What are the main disadvantages of baccalaureate schools for adults?

Baccalaureate schools for adults make it possible to catch up on the Baccalaureate in adulthood on the second educational path. You acquire a broad general education. However, they are also prepared for university studies.

The main disadvantages of baccalaureate schools for adults are:

  1. Admission to the second-chance Matura varies greatly from school to school. An entrance examination is often required. The alternative educational pathways via the Federal Vocational Baccalaureate or a passerelle may also be worth considering.
  2. Not all schools offer an internal Matura, i.e. an examination that is taken on site by the school's own teaching staff and counts experience marks. With the external Matura, the Matura examination must be taken externally at the Swiss Matura Commission. There are no preliminary grades and no subjects that can be completed during the course. However, people who have prepared themselves independently and without attending a baccalaureate school are also admitted.
  3. The range of subjects taught at Matura schools for adults is broad and ranges from languages (German and two foreign languages) to mathematics, biology, chemistry, physics, history, geography, visual arts and/or music. This can lead to excessive demands, as you must at least be able to keep up in all subjects. The preparatory service lasts around 7 semesters and takes up a lot of study time, whether full-time or part-time. This requires flexibility in other areas of life.
  4. Adult education at baccalaureate schools involves high costs (CHF 30,000 to CHF 65,000). You can try to get a scholarship. Or perhaps a correspondence course is a cheaper alternative to the normal baccalaureate schools for adults.
  5. The pressure to learn during the apprenticeship and the pressure to pass the final exams are high. All subjects must be delivered to the point.

 

The baccalaureate opens the door to universities, Federal Institutes of Technology, Universities of Applied Sciences and higher vocational education and training. Anyone with a Baccalaureate in their pocket can look forward to promising career prospects.

Providers of baccalaureate schools for adults