Applying to Higher Education

1. Applying to Higher Education Janet Warne External Relations Executive

2. Introduction and an overview of UCAS statistics

3. Setting the scene 300+ 40,000+

4. 2010 acceptances by degree subject Source UCAS 21 Oct 2010

5. All stats available on line via: ‘About us’ and ‘Media enquiries’

6. Implications of increased applicants • The obvious – many ‘good applicants’ do not achieve their goals • Snowball effect each year – (until 2012?) • Changes in admissions practices – including number of offers down

7. 2011 stats from 31 Jan 2011

8. The UCAS journey Potential applicant conducts research 1 Registers online with UCAS Apply 2 Completes form and processes payment 3 Academic reference added by school/college 4 School/college sends form electronically to UCAS 5 UCAS processes form and forwards to chosen HEIs 6 HEIs submit decisions (offer or unsuccessful) 7 Applicant views decisions on Track 8 Applicant replies to offers on Track (Firm / Insurance) 9 HEIs confirm places when results are released 10

9. Key features of admissions scheme • Maximum of 5 choices • Some choice restrictions: • Medicine, Veterinary, Dentistry – max 4 choices • Oxford or Cambridge • Simultaneous consideration • ‘Invisibility’ • Fee for 2011 - £21 or £11 for single choice • Fee for 2012 - £22 or £11 for single choice

10. Important dates • 15 October: • Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary and Oxbridge applications • 15 January: • Deadline for all courses except those with 15 October and 24 March deadline • 24 March: • Deadline for some art and design courses However a school may give earlier deadlines

11. STEP 1 Research

12. Research • Paper • Big Map • Prospectus • Books • On-line • Course search • Unistats • Universities websites • Experiential • Fairs • Open days • Taster days

13. New UCAS Guide

14. STEP 2 -6 Applying

15. Easy access to the application form

17. What information is required on Apply? Applicants are asked to complete the following sections: Personal Details Additional Information (UK applicants only) Choices Education Employment Personal Statement Having checked the above, referee will then add: A Reference

18. Some parts are not mandatory

19. Additional information – UK address

21. Individualised text for course choices – provided by HEIs e.g. Admissions test / campus/start date

22. STEP 7 Offers

23. University and college decisions • Admissions tutors can make one of three decisions: • Conditional Offer • Unconditional Offer • Unsuccessful • Applicants then keep a maximum of two offers: • Firm • Insurance • Any remaining offers must be declined

24. If no offers received…UCAS Extra • Now operates from 26 February to the end of June • Applicants eligible for Extra: • Used all 5 choices • All choices unsuccessful, cancelled or offers declined • Course vacancies listed on UCAS website • Allows additional single choices, entered and considered one at a time

25. Implications of increased applications • Tariff offers increasing • Tariff offers including specific subjects / grades • Tariff excluding subjects /qualifications

26. Further implications for offers HEIs making more specific offers: • Conditions to be met by a certain date stated • If qualifications have to be met from one sitting • If resits are not accepted • Gathered field • Understanding entry requirement v offer • Insurance

27. STEP 10 Results

28. Confirmation 1.Exam results are issued 2. Admissions staff check if the applicant has matched the conditions of the offer 3. If yes, the applicant will be sent an official confirmation of their place 4. Time to celebrate!!

29. E-clearing… • 2010 = 46,248 placed applicants • -2% decrease on 2009 Applicant placed on course

30. 2012Application fee Course fees Additional characters Contextual data

31. 2012 Course Search • May 2011 - Course Search goes live (without fee information) • June 2011 - Apply goes live for registration • Early July 2011 - Course fees up-dated on Course Search • September 2011 - Apply goes live for applications

32. 2011 Course Fees – No change • England £3290 • Wales £3290 • NI £3290 • Scotland £1820 Implications for deferred entrants?

33. Fees 2012? • England • £6,000 - £9,000 • If over £6,000 – show how some of the additional income is used in making progress in WP • HEIs have not declared their fees to date • Wales • Basic tuition fees £6,000 - £9000 per annum • The assembly government will meet the cost of extra fees for students from Wales attending any UK university. • NI – will possibly follow England (has said cannot follow Wales) • Scotland • One option in the Green Paper (17 Dec) – students from England pay £6,500 • No decision expected until after elections in May

34. 2012 Contextual data

35. Contextual data

36. Contextual Data – UCAS involvement • Increase in use of contextual data as part of selection process for higher education • Universities and colleges currently obtain information independently from a number of verified sources • Working group set up composed of schools, institutions, SPA and UCAS • Request to UCAS to provide central source of data collected from verified sources • Changes being implemented for 2012 entry

37. Collection of data by UCAS • Discussions with administrations in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland • Data will be supplied to UCAS on condition that institutions use it only for agreed purpose • Will be collected from UK Administrations annually • Matched to UCAS school and college reference data to enable linking to applicants

38. Data being provided • Data is variable between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland • School GCSE level performance • Average uncapped GCSE (and equivalent) per pupil (adjusted) • % of pupils achieving Level 2 threshold including 5 A*-C GCSE (including English/Welsh and Mathematics) • Average (mean) school ‘Best Eight’ GCSE performance • School A level performance • Average QCA points per qualification per entry • Average QCA points per qualification per student

39. Data being provided (cont.) • % of students entitled to free school meals by Local Authority in England • Lives in a low progression to higher education neighbourhood • This will be based on POLAR2 data linked to the applicant’s post code

40. Use of data by institutions • UCAS website will show which institutions are taking the data from UCAS • Each institution will provide/give a link to their policy on the use of contextual data • How data is used is the domain of the institutions • SPA have issued best practice advice

41. Personal Statements • Write it early • Write a few drafts • Keep it personal • Avoid lists • Use Entry Profiles • Remember invisibility

42. Personal Statements (2) Content • Insight into current studies • Unit information? • Motivation, aspirations, commitment • Subject • Career • Work experience • Hobbies, pastimes, interests • Reasons for deferred entry

43. Personal Statements (3) Structure • Skills, qualities, experiences – reflective and insightful • What applicant has done • What applicant has learnt • Why this is relevant to chosen subject / career • Structured, clear, concise, precise • Avoid waffle, slang and inappropriate language • Check Grammar and SpellingPLING

44. Personal statements – The ‘ABC’ RULE • Don’t just make lists of declarative statements Tourism & Leisure Chemistry A Activity Ability Captained football team Good communicator B Benefit Basis Leadership skills C Course Context Event management Experiment results

45. Personal statements (5) • Student’s opportunity to tell universities about their suitability for the course/s they have chosen to study • Should be relevant to all choices if possible • The admissions tutor will want to know the reasons why they connect with the subject: • Why does the subject interest them? • How they know it is right for them. • What elements of the subject they particularly enjoy and why?

46. Questions Janet Warne j.warne@ucas.ac.uk 01242 544653