Higher Education Evening Mrs Gray Applying to University

Higher Education Evening Mrs Gray – Applying to University Mr Riches & Josh Hardman – Student Life Emma Blades UCS – Student Finance

Applying to University Mrs Gray – Head of Careers

Why go to Higher Education ? • 44 % of the UK population go to HE. 532, 300 started at university in September 2015, the highest figure ever recorded • 80% of new jobs are in occupations with high concentrations of graduates • 80% of graduates are employed in graduate-entry jobs. There were 15. 7% more graduate jobs available in 2015 than in 2014 • 70% of graduates are not using their subjects directly in their work • Graduates earn on average 20 _ 100% more by the middle of their working lives than those without a degree • Net financial gain from a degree averages £ 160, 000 over a life time but can be as much as £ 500, 000 (up to £ 12, 000 per annum more) • Graduates enjoy more fulfilling and enjoyable jobs, better health, less likely to smoke and enjoy more successful relationships • 84. 2% of graduates are happy with their careers

Why read for a degree? • Transferable skills – knowledge, communication, team work, analysis, problem solving, numeracy, IT • Greatly improved career prospects, graduates are highly valued by employers • Essential for some careers • Academic and social experience of university life • Three million fewer lower skilled jobs in the UK by 2020 • 44% of eighteen years olds progress onto university

UCAS The University and College Admissions System An independent charity One of most popular websites in the UK The most popular educational website in the UK UCAS website is updated hourly UCAS videos/news app Process is totally electronic and on-line at www. ucas. com • Parents section – www. ucas. com/parents - free e newsletters and a parents blog • •

Headline Figures • 592, 290 applicants by the January 15 th deadline • Application numbers have increased for the past four years and have exceeded the level they were before the fee increase (583, 530) • Women are currently 35% more likely to go to university than men • University places are very competitive with certain courses very heavily oversubscribed.

Researching Options • In the UK 35, 000+ courses are available at more than 380 Higher Education Providers • Open days start in March and continue in April, June, July and the Autumn Term • Best to visit two institutions if possible • Taster courses available – www. london. ac. uk/tasters • www. opendays. com • Course search for 2017 opens May, registering for 2017 application opens in mid June

Finding the Right Course • Research thoroughly – 10% who start university do not finish their degree • Course search via UCAS – grades and points • Entry profiles • Entry requirements • Relevant work experience for vocational courses • Location • Type of institution – campus or city? • Employability activities offered

Top Ten Degree Courses 2015 1. Business and Administration (54, 530) 2. Art and Design 3. Biological Sciences 4. Subjects allied to Medicine 5. Social Studies 6. Engineering 7. Computer Science 8. Physical Sciences 9. Education 10. Historical and Philosophical Studies

The Application Process • 5 choices of course • 4 choices for medicine, veterinary, dentistry plus one other choice if required • Personal statement – Length – 4, 000 characters – Content – 60 -80% about subject, 20 -40% about individual – Plagiarism – Three times higher in 2012 up to 8, 500 cases • Contextual data/Academic reference from Northgate

Deadlines • Northgate internal deadline – Oxbridge & Medical – 19 September 2016 – All others – 4 th November 2016 – Final UCAS deadline 15 January 2017 – Some Art and Design Courses – 24 March 2017

Support at Northgate • Careers Department, Mrs Gray, Post 16 Adviser Mrs Smith, Careers Adviser Mrs Young • Tutors • Sixth form team • Subject teachers • Head of Sixth Form, Mr Elmy

Additional Tests • UK CAT – Clinical Aptitude Test • BMAT – Bio-Medical Assessment Test • LNAT – National Admissions Test for Law • CUKAS – Musical Conservatoires • Oxbridge additional tests – Many new tests being introduced in a wide variety of subjects

Gap Year? • Two Options – Deferred entry – 2018 – Apply Sept 2017 through Northgate with final results – usually leads to an unconditional offer Gap Year students – What do they do? – 1. Employment to earn money for university – 2. Work experience relevant to degree/career choice – 3. Doing something close to home

