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Higher education

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17 year old wants to leave one course and start an alternative. Advice please.

3 replies

buttons99 · 18/04/2012 11:50

Hope someone can give us some advice. My 17 year old son is currently studying a business course at a college. He has decided he picked the wrong path and so is going to apply to a different college for a completely different course to start in September. I have to say I agree whole heartedly as he was an A* pupil (and very happy) at High School but has obviously been unhappy at College but has persevered and tried to stick it out.

Can anyone advise the procedures and financial implications? I have spoken to the new college and all?s fine there and they see no problem with him starting there, the advice really is about how he leaves the first one? Should he finish the year as he could still get an AS in the computer part of the course or once he has applied to the new college will he have to leave the first immediately? Plus I receive tax credits and child benefit for him and if he leaves early I assume they will stop immediately which would cause us big financial problems.

As I said I do agree with his decision and we have talked at length about it, just need to deal with the practicalities of how to do it.

OP posts:
Moominmammacat · 19/04/2012 09:56

Get an AS under the belt and start new course in September. Better to change mind now than struggle on.

ajandjjmum · 19/04/2012 10:00

We all make mistakes, it's great that he can put this one right. I also think it's sensible to get what he can out of this year, in terms of his AS.

eatyourveg · 19/04/2012 18:48

Agree with what has been said. The AS exams are only a matter of weeks away so it would be silly not to take it seeing as he has studied all year towards it. It will also earn him ucas points. Many colleges enrol new students all through the summer holidays so I wouldn't worry about having to leave the first one before the end of term.

Financially you can have 3 years at FE before you have to pay course fees (Happy to be corrected on this) so if your ds is applying for a 2 yr course as long as he is under 19 you should be fine. Is he sure the new college will be a better one?

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