Transcript Options After A Level

POST 18 CHOICES
Year 14 Induction/Headstart Day
August 2014
Mrs S Coetzee
Head of Careers
TO DATE:
TODAY:
• Registered for UCAS
• Completed Sections
1, 2, 3, 5, 6 of UCAS
application
RESOURCES:
• Post 18 Options Information Booklet
2015 Cycle
• Applying through UCAS
• Year 14 CEAIG 2013 - 4
IN YEAR 13:
• CEIAG Programme
• One-to-one Guidance Interview
• First draft of Personal Statement
• Interview Notes
• Second draft of Personal Statement
(over summer)
• Continued research (over summer)
TO COMPLETE:
• Course Choices
(Section 4)
• Personal Statement
 Complete/check Sections 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 (all except Choices and Personal
Statement)
 Continued research - Course Choices
 Review Personal Statement for first meeting with Post 18 Adviser
 Consider Open Days (QUB, UU)
IMMEDIATE ACTION
IN THE NEXT WEEK . . .
SCHEDULE
 Queen’s University
School trip – Friday 12 September
 Family Open Day – Saturday 13 September
 University of Ulster – Jordanstown
 Tuesday 9 September
9.30 am - 2 pm
 Wednesday 10 September
9.30 am - 2 pm; 6 pm – 8 pm
 Thursday 11 September
9.30 am - 3 pm
 University of Ulster – Coleraine
 Saturday 6 September
9.30am - 2 pm
 University of Ulster – Magee
 Saturday 20 September
9.30 am - 3 pm
St Mary’s University College
 Tuesday 16 and Wednesday 17 September
OPEN DAYS – SEE LETTER
Post 18 Options
Choosing a course
UCAS - Applying for University
Personal Statements
Aptitude Tests
Applying through CAO and Abroad
Deferred Entry/Gap Year Opportunities
Finance
OUTLINE
Higher Education
University
 Degrees (a minimum of 3 years)
College of Further and Higher Education
 Foundation Degrees
 HNDs
a minimum
of 2 years
 Degrees
 Employment (consider part-time study options)
 Higher Apprenticeships/Apprenticeships NI
POST 18 OPTIONS
 Develop subject knowledge and transferable skills for
enhanced employability
 Improve career prospects for long-term financial success
 ‘Graduate hungry’ economy:
 2005
23% of all jobs demanded degree
 Currently
32%
 2020
43%
 Essential for some career areas
(Medicine, Teaching, Chartered Engineering, Law etc)
 Achieve full academic and personal potential
WHY CHOOSE HIGHER EDUCATION?
NATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORK
Masters Level (eg MEng, MSc, MMath) – Level 7.
Bachelors Level (eg BA, BSc, BEng, BMus, BEd) – Level 6.
Foundation degree/HND – Level 5. After completion,
this could lead to the second year of a degree course,
and sometimes the final year.
THINK CAREFULLY ABOUT THE LEVEL AT
WHICH YOU WILL APPLY TO STUDY.
GIVE YOURSELF GOOD BACK-UP OPTIONS.
WHAT ARE THE GRADES REQUIRED IN 2015 TO
STUDY MECHANICAL ENGINEERING AT QUEEN’S
UNIVERSITY (QUB)?
a. A*AA
c.
AAB
b. AAA
d. BBB
The correct answer is either c) or d)
It depends on the level at which you wish to study. MEng is AAB. BEng is BBB.
(Maths and one other Science required).
The lowest entrance requirement for any degree at QUB is BBB.
The Actuarial Science and Risk Management degree at QUB requires A*AA.
Source: UCAS/University websites
WHAT ARE THE GRADES REQUIRED IN 2015 TO
STUDY BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES AT UNIVERSITY OF
ULSTER?
a. ABB
b. BBB
BCC
d. CDD
c.
The correct answer is b)
However, the requirement was 300 tariff points with grades BB at A level.
At least one ‘hard’ science and one other science-related subject required.
Most degrees at University of Ulster require in the region of BBB-BCC grades.
Although the lowest entrance requirement is CCC, some degrees will require AAA.
Source: UCAS/University websites
WHAT ARE THE GRADES REQUIRED IN 2014 TO STUDY
FOR A FOUNDATION DEGREE IN SOFTWARE
ENGINEERING AT BELFAST METROPOLITAN COLLEGE?
a. BB/CCC
c.
CC
b. BC/DDD
d. DE
The correct answer is a)
Many Foundation degrees at the local ‘Technical’ College are as competitive as full
University degree courses.
In Software Engineering, the minimum tariff has been 200 points. In Mechanical
Engineering, a Foundation degree requires Maths and another Science/Technology
with a minimum BC grades.
