Farmor’s Sixth Form

Where Next?

Summer / Autumn 2013

Post A-Level Options

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

remuneration)

When ? What ? March Open Days begin

March-July Careers interviews where relevant

11th-14th June Futures Week – after AS exams (includes UCAS advice and application induction; non-HE opportunities and seminars; Subject specific tutorials; cooking on a budget; finance etc) Oxbridge / Medicine / Law / Veterinary prep

Sept./October UCAS forms completed (ongoing support) Online applications - APPLY School Deadline: Friday 23rd November Oxbridge Deadline: 12th October Medicine / Dentistry / Veterinary: 12th October

October onwards Offers, Open Days, talks, etc.

February / March Update on Loans / Student Finance evening UCAS Extra

31 March Universities to have replied to all applications made by 18th January (some maybe later)

June Exams

August Results / Confirmation / Clearing

The Process

What the UCAS form entails

Personal details Education history and results (all U grades

now have to be recorded too) Employment history Choices (up to 5 for all courses except

medicine which have 4) Personal statement (4000 characters or 47

lines) Tutors then add predicted grades and a

reference.

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

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 2013 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

An offer example:

Psychology: This offer is subject to you obtaining grades AAA at A-Level in 3 subjects excluding General Studies. Obtain Grade B or above in GCSE Mathematics.

Business Management: This offer is subject to you obtaining A minimum total of 280 points, consisting of at least 220 points at A Level or equivalent; including a grade C or above in A-level Business Studies or Applied Business. COPE can be counted towards the overall score, but not towards the A level requirements.

Choosing courses and institutions

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

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

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 (2009 results currently being displayed)

The Guardian

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 £3250 pa Based on Household Income

Non-repayable – NOT part of loan system

Money MattersStudent loan for Maintenance

65% available to everyone regardless of parental income

35% dependant on parental income Annual Amount but allocated termly Higher figures if attending London

universities

The exact amount full-time students can borrow depends on:

your family’s income where you live what year of study you’re in what help you get through the Maintenance Grant You can also get student grants to help with living costs. Maximum Maintenance Loan rates for full-time

students  Where you live and study Maintenance Loan  You live at home £4375  You live away from home and study outside London £5500  You live away from home and study in London £7675  You spend a year of a UK course studying overseas £6535

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

Repayment of Student Loans

Money MattersTotal Debt & Repayment

£9000 tuition fee pa £27000

£5500 Maintenance Loan £16500

Total Debt £43500

BUT… Written off after 30 years Rate of Interest linked to Inflation

Money MattersDiscounts / Scholarships / BursariesYou may find some offers:Discounts – likely for shortage subjects (Cash Sum)

Scholarships – to encourage able students

Bursaries – for low-income / disadvantaged students.Students receiving full maintenance grant and paying full tuition fee will receive a bursary of at least £300

Offers in Kind – free laptops / rent rebates / sports memberships etc

Disability Allowance – specific support like a laptop for dyslexic students.

University of Bath…

Scholarship example

An applicant applies for a place on a degree scheme at Lancaster and receives a conditional offer (via UCAS) of a place provided that they achieve BBB at A-level. The applicant may be told that if they achieve grades of AAB or higher, and make Lancaster their firm choice, they will receive an Academic Scholarship of £1,000 per year.

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.

Applicants Offers Entrants

Cambridge 806 297 198

Durham 2026 499 116

Edinburgh 1683 481 136

Warwick 1400 450 95

Competition

9% drop in applications but mostly from older students.

More places, but for AAB or ABB students (so lower grades may get squeezed out).

Popular courses at top universities have had up to 20 applicants per place.

Course fees are still changing.

The APPLY system

Students will be applying online This enables UCAS applications to be

done at home Training to be given in Futures Week

They will receive a guidebook and full support

Lunchtime drop-ins available throughout the autumn term

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

Oxford, Royal Veterinary College, UCL, Imperial - £42.50 (2012) Test on the 7th November. Apply by the 30th September.

UKCAT: Medicine - £65 Book by 21st September – taken at a Pearson test centre

between 3rd July and 5th October.

LNAT: for Law at Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Durham, Glasgow, Kings, Leeds, Nottingham, Oxford, UCL - £50

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

Thank you

… any questions?