Whether you’ve breezed through secondary school accompanied by a gaggle of friends, or stressed your way to exam season, the pressure to choose the ‘right’ option for year 12 is overwhelming for everyone. As someone who has only just experienced that, and is now worrying about their next-next step, I aim to offer a few words of advice to year 10s and 11s at this intense time.

Firstly, you’ve got to remember that this is exciting. It’s an opportunity you might never have again – to get to study some of your favourite subjects at an advanced level, or to take up a completely new subject that fascinates you. View this transition from secondary school to sixth form as a period of opportunity, new beginnings, and yes, exams. As exciting as these plans are, your exams are and should remain your main focus. After all, it’s much easier to plan for next year if you are confident in your grades, especially if there are entry requirements for your courses.

Exams aside, once you’ve had a mooch at the subjects available to you, it’s time to choose where you’ll be applying. I don’t believe there is a limit on how many sixth forms or colleges one can apply to in East Sussex, but you’ll probably find a few you like. That’s okay – it’s a good idea to apply to more than one in case your plans change. You might have been to some college open days already – they often come around in autumn of year 10 – but if not, the college website is always a good place to start. You can usually find the email addresses of subject teachers here, which can be useful if you have any questions about specific courses. I emailed multiple teachers with questions ahead of starting, and they were more than happy to help! Teachers want their students to enjoy their courses, so its in their best interests to help you find the right subject as much as it is in yours.

When you’re choosing between sixth forms or colleges, I would say that the courses are one of the most important factors to consider. Some smaller subjects might only be offered at larger colleges, whilst some sixth forms might specialise in different subjects. That said though, there are endless things to consider when looking for your college. Do you want somewhere new to reinvent yourself? Would you enjoy the sports clubs offered by your sixth form? Having extracurriculars is not the most important thing, but certainly makes a huge difference to how your interests develop and is a great way to meet new friends – especially if you are starting somewhere new.

Lots of people would say that travel time should be a significant factor in your decision. Whilst I don’t dispute that for some people, travel can be expensive and too impractical, if you really like the sixth form, I don’t think it should be a barrier at all. There are lots of railcards or student discounts to make it more affordable to get to and from college, and lots of colleges will have finances to be able to help you cover the costs if necessary. Coming from someone who spends an hour commuting each way, I implore you to consider whether it would be worthwhile for you to travel so far. If a longer bus ride means you get to study a subject you love, or work with specialist facilities, or join a sports team you like, then why not? However, if you are someone who might not find it feasible to get yourself to the station on time, or just prefer a shorter walk, there’s nothing wrong with staying closer to home. Being able to come home for lunch or between lessons can certainly be a considerable advantage, especially if you can’t access a quiet space to work at sixth form.

The size of a college or sixth form might also be something for you to consider. You might feel more comfortable somewhere smaller where you could get to know everyone in your year, or you might like somewhere massive where there will always be new people to meet. Size doesn’t always correlate to support, and it’s likely that your teachers and classmates will get to know you regardless of the size of your college. I personally go to a very large college, and I like that even at the end of my first year I am always making new friends, but lots of my friends are happier at smaller colleges where you might form a tight-knit community.

Ultimately, you’ve got to decide for yourself where you’ll be happiest for the next 2 years. There might not be a wrong answer – and even if you think you’ve made a mistake, lots of sixth forms accept late entrants in September. Good luck with your exams, and enjoy all the opportunities the next 2 years have to offer!