From discussing subjects, to the support our students receive to help them navigate their way through their years at college, we hope this page gives you a taste of student life at Reading College.
Due to sustained high levels in Delta variant cases in the Berkshire area, local authorities have advised us to take additional precautions on campus to keep everyone safe.
This, unfortunately, means no external visitors will be allowed on campus, therefore our new student welcome days will now be held virtually.
Check out our virtual tour to see what the campus is like.
We know that coming to college can be a big step, especially in these uncertain times.
That's why we think that hearing what other students have to say about their college experience is better than anything we could try and tell you.
Erin, a Creative Media Production student, takes us through a day in the life at college.
There are more students just waiting to share their experiences with you below.
After being home schooled, Amina Abbas joined Activate Learning to gain the further qualifications she needed to study medicine at university.
Amina is from Langley, around an hour’s commute from Reading College, where she studies A Levels including biology, chemistry and accounting. She explains why she chose Activate Learning:
“I was home schooled for about eight or nine years, and I was at that stage in my life that I didn’t know what I wanted to do. My parents suggested medicine as that is something that I had an interest in, and I had to retake my GCSEs in a period of around four months to get into college. When I was looking at the options around me, the other colleges weren’t up to standard, so that’s why I decided to travel a longer distance to get a better-quality education. As soon as you enter Reading College, it just looks amazing, to be honest!”
Amina found the transition from home schooling tricky at first, but says:
“College has taught me a lot, not just from the academic side, but a lot of personal growth as well. It’s taught me how to deal with different situations and how to be more aware of my surroundings. I’ve become more self-aware and able to reflect on my feelings, and I’ve adapted to different environments. I was quite independent from the start coming from home school, but I learned how to reach out and ask people for help.”
“In terms of classes, (Activate Learning) is very efficient. The teachers go through what you know and don’t know, and they make sure that you understand it, and the teachers are very good. This year I have learnt how to organise myself in a really nice way and learn from the mistakes that I’ve made, and with help from my teachers, understand course content better. So, it’s going really well.
Amina has an offer to study medicine from Exeter University and is considering Birmingham University for pharmacy. However, she is also thinking of further afield, possibly moving to Serbia or Ukraine to study. Her eventual aim is to pursue a career in cardiology.
Amina also has her own tips for dealing with exam pressure:
“I exercise to take my stress out in a positive manner, try to eat healthily and get myself into a positive mindset. Every morning I go on YouTube and listen to a motivational speech; they really do help you.”
Watch as one of our Heads of Campus, Charlotte Morgan, explores the various extra-curricular activities you can get involved in at college, as well as how you can feed back your experiences at college.
Our Learning Support team here at Activate Learning delves into extra support you can receive when coming to college, and how to access the service when applying to college.
If you're worried about starting college and want reassurance of who is around for support, watch the interview below with our Head of Student Support, Leanne Hicks. Leanne will explore the help given to those who are concerned about their mental health and wellbeing at college, as this is an incredibly important subject to address when thinking about starting.
Leanne Hicks explains all the support we offer students.
Watch the videos below if you want to find out more about studying our courses at Reading.
This presentation offers information about what to expect and key events between now and September, if you’ve applied or are thinking of applying to college.
If you haven't applied to college yet and want to join us in September, it is time to get your application in! Our main applications close at the end of July and we still have spaces remaining on courses! Find out more on our How to Apply page or contact us for if you have any questions.
