Blog: Apply for September Courses Now! It’s Not Too Late…

When it comes to your future and choosing a career or education path, feeling unsure or uncertain is common, and understandably so… How is anyone meant to know in what direction to steer the good ship of ‘future’? Luckily, you don’t have to get it right the first time. It’s important to remember that figuring out your future takes time.

So if you’re having second thoughts about sixth form and A-levels, or you’re unsure about the College course you’ve chosen, or even if you’ve just heard about a particular College course for the first time, there is one thing you should know: it’s not too late to apply for this September.

Although having to change your plans may not be ideal, the future that it leads to could be. For Level 4 Media Make-up student, Harry Wells, that was the case. Harry did two years of A-Level Drama and Media at sixth-form before realising that it wasn’t for him, saying:

“I really enjoyed the first year at sixth-form, but the lessons were incredibly theory-based with a lot of essay-writing. I quickly realised that I wasn’t enjoying the theory-based learning and felt like I didn’t want to continue onto the university route.”

After speaking to his parents and a career counsellor, Harry decided he wanted to turn one of his biggest passions, make-up, into his career, and hasn’t looked back since.

Harry said: “I knew that university wasn’t where I wanted to end up, but I still felt like I had a lot left to learn, and wasn’t ready for full-time work, so College was the best choice for me.

Harry went on to discuss the biggest difference between sixth-form and College.

He added: “The work at College is a lot more specialised, so I can focus on the one path I really want to go into, instead of the stressful way at sixth-form with loads of different modules. The tutors also have so much time for you at College, where you build relationships with them, and they take the time to teach everything in detail. I never realised how much science and depth there was behind my course before College and I have loved getting specialised in my area”

Speaking about the biggest challenge with switching from sixth-form to College, Harry said:

“The hardest part was going in by myself, and not knowing anyone. That feeling disappeared very quickly, as you get to know your coursemates so quickly, and so many of them were actually in the same boat as me, and you often forget that when you come in.”

Harry finished up with his advice to any students considering switching education paths, saying: “If you are thinking about doing it, I definitely think it is worth it.

The most important thing is that you listen to the people around you, but also that you make your own decision. There is no right set path to follow, so you need to choose what’s best for you, and best for your future.”

Understanding the difficulties involved in choosing a future and being there for you through all the chops, changes and eventual successes is a major part of what we do at North Notts College. Our designated Learner Recruitment Team is here for you and happy to help you with all the information and advice you need to reach the future you want.

If you’re unsure about your current education course, why not follow in Harry’s footsteps to find your dream future. We offer a large host of different courses that range from Childcare and Construction to Motor Vehicle and Media Make-up.

Check out the courses available to you and start this September.