Applying to College: a step by step guide

Applying for college can be something that feels like a daunting task for many, unsure of where to go and what subjects to take. This process begins way before you sit your GCSEs, and can be hard to tackle without help from teachers and parents. If you are currently in Year 10 and are waiting to apply, I will outline the steps many college applications take (although obviously this will vary between colleges), trying to help you get into the college that’s best suited to you.

Step One - Visiting your local colleges and sixth forms.

For me, this process started in September time of last year, where I signed up for some of the open days for the three main colleges and sixth forms in my area. I recommend to go to these with your parents, not just friends, as they usually have different perspectives on some aspects of the college you are visiting. Make sure to go to all of your prospective subjects, and talk to the teachers there, learning about the A Level and if it will appeal to you. It might also be useful to find out about the exam board and any optional topics, such as for Physics or Further Maths, so that you can find out a bit specifically about what course you will study. Most of all, make sure to enjoy these open evenings, and really use it as an opportunity to find the campus you like most - after all, you will be here for 2 years!

Step Two - Applications

For all of my colleges applications were being done online, which made this process quick and easy, and is the system what most colleges use. All I had to input was my personal details, predicted grades, and a personal statement. This then led to an interview, which was held online, but outside of COVID these are usually run face-to-face. This was probably one of the scary parts of the application process, but the interviewer is just trying to get a sense of who you are as a person. You may or may not get an offer at this stage and may have to wait a while longer, but either way at this point most of the application is complete, and you can focus on getting the grades you need to get in.

Step Three - Taster Days

So you have just completed your GCSEs, and are about to get ready for the longest summer you will most likely have for a long while. At the start though, you have your Taster Days for college, which usually happen a week or two after your final exams. You will usually be timetabled in for a whole day of lessons, giving you an idea of what they really are like. Again, use these to really help guide your choices for the subjects you wish to take, especially if you really dislike one of the lessons on the day. Try to get a feel of the whole college, and if you can imagine yourself going there. After visiting all the colleges you have applied for, you will need to make a decision on where to go. This is what I found the hardest part, as the colleges I visited had differing advantages and disadvantages for different academic and extra-curricular aspects. Overall, I looked at the subjects I was looking at taking further after college, how good the departments were and how much they would prepare me for further education. You will most likely have to confirm that you still want to go to the college after these, and then you have the wait for results at the end of August. At this point, you will usually have to send your results off to the college, and if you do not meet the entry requirements for a course be sure to phone the college ASAP to try and find other options. An enrolment interview or process usually occurs at the start of September, and that is the application complete, with college starting a week or so after that.

This is my experience. In different parts of the country it may be different, so It would be interesting to hear about other people's experiences.

Written by Tom Baker