The Kings of Wessex Higher Education Conference III Thursday 3 April 2014

The Kings of Wessex
Higher Education Conference III
Thursday 3 April 2014
Why go on to higher education?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Gold standard
Independence
Opportunities
Employability
Stretch and challenge
World class competition
Fun
What you should do
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
You should be making your choices now - prospectuses
Look at Open Days now – competition for places
Type of course
Distance from home
Assessment methods
Modules
Admission tests
Work experience
Look at bursaries and scholarships – free money but
only if you apply
Preparing for your application
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Results are key
Passion for subject - evidence
Wider reading
Check the university entry profiles on UCAS site
against your personal statement (job spec and
letter of application) – SELL YOURSELF
Volunteering
Work Related Learning
Leadership
Participation
What does “university” mean for you?
Train for a
particular
career
Passion for
subject
To gain
knowledge
and skills
New
experiences
Academic
excellence
Personal
growth
To get a
good job
Social life
To realise an
ambition
Graduate employment
"A degree alone is not a passport into a graduate
job and it isn't right for everyone....
.... the job prospects of graduates - and
especially those who take advantage of some
of the many opportunities both within and
outside the curriculum to gain experience and
learn relevant skills - are much rosier than
those of 16 and 18 year old job seekers, and
look certain to remain so”.
AGCAS President, Anne-Marie Martin, 2011
What do employers want?
Subject knowledge?
• For work-related (vocational) courses - Yes
• 60-70% graduate jobs do not specify subject
SKILLS – Top 10 from graduate recruiters 2011
• Commercial awareness, Communication, Teamwork,
Negotiation, Problem solving, Leadership,
Organisation, Perseverance, Work under pressure,
Confidence
From your degree and.....EXPERIENCE
• PT work/work placement,
volunteer, extracurricular, gap year
• EVIDENCE for skills
First degree choice (BA, BSc, LLB etc)
Spectrum of subjects
Academic
Semi-vocational
Vocational
Old - e.g. English
e.g. Business Studies
e.g. Medicine
New - e.g. Japanese
e.g. Environmental Science
e.g. Architecture
Most don’t directly
use their degree...
...PLAN...
Most do use their
degree in job...
• 1,800 degree subjects
• 40,000 degree courses
• 300 universities and colleges in UK
What are “graduate” jobs
Type
%
Examples
Traditional
25
Barrister, doctor, engineer, architect
Modern
New
42
Niche skills
Non-graduate
33
Management, accountancy, IT,
journalism
Marketing, Advertising, Nursing,
Physiotherapy
Hotel & Leisure centre manager, retail
manager
Degree not necessarily a requirement
(but it may give you a head start)
What are the subject options?
Subject area
e.g. Options.....do your research
Business & Administration
e.g. International Relations, Marketing
Social Sciences and Law
e.g. Applied Economics, Social Work
Medicine & Health
e.g. Audiology, Optometry, Radiography
Science
e.g. Cell Biology, Polymer Chemistry, Sports Science
Maths, IT & Computing
e.g. Artificial Intelligence, Mathematical Modelling
Engineering & Building Management
e.g Building Surveying, Geotechnical Engineering
Arts and Creative Arts
e.g. Multimedia Design, Calligraphy
Arts, Humanities & Languages
e.g. Chinese History, Ancient Greek, Japanese
EXPLORE the options...but
...what do graduates from that course do?
How to choose a degree
• Entry requirements – check!
