Kim Newman Assistant Regional Director

1. Kim Newman Assistant Regional Director

2. Aims To provide an overview of the Higher Education system Issues to consider How to plan

3. Current UCAS Application Situation 4% increase in applications for 2014 Numbers of offers being made is up across UK Tuition fee remains at £9000 max per year

4. What is the University experience?

5. The University Experience

6. What Do Employers Want? Want? • Some careers require a specific degree; many do not - Vocational v Subject Degree? • 1st class degree or 2:1 plus…… • Transferable skills • Personal attributes • Work experience

7. What Skills? What Skills? Time management Leadership Cultural sensitivity IT competent Project management Entrepreneurial Second language? • Team working • Communication Skills • Customer focus • Problem solving • Managing own learning • Networking • Commercial insight

8. Graduate salaries • 2013 starting salary – median £29 000 • Most generous: - Investment banks £40 000 - Law firms £38 400 - Consulting firms £35 000

9. ‘A degree is no longer a meal ticket to your future but merely a licence to hunt.’ Linsey Perry, Head of Graduate Recruitment, Network Rail

10. Just Tell Me What, Where and When! You have to do the research You will be studying your chosen course for 3+ years You will be living in the place you choose You will use this degree to find a job

11. What To Study? No idea? Morrisby or try www.ukcoursefinder.com School subject – non-vocational/generalist Professional/vocational – specialist New subject? American Studies? Disaster Management? Geology? Journalism? Food Science? Anthropology? Spoilt for choice – 300 + institutions, 1100 subjects; 50 000 courses!

12. Diversity of Related Courses The University of Manchester

13. Choosing a Course – content/structure • Similar sounding courses may differ - core, options • Single, combined, sandwich, work placements • Teaching methods, lectures, tutorials, seminars, staff ratios, assessment methods • Professional accreditation and eligibility • Study abroad options

14. Choosing a Course - Qualifications A Levels A* = 140 AS = Half A = 120 B = 100 Music/drama grades 6,7,8 C = 80 (5-75 points) D = 60 E = 40 Check GCSE requirements

15. Which University or College? • ‘Best’ University – reputation, league tables www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk • Teaching quality, employability figures, student satisfaction rates http://unistats.direct.gov.uk • Scholarships and bursaries

16. Which University or College? Practical considerations Academic facilities Location Campus v city Transport links Leisure facilities Accommodation Cost of living Try to visit – www.opendays.com

18. What next?

19. Graduate career prospects

20. UCAS Application Procedure (Online) Personal details Additional information Choices Education Employment Personal statement School will then add a reference

21. UCAS Timeline • 1 September 2014 – 15 January 2015 • 15 October for Oxford, Cambridge and also medicine, dentistry & vet science courses • 5 choices (4 choices for medicine, dentistry & vet science applicants) • Simultaneous consideration; Universities cannot see other choices • Application fee of £23 for 2 – 5 choices (£12 for single choice) • Decisions should be through from Universities March/April 2015 – offers are conditional and applicants able to hold up to 2 offers

22. Sometimes additional requirements… • Admissions Tests • LNAT, BMAT, UKCAT – check registration & deadline dates • Subject specific & HEI own tests • Interviews – individual and group • Audition – music & performing arts • Portfolio – e.g. art & design, architecture • Submission of written work

23. What Happens Next? • Replies – conditional offers • No offers? UCAS ‘Extra’ runs from Feb 15 • April – hold 2 conditional offers : - ‘Firm’ (if you meet the conditions, you will be placed) - ‘Insurance’ (back up choice) • August – results time – confirmation of place or ‘Clearing’ Be available on results day!

24. Tips • Look widely before deciding • Short list – 5 choices • Choose courses with a similar theme • Apply for a range in terms of grades • No order of preference • Can only apply for EITHER Oxford or Cambridge

25. Personal Statement Your personal statement should cover 3 key areas: • Why you want to study the course • What you have done that makes you a suitable applicant • What else you have done that makes you an interesting and unique individual who will contribute to the course and the University community

26. The 75 % + rule • At least 75% of the personal statement should be about academic interests, motivation and strengths with 25% or less on the skills developed through extra curricular activities • ‘I don’t care how many Duke of Edinburgh awards they’ve got, I don’t care if they’ve been out in Africa curing lepers ..... all I want to know is whether they have a burning desire to study history’ Anonymous admissions tutor

27. Academic Reasons for course choice What you enjoy about the subjects currently studied Evidence of your study skills (wider reading and development as an independent learner) Check that your interests and achievements match the university entry profile requirements Relevant work experience and job shadowing Career aspirations Gap year plans (if relevant to course choice)

28. The 25 % section How your involvement in extra curricular activities, special achievements or significant responsibilities have helped you develop transferable skills Work experience, job shadowing and employment (if not directly relevant to course choice) Gap year plans (if not directly relevant to course choice) Any special circumstances

29. H • Activity – what have you done • Benefit – what you gained from the activity • Course – relate the activity and the benefit to your course The A B C Rule

30. Tips on writing an effective Personal Statement • Start early – summer term of Year 12 • Good opening paragraph • Good concluding paragraph • Do not start every paragraph with ‘I’ • Simple, concise English, using strong words • Plan, draft, redraft and check

31. Extract from UCAS press release 800 medical applications had personal statements containing phrase directly borrowed from three online example statements. Some elements of sentences were found to be remarkably common: 370 contained a statement starting with: “…a fascination for how the human body works...“ 234 contained a statement relating a dramatic incident involving "...burning a hole in pyjamas at age eight...“ 175 contained a statement which involved "...an elderly or infirm grandfather..."

32. Gap year? • What do you want to achieve? • What skills do you want to develop? • Types of programmes. Costs? Variety. • Deferred entry – attitude of university department? • Futurewise Fairs • Gap section on Futurewise webspace

33. Student Finance • Tuition fee loan - pays for course • Maintenance loan and grant – help with living costs (accommodation, bills, books etc…..) • Loans are paid back . Grants are not paid back • Pay 9% of any income over £21 000 www.gov.uk/student-finance/overview

34. How Can Parents Help? Use the Parents section of UCAS website (Parents’ newsletter) Attend Open Days – different perspective Support management of the UCAS application Double check and proof read! Financial assistance – train tickets home! Try to remain impartial

35. Study Abroad • As part of your UK degree • Degree programme outside of the UK • Time in industry and University abroad • Cultural experience. • Language skills • Life skills www.britishcouncil.org/higher-education/uk-students-abroad

36. Study Abroad • Usually direct application • www.braintrack.com • USA: www.fulbright.co.uk • Australia: www.idp.com • New Zealand: www.nzvcc.ac.nz • Canada: www.aucc.ca • Ireland: www.cao.ie • Europe: www.eunicas.co.uk

37. Opportunities to Study Abroad 1269 courses 21 subjects 354 Universities 24 countries Many taught in English Internationally recognised qualifications Tuition and living costs can be cheaper than the UK Enhanced employability skills

38. AStarFuture www.astarfuture.co.uk