1 herschel grammar school academic success and personal responsibility is there life after herschel?

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Herschel Grammar School

Academic Success and Personal Responsibility

Is there life after Herschel?

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Options beyond the Sixth Form University

Gap Year

Apprenticeship

Employment

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Why university?

THE BENEFITS OF HIGHER EDUCATION

Enjoyment

Skills

Personal Development

EMPLOYABILITY

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The provision of higher education in the UK

▪ Number of institutions

▪ Number of courses

▪ Applicants in Apply 2013

▪ Number placed in higher

education (Apply 2013)

304

39,000+

677,400

495,600

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Academic Success and Personal Responsibility Support and AdviceSupport and Advice

Support & Advice

Sixth Form Tutors

Mr Bourne, Mrs Penhale-Jones & Mrs Gumbs

PSHCEDrafting Personal Statements

General AdviceStudent Finance

Subject StaffUniversity Open Days

& Summer Schools

Relevantwebsites

Careers Interviews

Mock Interviews

Careers Library

Parents

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Applications to University

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.plct.org.uk/images/content/ucas_logo.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.plct.org.uk/links.asp&usg=__aDxEN3sjyKF6Tw5HwuqMt8ymMLs=&h=267&w=840&sz=20&hl=en&start=1&tbnid=q2m1L0DTI6F8NM:&tbnh=46&tbnw=145&prev=/images?q=ucas+logo&gbv=2&hl=en

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Academic Success and Personal ResponsibilityResearch

a) What should I study?b) Where should I study?c) Should I take a gap year?

Stage 1: Research

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Higher Education – Where to Start ?!

First choose your subject

Then choose your course

Then look at the universities that offer it

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1. Choose a subject which INTERESTS you!

2. Choose a course that SUITS you.

3. Consider career implications – www.prospects.ac.uk

Make an informed decision

HOW DO I CHOOSE?

http://www.prospects.ac.uk/

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Academic Success and Personal ResponsibilityTASK 2:Ranking

How would you rank these factors in importance when deciding on a course?

1. Interests you

2. Suits you

3. Career implications

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Research – where can you look for useful information? UCAS website - UCAS Search Tool and

Entry Profiles

Careers websites

Publications – study room

HE Conventions/ Open Days

Taster Courses/ Subject specific events

Careers fairs

Get work experience

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Research – most useful of all???

School careers website

UCAS search tool

http://www.ucas.com/

https://studywiz.herschel.slough.sch.uk/cgi-bin/WebObjects/StudywizHERSCHELPortal.woa/wa/portalHome

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Academic Success and Personal ResponsibilityLocation

u - campus university or city-based?

u - big university or small university?

u - near home or far away?

u - living at home

u - sports facilities? nightlife? male/female ratio?

u - accommodation provided?

u - cost of living?

u - bursaries available?

u - reputation/popularity? applications per place?

B) Where should I study?

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Academic Success and Personal ResponsibilityMaking key decisions

u List your priorities

u Visit! - Open Days – talk to students

u Ask for advice

u Look at prospectuses/ alternative prospectuses/ books/ university websites

u Unistats; www.push.co.uk

u Facebook/ Twitter

u Herschel website - careers

u League tables – Guardian/ Times

u Interested in Oxbridge?

How do I decide?

http://www.push.co.uk/

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Academic Success and Personal ResponsibilityTASK 4

u - campus university or city-based?

u - big university or small university?

u - near home or far away?

u - living at home

u - sports facilities? nightlife? male/female ratio?

u - accommodation provided?

u - cost of living?

u - bursaries available?

u - reputation/popularity? applications per place?

List your preferences

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Choosing a course 2mins

UCAS TV Summary

http://www.ucas.tv/ucas/video/sJ6fz


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Academic Success and Personal ResponsibilityDon’t rule this out!u Don’t rule it out

u Universities and employers will be impressed if you do something worthwhile

u A valuable way to gain confidence and independence before going to university

u Travel? Work Experience? Voluntary Work?

u Comment on your plans in your personal statement

C) Should I take a Gap Year?

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Not going to university …

ALTERNATIVES TO UNIVERSITY

u APPRENTICESHIPS

u STUDY ABROAD

u EMPLOYMENT

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Academic Success and Personal ResponsibilityThe UCAS Form

This application is one of the most important you will ever make.

Apply early

All applications are made through UCAS on-line.

The key website is:

www.ucas.com

Stage 2:Completing your UCAS Form

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Transparent selection process

1. Qualificationsp Past, present and future

p Predicted grades for ‘pending’ qualifications2. Personal statement

3. ReferenceAlso - Interview/ Piece of written work/ Portfolio/ Audition/ Admissions

tests

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Key features of the UCAS application process

Maximum of 5 choices Some choice restrictions:

• Medicine, Veterinary, Dentistry – max 4 choices• Oxford or Cambridge

‘Invisibility’ You have to pay £23 to apply – payment is made on-line.

You can only send in one UCAS application in each year’s cycle.

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Academic Success and Personal ResponsibilityMaking a UCAS application

Every applicant has five sections to complete:

Personal details

Choices

Education

Employment

Personal statement

Forward to MBO:

u Reference

UCAS

Universities / colleges

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Decision making by institutions

An admissions tutor may initially make one of three decisions:

p Unconditional offer

p Conditional offer

p Unsuccessful

u Or recommend:p A place on an alternative course

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Academic Success and Personal ResponsibilityApplication – Registeringu First thing to do is REGISTER

u Remember to apply for 2015 entry!

u Click on register

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u The key website is:u www.ucas.comu HANDOUT – page 3-4u UCAS TV – how to applyu Registrationu Filling in your details:About You CoursesEducation EmploymentStatement

pStage 2:Completing your UCAS Form


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Academic Success and Personal Responsibility June onwards June onwards

Begin to draft your Personal Statement and get it checked.

Give yourself the best chance by applying as early as possible – by 30/9 for Medics/Dentists/ Vets/Oxbridge and 17/10 for everyone else.

THIS TERM …

Carefully consider your options for next year

Research choice of Degree Course and University if appropriate

Register on the UCAS website and begin to fill in your own application

1 herschel grammar school academic success and personal responsibility is there life after herschel?

Documents

university slide

personal responsibility

research slide

work experience slide

big university

small university

advice support advice

provision of higher