Where Next? Summer / Autumn 2015

1. Where Next? Summer / Autumn 2015 Farmor’s School Sixth Form

2. Post A-Level Options

3. 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

4. 20th June Careers Day: Job applications, interviews, careers guidance. • 19th June Careers Fair: careers guidance and routes • 23rd June Lessons resume

5. Specific Support for Medicine: • 29th April: Dare to be a Doctor • 6th May: Medical Society Meeting on Work Experience • 9th July Hunterian Museum Visit

6. Starting Point: What are you interested in? ‘Nothing works unless you do’

7. 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

8. 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.

9. Introduction – Why apply ? • 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.

10. 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.

11. Overview • A massive choice: 50,000+ possible courses at over 325 institutions reduced to a maximum of five • Oxbridge Deadline: 15/10/14 • Medical deadline: 15/10/14 • UCAS deadline: 15/1/14

12. 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?

13. The UCAS tariff

14. Offers • OFFERS • a points offer: eg. 280 points and • a grades offer eg. BBC • Some offers include AS grade, others do not - BEWARE

15. 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.

16. Choosing courses & institutions A vast amount of information available: • Tutors / Sixth Form Management Team • Teachers, friends, parents • HE/Careers days / Open Days • Websites: • Literature from institutions, careers guides. • Prospects Careers Advisor

17. Websites www.ucas.co.uk www.fasttomato.com www.apprenticeships.org.uk www.gapyear.com www.thetimes100.co.uk www.notgoingtouni.co.uk www.yini.org.uk www.unistats.com

18. How to Choose a University Make the most of Open Days

19. How to Choose a Course

21. Other Places 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 • www.opendays.com

22. The Guardian

28. Student Finance 4 prongs • Maintenance Grant • Student Loans to cover Maintenance / Living Costs • Loans to cover Variable Tuition Fees • Sponsorships / Bursaries / Discounts / Offers in Kind

29. Re-payable loans • A fee loan to cover all fees up to £9000 • Maintenance Loan between £3610-£5555 • Repayable when earning reach £21K p.a. • Written off after 30 years. • Interest is charged.

30. Student 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

31. Student Loans

33. Free money Maintenance Grant for households earning less than £42600 up to £3387

34. 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.

35. University of Bath…

37. 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.

38. 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 • If you’re not sure: DON’T GO! University will still be there in years to come.

39. The APPLY system • Students will be applying online • This enables UCAS applications to be done at home • Training to be given in school • They will receive a guidebook and full support • Lunchtime drop-ins available throughout the autumn term

40. Entry Tests • BMAT: 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

41. 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

42. Head and Assistant Head of Sixth Form Check all Personal Statements & References Guidance & Support Parents’ Role Open days / applications / career choices ‘Gentle’ encouragement

43. Who Goes? • 60% of current Y13 have applied. • 92.9% of those who applied last year were successful (national average 73.2%) • 78.6% offer rate to Russell Group (national average 57.9%) • 58.5% of students last year went to Russell group Universities. • 1 student went to Oxford; 6 gained places at Med / Vet School; • Other routes included apprenticeships, gap years, employment. • Every year group is different.

44. Thank you… any questions?