Have you thought about what happens after leaving school, and beyond? You’ve read about the different study and pathway options open to you and you’ve seen some tips to help make the process of deciding what’s right for you a little easier. Now put pen to paper and have a go at mapping out your choices on your own Pathways Planner.
Using your Pathway Planner
You can use the Pathways Planner template provided, or make your own, to map out the different study options you’d like to explore.
You can start with where you are now - your current GCSE subjects and your hobbies and interests, and then write down related subjects you’d like to study in the future. Or, if you know what career you’d like, or what degree you want to study, you can start there and work backwards.
Things to remember when thinking about your future choices:
Plans change - and that’s okay
Just because you write something down now, or think you know exactly what you want to do in the future, doesn’t mean you can’t change your mind! Having a few options written down that help you see how you might move from one step to the next is a really great personal planning tool. For example, if you’d like to study any of Computer games, animation, and digital technologies courses at University, what A levels do you need to study?
Give yourself options
Remember, at college you could be studying anywhere between one and four subjects, depending on the type of qualification. At university, although most people study one subject, you’ll have up to five application choices to use when the time comes.
Think about other subjects that hold your interest, or compliment the thing you’re most passionate about. This means that you can be flexible when it comes to applying, and it may open your eyes to other subjects you’d not thought of.
University isn’t for everyone
It's fine if you don't think university is for you, make sure you research what qualifications you need for the job you want. You can go to university at any age, in fact, a quarter of students are over 21 when they start. For those that don’t, they might require other qualifications or experiences. You can still use the university section of the Pathways Planner template to record any additional qualifications or experience your dream job requires instead
Keep learning
Options and pathways
Understanding the options available to you in future is important when deciding what will best suit you and the goals you have for yourself. Take a look around this section to find information about different qualification types and tips on choosing your options.
Study skills
We want you to make the most of your study time so that you also have time for your hobbies, interests and social life. Explore our tips for studying at home, revision success and managing stress.
What's uni like?
We think it's important you get to see what university is like, before you decide whether or not you'd like to go in the future. Find out more about how uni students spend their time, how they manage their finances and all the things that uni includes that isn't just studying.
