1. Higher Education Year 12/13

2. The Key Questions? What is Higher Education? Should I Apply? What course should I study? What institution should I choose?

3. Higher Education Degree – BA/BSc/BEd (Usually 3yrs.) MChem/MEng (4 yrs) HND – 2 Yrs. – convert to a degree Foundation Degree – vocational – full or part time - can be converted to a full degree Other – e.g.Nursing Diploma, Art Foundation Courses

4. Should I Apply? What are the advantages? Personal Social Vocational & Financial

5. Should I Apply? What are the disadvantages? Personal Social Financial & Vocational

6. Positives Achieve academic potential – enjoy studying in depth a subject/area for three years Leave home – become independent Meet new people from a variety of backgrounds New social and recreational opportunities Make lasting friendships Make you more open minded Achieve career goals Increase earning power (+20%- 40%)

7. Negatives Leaving home and friends Could be earning and developing a career more directly Don’t feel ready to go Only going because expected to go Three years of poverty Huge debts for the future (£12,000- £18,000)

8. What Courses? Over 120,000! Single Subject Joint – 2 separate but equal subjects Combined – 2/3 or more subjects Modular – Separate units = degree Vocational – e.g. accounting, business, medicine, law – few offer full qualifications Sandwich - 4 year course with year in industry

9. What Courses? The Teaching Teacher directed -----------Autonomous Learner Examinations---------------- Continuous Assessment

10. What Courses? What sort of course would you prefer and why?

11. What Institution? 340 to choose from! Location? – city, town, rural - cost of living Campus – self contained or centrally located Distance from Dorchester? Accommodation – hall for all 1 st years? Status – see Times/Guardian guides Quality of Teaching

12. What Institution? (Contd.) Facilities e.g. internet, sport, library Opportunities available Student profile Size Personal experience – friends, relations, teachers, OPEN DAYS & VISITS Collegiate e.g. Oxbridge, Durham, Lancaster, Lampeter

13. Choosing an Institution What are the FIVE most important things I am looking for?

14. Choosing an Institution You MUST be able to achieve the grades demanded by the institution of your choice for the course you want. You must be REALISTIC & OPTIMISTIC What grades do you think you will get at the end of Year 13? (Ask your teachers NOW!)

15. Conclusion What decisions have you now reached about Higher Education?

16. What Next? Research courses and universities − (www.ucas.co.uk)www.ucas.co.uk − University websites Bring to the next session: − 6 possible courses − 20 possible institutions