1. The King's School Higher Education Presentation Talks 2014 How to choose a course and university

2. How to choose a course and a university Ambition, Application, Attitude

3. What subject should I choose..?  A subject you enjoy that you’re already studying  A subject specific to your career choice (i.e. law, medicine, psychology, teaching, dentistry)  A subject that’s outside of the school curriculum that you’re really interested in (i.e. archaeology, photography, architecture)  NB The majority of degrees and subsequent careers are NOT subject specific Ambition, Application, Attitude 55 000 degrees to choose from

4. Some familiar subjects… Art…Biology…Chemistry…Design… English…French…Geography… History…… Law...Maths…Medicine…Physics… Philosophy… Spanish…Veterinary Science… Zoology Ambition, Application, Attitude

5. Some not so familiar… Aromatherapy...Brewing….Caribbean Studies... Combustion Science... Disaster Management ….Embroidery…Gambling Studies... Hebrew... Horse Studies...Internet... Jazz... Laser Science...Museum Studies...Neurosciences...Viking Studies.....Yacht Design... …and lots more!!!! Ambition, Application, Attitude

6. Search…  www.ucas.co.uk Ambition, Application, Attitude

7. Search… www.ucas.co.uk Ambition, Application, Attitude

8. If you’re still unsure….. Take the ‘Morrisby Tests’ or similar  Take the Morrisby ‘tests’ or similar Ambition, Application, Attitude

9. Sample Morrisby question

10. Choosing the right course  Entry requirements: be realistic  Course Content: may have different content/assessment/teaching  RAE/REF Scores  Length: Bachelors/Masters/Year Abroad/Industrial Placement  Accreditation (e.g. QTS/IENG/AMBA/FRICAS)  Number of subjects: Combined/Joint Honours  Applications per place (particularly if also applying to ‘top’ universities Ambition, Application, Attitude

11. Location, Location, Location…  Where is your course offered?  The location is just as important as your course choice  City… country… hustle and bustle… quiet… new… historic… all of the above!

12. Things to consider Think about… Accommodation Distance from home Support Services Type of institution Self-catering option Living at home Social Life Size of institution

13. Sources of further information  Open Days/Visit Days  Higher Education/UCAS Fairs  Taster sessions/summer schools  Teachers, Careers Advisers, relatives  Current students  University websites  Prospectuses

14. Sources of further information Research via UCAS http://search.ucas.com/ (which can change but will give a very good idea re: Courses and entry requirements)http://search.ucas.com/ UNISTATS http://unistats.direct.gov.uk/http://unistats.direct.gov.uk/ When considering the various ‘good Uni Guides’ you must:- 1.Be aware of their methodology 2.Consider trends over 3+ years 3.Understand the importance of weighing up and trading off ‘Overall Rankings’ with the rankings of individual departments http://university.which.co.uk/search/institution?gclid=CKbRs4XOir0CFenjwgodPnQAfw http://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/league-tables/rankings http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/public/gug/ http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/University_Guide/ http://www.theguardian.com/education/universityguide And the QS ‘Global Rankings’ are interesting not least because of their variance with many of the others!! http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings

15. What next?  Tailor your personal statement to the course (but ensure it’s suitable for all five institutions)  Apply through UCAS – Ideally by mid October  Wait for your offers (it can take a while…)  Choose your firm and insurance choice

16. Short listing the five down to two Together we’ll create your future Pick one University as your FIRM CHOICE Pick one University as your INSURANCE choice “This is my first choice if I get the grades..! ” “If I don’t get the grades I want, I’d be happy here!” You must be happy with both your firm and insurance choices. If you meet the terms of the offer you’re contractually obliged to go.

17. Remember Try to ensure your insurance offer is lower than your firm offer to increase your chances of being successful: Firm Choice ABB Insurance BBB Ambition, Application, Attitude

18. Conclusion  It’s time to be independent…your future is your responsibility  Make the most of opportunities to visit/ask questions  Visit the institutions before you decide on your firm/insurance…..but not randomly!  If your future plans do not include university your CV will still need to be strong to access the best Apprenticeship or ‘School Leaver Programmes’…so …. GET YOUR GRADES!!!

19. Any Questions? Ambition, Application, Attitude