Questions about the Tafe Environment (PLEASE ANSWER - thanks so much!) (1 Viewer)

[faov]

Hey

I'm so glad I found this forum, after reviewing many of the past posts most of my questions regarding completing the HSC at Tafe have been resolved. However, I have some questions which weren't answered, predominately about the Tafe environment, thus if anyone could answer them I would sincerely appreciate it.

To begin with, the only reason I am attending Tafe is because I have now been to 16 schools, 4 of which are high schools, and I'd like some stability for my final year of schooling. As I now need to change schools again because my parents are moving internationally again (they're diplomats) I think I would prefer to go to Tafe where programs are more uniform and OTEN/correspondence is always an option. I just graduated Year 11 in Indonesia from an American school and hold a Year 10 diploma from France. Therefore, I was hoping to gain credit for my Year 11 subjects at Tafe - or do I need to take the preliminary year again?

Also, I have some rather negative viewpoints of Tafe - all of which are stereotypes, e.g. people at Tafe are stupid, etc. and it has been refreshing to hear of these forums that these are not necessarily true. My parents aren't as, lets say, understanding and think that Tafe is the worst choice I could possibly make, and have threatened to disown me (wrong word, I know) if I attend Tafe. Basically I'm just trying to gather some honest impressions and opinions of the Tafe environment - e.g. yes, some people are stupid, but the classes are much more productive? Have a lot of diversity? My parents want me to go to boarding school, but I think that Tafe would be more suited to me (and I'd rather they give me $45000 to spend on clothes, then school). Ahh, summary: What is the typical Tafe HSC class like? What is the behavior of students?

I'm an openly gay male and I think I'm really flamboyant, plus I don't like people that I feel are inferior to me (unfortunately I can't change this attribute, it comes naturally) or aren't really preppy. And, to be really cliched, I intend on studying fashion design at university upon graduation from high school. So, how accepting would a typical Tafe campus be of a guy wearing shades, a fringed scarf, and bell-bottom jeans while unabashaedly toting a Gucci bag of James St. James/Michael Alig dimensions?

Furthermore, I really do want to make some friends at Tafe but given the environment - class schedules, etc. what is the likelihood of me having a core group (say 3 or 4 people) that I would recognise in multiple classes? Then the chance that I would like them, and if so, it was mutual - they liked me back as well. Unfortunately I have a tendency to alienate people or be kindof bitchy and people THINK I'm conceited (though I'm not), so I only need 2 people that I like to be comfortable (they can be straight or female, of course, I don't discriminate and I'm fairly open minded). I want friends at Tafe so, at a typical Tafe, how many meet my "criteria" or have similar traits to me?

I have so many more questions, but before I ask them I'd greatly appreciate your reply to my above-mentioned ones. Thanks again!

btw. If you're retarded, the reason I used bold text above was to highlight my main question.

 

[bumbo_hippo]

well to tell the truth..
tafe is pretty much like high school... classes rn't too big so u get to kno everyone in ur class..

im pretty sure u can jus do yr 12 HSC at tafe beginning of next year.. it would b alot of studying.. but im sure it shouldn't b too bad!

i really dont think anyone cares wat u wear at tafe..
freedom of dress!!!

making friends shouldn't b too hard either.. u mainly make friends in ur class.. and b wif them most of da time.. so yeah..

 

[faov]

well to tell the truth..
tafe is pretty much like high school... classes rn't too big so u get to kno everyone in ur class..

im pretty sure u can jus do yr 12 HSC at tafe beginning of next year.. it would b alot of studying.. but im sure it shouldn't b too bad!

i really dont think anyone cares wat u wear at tafe..
freedom of dress!!!

making friends shouldn't b too hard either.. u mainly make friends in ur class.. and b wif them most of da time.. so yeah..

Thank you SO MUCH for your reply, I really appreciate you taking the time to answer with so much detail!! You've given me so much confidence, and I'm going to a Tafe campus today so that I can learn more Thanks again!!

 

[kami]

I was hoping to gain credit for my Year 11 subjects at Tafe - or do I need to take the preliminary year again?
It doesn't matter a whole lot anyway since most subjects will have the prelim integrated into the HSC component.

What is the typical Tafe HSC class like? What is the behavior of students?

(In my classes)Mixed between dedicated mature age students and absolute bogan shit heads with a few people who would have succeeded at high school but timing and health just got in the way.

how accepting would a typical Tafe campus be of a guy wearing shades, a fringed scarf, and bell-bottom jeans while unabashaedly toting a Gucci bag of James St. James/Michael Alig dimensions?

Depends on area, at mine you would have had four reactions:
1. Look at you like you're an exotic previously undiscovered animal with very weird behaviour e.g three headed yodelling pink snake
2. Bogans who would think you were shit under their shoes and probably call you a faggot/cocksucker (and hence prob. get expelled)
3. Occasional people who wouldn't notice or care.
4. Guys who think you being gay makes you want them which may result in your thigh being squeezed followed by a protestation of 'i'm not gay'. (i had that once, the day of my first math exam)

That's representative of gymea and bankstown campuses, with the first two being the most common. I dont know how much that would vary with other campuses.

I want friends at Tafe so, at a typical Tafe, how many meet my "criteria" or have similar traits to me?

