Farmor’s Sixth Form Where Next? Applying to HE Summer / Autumn 2012.

Farmor’s Sixth Form

Where Next?

Applying to HE

Summer / Autumn 2012

Post A-Level Options

University Employment Apprenticeship GAP Year Vocational Training Internship (experience with little

remuneration)

Introduction – Why apply ?

Have Fun Love of Learning Friends Get Away To Grow up

To develop important transferable skills

Initial employability Improving career

prospects Course range &

flexibility To pursue career goal

Why NOT to apply NOW

Really no idea of course / career University is not for you – don’t kid

yourself Financial – is this a valid reason? Not utilising your strengths Aspirations lie elsewhere

When ? What ? April 5th Cirencester HE convention

(Open Days begin in March)

March-July Connexions interviews where relevant

June / July HE/Careers Days – after AS exams Mock Interviews – early July Subject specific careers lessons Oxbridge / Medicine / Law / Veterinary prep

Sept./October UCAS forms completed (ongoing support) Online applications - APPLY School Deadline: Friday 18th November Oxbridge Deadline: 14th October Medicine / Dentistry / Veterinary: 14th October

October onwards Offers, Open Days, talks, make acceptances etc.

February Update on Loans / Student Finance evening UCAS Extra

31 March Universities to have replied to all applications made by 14th January (some maybe later)

4th May Students must reply to offers by this date: select firm choice and insurance choice

June Exams

August Results / Confirmation / Clearing

The Process

Overview

A massive choice: 50,000+ possible courses at over 325 institutions reduced to a maximum of five

Approximately 8 months to make choices – but the earlier the better

A combination of practical, personal and academic factors

What if I want a Gap Year ?

Finances Generally well received by universities Usually best to apply now and defer – where

will you be in October/November next year ? Odd courses do not defer entry – watch out Ask yourself ‘why do I want a Gap Year?’ What if I apply for 2012 and then decide I want

a gap year?

The UCAS tariffAS level A level Points

A* 140 A 120 B 100 C 80

A D 60

B 50

C E 40

D 30 E 20

OFFERS

Still vary between:

• a points offer: eg. 340 points and

• a grades offer eg. BBC

Some offers include AS grade, others do not - BEWARE

Choosing courses and institutions

A vast amount of information available: Tutors / Sixth Form Management Team Teachers Parents Connexions PA Library – Books HE/Careers days Websites Literature from institutions, careers guides and UCAS. Higher Education Convention – UWE Open Days UCAS Applications – Student Guide

5th April HE Day

109 seminars on different aspects of post A level options.

Only £4 Includes University information on a vast

range of courses as well as Oxbridge, Medicine and vocational options.

How to Choose a University& make the most of Open DaysCampus or City UniversityWhat’s the difference?

The UniversityTeaching facilitiesStudy facilities etc.

AccommodationHow much university accommodation available

Student LifestyleSocial Life / Clubs & Societies / Cost / Sporting facilities

Distance from homeWhat is the optimum

QualityLeague Tables – more info to come

How to Choose a Course Interest

Type of QualificationFoundation / HonoursSingle / Joint

Opportunities to Specialise

Duration of Course

Sandwich / Industrial Placements

Subject Specific Open Days

Entry RequirementsBe realistic

Course Content / Structure

Methods of Teaching and Assessment

Career Opportunities / Intentions

Tuition Fees, Scholarships, Bursaries & Grants

Employment opportunities

Choosing Courses and Institutions

The Internet

www.ucas.ac.uk :UCAS – One Stop Shop(University Clearing and Admissions Service)

www.prospects.ac.uk - where your subjects may take you

Use the Stamford Test – On the UCAS website. Gives some initial ideas - FREE

Choosing Courses and Institutions

Books The Times Good University Guide The Guardian University Guide The Heap Guides – Course Offers / Details The Virgin Alternative Guide The UCAS Directories Open Days How many to go to? How to make the best of them? www.opendays.com

University League Tables Existed since 1993 The Guardian / The Times / the Complete University Guide Many indicators used often taken from common sources

(HEFCE) Can be useful but beware! The Guardian results based on more current information

Unistats www.unistats.com

Benefits from being student centred and current (2010 results currently being displayed)

The Russell Group Universities

University of Birmingham University of Bristol University of Cambridge Cardiff University University of Edinburgh University of Glasgow Imperial College London King's College London University of Leeds University of Liverpool London School of Economics & Political S

cience

University of Manchester Newcastle University University of Nottingham University of Oxford Queen's University Belfast University of Sheffield University of Southampton University College London University of Warwick 

Likely to demand higher qualifications

Oxbridge require at least 8 A* grades at GCSE as well as A*AA at A level.

Competition can be higher in popular courses.

