King’s

Worcester Higher

EducationEntry 2012/13

Why Higher Education?

• Academic ambition?

• Career prospects?

• Vocational qualifications?

• Uncertainty about career field?

• Parental expectations?

• It might not be appropriate.

When to apply/begin HE

CHOICE:• 1. September - December 2011 for entry in

2012• 2. Sept – Dec 2011 and defer entry until

2013• 3. Make no application this year but apply

post-A levels for entry in 2013• Last two ways if Gap Year is anticipated

2010 Leavers

Of the 130 students who left U6 in 2010:

•108 applied during their U6th year

•45 took gap year:

•28 deferred entry, applying in U6th year

•17 applied during this academic year – post A levels.

Gap Year

• Approved of by most tutors at most universities• Positive year • On average about 30% each year • Earnings in gap year could offset higher costs• Maturity, decision making time• Schemes such as Year In Industry offer

sponsorship, jobs after graduation

Finance: 2012 (1)Tuition fees:• English and Welsh universities up to £9000 per

year.• Fees for universities in Scotland/NI to be

confirmed.• Loans available; repayment when earning over

£21,000)• University bursaries and scholarships for those on

maintenance grants.

Finance 2012 (2)

Living Costs:• Loans for living costs (means tested –all entitled

to at least 72%)• Up to £7675 loan

• Living costs higher than average loan• Maintenance grants for low-income households

(above £42,000, no grants)• Must apply to Student Finance England in

March/April

What needs to be done before applications

Student initiative:• Research• Using what school and other sources offer

School’s support and help:• Presentations and events• Centigrade• Facilities• Staff advice – House, Careers, SHLeM

Events Summer Term

• Personal Statements advice

• Business Conference 23rd June

• Nottingham University Open day 24th June

• Work experience 27th June – 1st July• Advice of Tutors/SHLeM/Director of

Studies/SLeM• STUDENTS NEED TO TAKE THE INITIATIVE

Resources at King’s and elsewhere

• Careers Room

• Internet: www.ucas.ac.uk

• Advice from Tutors and other staff

• Parents

• Material with advice about forms and processes

• Open Days

Open Days

• Sense of place and course

• Missing school

• Clashes with other events

• Information on websites

• Informal visits – holidays and Saturdays

• Post-offer open days

Open Days and Clashes• Thursday 16th June: KS Personal Statements session

Glasgow University

• Tuesday 21st June: L6th hosting party for handicapped children

Aston University

• Thursday 23th June: Business Conference Royal Agricultural College, Bath University

• Friday 25th June School L6th trip to Nottingham University Open Day

What does research involve?• Time to find out• Looking realistically – will grades be high

enough?• Courses detail• Location and campus• Employment expectations• Correct entry qualifications• REMEMBER: it is the student’s DECISION

Realistic applications

• Student must aim for best fit

• Realistic with possibilities

• AS grades/retakes

• Target grade at end of September

• Working grades/target grades at half term

• UCAS predicted grades

The application• 5(4) choices• Personal Statement• School reference and predicted grades• Payment: £21.00 (£11)• Apply EARLY • UCAS deadline 15th Oct/15th January;

Internal deadlines 10th October/ 8th December• Online system - UCAS APPLY

School Process

• Talk to House Tutor or Assistant Tutor • U6th Parents’ Evening• Draft personal statement• September – register and begin form• Complete form and check it with House staff• Reference• Forms completed online, checked twice and

sent to UCAS.

What Next?

• Acknowledgement by UCAS

• UCAS distributes simultaneously

• Offers, interviews, rejections follow:

• Make offers on basis of:

GCSE results, AS results, references, predicted grades, interviews and personal statements

UCAS Points Tariff

• A level grade A* = 140 points

• Grade A = 120 points

• Grade B = 100 points

• Grade C = 80 points etc

• AS level grade A = 60 points

• AS level grade B = 50 points etc

Accepting Offers

• One firm acceptance and one insurance

• Commitment to take up the place if conditions are met.

• Institutions committed to take student if conditions are met.

