Is there life after Herschel?

1. Is there life after Herschel?

2. People Involved? • Student • Parents • Subject Teachers • Form Tutor • MrsWyld • Office Staff • Admissions Tutors

3. Support and Advice Sixth Form Tutors Mr Bourne & Mrs Wyld University Open Days & Summer Schools Subject Staff Relevant websites Careers Interviews Support & Advice Careers Library Mock Interviews PSHCE Drafting Personal Statements General Advice Student Finance

4. University Gap Year Apprenticeship Employment Your Options After Sixth Form

5. Applications to University

6. Research Stage 1: Research • What should I study? • Where should I study? • Should I take a gap year?

7. The provision of higher education in the UK • Number of institutions • Number of courses • Acceptances in 2010 304 40,000+ About half a million!

8. Research – where to go for useful information UCAS website UCAS Entry Profiles Unistats Publications HE Conventions Institution Open Days Taster Courses Subject specific events Career fairs

9. First choose Your Course then Look at which universities offer it Higher Education – Where to Start ?!

10. A) CHOOSING YOUR SUBJECT WHICH DEGREE SUBJECTS ARE OPEN TO ME? You’ll have far more choice than you think !Check out all your options…… Use the HIGHER IDEAS program available via the School Website – from the home page choose the Careers tab.

11. Entry Profiles Accessed via UCAS website  www.ucas.com Details presented within Course Search Provide clear, up to date information about courses Help you to make fully informed choices Same course title – different experience Transparent routes of application and selection Bursary and scholarship comparator

14. Choose a subject which INTERESTS you! Choose a course that SUITS you. Consider career implications – www.prospects.ac.uk Make an informed decision HOW DO I CHOOSE?

15. Location B) Where should I study? • - campus university or city-based? • - big university or small university? • - near home or far away? • - living at home • - sports facilities? nightlife? male/female ratio? • - accommodation provided? • - cost of living? • - bursaries available? • - reputation/popularity? applications per place?

16. Making key decisions How do I decide? • List your priorities • Open Days – talk to students • Ask for advice • Look at prospectuses/ alternative prospectuses/ books • Interested in Oxbridge?

17. Don’t rule it out Universities and employers will be impressed if you do something worthwhile A valuable way to gain confidence and independence before going to university Travel? Work Experience? Voluntary Work? Comment on your plans in your personal statement Don’t rule this out! C) Should I take a Gap Year?

18. SOURCES OF INFORMATION Use the internet – see handout for useful sites NB – www.unistats.com – courses/ universities/ destinations Use the Careers Library - prospectuses; books Attend Open days ; visits; courses Be prepared to question universities Get relevant experience, if possible Your teachers, Mrs Wyld

19. Alternatives to University Open University; Apprenticeships; Getting a Job

20. OU – Open University • Study at home, at your own pace, in your spare time • Get online or phone support from a tutor and attend regular study groups • Earn while you learn and pay as you go • Gain a degree • www.open.ac.uk

21. OU • Missing out on the “student experience” • Live at home • Strong self – motivation needed Costs : £5,540 for B.Sc. Psychology modules taken over a period of 6 years. Compared with £27,000 for B.Sc. Psychology at a traditional university, taken over 3 years .

22. Apply for as many as you like • Learn while you earn • Hospitality, construction, motor vehicle engineering, business, accountancy, IT • Possibility to progress to a foundation degree • www.apprenticeships.org.uk

23. May not have firm plans when you leave school • Filling out lots of separate application forms • Telephone and face to face interviews • Low pay while training • Missing out on the “student experience”

24. Herschel Apprentices / Trainees • BT telephone engineer apprenticeship • Peugeot / Audi motor vehicle apprenticeships • Citroen administration apprenticeship • Network Rail IT apprenticeship • Nursery nurse apprenticeship • Price Waterhouse, Tenon and Barnes Roffe accountancy traineeships £16 – 19K • O2 commercial traineeship £18K

25. Tenon Group (Windsor) Trainee Accountant – Carl Thompson • August 2008 start after A levels ( AAB grades )£16,000 • August 2010 : AAT completed ( fully qualified accounting technician ) £19,000 • June 2011 : Accounts Co-ordinator in first year of ACCA training £20,500At this point, Carl is 1 year ahead of a new graduate starter and has no debt.

26. Getting A Job • Write a generic CV and adapt it to the job you are applying for • Check local papers and websites • Use your personal contacts, friends and family • Armed forces • McJOBS!!

27. Herschel Jobseekers • Pilot Officer RAF • Officer cadets Royal Navy and Army • Trainee manager Pizza Hut • Management trainees John Lewis and Marks and Spencer • Call centre worker • Office assistant – law firm • Teaching assistant – primary school

28. This application is one of the most important you will ever make so you need to take time and care over it. It needs to be high on your list of priorities. Applying early will increase your chances of getting an offer. All applications are made through UCAS and the form is completed on-line. The key website is: www.ucas.com The UCAS Form Stage 2:Completing your UCAS Form

29. Transparent selection process 1. Qualifications Past, present and future Predicted grades for ‘pending’ qualifications 2. Personal statement 3. Reference Also - Interview/ Piece of written work/ Portfolio/ Audition/ Admissions tests

30. Key features of the UCAS application process Maximum of 5 choices Some choice restrictions: Medicine, Veterinary, Dentistry – max 4 choices Oxford or Cambridge ‘Invisibility’ You have to pay £22 to apply – payment is made on-line. You can only send in one UCAS application in each year’s cycle.

31. Making a UCAS application Every applicant has five sections to complete: Personal details Choices Education Employment Personal statement Forward to MBO: Reference  UCAS  Universities / colleges

32. First thing to do is REGISTER Remember to apply for 2012entry! Click on register Application – Registering

40. Decision making by institutions An admissions tutor may initially make one of three decisions: Unconditional offer Conditional offer Unsuccessful Or recommend: A place on an alternative course

41. The key website is: www.ucas.com HANDOUT – page 4 UCAS TV – how to apply Registration Filling in your details: About You Courses Education Employment Statement Stage 2:Completing your UCAS Form

42. June onwards THIS TERM … • Carefully consider your options for next year • Research choice of Degree Course and University if appropriate • Register on the UCAS website and begin to fill in your own application • Begin to draft your Personal Statement and get it checked. • Give yourself the best chance by applying as early as possible – by 30/9 for Medics/Dentists/ Vets/Oxbridge and half term for everyone else.

43. Questions • Any questions?

44. SAMPLE APPLICATION • Cheryl's application

45. June onwards THIS TERM … • Carefully consider choice of Degree Course and University • Register on the UCAS website and begin to fill in your own application • Begin to draft your Personal Statements and get them checked. • Give yourself the best chance by applying as early as possible – by 30/9 for Medics/Dentists/ Vets/Oxbridge and half term for everyone else.

47. Apprenticeships What is an Apprenticeship ? Working for an employer full-time, and studying for a work-related qualification. You’re paid a salary – varies depending on who you’re working for. What Qualifications Can I Get ? NVQ (National Vocational Qualification)

48. What type of Apprenticeship Can I Get ? Most Apprenticeships are in Business , Customer Care , Childcare, Hotel Work. Can I Go to University afterwards ? Possibly – for Foundation Degree – full or part-time How and When Do I Apply ? Spring/Summer of year 13 . Connexions can help with applications. You also need to look for vacancies yourself.