Higher Ed Update

Year 12 February 2011

UCAS Offers for 2011

• Use of A*s in offers: Cambridge, Oxford, Imperial …

• Top universities: offers 1-2 grades up on last year

• 5+ A*s at GCSE in most competitive subjects e.g. Medicine

• Imperial College – A levels in one sitting!• Some universities/courses don’t accept re-sits

UCAS Offers for 2011

• Extension of aptitude tests e.g. STEP papers• Extra-curricular/work experience considered

within entry criteria• Little change in offers of some local and

popular universities: Portsmouth, Brighton, etc.

“Informed Choices” (VLE)

• Russell Group – top 20 universities• ‘Facilitating’ subjects: Maths, English, Physics,

Biology, Chemistry, Geography, History, Languages• ‘Soft’ subjects “subjects with a vocational or practical

bias”• Subjects required for different degree courses –

invaluable• How subject choices can affect your future career

options –extremely useful.

Vocational Courses & Universities• Access Agreements • No correlation between high achievement at degree level and

traditional academic access routes• Common advantages to applied learning as a pathway to Higher

Education were highlighted:– Firmer acquisition of time-management skills during KS5 rather than it being

something they had to adapt to in the first year at university– Greater experience of and aptitude for presentational and collaborative work

• Ignorance about applied learning routes continues to be an obstacle for parents, students and some HE institutions. E.g. Music student

• Foundation Degree programmes – have been a very successful innovation in places like Oxford Brookes. – Funding arrangements unclear

£££

• Government cuts to university grants 2011-12 of 9.5%

• Government will fund extra 10% increase in places 2011-12 but not 2012-13

• Tuition fees expect to raise university income by 10% by 2013-14

MONEY WILL BE VERY TIGHT FOR YOUR YEAR OF ENTRY!

What it all means for you

• WORK EXPERIENCE – now an urgent priority• Extra-curricular activities• Extended Project Qualification?• Higher Education Research – VLE resources: is HE really for me?– Record detailed research about courses. Discuss

with mentor– University visits