Money MattersStudent Finance

4 prongs Maintenance Grant Student Loans to cover Maintenance /

Living Costs Loans to cover Variable Tuition Fees Sponsorships / Bursaries / Discounts /

Offers in Kind

Money MattersMaintenance Grant – ‘Free Money’

Maximum grant of £2906 pa Based on Household Income Below income of £25,000 = £2906 grant £25,000 – £50,020 = Partial maintenance

grant

Non-repayable – NOT part of loan system

THIS MAY CHANGE AS A RESULT OF TUITION FEE INCREASES

Money MattersStudent loan for Maintenance

72% available to everyone regardless of parental income 28% dependant on parental income Annual Amount but allocated termly Higher figures if attending London universities

Eg. for a non London university living away from home£3564 approx– not based on parental income£1386 approx – based on parental income

Potential Maximum Student Loan: £4950 (London - £6928)

Approx £145 per week during term time

Money MattersVariable Tuition Fees

Maximum of £9000 per year (England) No-upfront payment – annual loan is added to

final debt Payment is paid automatically by ‘Student

Finance England’ to the University Sandwich courses: For year away tuition fee

often lower UCAS website details www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance

Money MattersTotal Debt & Repayment£9000 tuition fee pa £27000£3564 Maintenance Loan £10692Total Debt £37692

Repayment based on earnings after graduation (this was the old picture… what will it be now?)

Under £15000 – No repayment£16000 - £7 per month£18000 - £22 per month£21000 - £45 per month£55000 - £300 per month

Written off after 25 years Rate of Interest linked to Inflation

Some facts….

The difference in gross hourly earnings (full-time workers) between graduates and those educated to A-level is 47%.

The average lifetime earnings of a graduate is £160,000 more than those of a non-graduate with two A-levels.

Within this average there is a range from £340,315 for medical and dental graduates to £51,549 for a humanities degree and £34,949 for an arts degree.

Money MattersDiscounts / Scholarships / Bursaries

With increased tuition fees all universities are tasked to encourage less wealthy students to attend. They do this through:Discounts – likely for shortage subjects (Cash Sum)Scholarships – to encourage able studentsBursaries – for low-income / disadvantaged students.Students receiving full maintenance grant and paying full tuition fee will receive a bursary of at least £319Offers in Kind – free laptops / rent rebates / sports memberships etcLook for specific offers at your chosen Universities; ask at open days. Get the highest grades you can.

Choosing the wrong course / uni …

Many people do it Can be a very costly mistake Do everything you can do make sure

you choose the right uni / course

“I’m too good to be rejected”

An applicant for History

“I can accept the rejection from Cambridge, as so many able students apply, but I could not understand why I was rejected by the other universities” (Durham, Edinburgh, York),

The Times, 9th May 2005.

Applicants Offers Entrants

Cambridge 806 297 198

Durham 2026 499 116

Edinburgh 1683 481 136

Warwick 1400 450 95

Competition

23% increase in applications 200,000 more students applying than 4

years ago No increase in places and £449 million

cut in HE funding Popular courses at top universities have

had up to 20 applicants per place Higher offers and increased numbers of

unsuccessful applications

HOW TO GET IN?The UCAS Form

Basic Information 5 Course Choices – Unis can NOT see

other choices made Personal Statement Reference – From Subjects / Put

together by the tutor

The APPLY system

Students will be applying online This enables UCAS applications to be

done at home Training to be given in the summer term

They will receive a guidebook and full support

Entry Tests BMAT: for Medicine, Veterinary & Pharmacology at Cambridge, Oxford, Royal

Veterinary College, UCL, Imperial - £21.50 (2009) Test on the 2nd November. Apply by the 30th September.

UKCAT: Medicine - £60Aberdeen, Queen Mary (Barts and The London), Birmingham (graduates only), Brighton and Sussex, Dundee, Durham, East Anglia, Edinburgh, Glasgow, King's College, Hull and York, Imperial (graduates only), Keele, Leeds, Leicester, Warwick (graduates only), Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, Oxford (graduates only), Exeter and Plymouth (Peninsula), St. George's, Sheffield, Southampton, St. Andrew's, Cardiff, Queens (Belfast)

Book by 24th September – taken at a Pearson test centre

LNAT: for Law at Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Durham, Glasgow, Kings, Leeds, Nottingham, Oxford, UCL - £40

Other Entry tests – for example: Maths @ Cambridge, History @ Oxford, Natural Sciences @ Cambridge

ROLES

Role of the Student Carry out research – and get going NOW Work Hard – it’s a competitive world Ask for help

Role of the tutor Provide support and guidance with personal statements Check forms / personal statements Write the reference Monitor offers / rejections Primary source of advice

Head and Assistant Head of Sixth Form Check all Personal Statements & References Guidance & Support

Parents’ Role Open days ‘Gentle’ encouragement

And now?

Refreshments by PTA Information about Student Finance. Information about Gap Years. Prospectuses for Universities. Open Days on Notice board. Information on Connexions / Year in

Industry etc. Information about 5th April HE Day

Thank you

… any questions?