Higher Education Evening

1. Higher Education Evening 10 July 2014

2. Post A Level Possibilities • Higher Education 2015 entry If taking a Year out / Gap Year – will have to make the decision to either apply for • 2015 entry but defer entry until 2016 or • 2016 entry during the gap year/year out

3. How does EN help? • March - Personal Tutor discussions in tutorials • June - Higher Education Convention at Norwich • June - UCAS Apply Registration • 3 July Cambridge visit • 8 July UEA workshops on Personal Statements • 15 September Student Finance England in College • 17 September - UCS workshop on Health related Personal Statements • UCAS information on Moodle and delivered in tutorial e.g. writing personal statements, completing the application form

4. What should students be doing? • Researching courses and universities UCAS (excellent information about courses) www.ucas.ac.uk Students can complete a study interests questionnaire or they can find courses that best match their requirements www.ukcoursefinder.com/ Unistats (comparing Universities) www.unistats.direct.gov.uk/ The Scholarship Hub enables students to search for UK scholarships, grants or bursaries to help ease their way through university www.thescholarshiphub.org.uk Free and independent way to search and compare UK degree courses and universities www.university.which.co.uk

5. Course • Interest and enjoyment • Employment • Single or Joint Honours • Sandwich Year • Content and Structure • Assessment

6. Entrance Requirements • Required subjects • Grades in specific subjects or overall points score • Entrance Test • Non academic requirements e.g. work experience

7. Required A Levels • Generally speaking all A levels are acceptable for university entry but it can depend on the course or individual university. • Very important to look at the entry requirements for each university.

8. Points or Grades? • Some universities ask for grades, including A* e.g. History at Cambridge requires A*AA • Most do not ask for A* grades e.g. York requires AAA for History, Keele requires ABB • Some ask for points e.g. History at Nottingham Trent requires 260 points • Points are calculated using the UCAS Tariff: A* = 140, A = 120, B = 100, C = 80, D = 60, E = 40 • UCAS Tariff gives details of the points awarded to L3 BTEC qualifications

9. Admissions Tests LNAT Law BMAT Medicine/Vet Science UKCAT Medicine/Dentistry TSA*Cambridge & Oxford Colleges For Oxford there are also several other tests e.g. ELAT English, HAT History, CAT Classics * Thinking Skills Assessment

10. Choosing a University • Type – campus or city • Location – distance from home • Accommodation • Facilities – sport, clubs • Reputation/selector or recruiter • Scholarships and bursaries • Learning Support

11. Studying Abroad • Some degrees offer a year abroad, typically Languages or American (or other cultural) Studies • Alternatively students can apply to study in Europe or America (www.fulbright.org.uk)

12. How do students apply? On-line through UCAS – the Universities Central Admissions Service • £23 or £12 fee • Maximum 5 choices • No order of preference On-line through CUKAS for Music Conservatoires (except Guildhall) Direct to Acting and Dancing schools e.g. RADA

13. The UCAS Form • Personal details • Qualifications achieved e.g. GCSEs, AS levels/BTECs • Qualifications to be achieved e.g. A levels/BTECs • Personal Statement • Reference

14. Key Dates • CUKAS: 1 October • Oxford/Cambridge/Medic/Vet Science /Dentistry: 15 October 2014 (18.00hrs) • Others: 15 January 2015 (18.00hrs) Internal Deadlines are earlier • Oct 2014 – March/April 2015: Students receive offers • May 2015: ‘Firm’ and ‘Insurance’ decisions made • Results: 13 August 2015 (provisional)

15. College Procedure • Student sees Personal Tutor for checking of application form and help with Personal Statement. • When ready student makes an appointment to see their Senior Tutor. • Senior Tutor circulates reference to subject teachers of the student. • Personal Tutor collates the reference. • Senior Tutor completes the reference and sends to UCAS

16. How do Universities choose? • Must be predicted the required grades for the course • Personal Statement must show evidence of • enthusiasm and motivation for the course • understanding of the course • additional reading • special commitment, work experience, attendance at lectures, organising clubs etc • the students must demonstrate what they have gained from their current courses (specific interests, skills etc)

17. How do Universities choose? • Reference – written in collaboration between all teachers, Personal Tutor and Senior Tutor • Tests e.g. BMAT, LNAT where appropriate • Interview, where invited

18. Offers

19. Replies • Made when heard from all 5 choices • Two choices can be held CF conditional offer firmly accepted CI conditional insurance offer • The rest are declined

20. No Offers • Students can pick up an additional choice through Extra which goes live in February or • Students can go through clearing in August after the results are published

21. Common Mistakes • Lack of research – applying for courses without the correct qualifications/subjects • Applying for courses where the entry requirements are much higher than the predicted grades • Applying/Personal Statement left until the last minute • Applying to universities they do not want to go to • Not having a proper insurance offer

22. Where do EN students go? Top ten universities EN students went to in 2012

23. What do EN students study?