Selecting the Right University Course: A Comprehensive Guide

1. Summary • Use the UCAS website to search for courses • Visit opendays.com for a list of visiting opportunities • Do something you enjoy but think ahead • Don’t do something or go somewhere unless your 100% sure • Be true to yourself!

2. CHOOSING THE RIGHT COURSE AND UNIVERSITY

3. Todays talk • Entering the workplace • Benefits of going to university • Choosing the right course • Choosing the right university • An introduction to the UCAS website

4. Entering the workplace • Many professions have become graduates only and require a degree • A more competitive job market • A graduate is likely to earn £100,000 more over their working life (compared to someone who leaves with 2 or more A levels).

5. Benefits of university • Study • Increase your knowledge • Time management • Employability • Earn more • Enjoy your job • Transferrable skills • Self development • Make new friends

6. So where do you start?

7. Types of courses • Foundation degree • Fast track honours degree • Honours degree • BA, BSc, BEd, BEng, BMBS • 3 years or 4 years sandwich degree • Some are 5+ years • Can progress onto Masters degree or PhD

8. A variety of courses to suit every interest • Theatre and Performance • Robotics • Media Arts • Architecture • Wildlife Conservation • Nursing • Mechanical Engineering • Illustration • Environmental science • Marketing

9. Choosing the right course • Over 39,000 courses at over 300 institutions in the UK • Specialise in one or several of your A level subjects • Try something new • Pursue a passion

10. Career vs. Passion • Vocational courses • Nursing, Architecture, Teaching • Learn specialist skills • Placement focussed • Lead into specific careers • Non vocational courses • Humanities, Business • No specific career path • Transferrable skills for employment

11. Things to consider • Do I know enough about the course? • Will I enjoy studying the course? • What are the teaching and assessment methods? • What job can I get at the end of it? • Can I meet the entry requirements? • Can I study a minor? • How many places are available?

12. Choosing the right university What are the three most important things to consider when choosing a university?

13. Top answers… • Location • It has the right course for me • A nice campus • Good facilities • Good reputation • It has a wide range of clubs and societies • It’s close to home/it’s far from home! • Great atmosphere • Nice accommodation

14. Research you can do • UCAS website • University websites • UCAS convention • UK course finder (www.ukcoursefinder.com) • Prospectus • Open days • Word of mouth • Careers library • League tables • Student satisfaction survey • Online blogs/networking sites

15. Using the UCAS website

16. Searching for courses

17. Searching for courses

18. Searching for courses

19. Searching for courses

20. Top tips for getting it right! • Start thinking now about what you want to do in the future • Look online for entry requirements for jobs that interest you • Do research about the degree/industry you are interested in • Pursue your interests – not others!

21. UCAS AND PERSONAL STATEMENTS

22. Todays talk • Information on the UCAS process • Using the UCAS website • Tips for writing your personal statement

23. What is UCAS? • Universities and Colleges Admission Service • UCAS is the “go between” between the institution and the applicant • UCAS records all decisions made about you • Online service so can be accessed from any computer

24. What are the UCAS deadlines?

25. How can I prepare to apply?

26. What happens to my application? If applying to Plymouth you will receive an automated email response - this will detail what happens next. Check email account regularly to check for important communication.

27. Your application form

28. Course choices

29. Course choices

30. The personal statement

31. Where should I start? • Firstly, everyone is different! • Think honestly about yourself – what makes you special, interesting or unique? • Map out your ideas then build up paragraphs • Writing about yourself is not something you do often • Expect to write several drafts

32. What should I put in it? • 75% covering academic interests, motivation and strengths • 25% covering the skills developed that are not directly relevant to the course

33. How should I structure it? • Think of ABC when writing: • Activity Benefit Course • Activity: being a peer mentor • Benefit: Teamwork, communication skills, leadership, commitment, time management • Course: Group assignments, putting across your ideas, good time keeping for lectures and fieldtrips, work/life balance, responsibility

34. What do I have to offer?

35. What are universities looking for? • A well structured and thought out personal statement • Why you are suitable for the subject area and what sort of person you are • Evidence for the things that you say about yourself, always related back to your course choice • Examples that show you have motivation and commitment to complete your course

36. Top 10 opening sentences through UCAS 2010 • I am currently studying a BTEC National Diploma in.. • From a young age I have always been interested in.. • From an early age I have always been interested in.. • Nursing is a very challenging and demanding career.. • For as long as I can remember I have been fascinated with... • “Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only”... • Nursing is a profession I have always looked upon with... • For as long as I can remember I have been interested in... • I am an International Academy student and have been studying since.. • Academically, I have always been a very determined and... 464 309 292 275 196 189 178 166 141 138

37. Opening sentence “Lights, camera, action!’ – just saying the words sends me into a whirl of excitement about all the possibilities that await me after studying Film” “I first became interested in Physiotherapy when I was sat in the waiting room of the West Cornwall A&E after my sister was recovering from a broken pelvis” “Seeing a Reef Shark off the coast of Australia first sparked my passion for anything from the marine world. Instead of swimming away – I swam closer, I was fascinated”

38. Final tips • Admissions tutors are very busy people • Be factual, concise and relevant • Get it proof read • Be interesting and passionate • Sell yourself on paper, many won’t get a course interview • The best applicant is an early applicant

39. Finishing your application • Reference • Check all details • Cannot continue to the pay/send section until you have completed all other sections • £22 for 2 to 5 choices • £11 for 1 choice • Keep a hard copy • Apply for your financial support

40. UCAS track • You will need your Personal ID and the same username and password you used in Apply • Enables you to follow the progress of your application 24/7 • It is the quickest way to find out about new offers • You can reply to offers online

41. Decisions • Applicants can then keep a maximum of two offers: • Firm choice • Insurance choice • Any remaining offers must be declined • Admissions tutors can make one of three decisions: • Conditional offer • Unconditional offer • Unsuccessful

42. UCAS extra • If you have used all 5 choices and aren’t holding any offers you can apply for a course (if there are vacancies) through UCAS Extra • This will appear on UCAS Track • Apply from end of February until the end of June • The course search will tell you which courses have vacancies • Contact the university/college first to see if they will consider your application • Once a course is chosen, enter details into Track and UCAS will send your application direct to the institution. www.ucas.com/students/offers/extra

43. Results day! • Check UCAS track to confirm your place • You can call your university to confirm your place • Clearing: opens on A level results day in August • Re-sits

44. Further information www.ucas.com www.ucas.tv www.plymouth.ac.uk/applicantjourney