Introduction to the UCAS process, and going to

University

A Guide for Parents

Why University?

The Challenge

• There are over 50,000 full-time undergraduate courses on offer in the UK.

• Not all subjects are taught at every university and the curriculum in one subject

• Confusing

Choices

• The challenge is twofold:

Which subject/course should I study?

At which university

should I study?

Support from the College

• Core pastoral programme• External speakers from universities and HE

advisors• UCAS Educational Fair• Visit to Universities• Ambition to Reality Week• One 2 One support from Tutors and Subject

Teachers• Subject specific outreach

Which Subject?

• Entry Profiles

• Employment Opportunities

• Admission Tests

• Costs

• Popularity

How you can help

Discuss the following with your son/daughter:• Is the subject they are considering likely to suit

them?• Are they likely to be successful in this subject?• How employable you will they be when they

graduate? • Are they on the right route to qualify for a

chosen profession?• How easy or difficult it is to get on to the course? • What is the Course content?

SubjectEmployed in

graduate job

Employed in graduate job and studying

Employed in non-

graduate job

Employed in non-graduate job and studying

Studying and not

employed

Unemployed

Medicine 87% 6% 0% 0% 6% 0%

Pharmacology & Pharmacy 68% 17% 4% 0% 9% 2%

Civil Engineering 72% 11% 7% 0% 7% 4%

Education 64% 5% 16% 2% 10% 4%

Mathematics 34% 13% 18% 3% 26% 6%

French 40% 5% 26% 3% 22% 5%

Geography 34% 5% 30% 3% 22% 6%

Politics 35% 5% 29% 4% 20% 8%

English 29% 3% 33% 5% 23% 7%

History 27% 4% 34% 4% 24% 7%

Art & Design 43% 3% 33% 4% 7% 10%

Psychology 29% 5% 38% 5% 17% 6%

Communication & Media 41% 3% 39% 3% 6% 8%

Drama, Dance & Cinematic 37% 4% 37% 4% 9% 9%

Sociology 30% 4% 41% 4% 15% 7%

All Subjects 43% 6% 26% 3% 16% 7%

Prospects (2009)

What do graduates earn (2009)

Medicine £30,492

Economics £24,466

Veterinary Medicine £23,437

Physics & Astronomy £22,612

Social Work £22,560

Engineering £22,497

Mathematics £21,751

Computer Science £20,942

Politics £20,423

Business Studies £20,059

Classics & Ancient History £19,938

Accounting & Finance £19,713

Education £19,569

English £17,824

Iberian Languages £17,704

Sociology £17,685

Architecture £17,681

Hospitality, Recreation, Sport & Tourism £17,474

Linguistics £17,441

Psychology £17,374

Archaeology £17,209

Agriculture & Forestry £17,099

Communication & Media Studies £16,965

Art & Design £16,718

Music £16,690

Drama, Dance & Cinematics £16,420

Top Unis/Departments

• Universities are ranked in publications like The Times and The Guardian

• Further information is available on websites like www.studentbook.org

www.push.co.uk

www.unistats.com

Course Content

• There is no national standard for what universities include in university courses.

Course Content

• Large numbers of students each year find themselves on courses that differ wildly from their expectations

• Courses vary not only in their content and approach, but also in their teaching and assessment methods.

Approximately 10% of students drop out of university within

the first year!!! They still need to pay…

Climate

• Things are tougher

Step 1: Where should I study?

• Living at home?• Makes choosing a university will be less

bewildering.

• Away from home, where?• Near home or go exploring and make that

move to Plymouth or Aberdeen. • Also remember the costs involved in

travelling long distances

Good Universities Guide says…

"Most people choose a university between one and two hours away from home.

Close enough to pop back to see friends and get the washing done, but not so

close that your parents can just drop in. That's why Leeds, Manchester and

Nottingham are so popular, they are very close to major centres of population."

Step 2: Where will you get in?

• Be realistic - if you're child is predicted CCD and got three Cs at AS, they are not getting into Cambridge, however much they like rowing.

• Then start using www.ucas.com to narrow your choices.

University offer is based on your AS Level results!

GCE AS GCE BTEC Nat  

A level Award

  A D 120

  B   100

  C M 80

A D   60

B     50

C E P 40

D     30

E     20

UCAS Tariff

How many points do you predict you will have by the end of year 13, be ambitious, but realistic!!!

Step 3: Somewhere you'll enjoy

• You have already narrowed your choice down quite a lot.

• Now you need to work out which of the available courses is going to suit you personally.

• The decision is life-changing.

Three myths about choosing a university: 1. You'll have a good time wherever you go.

2. There is a best university for each subject.

3. Universities don't vary that much.

Push University Guide says…

"For some people the most important thing is cheap accommodation for others it is the

atmosphere in the student bar," he says. "If you are doing medicine you are very likely to get a

job at the end of the course, but for a sociologist the employability record is far more important."

Step 4: Going to visit

"You wouldn't dream of buying a pair of shoes without trying them on.

Yet people are willing to buy three years of teaching for £50k without having a look at

the place."

• We encourage students to visit universities, but only authorise 2 days absence, the rest should be done on weekends or during breaks.

Tuition fees

• It is estimated that a degree will cost £50K

• £9000 per year in fees

• £8000 in loans

• Students currently in receipt of the bursary are likely to receive some grants.

Money to live on

• How much you need to live on depends on where you study (eg. Bradford is cheaper than London).

• Your personal life choices (a single room with ensuite bathroom will cost more than a shared room with only a basin).

Choosing Your FIVE

• The UCAS application process only allows you to apply to 5 universities.

• Carefully, and realistically chose your 5

A suggestion might be: • 2x in line with predicted grades • 2x in line with aspirational grades • 1x fall back, in case you don’t get the grades

you want.

www.ucas.com

• Herein lies all information

• It will become the best friend to your son or daughter during Year 13

• You should get to know it too, there is a section for parents/careers.

UCAS application

1. Personal Information – Name, DOB etc2. Additional information – Ethnicity,

Immigration status etc.3. Choices – 5x Choices4. Education –GCSE or equivalent (certs?)5. Employment – Full or Part time6. Personal Statement – “Why do you

want to study…”7. Reference – Completed by tutors.

Timeline

3rd June-July 2013 – University Progression

• September 2013 Application processing begins.

• 15 October 2013 Last date for receipt of applications to Oxford, Cambridge and Medicine etc.

• 15 January 2014 Deadline for applications from UK and EU students to be guaranteed consideration.

• 31 March 2014 Universities and colleges should aim to have sent decisions on all applications received by 15 January.

Useful Websites

• www.unistats.com• www.independent.co.uk• www.timesonline.co.uk• www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk• www.ucas.com• www.push.co.uk• www.studentbook.org• www.opendays.com• www.purepotential.org• www.uni360.com

Worrying terms teachers have used to describe Year 12 students to me in the past two weeks.

“Delusional” “Will fail unless…”

“Lazy”

“Going Backwards”

“Unfocused”

“Drifting” “Not going to pass”

“Frustrating”

“Hardly ever here”

“Making no progress”

Work Harder!

• Minimum commitment 40x hours of focused, concentrated work, every week.

• For every 5 hours in lessons, at least 5 hours outside lessons.

Hard work pays off.Don’t leave it until the last

minute.

No January re-takes, it’s a one stop shop

Students can’t afford to slip up!!

?