You’re at sixth form or college and things aren’t going well – what do you do?
1. Accept there is an issue. Don’t hide by just not turning up – that only means you’ll get further behind and things will get worse.
2. Try to work out why you aren’t happy.
- Is your course too difficult or not what you thought it would be?
- Is the college or sixth form the wrong place for you?
- Are you having money problems?
- Are there personal problems that are affecting your work?
3. Be honest with yourself, it’s tempting to say what you think someone else wants to hear – make sure you face up to the real problem.
4. If there is a problem, is it something you think you can work through or does it run deeper than that? Deciding this is probably the hardest part – you’ll never know one hundred percent, it’s going to be your judgement.
5. Be prepared to talk with someone. Maybe something can be changed or improved to make things better for you: maybe the problem is not as important as you think or perhaps it will pass in time. But maybe it would be right to leave and do something else. Talking with someone can help you see things more clearly - try a lecturer, your tutor, a Learning Mentor or a Connexions Personal Adviser (PA).
6. If you decide to leave, talk to your tutor or Connexions PA to work out the best time and way to leave. You can leave a course in a positive way and move onto something else where you will succeed.
Remember…
You are an individual, your problems will be individual, your decision will be personal to you. Talk to people, think it through and make the best judgement you can. You can never guarantee that you’ll make the right decision but you can make your decision in the right way.