Source: BMC 2014 prospectus
 Be aware of the Scottish MA
 Opportunity to study two or three subjects
 Scottish degree courses tend to be a year longer
 MA – 4 years
 BSc/BEng – 4 years
 MEng – 5 years
Did you know . . .
It is not true that you do not
have to pay fees in Scotland if
you have an Irish passport.
 Can sometimes apply for second year as point of entry if the
subject has been studied at A level
SCOTLAND
 Foundation degrees can be extremely competitive to get into.
Apply in February. Go to an Open Day.
 Remember that students who have Foundation degrees/HNDs
still move forward to undergraduate degrees, postgraduate
degrees and even PhDs.
 Many pupils favour resitting A levels at ‘Tech’ as a back-up plan
instead of a Foundation degree/HND.
Why?
• You are aiming for a competitive
institution that cannot be accessed
through a Foundation degree.
• They do not offer a suitable Foundation
degree in your subject (History, Spanish).
Why not?
• It is a step back.
• Colleges do not offer all the same
subjects as CCB.
• Colleges do not offer the same exam
board as CCB in all subjects.
FOUNDATION DEGREES/RESITTING A LEVELS
Foundation Degrees, HNDs and some degrees:
 Apply directly to College but sometimes through UCAS (check carefully)
Courses available in Northern Ireland in the following
sectors:
 Business
 Computing
 Social Studies
 Creative Studies
 Hospitality
 Leisure and Tourism
 Science and Agri-Foods
 Technology
COLLEGES OF FURTHER
AND HIGHER EDUCATION
• Agriculture
• Manufacturing
• Construction
• Retail
• Hotels
• Restaurants
Lower than
average
concentrations
of graduates in:
Increasing
demand for
graduates in:
• Physical Sciences
• Mathematics
• Computer
Sciences
• Engineering
• Technology
• Creative Arts and
Design
CURRENT PATTERNS IN NI FOR GRADUATES
• Medical
• Business and
Admin
• Mass
Communication
Above average
concentrations
of graduates in:
Decline in
demand for
graduates in:
• Medical and
related
• Education
• General
Business/
Administration
What subject(s) to study?
 Continue with familiar subject of interest
e.g History; Physics; Mathematics
 Take up new subject e.g.
Archaeology; Economics; Psychology
 Study subject with direct career links
e.g. Accountancy; Engineering;
Law
 Pursue vocational course e.g.
Architecture; Medicine;
Physiotherapy; BEd Teaching
CHOOSING A COURSE
Where and what kind of institution?
 Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Scotland or
England/Wales
 Campus/City
 Costs/Financial implications
 Reputation
 Accommodation
 Non - academic facilities
(sporting/social)
 Travel and accessibility
CHOOSING A COURSE
What type of course?
 Single Honours – emphasis on one subject (module
options)
 Joint Honours – 2 subjects (not necessarily related)
 Combined Honours – combination of 2 or 3 subjects
(eg Liberal Arts)
 Major/Minor – e.g. Business Studies with French
 Sandwich – alternating periods of study and work-
related experience
CHOOSING A COURSE
Think about:
 Entry requirements
 Course content and
duration
 Proportion applications/offers
 Interview/non-interview entry
 Methods of teaching and assessment
 Course structure, options and flexibility
 Academic facilities
 Professional accreditation
CHOOSING A COURSE
Russell Group
Use The Times and The
Guardian league tables
as well as
www.unistats.com
Review by institution
and subject
Read through course
WHERE TO STUDY?
literature carefully
Visit University
Universities and Colleges Admissions Service
www.ucas.com
Five Course Choices
Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Science/Medicine –
four choices only in any of these plus one other
Oxford University or University
of Cambridge – only one choice
for that University.
Not possible to apply for both
Cost £23
WHAT IS UCAS?
UCAS PROCEDURES
AS level
grade
Tariff
points
 Applications made online
A level
grade
Tariff
points
A*
140
using APPLY system
A
60
A
120
 Online TRACK system
B
50
B
100
C
40
C
80
D
30
D
60
E
20
E
40
allows pupils to monitor
progress of applications
 Offers made, often
relating to UCAS tariff
 Applicants can accept two offers (usually May 2015)
 CF (Conditional Firm)
 CI (Conditional Insurance)
or UF (Unconditional Firm)
 Results August 2015 - pupils take up places Autumn 2015
BTEC
Subsidiary
Diploma
Distinction
Merit
Pass
UCAS EXTRA
UCAS CLEARING
CUKAS (Music courses at Conservatoires)
UCAS PROCEDURES
Reference written by Post 18 Adviser based on:
Subject references
Pastoral references
Predicted grades based
upon AS level results
UCAS REFERENCES
AND PREDICTED GRADES
Crucial to any application – make right impression
Effective Personal Statement can mean difference
between offer or rejection

.
