slave to money then you die"
  • theoretica
    theoretica Posts: 12,691 Forumite
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    tyllwyd wrote: »
    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.

    How is the Diploma respected by the universities and conservatiores etc which she might want to study at; look at the universities' information - not the publicity put out by the diploma organiser! What are the A level options she might choose? - How well taught is the A level in drama for instance.
    But a banker, engaged at enormous expense,
    Had the whole of their cash in his care.
    Lewis Carroll
  • daveyjp
    daveyjp Posts: 13,720 Forumite
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    I did A levels and later on life did full and part time courses at various HE and FE colleges. The big difference is A levels at school is still school with the same teachers and the same routines.

    College is a lot more 'grown up', the lecturers had a working knowledge of the areas I was studying, many were part time, doing lecturing as well as working, rather than teachers who have learnt from books.

    This enabled them to give a real world experience as well as the stuff from books, they also had contacts in industry which was great for job opportunities. I wish I'd missed A levels completely.
  • pawsies
    pawsies Posts: 1,957 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker I've been Money Tipped!
    I went to college after doing AS for a year.

    Really struggled with AS Levels but it was the expected thing to do in my school hence why I did them.

    Went to college, wow it was amazing. So much better and I thrived and now I am working in the same industry doing a job I love and couldn't be happier.

    I think people think A Levels have this high expectation that it will help them succeed but tbh a D in A Levels is not as good as a Merit in college and I would definitely stick to something you love.

    I haven't found college to hinder me at all in terms of actual job seeking and I think even if I couldn't find something in my industry and had to cross over that I would be alright finding a job due to my experience and transferable skills.

    :) Don't forget you can always study again if it doesn't work out (at your own cost obviously).
  • Frith
    Frith Posts: 8,810 Forumite
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    I went a different route again so did A levels but at a sixth form college! Good to get out of school and led to a place at a Russell group Uni.
  • Frith
    Frith Posts: 8,810 Forumite
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    P.S Re Performing Arts - my sister went to the same sixth form college as me and did A levels including Performing Arts and Music. So that is another thing to consider. (She then went to another Russell Group Uni, did history and is now a teacher!)
  • Edwardia
    Edwardia Posts: 9,170 Forumite
    My niece went to local college which admittedly has great rep, did a diploma and 2 A levels and then carried on with a degree at the college from local uni this yr.

    If the college and course are good I think college is a good option to give young ppl more independence and responsibility. They have to organise themselves to get in for classes and it's a more 'grown-up' atmosphere. They get to make new friends and be away from teachers who've known them since 11 or 13 (depending on previous school). It can be a fresh start which makes them more confident abt handling uni if they decide to go.
  • Spendless
    Spendless Posts: 24,769 Forumite
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    tyllwyd wrote: »
    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 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.
    I agree with you. I've got an 11 yo who has attended out of school drama classes for a year. I know it's a hard profession to be in. My Godmother's daughter is mid-30s and still eking out a living this way - no you won't have heard of her! However I also work in a different industry (distribution/logistics) and the overall manager has been involved in amateur dramatics for less than 10 years (he's in his 50s) and he's told me he wished he'd gone for it when he was a teen and had nothing to lose and just seen what had happened. He also told me that he were to see that someone had taken drama classes on a cv he'd be interested in them, because of the number of transferable skills that's involved from working as a team, having confidence, public speaking, taking direction and the ability to think on your feet. Good luck to your dd whatever she chooses.
  • KxMx
    KxMx Posts: 11,250 Forumite
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    I find generally speaking that in Sixth Form you get treated like a kid, as it is really an extension of school.

    A college however is a much more adult environment and you get treated as such.
  • tyllwyd
    tyllwyd Posts: 5,496 Forumite
    Thanks again to everyone! When I started to look at options I assumed that sixth form college would be one of the options, but there are none in sensible travelling distance from here, and as far as I can see, nowadays it seems to be Diplomas at college and A levels at school Sixth Forms, so doing A levels in a college environment doesn't seem to be offered, in this area at least.
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