1. Year 12 higher education information evening
Welcome!

2. Choosing the right course & university

3. Why consider university?
Do what you love doing
Many jobs require a degree
Develop valuable skills
Better jobs and prospects
Earn up to 50% more
Study abroad or do a work placement
A good time; new interests and experiences
Graduate skills employers look for:
Self reliance, people skills, team work, presentation skills, communication, leadership, IT skills, numeracy, problem solving, technical skills, business acumen, diplomacy, dedication, time management

4. Graduate premium and employability
The Times reported in 2017 that graduates can expect to see their lifetime earnings increased by over £177,000 over similar students who finished their education with two or more A’ Levels.
Over 40% of the jobs in the UK economy are now graduate level, therefore a degree is an additional qualification when seeking employment
A good degree (First or 2.1) DOES make a difference in the competition for jobs – but so does work experience……
The ten universities most targeted by Britain’s top graduate employers in 2015 were Manchester, Nottingham, Warwick, Cambridge, Oxford, Durham, Bristol, Imperial College London, University College London and Leeds.
BUT……recruiters stated that graduates who have had no previous work experience at all are unlikely to be successful during the selection process and have little or no chance of receiving a job offer for their organisations’ graduate programmes.

5. What do graduates earn
Graduate starting salaries at the UK’s leading graduate employers reach an average of 25,000 and a median of £30,000
More than a quarter of top graduate programmes will pay new recruits more than £35,000 when they start work and four organisations are offering salaries in excess of £45,000 to this year’s graduates.
The most generous salaries in 2017 were those on offer from investment banks (median of £45,000), law firms (median of £40,000), banking & finance firms (median of £36,500) and oil & energy companies (median of £32,500), Dentistry £34,840, Chemical Engineering £31,824.
One of the highest published graduate starting salaries for 2108 is Aldi (£44,000 plus Audi A4 car)
do-and-earn/

6. Graduate earnings

7. How to choose a course Academic interest Career requirement
Transferrable skills
‘Search’ Tool for courses
Look for related courses e.g. English and Creative Writing; English Literature and French Studies; English and American Literature. See ‘subject guides’.

8. How to choose a university
Course is paramount
content of modules
method of teaching
method of assessment
work placement/sandwich course
length of course
length & organisation of terms
lecturers & department specialisms
entry requirements – can include GCSEs as well as A- level/BTECs

9. Revised UCAS tariff for A Levels
A* points BTEC Distinction*
A points BTEC Distinction
B points
C points BTEC Merit
D points
E points BTEC Pass
Extended Project Qualification is half an A level so worth half the number of points above.

10. Location Distance? Cost of travel? Cost of living?
Facilities & attractions

11. Old or new?

12. City or campus? Size?

13. Quality and reputation
Main league tables
Subject tables
National Student Survey
Russell Group
Sutton Trust
1994 Group
The top ranking universities require the highest grades.

14. Facilities Accommodation Libraries Sports facilities Student services
Clubs & societies
Music & arts
Shops....

15. Cost of study Tuition fees – mostly £9,250 Living costs Accommodation
Bills – TV, utilities, phone & internet
Food
Travel costs
Course materials
Social life

16. Degree Apprenticeships

17. Degree Apprenticeship

18. Useful Wesites
higher-education-options/higher-and-degree- apprenticeships-guide-download

19. The year ahead

20. What’s happening now? Researching courses and universities
Thorough research is essential:
- UCAS website
- Institution websites
- Prospectuses: official and alternative
- Open days
- Good university guides
Registering with UCAS and starting to complete the application form
Drafting a personal statement
Check if you need to take an admissions test and register

21. SJSF Events Friday 15th June – Personal Statement Workshop
Friday 29 June – SJSF Destinations trips: Nottingham University or Bishop Grosseteste University or Lincoln College
Friday 6th July – Cambridge Open Day
Wednesday 11 July SJSF Careers Fair
Wednesday 11 July - Presentations from outside speakers on the personal statement, how to choose a university and course and how make a successful application to university, how to search for and apply for apprenticeships.
Monday 16 – Friday 20 July: Work Experience week

22. Essential Resources Heap Guide
Heap online – all Year 12 students have passcode for this
Times Good University Guide
Student planner pages
KSHS Guidance booklet ‘Purple Booklet’

23. Autumn Term
Teachers give predicted grades - indication of likely grades next year, so assess likely offers of different courses
Complete the remainder of the application form
Meet with tutor and subject specialist to finalise personal statement

24. How to apply Applications are online through UCAS website
Can choose up to 5 courses (usually similar courses at 5 different universities)
Before students send applications they should see Miss Chant for final checks
Fee is £24 (£18 if only one course): paid online with a debit/credit card
The School Reference is added once the student has paid (written by tutors & subject teachers)
School sends the final application

25. September/October Can apply from 5th September 2018
Early deadline: 1st October – Conservatoires (Music)
Early deadline: 15th October
- Oxbridge
- Medicine
- Veterinary Medicine
- Veterinary Science
- Dentistry
Some students may need to take aptitude tests e.g. BMAT, UKCAT, LNAT; Many Oxbridge courses – let Mrs Parsons know.

26. The competition…
The trend in the last 10 years has been an increasing number of applications but it has fallen slightly in the last 2 years (so has the number of 18 year olds).
UCAS placed 535,200 out of 718,400 applicants into higher education in the 2016 cycle (74.5%)
32.6% of 18 year olds entered Higher Education in – highest ever rate.

27. The competition...
22,000+ students achieved at least 3 A grades in (almost double the figure for 1994).
In % of all grades were A or A*
In % students got AAA or higher
About 100,000 students get ABB each year
Student attainment has increased since the mid 1980’s but since 2011 has declined slightly.

28. New trend: unconditional offers
2.5% of all offers were unconditional in 2015 and 2016
The independent 4/3/18

29. November-March
Later applications: we aim to send off all applications by Christmas
Official UCAS deadline is 15th January 2019
Art and Design courses may have a 24th March deadline
Interviews – mock interviews offered
Start receiving offers

30. What happens when the UCAS form has been sent?
UCAS send your form to all your chosen universities at the same time - they cannot see your other choices
Each university only receives details relating to that particular university and course
Some universities/courses will interview but most will send details of the conditions of an offer (or rejection)
News appears on ‘track’

31. Spring
Receive all offers from UCAS (usually by early May but can be June)
Decide which ones to accept and which to reject: usually you accept a conditional firm offer (your 1st choice), and then a conditional insurance offer (your 2nd choice).
If no offers received, you can use ‘Extra’ (25th February to 4th July); Clearing opens 5th July.
Apply for Student Loans online by end of May

32. Summer Take examinations Results Day: 15th August 2019
Check UCAS website for confirmation of offers
If unsuccessful, go through ‘Clearing’ or take a Gap Year to re-apply; or reconsider your options.
Opportunity to go through ‘Adjustment’ if you get higher grades than expected
Go to university!