6th Form

[blueyedevil]

Is there any difference between doing A-levels at school in the 6th form, or doing them at a 6th form college?

the only people i really know who go to college are far more focused than me so only have like 1 or two subjects, would i still be able to do 4 or would I have to choose fewer?

[d+dwidow]

There isn't really any difference between the two.  I found that 6th form college tends to have a more relaxed 'adult' attitude towards study and the tutors, because they haven't known you for the last 5 yrs or so are much easier to talk to.

There are no restrictions on the amount of subjects you can take, it all depends on your capabilities and previous grades from GCSE, but if you're concerned have a chat to the admissions people at the college.

At the end of the day it really comes down to where you will feel most comfortable studying.  

Good luck 

[nfn]

I stayed on in 6th form at school and dropped out after a term, I felt I was being treated the same way as when I was 11. After two years I went to college to do my A-levels and it was completely different. As d+d says, in college you are treated as an adult and in some ways left to your own devices. I found it a much better way to learn and passed all 4 A levels. Good luck.

[silly moo]

Sixth form college is fine as long as you are mature enough to work on your own a lot of the time.
Tutors do not fuss over you in quite the same way as teachers.

[Hermia]

I did my A-levels at a local college and really enjoyed it. I liked the fact that the tutors treated you as an adult and I also liked the fact that the students were a more diverse bunch than at school. In my classes there were mature students, people from the local religious school and lots of people who were members of weird and wonderful subcultures. There were also people who were on the vocational or arty courses who were an interesting bunch. I remember going back to visit my friends in the school sixth form and they were still talking about the same people and giggling over the same boys and I thought "yawn!". I think I found going to university less of a shock because I was already used to managing my time and mixing with weirdos!

As everyone else said it really depends where you will feel comfortable. Some of my friends would not have been able to cope at my college and were much happier in the sixth form.

[blueyedevil]

Thanks to all of you.

I've already spent a year in my school 6th form and my grades were mostly really bad.  Now I'm realising I probably chose to stay for the wrong reasons (basically my friends all being there and that after 5 years I was comfortable there).  I figure I was too comfortable there so I didn't work hard enough. 

 

Thanks again, for the insight and the good luck wishes.