Transcript Newmarket College

NEWMARKET COLLEGE
What happens next?
What happens next?
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Do you want to go to University?
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Or get a job as soon as you leave ?
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Or try to combine the two?
What happens next?
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If you don’t have a clue:
 Keep
your options open
 Consider all the possibilities
 Book a Connexions interview
 Try the Kudos careers software
Choosing a subject
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If you don’t know, try Kudos again!
Or the “Stamford Test” at
www.ucas.com/students/beforeyouapply/whattostudy/stamfordtest
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. You’ll
have to register first.
www.ukcoursefinder.co.uk is excellent and quick!
“Centigrade” is more detailed, but will cost you £10.
See the link on the UCAS website.
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Remember that Joint Honours degrees allow you to
combine very different subjects.
Choosing the course 1
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Will you get the grades? Find out your estimated
grades. There’s little point applying to a university
asking for 360 UCAS points if you are estimated
280, but make sure your 5 choices cover a big
enough range of points to cover every likely
eventuality.
Does the course contain those aspect of a subject
that you want to study? Courses with the same title
at different universities can have very different
course contents (and vice versa).
Choosing the course 2
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Is the course taught (lots of lectures or independent
study?), and assessed (coursework or exams?) in
ways that suit you?
How much flexibility and choice is there?
Consider work placements, sponsorship, job
prospects, study abroad?
Choosing the course: Useful websites
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Check out Unistats: http://www.unistats.com/ It
contains student satisfaction surveys, stay-on rates,
employment statistics and other useful stuff.
On www.ucas.com you can search for the course of
your choice. Use the Entry Profiles.
www.hotcourses.com has details of over a million
courses together with student reviews.
www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk has advice
on what and where to study.
Useful websites 2
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Many newspapers publish “league tables”: try a web
search. Make sure you know how their ranking works.
www.universityoptions.co.uk is aimed primarily at
parents, and claims to be impartial.
Again www.ukcoursefinder.co.uk is excellent.
www.thestudentroom.co.uk has lots of examples of
personal statements
Choice : University environment
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Big City, small town or countryside?
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How far from home?
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Do you need access to art galleries, theatres etc?
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Access by road or public transport?
Choice: Accommodation
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What is provided and where is it?
What happens after the first year?
What suits you best – “in hall” or self-catering? How
independent do you want to be?
Choice: Costs
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Fees – the biggest expense of all.
Accommodation: What is provided and how much
does it cost?
How much will it cost to travel home?
Opportunities for part-time jobs – can you take
yours with you?
Your leisure time
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What facilities are there for sports you’re interested
in already, or might want to take up?
Do you need to be near the sea or mountains for
your sport?
Music and drama opportunities
Are you looking for student radio or magazine
experience?
Open Days
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Now that few universities interview students, open
days are a great way to find out if a university is for
you. We ask you to limit your time off school to two
days.
Look at www.opendays.com.
Go with your gut feeling. Where did you feel
comfortable. Are the teaching staff stuffy or friendly?
What about the students you met?
Admissions tests
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Find out about:
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Law- LNAT
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Medicine etc, BMAT and UKCAT.
Gap Year
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This idea is popular, but do something with your time,
don’t leave it to put off making decisions.
Do you want to work or volunteer? In the UK or
overseas? Travelling independently or with an
organisation?
Research: www.yearoutgroup.org www.gapyear.com
www.gap.org.uk will get you started.
You need to think about budget, safety and the effect
on your career prospects.
Finance 1
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It’s never been more expensive to go to university.
The good news is that you will not have to pay for
any of your fees while you are a student, and that
student loans are unlike any other in that they are
not designed to make money out of you as the
interest is only linked to inflation.
Finance 2
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About 50% of students can expect to receive
something by way of a non-repayable grant. These
are means-tested, i.e. depend on parental income.
We will provide more information about grants
nearer Easter when application packs become
available.
Finance 3
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Fees don’t differ much between universities, but look
for what the university can offer by way of
scholarships, bursaries and hardship grants. If you
are put off uni because you are worried about how
to pay, then you are exactly the kind of person
these are designed to help.
Finance 4
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www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance A government site with tips
and advice on tuition fees, financial aid and loan applications.
www.slc.co.uk Student loans company. Includes a student
loan calculator to help estimate what you are entitled to
receive.
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www.studentmoney.org/ Includes a useful budget planner,
wage predictor and information on scholarships.
Registering with UCAS
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click on www.ucas.com/students/apply/
Choose Register/Log In to use Apply 2011, then
choose register.
The rest is pretty obvious except when you get to log
in: choose “Through my school/college”. Our
buzzword is newmarketcollege (all one word). Then
choose your tutor group.
Writing the Personal Statement
Return to the sixth form website to
download advice and examples of this
vital stage of the application process.