College vs. School

The aim of this article is to provide readers with a helpful source when making the decision of whether to stay on at school into years 12 and 13 or leave school and head off to college. Before reading on, please note that I am having to assume that you are intending to a course that is available at both a college and school, that you are in the UK (notably England) and that . I am aiming for this to be useful to both parents and students.

Colleges can be found all over the country and the chances are there is one relatively close to you, though it may not be as close as the school is. This brings me to the first issue which should be considered.

Travel

Getting to and from your place of education is obviously a key factor. Unlike school which may provide a bus or be local enough to walk to, college may be further away. You will have to look into what transport options are available to you such as local buses, trains etc. One solution if you’re interested in going to college is getting a moped or car. This solves the issue but may not be practical because of parking/costs etc. Information on the transport available is readily available from colleges who will also provide a discounted pass on public transport to students which may be harder to obtain from a school.

Friends

You always hear people saying “do what you want to do not what your friends want to do”. This is all well and good but none of us want to be without friends and leaving school, where you will have friends, and going to college, where you may no fewer if any people, can be very intimidating. The choice to stay on at school may be good if you desperately wish to stick with a friendship group that is staying. Don’t think that college is that bad though, because you quickly make new friends as everyone is in the same boat together. Generally colleges have a lot more students and run lots more extra curricular activities ranging from sports to book clubs. Most colleges also provide support for any new club providing there is enough interest which can help build a C.V.

Teaching

This is where school can be very good because you already know the quality of their teaching and they will probably know you well; your learning style etc. Teaching at school is also a lot more personal whereas colleges often have a lecturer teaching a large number of classes. For specifics it is a good idea to speak to people who have done the course(s) you are interested in at your local school and college to get true reviews.

Extra Support

By extra help I am referring to issues that you want help with that aren’t part of the course, such as decisions later in life or even extra funding. This is where colleges and schools can vary a lot. Most colleges offer a wide range of help which can easily be got in contact with but they won’t know you. Schools typically don’t offer as much help directly but often there will be someone employed at the school who can help who will be able to deal with problems on a more personal level.

Conclusion

Ultimately, the decision depends greatly on your personality. If you are looking for more independence then college may be the way to go because it requires you be more motivated to do things for yourself. If this isn’t what you are looking for then staying on at school would be a better option. Remember, it is very important that you get information from all the sources available to you, to ensure you get a fair and impartial view. Make the most of open days and try to speak to people you know. Check websites and reviews to help you with your overall choice and remember that the decision is yours, so make the right one!