There are basically three options available to teenagers when they leave school. Attending a local college can be seen as being much less of an upheaval for many young school leavers than to go away to University, due to students being able to return home after a day of studying, rather than having to stay in student accommodation in a different town or city.
Colleges will tend to have a more homely atmosphere - more similar in style to that of the school they have recently left. Although there will be no Nursery Pictures decorating the corridors, there will be plenty of welcoming touches to ensure that the students feel comfortable in their surroundings, such as trendy artistic prints and plenty of specimen plants.
Given the choice, most parents would prefer their offspring to stay on in the sixth form to study their A' levels and to ultimately continue their studies at University. The main disadvantage of progressing down this route, however, would be the expense incurred by the inevitable student loan requirements.
As a direct contrast, the third option for those school leavers wishing to start earning their own money as soon as possible would be to start working. This would be especially advantageous if it was part of an apprenticeship for their chosen career choice.
