Reaching a decision to make a move from a school and joining one of the suitable Independent Sixth Form Colleges is never an easy prospect. Choosing a Sixth Form College is a totally different experience that many students and their parents might not have encountered before. It is in this backdrop that most of them need comprehensive guidance on what to consider when looking for a dependable sixth form college, especially an independent one. The following are some of the things that need consideration before you make that all-important decision.
- Mode Of Teaching
A learning institution can only be as good as those who teach in it. Therefore, one of the foremost things students and their parents need to check out when looking for a sixth form college is the qualifications of the teachers and quality of education offered in any specific college that they might be interested in. It is expected that a good number of teachers in such colleges should have acquired at least a masters or a doctorate qualification. A quick perusal of inspection reports can offer you a clear overview of the education quality that you expect in a given college. You might also plan to meet some of the teachers from the institution of your choice so that you can learn more about the college from them.
- Class Size
Most students and parents would prefer sixth form colleges where learners are taught in smaller groups. It is therefore imperative to make inquiries about class sizes in order to have a glimpse of the kind of teaching approach applied in a given college. The reasoning behind this is that smaller teaching groups are often handled more efficiently and hence students gain more in terms of getting the teacher’s individual attention.
- Results
A good number of the students in sixth form colleges have ambitions of continuing their education to university level. Hence the results that they will attain in their sixth form college will eventually determine whether they will be eligible to join good universities or not. This means that students will always be attracted to sixth form colleges which have a history of producing good results and having the highest number of students qualifying for slots in the best universities. Many of these colleges provide an overview or summary of their results for perusal by prospective students. You can also obtain a full performance breakdown of any of the colleges from the admissions team or the registrar. This can help you to make a decision whether you are interested in joining a particular college or not.
- University Applications
Since most of the students joining sixth form colleges also plan to proceed to university afterwards, it is also important to consider the level of support offered by a given college during the university entry application processes, before deciding to join. Each student making an application for university entry always submits a written statement of eligibility. College guidance in the process of university entry application is very crucial for students who are out to join prestigious universities since the process is highly competitive. Besides, students aiming to join such universities or highly competitive disciplines might be needed to take special entrance tests or even go through interviews. If the college offers tuition on university entrance tests as well as mock interview practices, the better for a student.