School/college advice for 17 year old

[Guest Nicky, Alan and Kids]

Hi just after some advice regarding our 17 year old daughter.

 

She finished school last year and did her GCSC - did not get very good grades as she hated school, since leaving she has been filling her time working in shops and cafes. She was going to go to college to study hairdressing but as we were emigrating she decided against this.

 

We are moving to Adelaide on 15 June and she wants to go to college, but am getting a bit worried that the college or TAFE will not take her as she has not completed her year 12 and has not got very good grades.

 

I have tried to talk her round into going back to school, but she is dead against this.

 

Any advice would be very welcome.

 

Thanks

 

Nicky

[Guest Tom]

Unfortunately unless she has good grades she wont get into a college or uni. If she has a C average TAFE will except her but they will normally pick the better grades first. TAFE will take in students after completing year 10 and I think TAFE do a year 12 equivalent course which is probably better for her rather than going back to high school. If she would like to carry on with the hairdressing an apprenticeship would be her best option but like the TAFE most employers will only give the apprenticeship to C average students.

[Guest Zippy]

Universities are competitive (unless you want a generalist degree such as Arts). TAFE accepts students with average grades for some courses, however hairdressing is a course with STRONG demand, and thus the higher your grades, the more likely you are to get picked. Due to the skills shortages, more people are applying to TAFE for "practical" courses, and so the entry requirements are increasing with each intake.

 

I would recommend doing "year 13" (this is a normal option, and pretty popular, either for a full load of subjects, or just to repeat a couple) to increase the grades. If you're looking for a private school, you can't go past Eynesbury College (right in the centre of town - but has students from as far as 50 kms away). If you're looking for a public school there are lots around that will take year 13 students, with some (like Christies Beach High School in the south) having a big focus on this.

 

Cheers

[Guest sarahsmartiepants]

Or you can just repeat yrs 11 or 12 and get the SACE that way, in a local high school

sarah