College applications

12 replies

JustLooking2019 · 04/08/2019 22:02

Hi, my child is going into year 11 this September and the local college requires us to apply by the end of this September.
We have tried to do the application tonight however it asks for all the GCSEs my child will be taking in the summer and all the different exam boards. We have looked through everything we have from the school but the individual exam boards are not included on any communications, is there a way I can find these out or do we need to wait until school is back in September? Thanks

OP posts:

Mustbetimeforachange · 04/08/2019 22:09

Have you looked on the school website? Or does she have textbooks?

lovemistymornings · 04/08/2019 23:13

Don't stress. I'm a college teacher and I know for a fact that the September deadline is not really a deadline - colleges will accept applications all year round. I even had students joining my classes half-way through the first term!

So I would leave the application until September. And it doesn't matter if you don't know the exam boards - just leave it blank. It's the actual results that count - your DC won't get a confirmed place until the GCSE results come in.

Witchend · 04/08/2019 23:26

lovemisty you don't know that. Just because yours is like that, doesn't mean all are.
Our local one has a strict deadline. They can afford to be: they're well over subscribed some years.

OP I'd write down the ones your dc knows and ask in September. There'll be time to do it then.

lovemistymornings · 05/08/2019 00:08

No, you're right Witchend, but I do know that sixth form colleges are not like schools - there are no fixed application procedures, catchment areas or deadlines set by the government/council. Funding for sixth form colleges is determined by the number of students enrolled - so colleges will always accept students until the courses are filled. And if you read the small print in their admissions policy, you will find that they will "consider" late applications depending on course availability.

But of course JustLooking, if your local college is over-subscribed, then get your application in as early as possible.

Original poster

JustLooking2019 · 05/08/2019 00:14

Thanks everyone.
The application is online and the box for the exam boards on each subject is asterisked so not possible to leave it blank.
The website and on open day they told us the deadline was end of September. I know there will be time to get it done after school starts again and before deadline, I just wanted to take advantage of my child actually seeming quite keen to get it done for a change! Am I right in thinking it doesn’t matter when the application is completed as long as it’s before deadline? They don’t offer places in the order they receive applications do they?

OP posts:

Hotterthanahotthing · 05/08/2019 00:22

DD applied last September,interviewed,accepted.
We went to an open day in May and we both hated it,went again later that month and still weren't happy.
She applied to 2 other colleges in June ,interviewed inearly July and accepted to both.She has decided which she wants to go to.
She was not the only late applicant.The feeling of job done in September was nice though.Dd was calm but I felt a bit stressed by the later applications.

Hotterthanahotthing · 05/08/2019 00:26

Also if lots of children apply for a college from one school someone from the college comes to the school and does all the interviews that day .The college want all places filled and si they can plan if they get a lot of applicants for popular courses.

Indicative · 05/08/2019 01:23

Is it a form you could save and amend later? If so stick in AQA in all of them to enable you to complete the rest of the form and then go back and amend after start of term when you can check with school .

AtiaoftheJulii · 05/08/2019 01:42

My dcs' schools give the GCSE boards on their websites.

TeenTimesTwo · 05/08/2019 13:00

Did you get a booklet when she chose her options?
DD's boards are in that.

titchy · 05/08/2019 13:21

I know for a fact that the September deadline is not really a deadline

Unless you know the specific college the OP's dd is applying to this is a very dangerous assertion. Plenty of colleges do in fact have a hard deadline.

Agree with sticking in AQA for them all then amending later though.

clary · 05/08/2019 15:37

If she is going into Yr 11 I am surprised she doesn't know... Revision guides are sometimes targeted at specific boards, and surely she has seen past papers which will tell her? Have another look through her school work. Or yy, is it on the website?

Flip