WHERE NEXT?

SUMMER / AUTUMN 2015

Farmor’s School

Sixth Form

POST A-LEVEL OPTIONS

Support for Tough Decisions

26th March 2013: UWE UCAS Convention

• 9th May Study Leave Starts

• 18th June EPQ Trip / Post A Level Info

• 19th June Oxbridge Trip

• 20th June Careers Day: Job applications, interviews, careers guidance.

• 19th June Careers Fair: careers guidance and routes

• 23rd June Lessons resume

• Specific Support for Medicine:

• 29th April: Dare to be a Doctor

• 6th May: Medical Society Meeting on Work Experience

• 9th July Hunterian Museum Visit

Starting Point:

What are you interested in?

‘Nothing works unless you do’

Common Threads to all routes:

•Finance advice•How to sell Yourself: personal statements and letter of introduction

•References

•Personal advice and guidance from tutors

•Personalised pathways

WHAT THE UCAS FORM ENTAILS

Personal details

Education history and results

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.

University provides students with 3 or more years to think about what career they want to go into.

Students can develop a range of skills that provide a strong foundation for employment

A university degree is flexible and provides access to a range of careers; apprenticeships only focus on one particular profession.

INTRODUCTION – WHY APPLY ?

WHY NOT TO APPLY NOW

Really no idea of course / career

University is not for you.

School leaver programmes offer routes into professions like accountancy, law, retail, IT, banking.

You will not have debt to deal with.

First hand experience through working with professionals.

You can gain professional qualifications and get paid for it.

OVERVIEW

A

massive choice: 50,000+ possible courses at over 325

institutions reduced to a maximum of five

O

xbridge Deadline: 15/10/14

M

edical deadline: 15/10/14

U

CAS deadline: 15/1/14

WHAT IF I WANT A GAP YEAR ?

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

What if I apply for 2015 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

OFFERSOFFERS

a points offer: eg. 280 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 & INSTITUTIONSA vast

amount of information available:

T

utors / Sixth Form Management Team

T

eachers, friends, parents

H

E/Careers days / Open Days

W

ebsites:

L

iterature from institutions, careers guides.

P

rospects Careers Advisor

WEBSITES w

ww.ucas.co.ukw

ww.fasttomato.comw

ww.apprenticeships.org.ukw

ww.gapyear.comw

ww.thetimes100.co.ukw

ww.notgoingtouni.co.ukw

ww.yini.org.ukw

ww.unistats.com

HOW TO CHOOSE A UNIVERSITY

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

Distance from homeWhat is the optimum

Campus or City UniversityWhat’s the difference?

The UniversityTeaching facilities & Study facilities etc.

AccommodationCost and availability

Make the most of Open Days

Entry Requirements : Be realistic

Course Content / Structure

Methods of Teaching and Assessment

Career Opportunities / Intentions

Tuition Fees, Scholarships, Bursaries & Grants

Interest

Type of Degree: Foundation / HonoursSingle / Joint

Opportunities to Specialise

Duration of Course

Sandwich / Industrial Placements

Subject Specific Open Days

How to Choose

a Course

OTHER PLACESB

ooksT

he Times Good University Guide T

he Guardian University Guide T

he Heap Guides – Course Offers / DetailsT

he Virgin Alternative GuideT

he UCAS DirectoriesO

pen Daysw

ww.opendays.com

The Guardian

STUDENT FINANCE

4

prongs

M

aintenance Grant

S

tudent Loans to cover Maintenance / Living Costs

L

oans to cover Variable Tuition Fees

S

ponsorships / Bursaries / Discounts / Offers in Kind

RE-PAYABLE LOANS

A

fee loan to cover all fees up to £9000

M

aintenance Loan between £3610-£5555

R

epayable when earning reach £21K p.a.

W

ritten off after 30 years.

I

nterest is charged.

STUDENT LOAN FOR MAINTENANCE

6

5% available to everyone regardless of parental income

3

5% dependant on parental income

A

nnual Amount but allocated termly

H

igher figures if attending London universities

STUDENT LOANS

FREE MONEY

Maintenance Grant for

households earning less

than £42600 up to £3387

DISCOUNTS / SCHOLARSHIPS /

BURSARIES

You 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 …

M

any people do it

C

an be a very costly mistake

D

o everything you can do make sure you choose the right uni / course

I

f you’re not sure: DON’T GO! University will still be there in years to

come.

THE APPLY SYSTEM

S

tudents will be applying online

T

his enables UCAS applications to be done at home

T

raining to be given in school• They will receive a guidebook and full support• Lunchtime drop-ins available throughout the autumn term

ENTRY TESTSB

MAT: for Medicine, Veterinary & Pharmacology at Cambridge, Oxford, Royal Veterinary College, UCL, Imperial - £42.50 (2013)

Test is 5th November. Apply by the 15th October.

UKCAT: Medicine – testing £65

Booking opens 1st May– testing begins on 1st July – 3rd 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

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 applications

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 / applications / career choices

‘Gentle’ encouragement

WHO GOES?6

0% of current Y13 have applied.

9

2.9% of those who applied last year were successful (national average 73.2%)

7

8.6% offer rate to Russell Group (national average 57.9%)

5

8.5% of students last year went to Russell group Universities.

1

student went to Oxford; 6 gained places at Med / Vet School;

O

ther routes included apprenticeships, gap years, employment.

E

very year group is different.

THANK YOU

… ANY QUESTIONS?