1. Applying To University: Getting Ready

2. The University Dichotomy Students generally want to go to university to make themselves employable Universities are recruiting students they hope will be potential academics

3. Why University? Graduate career prospects It’s expected Natural next step after A- levels Genuine academic interest Can’t think of what else to do

4. Why University? Graduate career prospects It’s expected Natural next step after A- levels Genuine academic interest Can’t think of what else to do

5. Take a Gap Year?

6. Several advantages to not rushing straight to university Good to have a break from academia Possibility of earning money to help fund all those books at university Chance to experience the world of work before making final choices as to degree Helps to mature you as an individual Try travelling - Travel broadens the mind!

8. UCAS – What is it? Central organisation through which applications are processed for entry to full-time higher education (HE) courses in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland They operate on behalf of all full-time higher education courses at member institutions: Undergraduate Degree Foundation Degree HNC / HND Certificate / Diploma of Higher Education

9. The competitive advantage Gaining a place at university or college has two stages:  Research  Self presentation (i.e. the UCAS application)

10. Choosing a Course – Student considerations Vocational interest/career? (Medicine, Law, Engineering…) If not sure about career, pursue your academic interest (History, English, Physics, Biology….) Look up new subjects (Marine Biology, Zoology, Social Anthropology, Archaeology, Astrophysics…) Remember that you will be spending a minimum of three years studying your chosen course/subject, and will ultimately be asked to pay back £27,000 for tuition alone

11. Researching Universities What sort of course do students want to study Preference as to region? (West of England, the South, Midlands, is Scotland an option?) Students need to use university websites for university specific research. (most are uni name followed by.ac.uk, but Google searches are the way!) UCAS’s own site allows for comprehensive searches of all courses, with plenty of other good information (www.ucas.com)

13. Unistats (www.unistats.com) allows for comparative searches to be made:www.unistats.com

14. University Rankings?

15. Ranking By Different Criteria?

17. Self-Presentation – what’s needed? Student’s academic interest and achievement, evidenced by AS grades and extra reading or research or related work experience This feeds in to the Personal Statement on the student’s UCAS form (autumn of U6th year) Other interests – but unis not always that bothered by this; they are recruiting on academic criteria