Finalising the Choice • Institutions must make offers by 31 March 2017 • Students must make their decision by 7 May 2017 • Students should not make any decision until all five offers are in • Students choose one firm offer - first choice • Students choose one insurance offer with a lower entry requirement as a second choice (at least two grades below) • Clearing – July onwards – up 5% to 64, 300 • Adjustment period – post results – up to 1, 382

Important Dates • Oxbridge Conference – 19 April 2016 • Higher Education Convention UCS – 30 June 2016 • Medics Course – 4 th July 2016 • Oxbridge preparation course – October 2016 • Oxbridge/Medical mock interviews – November 2016

Student profiles • GCSE grades are used as a major part of the decision making process. Some competitive courses are now openly asking for 8 A* grades • Some degree courses are asking for specific GCSE grades e. g. a B in Maths for many Psychology and Business courses, B grades in Maths, English and Science for Primary teaching courses • Very competitive courses, for example Medicine and Oxbridge, need a high number of A* grades at GCSE, at least 3 A grades at AS and one or more A* grades predicted at A 2

Student Life Mr Riches – Teacher of English + Head of KS 5 English Language. Josh Hardman – Ex Northgate Student, second year student at LSE London reading Government and Politics

What my mum thought… • Finance (both of us!!) • Accommodation / Survival • Emotion • Friends • Preparation • Outcomes

Workload • Not 9 -5 • Independent study • Range of lectures, seminars, tutorials, lab time • Different assessment methods

Life Skills • Independence • Ability to manage money • Cooking, cleaning, washing (? !) • Communication • How to deal with problems

Social Life • Meet lots of new people • Students’ Union - represents students • Students’ Union also runs all of the clubs and societies • Sports • Part Time Job

Student Support • University Student Support teams offer a range of information, advice and guidance services including: – – – Accommodation Finance Counselling Careers Guidance Disability Support Health and Wellbeing

A Minute With…Josh Hardman • What did you study at Northgate? • What and where do you study now? • How have you enjoyed being a student? • What has been difficult? Any initial problems? • What do you wish you had known then that you know now? • How has the experience been for your parents?

Student Finance

Cost of university Tuition costs Living costs

Cost of university Tuition costs • Up to £ 9000 per year • UCS: £ 9000 BA/BSc £ 8000 Fd. A/Fd. Sc • Non-means tested Tuition Fee Loan • Paid directly to the University from the Student Loans Company

Cost of university Living costs • Maintenance Loan • Means-tested • Loan (per academic year) – at home: Up to £ 6, 904 – away from home outside London: Up to £ 8, 200 – away from home in London: Up to £ 10, 702

Repayment of Loans • One monthly payment • Repayment starts the April after graduation - if earning over £ 21, 000 per year • Payments are taken from your salary via the tax system • Any remaining loan is written-off after 30 years • 9% above £ 21, 000 Annual Salary Monthly salary after tax* Monthly Repayments £ 21, 000 £ 1225 0 £ 23, 000 £ 1342 £ 15 £ 25, 000 £ 1458 £ 30, 000 £ 1750 £ 67. 50 * Tax/NI is calculated as 30% of earnings above £ 6000

Extra Support Government support: • Disabled Students’ Allowance • Childcare Grant • Adult Dependent’s Grant • Access to Learning Fund UCS 2016 support: • UCS Bursary • Care Leavers Bursary

Other tips • Part time jobs • Paid internships • Savings • Student bank account • Overdraft/credit card* • Student discounts • Learning to cook • Budgeting * Emergencies

Is It Worth It? Graduates earn an average of £ 220, 000 more in their lifetime than non-graduates Average starting salary: Graduates: around £ 25, 000 Non-graduates: around £ 13, 000 Other Graduate Benefits: • Career flexibility • Less likely to be unemployed • A range of employment opportunities

Want to know more? www. ucs. ac. uk/studentfinance www. gov. uk/studentfinance Upcoming Open Events at UCS Ipswich Saturday 16 April 2016, 10. 30 am-2. 30 pm www. ucs. ac. uk schools@ucs. ac. uk

To Sum Up “More people go to university today than got five GCSEs in 1997” Mary Curnock Cook, chief executive of UCAS