College 2021

[SouthCoastShell]

I have just started to look into colleges for my yr10 DS.
Would anyone advise on the application process please? When do you apply and anyone know the date/month you are accepted?

It's very different to primary or secondary applications. Open evenings would normally take place for current year 10 & 11s in July, with a second round in Sept/Oct. Applications close in Dec/Jan. The colleges tend to interview and make verbal offers straight away. They tend not to turn anyone down. You hold as many offers as you like.

After A levels there are taster days at each college to try out the different A level subjects. I suggest trying the subjects you are unsure about rather than dead certs. Enrolment days take place within a few days of GCSE results. At this point you decide to accept or reject or the college may suggest alternative courses depending upon your results. Don't book a holiday for the last week in August.

You'll need to look them all up individually, or follow them on social media, for details of open events (most here seem to have one per term), details of courses and application processes. Open days / evenings are running virtually at the moment.

You’ll need to look at each college individually. We looked at 4 plus current secondary sixth form last year.

Some has July open evenings only some had July and October and some just October.

A few Colleges applications had to be in July others in October straight after open evenings.

Each college has their own timeline.

Some colleges locally to me have had virtual open evenings so far and are hoping to do actual open evenings in October.

Good luck.

We took Ds to an open day in the summer of year 10. These have obviously been cancelled but some are doing online open days. There were regular open evenings in the autumn of year 11 but he’d made his choice.

He applied around October/November time & was called for interview in November and given an offer subject to grades on the day.

He was invited to a taster evening in February and from that decided to slightly change the course he wanted so he emailed & this was confirmed. There should have been more taster sessions this summer but they were cancelled.

DD applied for four colleges for this Sept.
Two applications closed 6/12, one of those interviewed immediately they got an application and offered at interview. One waited for applications to close, then interviewed everyone, once they had completed interviews they made all their offers.
The other two were performing arts who keep applications open till May cut people through the day, if you made it till 6.30pm you got an email within 72 hours letting you know if you had offered, waiting list or were not offered.

@Lonecatwithkitten

DD applied for four colleges for this Sept. Two applications closed 6/12, one of those interviewed immediately they got an application and offered at interview. One waited for applications to close, then interviewed everyone, once they had completed interviews they made all their offers. The other two were performing arts who keep applications open till May cut people through the day, if you made it till 6.30pm you got an email within 72 hours letting you know if you had offered, waiting list or were not offered.

You were lucky. After surviving the cut dd had to wait almost two weeks for a letter to come through the post! Then there was the dreaded funding audition!