• UCAS extra

• ‘Adjustment’

A level Results

• Published mid-August• Confirmation of offers• Clearing • Remember

» Parents or teachers cannot act for students

» Institutions may still offer the place » Students must not be away on results day

and after

The Future

Parents and teachers must aim to help students enter:

• Right course• Right place• Right time• To suit the student

Enjoy it and land a successful and satisfying job

Competitive Courses

Medicine

Physiotherapy

Veterinary Medicine

Pharmacy

Dentistry

English

Law

Competitive UniversitiesOxford

CambridgeImperial, London

St AndrewsLSE

DurhamUCL

WarwickYork

Lancaster

2010 Leavers’ Destinations

Over 50 different institutions

On places awarded:• Nottingham• Manchester• Exeter• Bristol

•Oxford•Leeds•Southampton•Cardiff•Newcastle

Times Good University Guide

Ranking based on:• Student satisfaction• Student/staff ratio• Facilities• Entry standards• Completion • Quality of honours degrees• Graduate prospects

Horses for CoursesBy subject:For English: Queen Mary, London in top 10For Law: Nottingham, Aberdeen and Queen

Mary in top 7For Chemistry: York 4thFor French: Lancaster and Sheffield in top 10For Business Studies: Bath and

Loughborough in top 5

More from The Times rankings...

• For Mathematics: Warwick is 3rd; Bath 4th

• For History: York is 8th

• Geography: Bristol is higher ranked than Oxford and Durham

• Electrical and Electronic Engineering: Southampton is 2nd and Surrey 3rd

• Physics: Glasgow is above Oxford

Research on Courses

• Detail for different institutions

• Structure of the course

• Assessment

• UCAS entry profiles

UCAS course search

Summary

• Research

• www.ucas.ac.uk

• Make decisions about gap years

• Deadline = 8th October and 10th December

• Be at home mid-August

• Finance: apply to the Student Finance England in the March/April of entry year

US Universities

1. Is it right for you?

• Majors, Electives, General

2. US Academic Year

• 2 semesters: Sept-Dec, Jan-May

3. Fees: tuition+room+board

• Ivy League $45,000+ pa

• Large/small state: $28,000/$21,000+ pa

US Universities: Applications

1. Apply to each individual university, not for specific courses

2. Admissions factors:

• GCSE/AS grades, A level predictions; references; extra-curricular; leadership; essays

3. SATs: Reading (800), Math (800), Writing (800)

4. When do you apply?

• Regular: Apply Jan.1st/Decision April 1st/Accept or reject May 1st

• Early Decision: Apply Nov.1st/Decision 15 Dec.: binding

• Early Action: Apply Nov.1st/Decision 15 Dec.

5. Shrewsbury School

CAREERS DEPARTMENT

• GAP

• CENTIGRADE

• BUSINESS CONFERENCE

• WORK EXPERIENCE

GAP

• Mrs Brighton

• Thursday lunchtimes and after school

• Bolland Room

CENTIGRADE

• Helps to structure students’ research into HE

• Strongly endorsed by UCAS

• Open Days/Taster Courses Websites/Finances

• Degree Course Descriptions

BUSINESS CONFERENCEThursday, June 23rd

AIMS

• To enable students to experience real work situations and relate them to their school courses

• Identifying and developing their knowledge and skills in the process

Lower Sixth Work Experience

27th June – 1st July 2011

Aims of Work Experience

• To enable students to experience real work situations and (possibly) to relate them to their school courses

• identifying aptitudes, and developing knowledge and skills in the process

WORK EXPERIENCE OBJECTIVES

• To experience the demands of work:• Time keeping• Attendance• Quality and standards• Responsibility and routine• Team work and good working relationships• Decisions and communication

WORK EXPERIENCE OBJECTIVES

• Develop self-confidence, maturity, self-reliance, initiative

• Career opportunities: compare expectations with reality

• Remove ignorance and prejudices about world of work

• Receive feedback as workers

WORK EXPERIENCE

Things to remember:

• Find out information about company• Sort out transport arrangements• Dress code• Punctuality• Listen to instructions & ask if you are not sure• Positive attitude to fellow employees and customers• Obey safety regulations and procedures