PERSONAL
STATEMENT
 Must be well-written, grammatically accurate
with no spelling errors
 4000 characters, including spaces
 Read by all Admissions Tutors
 80 : 20 ratio
80% academic
20% extra-curricular/other
 Relevant Work Experience essential
for some courses – show insight
through Personal Statement
PERSONAL STATEMENT
YOUR PERSONAL STATEMENT SHOULD SHOW . .
 you know what you want to study and why
 your academic strengths and interests match your subject choices
 you are able to reflect on things you learn and experiences you
have
 you are curious about and have motivation towards your chosen
subject
 your subject interests go beyond the classroom
 you are a well rounded and organised person, with a range of
skills, developed both inside and outside the classroom
 Some vocational degrees demand aptitude tests as
requirement:
 BMAT – Medicine/Veterinary
 UKCAT – Medicine/Dentistry
 HPAT – Physiotherapy, Radiography etc at Ulster
 LNAT – Law at some Universities
 Oxbridge - require aptitude tests for some courses at
certain Colleges
 TSA – Thinking Skills Assessment
 Subject Specific – HAT, PAT, MAT, Law Test
APTITUDE TESTS
 Central Applications Office (CAO)
www.cao.ie
 Course choices are made in order
of preference
 Choice of up to 10 courses
 For most courses, places are
awarded strictly on academic merit
 Changes to entrance requirements
at Trinity College Dublin – will no
longer be necessary to have four
full A levels to meet entrance
requirements
APPLYING TO UNIVERSITIES/COLLEGES IN
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND
Programmes in Europe delivered in the English
language
www.eunicas.co.uk
USA – SAT test
www.fulbright.org.uk
www.collegeboard.org
Hong Kong and China
UNIVERSITIES ABROAD
Possible to apply to UCAS in the 2015 cycle
for entry Autumn 2016
Make plans, and make them relevant e.g.:
Learning a language properly
Learning new skill
Voluntary Work
Job
Discuss plans and intended outcomes on
Personal Statement
DEFERRED ENTRY/
GAP YEAR
Domicile
Institution location
NI
England
Scotland
Wales
£3,575
Up to £9K
Up to £9K
Up to £9K
England
Up to £9K
Up to £9K
Up to £9K
Up to £9K
Scotland
Up to £9K
Up to £9K
Up to £9K
Up to £9K
£1,820 –
£2,895
Up to £9K
(additional grant
up to £5,425)
(additional grant
up to £5,425)
(additional grant
up to £5,425)
(additional grant
up to £5,425)
£3,575
Up to £9K
£1,820 –
£2,895
Up to £9K
(additional grant
up to £5,425)
Variable
Variable
Variable
Variable
NI
Wales
EU
Other
Up to £9K
Up to £9K
FEES
MAINTENANCE LOANS
Maximum
available
75%
entitlement
Means
tested
Parental home
£3,750
£2,812
Up to £938
Living away from
home (not London)
£4,840
£3,630
Up to £1,210
Living away from
home (London)
£6,780
£5,085
Up to £1,695
Studying overseas
£5,770
£4,327
Up to £1,443
 Repayments – begin to pay back loans once earning
£16,910 per annum or over. Pay back 9% of any earnings
over this amount. Debt written off after 30 years.
 Grants – means tested Maintenance Grants of up to
£3,475 for students from household with annual income
less than £19,204. Partial grant for students from
households with income less than £41,065.
 For every £1 that is received as a Maintenance Grant,
available Maintenance Loan reduced by 50 pence.
MONEY MATTERS
 Special Support grant – same as Maintenance Grant but
doesn’t affect Maintenance Loan.
 CAFRE fees capped at £1,465 for NI/EU students.
 Republic of Ireland – fees paid by Irish Government.
Registration fees of €2,750 . Also eligible for Maintenance
Loan (maximum £4,840) and a Maintenance/Special Support
Grant as applicable.
 Look for special scholarships and bursaries at all Universities
MONEY MATTERS
 Students on health professional courses at UU are usually not
liable for fees – Dietetics, Occupation Therapy, Physiotherapy,
Radiography, Podiatry, Speech and Language Therapy.
 May also be able to apply for income-assessed bursary (offset
against maximum Maintenance Loan available).
 Arrangements are similar in rest of UK, but not all courses have
bursaries.
 Bursaries are available for NI students in Nursing, Midwifery
and Social Work courses.
MONEY MATTERS
QUESTIONS?