Health & Social Care student, Mary McGrath, says she knew from her first day that she had made the right decision. Read on to find out why…
Why did you choose a BTEC and why you did choose Kingston College?
Choosing a BTEC was a really easy but also difficult decision for me. As soon as I found out what a BTEC was, I knew it was perfect for me and the way I work best, as it has such a big focus on coursework, with 3 or 4 exams split across both years, compared to my grades being decided by lots of exams right at the end of 2 years of learning.
The difficulty for me was choosing whether to follow my friends and do A-levels, or to go to Kingston College where I knew I had a better chance of achieving more. When I compared Kingston College to other places, this course was exactly what I was looking for - other places offered courses with lower level BTECs mixed with A-levels, for example. Being able to solely focus on Health and Social Care appealed a lot more to me, than combining it with another subject with different assessment and learning styles. When it came to making my final decision, the fact that I knew Kingston Town was another key factor as I knew how good its transport and shops were, which would support me settling in to studying at Kingston College. From my first day I knew I had made the right decision as I made new friends and connections with my teachers.
What are you plans once you've finished your Health & Social Care course?
My plans now I have finished my Health and Social Care course are to begin a Midwifery Degree (hopefully at Kingston University). I’m looking forward to doing a placement and fulfilling my goal of eventually becoming a Midwife.
Favourite part of your course?
My favourite part of my course was learning about anatomy and physiology. I knew that it would help me in my university education and also found it very interesting and enjoyable to learn, because we used a mixture of learning styles to help us revise. My teacher would draw pictures and demonstrate things like bones and muscles, supporting us to take in information without being overwhelmed.
Is College life what you expected? Have there been any surprises?
College life was partly what I expected. I had heard that it was easier to connect with teachers at colleges, and I found this to be true because I was given quite a lot of freedom, as well as one-to-one support which really positively impacted me throughout my course.
I was surprised with how much independence we were given initially, but I soon got used to it, and found that the independence actually supported my working style even better. When I was not on a timetabled day, in college, I would begin my coursework or revision later in the day, allowing myself to have the morning to myself. I then felt I was able to work later into the day, getting enough work done without pressure from teachers that I might feel more of if I had to attend college every day.
Any advice to those thinking about applying for your course?
Once you start, you should make the most of your days out of college and begin your coursework as soon as you can, to avoid multiple assignments piling up. You can speak to your tutors about anything, and they will support you in any way that they can.
Any amazing tutors or met great new friends?
I first met my tutor (Kristina) at my induction day in September. I was a bit lost and she was crossing the corridor and asked me if I knew where I was going. I said I was starting Health and Social Care and she told me that she would be my tutor. Two years later, Kristina is still my tutor and I am finishing college with better grades than I could ever had thought of getting. Kristina and my other tutors had such a big part in pushing me to achieve my grades.
I was nervous about making new friends at college as nobody that I already knew was also starting at Kingston. However, I had no reason to worry as by the end of the first day I had already begun to get to know a group in my class. It is this group that I am still friends with, finishing 2 years later. We have all helped and encouraged each other throughout the course to get the best possible grades.
