Higher education evening

1. Higher education evening Miss frances & Miss bliss

2. Format of this evening • Going to University – is it worth it? • UCAS Application Process • Research Tips • Support at Farringtons • Student Finance • How parents can help

3. Why go to university? • 25% of all jobs now only available to graduates (Skills & Employment survey, BBC news 24/4/13) • Employability – Competitive job market Employers look for good qualifications + work experience/voluntary work/internships • Skills– Develop transferrable skills e.g. analytical, presentation & critical thinking skills • Personal development – Develop confidence, gain independence & social skills • Love of the subject - Study something you love, 60% graduate jobs do not specify a degree subject

4. University Destinations 2013 • RavensbourneCollege • Kings, London • University of Chester • Manchester Metropolitan • Westminster University • University of Essex • Trinity College London • University of Manchester • University of Exeter • Aberystwyth University • University for the Creative Arts • Chelsea College of Art • Bristol University • City University • Central St Martins • Aston University • Sussex University • Cardiff University • South Bank University

5. The starting point • 50,000+ courses • (Degree, Foundation Degree, HND & Diploma. • Entry requirements A*AA – 80 UCAS points) • 900 Subjects • (Architecture – Zoology) • Over 500 institutions • (Universities, FE/HE colleges, educational • institutions

6. The reality • 1 UCAS application • 5 choices • 1 personal statement – 47 lines • 2 acceptances (firm and insurance) • One Destination! • Thorough research is vital

7. Do your research! •  Which course? Check websites & prospectuses • ◦ Check entry requirements –Do predicted grades match? • ◦ Methods of teaching & assessment • ◦ Taster days/summer schools • ◦ Other opportunities -Study abroad, work placement •  Which university? League tables • ◦ Geographic location – Stay home/move away? • ◦ Campus v. multi site • ◦ City v. rural • ◦ Accommodation & facilities • Consult a map!

10. Ucas tariff • A point score system which gives numerical values to qualifications

11. Open Days • Book early • www.opendays.com • UCAS applicant days / Uni Taster Days • Go in the holidays • Permitted to go on two during term time

12. What Admissions tutors look for… • Predicted Grades based on AS results1:1 discussions with subject staff. See our website for more information. No January resits! • AS/BTEC & GCSE achieved results • Selection Tests: LNAT, UKCAT, BMAT etc • School Reference • Personal Statement • ◦ evidence of commitment and motivation • ◦ intellectual curiosity • ◦ character & personal attributes • ◦ beware plagiarism checks!

13. Making realistic choices Student with predicted grades of AAB

14. The application process • Students complete a UCAS form in early Autumn 2014 • Tutors attach reference & we send to UCAS • Universities consider the application • Students end up with a selection of offers • Between February and May students decide on their firm and insurance choice • UCAS Extra (Feb 2015) add extra choices if no offers

15. The process of confirmation • A Level/BTEC results in August • If students have achieved the firm offer, that place is confirmed • If not, but the student meets their insurance choice, that place will be confirmed • If both reject, student enters Clearing

16. Internal Deadlines

17. What happens next? • Tutorials focus on researching post 18+ options. • UCAS Days – to register with UCAS and start personal statement 23/24 June • Friday 27 June – UCAS Convention • End of summer term students should have… • ◦ Registered for UCAS APPLY. • ◦ Researched Course/University choices • ◦ Attended some Open Days • ◦ Started to prepare personal statement

18. Understanding Student Finance

19. Identifying the myths – What is it that people are actually concerned about? • Understanding the issues – Is it right that people are as concerned as they are about student finance? • Informing understanding – Identifying more sensible ways to consider student finance

20. What are the myths? • Students have to pay fees / you have to have money to be able to go in the first place • Your children / partners / siblings / pets would inherit the debt if you die • If you can’t afford to repay your student loan a loan shark will come to your house and remove your kneecaps / soul / television • If I don’t borrow as much I’ll have more money when I graduate • University has got more expensive

21. Recent Headlines & Articles • Middle class priced out of university by soaring tuition fees • I came from a poor background, but was bright so managed to get a place in Uni, back in the 90s.Now the Fib Dems have brought in excessive tuition fees, Uniis for rich people only.

22. Myths can only be ‘busted’ with facts • Loan repayments are ‘income contingent’ commence once graduate is earning £21kpa (before tax) • Loans are repaid at a rate of 9% of earnings over the this ‘threshold’ • Grants are not repaid (according to HEAcademy some students don’t / can’t differentiate between loans and grants) Loans have a fixed 30 year life-span

23. - There is no demonstrable correlation between the fees charged for a course and the quality of the course (ie more expensive does not guarantee better) • - Taking a course with a lower fee does not affect the repayment rate, so although the graduate may pay back less overall they will see the same amount coming out of their pay packet as someone who did a more expensive course • - According to Martin Lewis (of Money Saving Expert) the average graduate will be around £470 per year better off than students in the old finance system, due to the increased ‘threshold’ for repayment

24. What student finance is available? • Tuition Fee Loan • Maintenance Grant or Special Support Grant • Maintenance Loan • Extra support if you have special circumstances • Children / adult dependants, disability, mental health condition, learning difficulty • Part-time • Other Support • Bursaries & Scholarships

25. What is a Tuition Fee Loan? • No upfront fees • Helps with cost of tuition fees (max. £9,000) • Does not depend on your household income • Students need to check how much university or college will charge • Repayments will be the same if you go somewhere charging £6,500 or £9,000 • Fees are repaid after the student leaves university and only once they are earning over £21,000

26. What is a Maintenance Loan? • Helps with living costs • Repayable • Paid in three instalments • Amount you get depends on • household income • where you live when you are studying • year of course

27. How much Maintenance Loan can you get?

28. Loan repayment examples • Repayments are affordable and will be deducted automatically from your pay packet through the tax system Calculate your likely repayments at yourfuture.gov.uk/calculate

29. Can I get student finance? You have to meet three main conditions: • Personally eligible - To be considered as a UK student, the student must fulfil certain residence requirements. They have to be ‘domiciled’ in the UK. To be considered domiciled in the UK, the student has to have settled status in the UK, meaning that the student has the right to leave and return to the UK as they please. A person has settled status if they were born with British citizenship and either have 3 years’ residence in the UK, or have lived elsewhere and returned to the UK before the first day of the academic year of their course (usually 1st September). • Your course • Your university or college

30. How can parents help? • Encourage them to research NOW! • Stress importance of checking email daily • Go with them to open days • Check they meet College & UCAS deadlines • Be there for results

31. Good luck! • Well informed research • + hard work • & realistic early application • = • SUCCESS