Higher Education Evening

1. Higher Education Evening Mrs Gray – Applying to University Mr Alexander & Sejal Modasia – Student Life Mr Elmy – Student Finance

2. Applying to University Mrs Gray – Head of Careers

3. Why go to Higher Education ? • 44% of under 21s go to university • 80% of Northgate students go on to higher education • 80% of graduates are employed in graduate-entry jobs • 70% of graduates are not using their subjects directly in their work • Graduates earn on average 20%-25% more than non-graduates during their working life • Average graduate starting salary aged 21 – £21,000, national average salary £22,000 • Increase in life-time earnings - £415,320 (general population) -£160,000 (with 2 A levels) • Graduates enjoy more fulfilling and enjoyable jobs, better health, less likely to smoke and enjoy more successful relationships

4. 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 few lower skilled jobs in the UK by 2020 • 40% of available jobs by 2020 will require a degree

5. 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 card offered to all students – advice/ discounts • Process is totally electronic and on-line at www.ucas.com • Parents section – www.ucas.com/parents - free e -newsletters and a parents blog

7. Applications 2010-2011 • 583,501 had applied by the January deadline, up 28,062 on last January (5.1%); 700,000+ by end of cycle • Medicine and allied courses up by 22%, Veterinary up 12.8%, Teaching up 8.5%, Oxbridge up 12% • Applicant numbers have dramatically increase over the past five years – in 2007 402,831 applied • University places are very competitive, not all who apply are accepted. The acceptance rate has fallen from 78% in 2005 to an estimated 65% this year • 6,000 fewer places for 2010 entry due to government cuts, up to 210,000 students missed out on places

8. Researching Options • In the UK - 40,000+ courses are available at more than 300 universities and colleges • Stamford Test on UCAS website • 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.opendays.com • www.suttontrust.com • Course search for 2012 opens May, registering for 2012 application opens June 16th

9. Finding the Right Course • Research thoroughly • Course search via UCAS – grades and points • Entry profiles – 80% of courses have these • Entry requirements • Relevant work experience for vocational courses • Location • Type of institution – campus or city? • Employability activities offered

10. Top Ten Degree Courses 2010 1. Nursing 2. Psychology 3. Law 4. Design Studies 5. Medicine 6. English 7. Management Studies 8. Business and admin studies 9. Teaching 10. Social Work

11. 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 • Contextual data/Academic reference from Northgate

12. Deadlines • Northgate internal deadline • Oxbridge & Medical – 23 September 2011 • All others – 14 October 2011 • Final UCAS deadline 15 January 2012 • Some Art and Design Courses – 24 March 2012

13. Additional Tests • UK CAT – Clinical Aptitude Test • BMAT – Bio-Medical Assessment Test • LNAT – National Admissions Test for Law • CUKAS – Musical Conservatoires • Oxbridge additional tests – History, Modern Language, Maths, English and Thinking Skills, Physics

14. Extra • Open to students with no offers – 7,000 students in 2010 • Available from 26 February 2012 until end June 2012 • Courses available marked on website with X • Apply to one course at a time • Having made a choice approach the individual institution

15. Gap Year? • Two Options • Deferred entry – 2013 • Apply Sept 2012 through Northgate with final results – usually leads to an unconditional offer Gap Year students 2010 – Where did they go? • 1. Employment to earn money for university • 2. Work experience relevant to degree/career choice • 3. Doing something close to home

16. Finalising the Choice • Institutions must make offers by 31 March 2012 • Students must make their decision by 5 May 2012 • 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 40 points below) • Clearing – July onwards • Adjustment period – post results for five days

17. Important Dates • Oxbridge Conference – 5th May 2011 • Higher Education Fair – 16th June 2011 • Medics Course - 20th June 2011 • Oxbridge preparation course – October 2011 • Oxbridge/Medical mock interviews – November 2011

18. Student profiles • GCSE grades are used as a major part of the decision making process. Some competitive courses are now openly asking for 8A* grades • Some degree courses are asking for specific GCSE grades e.g. a B in Maths for many Psychology and Business courses • Successful Northgate Oxbridge students this year had 8.6A* and 1.6A grades at GCSE and at A2 were predicted 4A* grades • Successful Northgate medics last year had 8.5 A*s and 2.4As at GCSE and at A2 were predicted 2.5A* and 0.75A grades

19. Support at Northgate • Careers Department • Tutors • Sixth form team • Subject teachers • Head of Sixth Form, Mr Elmy • Deputy Head, Mr Trench

20. Student Life Mr Alexander – Assistant Head of Sixth Form Sejal Modasia – Ex Northgate Student, second-year medicine student at Kings College London

22. My Mum Said….. • Finance • Accommodation- Halls, Flats and Houses • Emotion • Preparation • Keep their room as it is • Washing

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

24. Life Skills • Independence • Ability to manage money • Cooking, cleaning, washing?

25. 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?

26. 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

27. Sejal Modasia • 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?

28. Student Finance Mr Elmy – Head of Sixth Form

29. Higher Education Finance 2012/13 Subject to Parliamentary Approval

30. Tuition Fees Up to £9000 per year. Fees above £6000 require approval by Office for Fair Access (OFFA). Not required “up front”. Paid directly to the institution.

31. Maintenance Loan • Rates for 2012/13 are: • £5500 if you study outside London and do not live at home • £7675 if you study in London and do not live at home • £4375 if you live at home • You are automatically entitled to apply for 72%of the maximum rate. • The remaining 28%is subject to household income, with a minimum £3575 (outside London)

32. Maintenance Grant Totally income assessed Household income up to £25,000: £3250 Household income between £25,000 and £42,600: grant from £3250 and £50 a year on a sliding scale

33. National Scholarship Programme • To help students from lower income families: household income below £25,000. • Must have a benefit of £3000 • Details will be announced later this year • Possibility: • Tuition Fee Waivers • Bursaries (capped at £1000) • Help with accommodation costs

34. Repayments Tuition Fees Maintenance Loans NOT Maintenance Grants or NSP contributions Interest is charged immediately at inflation (RPI) + 3% From April after leaving university if graduate earns less than £21,000 at RPI If earning between £21,000 and £41,000 at a sliding scale rate of RPI to a maximum of RPI + 3% If earning over £41,000 at RPI + 3%

35. Repayments Repay 9% of salary over £21,000 from April after graduation Deducted from salary via PAYE Written off after 30 years Extra payments to repay loan early likely to be charged a penalty

36. Health Related Courses Administered by NHSBSA (National Health Service Business Services Authority) Proposed tuition fees are paid Possible to get a non-repayable bursary

37. Studying Outside of England Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales can charge up to £9000. Fees, loans and grants same rules as if study in England. In other EEA countries (plus Switzerland) fees charged must be the same as those charged to home students. Fees will be paid. No loans or grants. Other countries meet all costs.

38. Further Information www.directgov.co.uk/studentfinance www.slc.co.uk www.nhsbsa.nhs.co.uk

39. To Sum Up ‘Graduates are chasing the jobs the A Level students were taking, the A Level students are chasing those jobs that those with 5 GCSEs would be taking, and the young people with no qualifications are forced into the shadows.’ Paul Fletcher, Director of Rathbone 2010