Parents evening presentation Help your son or daughter through the - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Parents’ evening presentation

Help your son or daughter through the UCAS process

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Content of this session

The applicant journey and how you can help

Part one

• Researching HE

Part two

• UCAS application

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Why higher education?

• Increase potential earnings*
• Better career prospects
• Benefit the wider community
• Social and cultural reasons
• More independence, self-confidence and responsibility
• Personal challenge
• Broadens interests and knowledge
• It can be immense fun!

At the heart of connecting people to higher education

*Source: The Guardian, How much is your qualification worth?, 2011

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The UCAS journey

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• Start at www.ucas.com
• Research – career options, universities, courses and minimum entry

requirements.

• Attend a UCAS event – even if your son or daughter doesn’t know

what they want to do, speaking to those in the know will help.

• Learn from others – student videos

are available to watch at UCAS.tv.

Research – it’s free and important to do

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Find us on:

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Unsure of what to study?

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• Centigrade is an interest-based questionnaire

£20-£30

• It matches a student's interests and abilities with HE

courses and institutions in the UK, Ireland and those in Europe offering undergraduate degrees taught in English.

• Free 5 minute self assessment questionnaire
• Interactive questions to get some direction on

what you may be most suited to when it comes to higher education and future careers

Centigrade online Spartan test

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Entry requirements

• The level of academic ability expected by the course

provider

• Can be specific grades or UCAS points and some

courses may also specify GCSEs UCAS Tariff

• Converts qualifications to points
• Not all qualifications are included

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UCAS Tariff

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A Levels BTEC Qualifications (QCF) Grade Tariff points Grade Tariff points GCE & AVCE Double Award A level with additional AS (9 units) GCE A level and AVCE GCE AS Double Award GCE AS & AS VCE Extended Diploma Diploma 90 credit Diploma Subsidiary Diploma Certificate A*A* 280 D*D*D* 420 A*A 260 D*D*D 400 AA 240 D*DD 380 AB 220 DDD 360 BB A*A 200 DDM 320 BC AA 180 DMM D*D* 280 AB 170 D*D 260 CC 160 MMM DD 240 BB 150 D*D* 210 CD BC A* 140 MMP DM D*D 200 DD CC A AA 120 DD 180 CD AB 110 MPP MM DM 160 DE B BB 100 D* 140 DD BC 90 PPP MP MM D 120 EE DE C CC 80 MP 100 CD 70 PP M 80 EE D DD A 60 D* 70 DE B 50 PP D 60 E EE C 40 P M 40 D 30 P 20

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Additional requirements

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Admissions tests

• Medical

BMAT, UKCAT, GAMSAT, HPAT

• Law

LNAT (Cambridge law test)

• Maths

MAT, STEP

• Oxford

LNAT, BMAT, ELAT, TSA, CAT, HAT, MAT, MLAT, OLAT, PAT

• Cambridge

LNAT, BMAT, TSA, STEP Interviews & auditions

• Check university websites for specific subject requirements
• You may be asked to attend an interview or audition or provide

a portfolio

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How to choose and search for courses

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UCAS course search

Degree usually 3 or 4 year course Other options: Certificate of HE (CertHE) Diploma of HE (DipHE) Higher National Diploma (HND) Foundation degree Foundation year

Types of study

Other things to consider

• Course content –

modules/assessment methods

• Providers –

facilities/sports/societies

• Location –

home or away/city or rural

• Accommodation – uni halls or

private residences?

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Living away from home...

Use statistics to help you decide

• www.unistats.com

subject and course provider reviews

• League tables

The Guardian The Complete University Guide The Times

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Ask Universities about graduate employment...

What are their students now doing?

How can you support the research process?

• Read through the 2016 UCAS Parent

Guide

• Offer to attend open days with them,

you may have a different perspective.

• Financial assistance – with railway

tickets.

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Visit www.ucas.com/parents

• Sign up to the monthly UCAS Parents

Newsletter.

