Transcript Slide 1

Supporting Parents and Students through
the UCAS process
The Applicant Journey
Choosing
courses
Applying
Offers
Results
Next steps
Starting
Uni / College
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Experiential research
▪ Visiting an institution, convention or
subject-specific exhibition can prove
invaluable when making decisions
▪ Obtain a real ‘feel’ for the campus,
course, subject, career
▫ UCAS conventions
▫ Open days
▫ Taster courses
▫ Summer schools
▫ Subject specific events
▫ Career Fairs
Forms of research
▪ UCAS website
▪
▪
▪
Course search
UCAS TV
Stamford Test
▪ UNISTATS
▪ Yougofurther.co.uk
▪ Institutions websites
▪ Publications
▪ Talking to tutors,
UCAS and the
institutions
The provision of higher education in the UK
▪ Number of institutions 309
▪ Number of courses
50,000+
Things to consider when making your choices
 What to study
 Where to study
 Do I meet the criteria – target grades/AS results
 Content of course
 Facilities
 Finance
 Life after university
 Travel
 Social activities
 Speak to UCAS or the individual institution
This is UCAS.com
Course Search
 Qualifications / grades / subjects
 Finance
 Course content
 Selection process
 How long they take to
make a decision
 Admissions tests
 Interviews
 Auditions
 What they look for in the
personal statement
Institutions own websites
Important dates
 October 15th
 Medicine, Veterinary, Dentistry and Oxbridge
 January 15th

Main deadline
 March 24th

Some Art and Design courses
 FCC expect you to complete your section by
beginning of December
 Takes Sixth Form Tutor Team approx 2 weeks
to then add reference and send tom UCAS
Applying
 Cost = £11 / £22
 Read the information carefully
 Do it early
 Do not give anyone your login details
 Keep record of login details, password etc
Applicant completes:
Personal details
Choices
Education
Employment
Personal Statement
Additional information
(UK only)
School completes:
Reference
Why should I apply early?
 Institutions
have more
time to637,773
consider your
 Final will
figures
for 2010:
 application
Figures as
atsubmitted
21 May 2011:
647,008
1.4%)
if its
early as
they will(+
have
fewer
applications to view
starts
mid February
  IfExtra
you are
unsuccessful
with your initial choices you can
use Extra
 One
You can
concentrate
on yourabout
school work
less
thing to worry
 Otherwise
Only apply early
you have
know what
you your
want to
apply for
you ifwill
wasted
choices
Track

Enables you to follow the
progress of your
application (24/7, access via
password)

Quickest way to find out about
new offers

You can reply to offers online

Important that you keep up to
date with your application
Number of choices
 Up to 5 choices
 Oxford OR Cambridge
 If applying to study Medicine, Vet
Science/Medicine up to 4 choices.
University and college decisions
 Admissions tutors can make one of three decisions:

Conditional Offer

Unconditional Offer

Unsuccessful
 Applicants then keep a maximum of two offers:

Firm
(1st choice)

Insurance
(2nd choice)
How your offer may look
▪ Grade offer:
▫ This offer is subject to you obtaining Merit, Merit, Merit in
your BTEC National Diploma
▪ Tariff offer:
 This offer is subject to you obtaining 240 UCAS Tariff
points
▪ Tariff and grade offer:
▫ This offer is subject to you obtaining 240 UCAS Tariff points
including a distinction in the Building Services Science unit
UCAS Tariff
 Points system used for many qualifications including:

A Levels

BTEC (e.g. DDD = 360 points)

Diplomas (Progression Diploma grade A = 300)
GCE A Level
Tariff Points
A*
140
A
120
B
100
C
80
D
60
E
40
What happens next
▪ Get your results
▪ If successful:
▫ Wait to hear from your institution
▪ If unsuccessful:
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▫
▫
Clearing process
Year out
Re-sits
Work experience
Questions?