Choosing the Right Course

Find out:

• Exactly what the course/s cover and involve
• How the courses are structured and tested.  Check out the teaching and assessment methods used
• What opportunities there are for work experience
• The entry requirements of individual courses.  Will you need specific skills or experience to get onto any of them?
• What previous students have gone on to do
• What additional support will be on offer if you have a learning difficulty or disability

Sixth forms and colleges prospectuses and websites should give you most of this information.  If you still have questions contact the learning provider and ask them directly.

You then need to ask yourself:

• What you’re good at, interested in and enjoy – you’ll do better if you study a subject you feel enthusiastic about
• If you want to learn about something new or would prefer to study a subject that you already know something about
• If you prefer course work, exams or a mixture of both
• If you have the GCSE grades (or equivalent) that you need to get onto the course/s that interest you 
• Where the course/s might lead. Do they fit into any long term career plans that you have?

Doing this should help you start to see which courses could be a good or bad choice.

You can apply for more than one course and to more than one sixth form or college. You could also keep your options open by applying for other options, including Apprenticeships, as well.  Once you get your GCSE (and other qualification) results you’ll need to confirm which option or place you want to take up.  It’s always a good idea to have a back up plan just in case you first choice doesn’t come off.

If you’d like to talk through your options speak to your careers contact in school, call The National Careers Service on 0800 100 900 or follow this link.