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Activities in preparation for HE

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Attend open days

• Get a feel for the place
• Insights from staff and students
• www.opendays.com

Work experience

• Great for your UCAS personal statement and CV

and may be a requirement of the course you are applying for e.g. medicine, nursing, social work, teaching Competitions

• Science, technology, engineering and maths

activities – Crest awards

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At the heart of connecting people to higher education

Summer schools and workshops Including……

Law, finance, IT or media Programme of summer schools at Oxford University (variety of subjects) Advice on university applications, school leaver programmes and careers Science, technology, engineering or maths Subjects including politics, history, economics, creative writing, maths Workshop conferences including physiotherapy, medicine, forensics, law, psychology, nursing Workshops, discussions and

• presentations. Variety of

subjects

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Key dates and deadlines

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Mid-June Applicants can register and start to complete their application. Mid-September Schools can start to submit completed applications to UCAS. 15 October Medicine, dentistry, veterinary sci/med and Oxford or Cambridge. 15 January Application deadline for most courses. 24 March Many art & design courses (check each course for deadline). 30 June Applications after this date held for Clearing.

Key features of the UCAS scheme

• Your son or daughter can make up to

five choices in one application.

• The 2015 applicant fee is:
• £12 for one choice
• £23 for up to five choices.
• Applications received by the key

deadlines are given equal consideration.

• ‘Invisibility’ – universities cannot see

where else students have applied.

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• UCAS received 699,685

applications

• 512,370 were accepted

In 2014...

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Any questions so far?

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The UCAS application

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Making the application

Apply is the UCAS online application system. Every applicant has six sections to complete:

• Personal details
• Student finance (UK and EU only)
• Choices
• Education
• Employment
• Personal statement.

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Once a student submits their application, the reference is added and it is sent to UCAS who passes it on to the university

Personal statements are so important, make sure your son or daughter includes:

• academic achievements, past and present
• interests in the chosen subject area
• knowledge of the subject and enthusiasm to go beyond the syllabus
• what they enjoy about studying
• details of their independent study skills.

The questions universities and colleges will ask:

• have they chosen the right subject for the right reasons?
• do they have a range of interests?
• does the personal statement confirm their interest in the subject?
• have they studied independently?
• are they motivated and committed?
• do they possess good numeracy and literacy skills?

Personal statement – start early

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Personal statements should stand out – tutors receive 200 per week!

Institutions may also offer a place on an alternative course

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Decision-making by institutions

Universities and colleges will review:

• Personal statement
• Reference
• Qualifications
• Admissions test results
• Interviews
• Portfolios
• Auditions.

An admissions tutor may make one of three decisions:

• Unconditional offer
• Conditional offer
• Unsuccessful.

Tracking applications

Track will allow your son or daughter to:

• follow the progress of their application

24/7

• see their choices and personal

information

• display their offers
• reply to offers online.

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Track is our online system that allows students to follow the progress of their application

Replying to offers

• When your son or daughter receives decisions

from all of their choices they will need to make their replies by a set date.

• They can now hold a maximum of two offers:
• Firm - their first choice. If they meet the

conditions of the offer they will be placed.

• Insurance – acts as a back-up choice and
• nly comes into play if they are not placed

with their firm choice.

• If your son or daughter fails to reply to their
• ffers by the deadline date, all offers will be

automatically declined.

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If they do not receive any

• ffers they can make an

additional choice through the Extra scheme

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Confirmation

• Exam results are published – many are passed electronically to universities by UCAS.
• Admissions staff check if the applicant has met the conditions of the offer. There are

four possibilities:

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• 1. If a student meets the conditions
• f their firm choice. It’s time to

celebrate!

• 2. If a student doesn’t meet the conditions of

their firm choice, but meets the conditions of their insurance choice (which should be lower), they will be placed at their insurance

• choice. It’s also time to celebrate!
• 3. If a student has not met the

conditions of their firm or insurance choice (or no insurance), they will be entered into a process known as Clearing.

• 4. If a student meets and exceeds the

conditions of their offer, they are eligible for

• Adjustment. This provides an opportunity for

them to reconsider where and what to study whilst still holding their firm offer.

Applicant enters choice details on Track University or college will make a decision If unsuccessful applicant can start again Applicant contacts university or college to discuss vacancies

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The Clearing process Clearing

If successfully placed – celebrate!

How can you support the application process?

• Don’t book holidays at key times

e.g. results day

• Support your son or daughter’s

management of their application.

• Make sure they read everything they are

sent carefully!

• Prepare them for living away from home:
• Cost of living – paying bills
• Independent living skills – cooking and

washing.

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Encourage your son or daughter to attend the tutorial sessions at College on UCAS preparation

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For further information

Contact Student Services Tel: 01926 318080 Email: advice@warkscol.ac.uk

Thank you

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Any questions?

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Find out more

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