School life is a routine for many, with students being told what to do, where to go and what to study. Once you reach college, this kind of loosens as you head from education into adult life.
From college or sixth form, you have various different options to choose from to begin your future, whether it be a gap year, internships, full-time employment or universities. ‘What are your future plans?’ is a pretty big question to ask but luckily for you, we’re on hand to outline your options and give you a bit of an idea what you can do next.
Employment
One possible option after you’ve finished your exams is entering your career straight from completing your A-Levels, acquiring a full-time job straight out of college or sixth form. This is a possibility for many who know the exact career path they want and what they need qualifications wise to do it.
Of course, one benefit of doing this is the financial opportunities, earning as you go — the difficulty with it can be short term gain over long term pain, earning in the first place but restricting yourself in the future.
What some people are unaware of is the fact that graduate jobs can be filled by non-graduates. Getting a job and working your way up can mean that you’re already on the third or fourth rung of the career ladder by the time your friends are preparing to finish their degree.
University
Not all people know what to do after their A-Levels and that is absolutely fine. University is an option for those who want to get a degree, meet new people and have some independence away from home.
Choosing a course for university can be difficult if you’re not sure what to do. Think about what your interests are. Do you like helping people? Are you interested in finance and accounting? Do you love performing? Ask yourself these questions and try to work out which course is for you.
When choosing a course, it is important to think about career and employment prospects from the course. Some industries may require a more specific degree, but some may not require a graduate degree at all.
Knowing how your degree can boost your career prospects is crucial before deciding which direction to take. It’s important to consider what the course offers in terms of employment. Does it have a placement or study abroad year or work experience opportunities? It’s vital to know this information to make the correct decision of what you want from your course.
It takes time and research to understand what you want to do at university. A bit of advice we can give you is to consider many different options, weigh up the pros and cons.
If you are waiting for you’re A Level results and are nervous about the grades you will receive then you can prepare yourself for Clearing which is just around the corner on 13th August 2020 by downloading the UCAS clearing app.
On results day you have the opportunity to apply for courses at different universities if you don’t get the grades to attend to course you have applied for, or if you do better than expected, you can look to change course too at a different university. There are so many options available to you when you get your results so its best to be prepared and understand the clearing process.
Gap year
Many people consider taking a gap year following sixth form. This is a viable option for people who want to see the world, people who aren’t sure what to do at university, or people who want to have a break from education.
A gap year allows you to pick up some incredibly valuable skills that you can take into later life, whether that be a degree or a career later down the line.
If, for example, you’re looking to study modern languages at university, you could take the opportunity to embark on a gap year to the country that you aim to learn the language of, enhancing your studies.
In some circumstances, maturity can be a major issue for students departing sixth form or college and heading to university. Taking time, however, to develop yourself as a person can be particularly beneficial.
If you are going to go on a gap year you must be organised — otherwise you could find that you’ve simply wasted a year and benefited nothing.
We understand that the choice is tricky and one that will, inevitably, cause you a headache but take your time and discover what it is that you want to do!