Main Differences Between Life and Study at Sixth Form vs. University

Moving from further education, in the form of sixth form or college, to higher education in the form of university is a huge step. Higher education differs immensely from further education in many ways, some good, some bad.

 If you’re currently enjoying the sixth form and believe that university will be just more of the same, then you’re in for a shock. Be sure to attend the university open days of your choice to discover more about what university life will actually be like. 

Here, we’ll be taking a quick look at some of the main differences you can expect to encounter.

Academic Difficulty

Well, you already suspected that work at university would be harder than that of the sixth form, but in what ways? Currently, in you’re A-Levels, you will be studying three or four subjects alongside each other, which divides your study time, but when you get to university, you are only going to be focused on one subject – albeit divided into a diverse number of modules. It goes without saying that when you choose a subject to specialise in after the sixth form, it should be something you have a genuine interest in and passion for. Otherwise, you are quickly going to get bored with it.

Due to this, you are going to be delving deep into different aspects of your subjects instead of just getting a broad overview as you did in the sixth form. You will be unpacking topics with longer essays than you’re used to and conducting much more independent research on your own. This will enhance and challenge you academically. 

Universities often have extra lectures, seminars or sessions you can take to assist with this change, but if you are worried that the difference will be too much, perhaps consider completing a foundation year in your chosen subject, as these are designed to help with the transition and give you a solid foundation on which to complete your studies and therefore your degree. 

Check out our article What is a foundation year? For more information. 

Freedom and Independence

Not attending secondary school or sixth-form classes will likely get you in hot water with your parents after they start receiving letters and emails regarding non-attendance, and in some cases fines may be issued. 

University, on the other hand, puts the onus on you to attend seminars and lectures – there will be nobody chasing you up or forcing you to attend – it’s totally up to you. Your lecturer won’t keep track of the hundreds of students attending each lecture; they are educators, not babysitters. However, your absence will be noticed if you fail to attend smaller group seminars and discussions. 

You can miss the odd one if you slept in, but repeated non-attendance is likely to cause your course supervisor to intervene and give you a firm warning. Repeated absences could affect your ability to graduate. After all, you are paying vast sums of money to attend this university and further your education, so why waste it by skipping lectures?

Freedom and independence is also something that you will have more of in your studies. At university, wider reading is required, and although recommended reading lists are provided, you are also free to explore other texts written in your field. Depending on your course, you may also be able to specialise in your assignments, allowing you to further explore areas you are interested in, and not being limited to set subjects. This can be liberating and can take you in surprising directions.

Scheduling and Timetables

The sixth form is an ideal step after secondary school to get you accustomed to a slightly looser timetable, and this is made even more flexible once you get to university. School has rigid 9 am to 3 pm timetabling, as does secondary school, and the sixth form follows the same pattern but you may have the odd afternoon or morning off.

Heading into university, you can expect full days off, days where you only have one lecture or seminar to attend, leaving you many hours to conduct your own studies. This might be in the form of creating essays, spending time getting familiar with your ever-so-long list of recommended reading materials, or even taking up a part-time job or volunteering position related to your course.

With no parental curfews in place, you have to learn to be responsible for your own scheduling of study time and balance that correctly with your work and personal life. You can’t stay in bars till the early hours and still, expect to be fresh as a daisy for your 9 am lecture.

Additional Responsibility

You’ll also have more responsibilities when it comes to your accommodation and social activities. Whether you live in a dorm or in shared accommodation, you will be responsible for your own bills and finances, as well as finding time in your day to complete household chores such as washing your clothes or cleaning your space. 

When it comes to your course, you won’t find yourself being ‘spoon-fed’ different facts and figures by your tutors; you’ll have to make a dedicated effort to supplement your own learning. That means going to the library in your own free time, making the effort to conquer course textbooks, and setting your own workload. All of that requires a mature spirit, which, at 18, you may feel you are lacking, but it’s all part of growing up.

Many differences abound between uni and sixth form college, but these are just some of the main differences you need to take into consideration. If you plan on attending open days near you, these will give you a much greater understanding of uni life compared to school life. If you want to keep up to date with more posts like this, check out our blog here, or join us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

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