I had about two or three people share most of my classes, odds are you'll get along with some people but don't expect to make lifelong friends as everyone just wants to get out of there plus time is all chunky and there are no common free times or social functions.

 

[blerkles]

Do it through OTEN so that you bypass the personality lottery of on-campus TAFE. Or else get a degree through Open Universities where you don't even have to have done your HSC.

 

[magickmidget]

I find the TAFE environment here much better than high school. Mostly because with high school you get a lot of people who are just there because their parents tell them to or whatever. With TAFE, a lot of people are there out of choice and are much more focused on studying. Of course, like anything, you will get people who are there to cruise through it just so they can get a job and what have you. You will get people who are less than pleasant or just wasting their time. Mostly though it's a lot nicer than high school, especially with the wider age range rather than a bunch of 17 year olds.

 

[champ_sammy_19]

I absolutely love tafe I'm at Meadowbank campus atm doing community services and I'm just about half way through my first semester. Meadowbank is my 4th tafe having been at Lithgow, bathurst and ultimo in the past. I find ppl at tafe to be really good and at times kinda feel like I'm at uni with the setting of some of my classes.

 

[faov]

Thank you everyone for your advice and suggestions.

My parents threatened to disown me if I attend TAFE, so I decided that it would be best not to complete my HSC but to instead matriculate directly to university. I've been offered admission for university intakes beginning January/February 2008.

I've gained respect for the TAFE program upon researching it, and I'm confident that it offers a quality education. However, I would much rather begin university 1-2 years ealier than if I were to enroll at TAFE. In the interim, I'm going to try and get a job+an apartment (at the moment I still live with my parents). My parents suggested living no further from the CBD than Manly, so I'm going to look at properties this week.

Unfortunately moving to Sydney this week means I must get a new boyfriend (my old one lives in Canada now) but thankfully means I will never see my parents again.

In regards to your comments... some general observations.

1. Look at you like you're an exotic previously undiscovered animal with very weird behaviour e.g three headed yodelling pink snake

well, I do like attention...

2. Bogans who would think you were shit under their shoes and probably call you a faggot/cocksucker (and hence prob. get expelled)

omg bogans sound terrifying. and poor. I hate peasants so I doubt me+"bogans" would get along.

I had about two or three people share most of my classes, odds are you'll get along with some people but don't expect to make lifelong friends as everyone just wants to get out of there plus time is all chunky and there are no common free times or social functions.

That's sad. TAFE should foster an environment where lifelong friendships are created. :uhhuh:

Again, THANK YOU so much for all your advice.

 

[Looking Glass]

I replied to a similar question by another person a few weeks ago. I'll just paste that response here as it seems relevant. Sorry if it repeats anything.

I just did the HSC at TAFE. Generally, you can expect much smaller classes than school with the average age of the students being much higher. The kind of people you meet there varies with year to year. I met a handful of people doing limited UAIs, like you - 23, 24 year olds. One of them got a UAI of 96. You're generally surrounded by people who are dedicated and mature and people who may have had similar problems with the whole school situation to you. Others return because their parents are forcing them to do something, drop-outs and druggies etc. and are generally younger. The environment at TAFE is much more mature and free, though, and these people tend to just stop showing up, leaving only the focussed students by term three.

There's no mini-society, like at school - no excursions, assemblies and carnivals, obviously. Much less personal. It's a fasttrack, no-bullshit HSC without the social politics of the playground, but you're also more "on your own" in that regard. You're on first name basis with your teachers and they seem to be on your side. There's no teacher-student superiority complex going on that you might remember from school (I did have one teacher like this but he was the exception to the rule).

Simultaneously, there's no hand-holding either and you need to be personally comitted. Nobody will care or stop you from just dropping out. Teachers won't bend over to give you extensions for overdue assessments. While it will be certainly less stressful than doing six subjects, remember, you'll spend the first term doing "year 11". So the HSC year at TAFE starts with Term 2, as opposed to a school HSC year which begins in Term 4 of the previous year while they, off course, end at the same time. The syllabus gets rushed through pretty fast as a result and you'll need to do a lot of work at home to do well (like anything). Teachers are generally more competent than your typical state school, though. Classes are three hours long.

 

[ambermorn]

That's sad. TAFE should foster an environment where lifelong friendships are created. :uhhuh:

i think i'm lucky where i went to tafe because i was with the best bunch of people in our class! we had parties occasionally and went to the pub each friday afternoon (occasionally some teachers joined us ). they were from all walks of life and circumstances, yet most were really welcoming and friendly. i've made strong friendships with most of the class! plus we didn't go too bad either, one boy in my class scored top in the state, a perfect 300, 3 got really close. overall it was amazing. but anyway the point of this post was to wish you luck in uni, it sounds like you're well travelled and mature so i wouldn't worry!

 

[tanjin]

One of my HSC subjects was a VET course, so I had to go to Tafe to complete it.
It was the best subject I had. The tafe environment is great. Very relaxed and the teachers are quite helpful. Also, the work seemed rather easy.

 

[Ads54]

To be quite honest, I had a great time at TAFE in particular the campbelltown campus. The seamless transition from high school to TAFE TPC enabled me to pick a lot of skills that would help me at University. I found the TAFE environment somewhat energetic and hectic with many social individuals. I'll sure miss TAFE....Well UWS here I come