HIGHER EDUCATION INFORMATION

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• HIGHER EDUCATION INFORMATION

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Why choose higher education?

• Research shows that employers are primarily
  looking to recruit young people with
• a good knowledge base,
• sound communication skills
• the ability to work with others
• analyse problems
• think for themselves.
• Today's higher education courses are likely to
  give graduates a head start in all of these

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Why choose higher education?

• It is also important to realise that a higher
  education qualification is an absolute must for
  some vocational courses, such as medicine,
  dentistry, chartered engineering and
  architecture.

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Why choose higher education?

• Obtaining a higher education qualification
  improves career prospects and subsequently can
  enhance long-term financial success.
• Most experts would agree that the financial gains
  usually far outweigh any costs (for example,
  student loans) that are incurred in completing a
  higher education course.
• In a working lifetime university graduates are on
  average likely to earn 10,000 per year more
  than someone who hasnt been to university

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Qualifications

• Degree a three- or four-year course where
  graduates obtain a Bachelor's degree ,
  BA/BSc/BEng etc
• Foundation degree a two-year course for
  vocational subjects, starting at 'year 0', which
  prepares a student for an Honours degree top-up
  or employment
• Higher National Diploma a two-year course,
  which, if completed with high grades, can lead to
  the third year of a degree
• Diploma in health a three-year course
  specialising in health-related courses, e.g.
  midwifery and nursing

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Which Subject?

• Think beyond just carrying on a favourite
  subject. At higher education level, these core
  subjects branch out into more creative and varied
  courses an careers
• Talk to teachers, tutors, parents and friends.
  They are often good sources of honest advice
• Use www.ucas.com
• It has a database of every course in the UK which
  you can search

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Where?

• How far from home?
• Campus or town?
• Rural or urban?
• http//www.ucas.com/instit/index.html
• For a clickable map
• www.transportdirect.info
• For a journey plannerthink about travel times
  from home!

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When?

• Students planning to take a gap year.
• Apply using the deferred entry system. Use the
  support while still at school
• Avoid having to attend interviews during the gap
  year
• Some subjects discourage this eg Maths

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Timescales

• Main deadline dates
• 15 October deadline for applications to Oxford or
  Cambridge universities and for applications to
  medicine, dentistry and veterinary
  medicine/science
• 15 January the main deadline for all other
  applications, except art and design Route B
  (sequential)
• 24 March deadline for art and design Route B
  (sequential).

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Quality ratings

• League tables are available from
• www.unistats.com
• http//www.timesonline.co.uk/section/0,,716,00.htm
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• http//education.guardian.co.uk/universityguide200
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• The teaching grades are particularly important

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Completing an application

• Applying for higher education courses has never
  been easier all the information needed is
  available from www.ucas.com , through Apply, the
  online application system.
• Once completed, school provides a reference
  including predicted grades
• The whole file is submitted to UCAS who
  distribute it to all the choices

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How many choices?

• Students should choose 5 courses.
• Medicine, Dentistry Veterinary applicants are
  only allowed 4 choices
• You can only apply to one of Oxford or Cambridge

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What are the entry requirements?

• Listed in www.ucas.com or in the prospectus
• The more popular the course the higher the
  standard offer
• Grades or points equivalent
• Some courses such as teaching and healthcare
  require work experience.

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Points Tariff
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What can I apply for if I get estimated grades of
CCD at A level and my 4th AS at grade E?

• UCAS points
• A-level C 80 pts, D 60 pts
• AS level E 20 pts
• Total 80 80 60 20 240 pts
• Check! Some universities will only accept points
  from 3 A levels (18 Units)

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A sound approach
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The Personal Statement

• CONCISE only 47 lines so must not waffle
• Must be positive, enthusiastic and forward
  thinking
• UCAS The personal statement is the only part of
  the application where there is an opportunity to
  personalise the applicationa poorly written
  statement can be the crucial factor in a
  universitys decision
• They often need several drafts! Parents can
  really help here.

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The Personal Statement
What are admissions tutors looking for?

• Motivation why are they applying
• for higher education?
• for this course? Understand the qualities needed
  for the course
• Academic ability and potential
• If results so far dont demonstrate this, explain
  why
• how have current subjects affected their choice,
  what have they gained from them?
• overarching skills such as motivation, team
  working, communication, independence analytical
  thinking are vital
• Active interest in the subject
• hobbies/interests that are linked?
• Experience
• work shadowing in a relevant field, part-time
  jobs
• research current issues, read relevant
  publications

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Suggested layout

• 1 Why HE, why this subject?
• 2 Current studies
• 3 Experiences
• 4 Interests, responsibilities
• 5 Sum up paragraph, looking to the future

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Remember!

• Applications are treated on a first come first
  served basis. Early applications are essential
  for popular courses!
• 55 of applications come in in the final
  monthtoo competitive!

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Interviews Offers

• Some institutions and courses require interviews.
• Others make offers based on the application form,
  predicted grades and references
• Students will be given a reply date by UCAS once
  they have received all of their application
  outcomes.
• Applicants are allowed to hold 1 firm and 1
  insurance offer.

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A second chance

• UCAS Extra allows students who are holding no
  offers to apply for vacancies from March to June
• UCAS Clearing allows students who did not meet
  the terms of their offers to apply for courses
  after the A Level results are published

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Finally..

• Be there in person to collect results on 20th
  Aug 2009dont leave the country!
• Universities will contact students regarding
  accommodation etc

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