- GCSE, AL grades, work experience, tests
• Course content – in detail, all different
• Course structure
– Foundation, Bachelor’s degree (BA, BSc, MD LLB, MEng etc)
– Single, Joint, Combined Honours
•
•
•
•
•
Work (sandwich) placement – good for employability
Teaching quality www.qaa.ac.uk and department facilities
Research quality www.rae.ac.uk and department facilities
Year abroad – study, work, language
Destination statistics (DHLE)- employment after 6 months
Grades or points? The UCAS tariff
A Level
A* = 140
A = 120
B = 100
C = 80
D = 60
E = 40
AS Level
(A* = 70 for EPQ only)
A = 60
B = 50
C = 40
D = 30
E = 20
www.ucas.com/students/ucas_tariff/tarifftables/
 Points can be awarded for other recognised exams
 e.g. Music grades 6+, British Horse Society, Sports Leaders UK
 Points offers vary depending on course/institution, may also
specify points from particular subject(s)
 Extended Project Qualification equivalent to an AS (A*-E)
How to choose a university
•
•
•
•
•
•
Campus, collegiate, city or smaller town, new, old...
Teaching style – lectures, tutorials, contact time, labs
Assessment – exam or continuous assessment/course work
Facilities – e.g. Student’s Union, Sports, Arts
Tuition fees - £9000 (or less?) and living costs
University scholarships and bursaries
How to decide:
• Do your research – for an informed choice
• Open days – you do need to visit
• Taster days or Summer schools
• League tables and comparison websites
Strategies for Success (1)
1. “Vocational specialist”
e.g. Health, engineering, technology, technical services
– Reputation with employers > important than uni
– BEWARE pseudo-/semi-vocational courses
E.g. Music Production, Media Studies – check course
employability before you apply if you want a job in the sector
– Can be hard to research the possibilities
– Large range of opportunities for graduates
– “Easiest” route to employment?
Strategies for success (2)
2. “Good all-rounder”
–
–
–
–
–
–
First or 2i from a top university (i.e. best uni, best degree)
Employer will accept “any degree subject”
Lots of work experience
Plenty of extra-curricular activities
Strong commercial and personal skills
Demonstrate interest in chosen job/sector
– Best choice if you are “not sure”?
“Make the most of your 1000 days”
To leave with a DEGREE (taught) and a JOB (up to you!)!
• Start thinking about your future career options as
soon as you start your degree (or even before)
• Get involved in plenty of extra-curricular activities
• Organise work experience with different employers (in
the future recruiters may just recruit through
internships) – gap year, internships, placement year
• Develop as many business skills as you can
• Research employers and prepare applications early
Concerned about £ cost ?
• NHS Health and Social Work courses
– NHS Student or Social Work Bursary for some
courses - www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/Students.aspx
• Scholarships and bursaries
– universities and charities – £millions unclaimed
• Sponsorship
– Companies, armed forces,
merchant navy, apprenticeships
• Work-related or distance learning
Useful websites
Information about university and student life
• www.brightknowledge.org/
• www.thestudentroom.co.uk/
Course choice
• www.ucas.com Course Search
• www.ukcoursefinder.com Power search & Questionnaire
• www.centigradeonline.co.uk Centigrade online £20
What do graduates do ..and what can I do with ......?
• www.hecsu.ac.uk/assets/assets/documents/WDGD_Sept_2013.pdf
www.prospects.ac.uk Careers Advice/Options with your Subject
Comparison – universities/courses
• http://unistats.direct.gov.uk/
• www.bestcourse4me.com
League tables
• The Times, The Guardian, The Complete University Guide
The application process
 Decide on courses (multiple hours)
 Draft personal statement (use others’ but don’t plagiarise) 4000 characters including spaces (3 hours)
 Register on UCAS site – login & password (10 mins)
 Complete personal details and education - apart from AS
results (2 hours)
 Enter AS results (10 mins)
 Enter choices (1 hour)
 Finalise personal statement (2 hours)
 Check (2 hours)
 Pay and send (2 mins)
 October half term deadline
 We write your reference and send to UCAS
University Challenge!
1. Which degree can’t you study in UK?
A. Chinese Medicine B. Watersports Technology
C. Equine Science
2. Which is the largest university in the UK?
A. Manchester
C. Open University
B. London
D.UWE (West of England)
2. Which is the oldest university in the UK?
A. Oxford
B. Cambridge
C. Durham