To all Year 12 students who have just collected their GCSE results and will soon be heading off to college or sixth form - congratulations! Hopefully you had an enjoyable and restful summer and are feeling ready to jump into your next academic challenge. If you need a little bit of support getting prepared, we have curated a list of our top tips for navigating the next academic year.
1. Think about the future.
This applies even before you arrive at sixth form or college, specifically when choosing your A-Level subjects. Think about what career you might like to pursue or the general field you are interested in. Then work backwards and research what degree - or apprenticeship or degree apprenticeship - would take you there, and work out what A-Level subjects you would need to be eligible for it. It’s worth noting that you are not committing to a career and you are more than able to change track if you later find something else that interests you more! However, keeping a goal in mind as you navigate the next couple of years can help to keep you motivated and on track with your studies.
2. Choose subjects you enjoy.
On this note, while it is important to think about your future plans when choosing your A-Level subjects, it is just as important to choose subjects that you like. Whether you’ve taken the subjects before or not, you need to have at least a small interest in the subject in order to have the motivation to do the reading and studying, and to find it rewarding. You will likely work harder if you have a genuine interest in the subject and the harder you work the more likely you are to get a good grade!
3. Be organised.
Year 12 and Year 13 can be intense and this time of your life can go by very quickly. Try to be organised from the very beginning so as to not allow yourself to fall behind. Hopefully you can use many of the note-taking, exam revision and organisation skills that you picked up during your GCSEs and apply it to your A-Level preparations, but remember, you will need to be a lot more independent and self-sufficient from now on. Your teachers will expect you to take charge of your studies and will (hopefully) be treating you like adults now so you will need to be disciplined.
4. Make the most of your free periods.
Speaking of discipline, this is something you will need a lot of when it comes to free periods! It can be tempting to use free periods - something you’ve likely never had at school before - for doing anything other than studying. However, they can be invaluable for catching up with your studies and are designed to supplement your independent study time. Make the most of them wherever you can.
5. Take care of yourself.
A-Levels can be intense and there is a lot of pressure on students during this time. Check in with yourself regularly and make sure to be kind to yourself. Take steps to look after your mental and physical health and try to have a life outside of your studies. The better you look after yourself the better student you can be. If you are really struggling, reach out to people. Talk to your family and your teachers about how you’re feeling. There is no need to suffer in silence and if people know how you’re feeling, steps can be taken to support you and help you to feel better.
Most important of all is just to work hard and try to have fun when you can! If you are planning on going away for university or moving out after college/sixth form, make the most of living at home while you can and enjoy spending time with your friends and classmates over the next couple of years!
