It’s fair to say that I’ve had a hectic first term of Sixth Form and my A Level choices alone can show you this much. Starting off, we had a line up of English Literature, Biology, Chemistry and Drama. First, let’s just appreciate that I’ve never done any form of drama before in my life and, two weeks in, when asked to bark like a dog when my teacher took the register… I realised it wasn’t for me. Okay, one down and three left, I should’ve just left it like that, right?
Wrong. I then decided it would be smart to take up another subject I’d never tried before: Psychology. I would say ‘big mistake’, but it wasn’t. I mean, I hated the subject; I found it boring and dull and time-wasting, but it wasn't a mistake. If I hadn't taken it, I wouldn’t have known I hated it, and I would have spent the rest of my life wondering if I was secretly a Psychology genius. This leads me to my first, and probably most important, point when it comes to choosing your A Level subject. Do not do a subject you hate because you’re good at it. I faced a massive (well, massive relative to me) decision when I was taking Psychology. Grade wise, I was getting full marks in Psychology and Bs in Chemistry, BUT, I enjoyed Chemistry more. And, ultimately, that’s what won the battle: my love for the subject. I knew dropping Psychology would give me the time to focus more on a subject I actually enjoyed so I could boost that grade, rather than sit in misery every single Psychology lesson. Look, I know it’s difficult and feels really naive, but I am so much happier now than I was before, so I would like to stress the importance of doing what you enjoy. Cliche, I know, but this one’s from experience, so at least you know I’m telling the truth. As you can probably tell, I was indecisive about my choices (to say the least) and that’s totally fine! My school gave us an arguably long time before we had to fully commit (until November 2nd, if I remember rightly) which gave all of us ample time to change, switch, go back, and do it all again. It doesn’t matter if you're not feeling comfortable with your subjects; no one will judge or think differently of you if you simply realise that something isn't your cup of tea (in fact, some of my friends are jealous that I made the choice so quickly). Of course, there is ‘the future’ to consider (I know, I know, I don’t want to either but it’s better to be prepared). If you want to go to University, you do need to take a look at what A Level requirements they have (if any). I am hoping to attend Oxford to study English Literature and, surprise surprise, one of their requirements is English A Level. One thing I want to let you know, in case you also are looking at Oxbridge Universities, is that they prefer you to be taking the ‘traditional subjects’ (English, Maths, Science, History, Geography), and they probably won’t consider you if you are only doing one of these. It’s the harsh truth, I’m afraid. So, when choosing A Levels, I would recommend having Uni or whatever you want to do next in the back of your mind. It’s taken me a while (three months, to be exact) to feel comfortable with my A Level choices, but I don’t think this would have happened without the many obstacles I faced on the way. Just remember, A Levels are just another qualification, and it’s also important to do what you love outside of school as well. I hope this helped, Chloë
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College applications seem to loom in front of you for your entire high school career. They’re always there, waiting to stress you out with the work and time that you have to put into them. But they’re not as scary as one might think, and all it takes to get started is that first click. If you take the applications one step at a time and give yourself enough time to complete them, the stress and anxiety that surrounds the entire process isn’t as bad as you would think.
I’m currently a rising senior and will be graduating in the spring of 2021, so I’m in the midst of applications. However, I’ve been working towards these college applications for what seems like forever since I’ve been going on tours and worrying about my SAT score for over a year. It’s been a lot to keep track of, especially during the middle of a global pandemic, and college research and applications have taken up a lot of my summer. I’ve had a list of colleges that I was interested in for awhile now, but there’s still so much that I’ve had to do and still need to get done. I’ve also struggled with getting started on my writing because I don’t like talking about myself, so thinking about the things I’m going to share about myself in the different essays has been intimidating. I’m lucky enough though to have a great support system behind me, including my parents, my older sisters, and my college counselor. They’ve helped me to slow down and take everything one step at a time to avoid feeling overwhelmed with all of it. Now as I’m going into senior year and applications are starting to open, I feel a lot more at ease than I did at the beginning of the summer. I know what I need to get done and I know I can do it, and those are the two most important things to remember. Here are a few things to remember when you start the college process:
The college process can seem overwhelming, but if you take it one step at a time, it doesn’t have to be as stressful. Give yourself time to work through each part of your application, including research, and remind yourself that you can and will get through it. The future may seem scary but remember that you can do anything you set your mind to- including a few pesky college applications! ~Madeline |
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