Higher Education Evening Thursday 7 January 2016 Jon Owen Assistant Principal/Director of Sixth Form

Changing demand for places 1990 approx.: 950,000 students 2010 approx. 1,900,000 students UCAS acceptance figures 2006 vs 2015  Bristol 3,660 to  Manchester 7,210 to 9,040  Oxford 3,225 to 3, Average university marketing budget increased by 22.% SOAS: 2931 students: £938,611 annual marketing budget

UK Top 10 Universities 1. Cambridge6. St Andrews 2. Oxford7. Warwick 3. LSE8. Surrey 4. Imperial9. Lancaster 5. Durham10. Exeter Complete university guide

Times World Ratings 1.Oxford (2)6. Kings (27) 2.Cambridge (4)7. Manchester (56) 3.Imperial (8)8. Bristol (69) 4.UCL (14)9. Durham (70) 5.LSE (23)10. Glasgow (76)

Why do students chose universities?  They have heard of it (or parents have)  Went on a open day and fell in love with it  Accommodation (ensuite bathrooms!)  Like a specific course  Friends or family go/went there  Close/far from home  Within their grade range  Have been told the university will be flexible with grades on results day !

Terry McDermott Director of Careers

The UCAS Process StudentForm Tutor/subject teacher UCAS line manager UCAS Co-ordinator/Director of Sixth Form Post-AS period September Deadlines: 15 October Oxbridge/Medic. Mid-November for all others

UCAS Apply

Choices  Five choices (except Medic / Vet / Dentist)  Range of entry requirements  No preferences stated  Universities do not see a student’s other choices

How the Universities Decide  A strong ‘personal statement’ – evidence of self- motivation, achievement and interest  GCSE grades  A Level grades or predicted grades (we’ll discuss these later)  AS grades – all new A Levels cashed in for 2016  Unit results – check with university  Relevant work experience / work shadowing  School reference  University Entrance Tests (e.g. LNAT, UKCAT)

Responses Universities will respond by:  Inviting for interview, pre-offer day or recommending attendance at an Open Day  Making an offer (conditional or unconditional)  Rejecting the application This can take until late May

Type of Offer  Conditional: Grades only (e.g. ABB) Or subject specific (e.g. ABB with A in Maths) Or UCAS points based on the UCAS Tariff:  A* = 140  A= 120  Unconditional

Replying to offers A student can hold two offers ready for Results Day  Firm Offer  Insurance offer Students generally view universities which offer higher grades as being better

Why it’s best to be a “top university” Last year, 500 students applied to you for 100 available places. You offer grades AAA to 250 students and 150 student made you their Firm choice. On Results Day, you took all students who gained A*A*A* to AAA – 90 students You chose 10 students who achieve AAB to get 100 students and released the other students in to Clearing.

Why it’s bad to be a “bottom” university You had 250 applicants for 50 places You offered 240 places at CCC and 10 students held you as their Firm choice and 70 as their Insurance choice. Depending on the students’ Firm choice universities, it is likely you will need to enter Clearing to fill your places or lose income.

Important truths about UCAS

Predicted Grades We predict using data i.e. AS results, mock results, CWG (not aspirational grades), ALIS data etc. We predict to the advantage of the students Some universities track our predicted grades Some universities increase offers for higher predicted grades We retain the right not to change our predicted grades

UCAS Application Things that delay UCAS applications:  Students being away during the Post-AS period  Students not completing a first draft of their personal statement during the Summer Term  Issues over predicted grades  A lack of quality research into options

What does it take?  Hard work and initiative on the part of the pupil  Realistic about university choices  No substitute for good results  Advice is always available, but it needs to be taken!  Broader preparation – show interest in your subjects outside of your lessons  But the process is not rocket science

Wednesday 27 January