What to do After Aquinas

Understanding the jargon

Your Options

• University – full time• Employment – university part time• Apprenticeship/Employment• Gap Year

Support in College• Subject Teachers• Senior Tutors• Career Advisers• Tutorials – After Feb half term• After Aquinas Day – 19th March• Careers Day – 25th June • Applications Day 1st July

What is UCAS?UCAS stands for the 'Universities and Colleges Admissions Service'.

You apply through UCAS for a University place.  

They forward your application to the universities.

There are approximately 340 UK universities and colleges.

Thinking about University?

• Why do you want to go?• What do you want to do?• Where do you want to study?

University

• The type of University you can go to will depend on what you want to study.

• Academic subject• Vocational subject

A Russell Group University?

Represents 24 leading UK universities which are committed to maintaining the very best research, an outstanding teaching and learning experience and unrivalled links with business and the public sector.

Examples includeThe University of ManchesterThe University of SheffieldThe University of LeedsNewcastle UniversityOxford University

These usually offer a place based on grades e.g. AAA - AAB

New Universities

• Universities that were originally Polytechnics, Further Education Colleges, Teacher Training Colleges, University Colleges, that were granted full University status as part of the Education reforms of the 1980s and 1990s.

• Examples• Manchester Metropolitan University• Liverpool John Moores• University of Derby• Nottingham Trent University• Offers usually made based on points e.g. 300 points

Campus or City University

• City University – as suggested based in a city, numerous buildings, halls of residence may be a few miles away.

• Campus University - the university owned buildings and spaces e.g. lecture theatres, halls of residence sports facilities are situated in one place.

Selective Universities

• Selective – means the University usually receives more applications than places.

• Many interview and/or have additional tests.

• Grades usually high AAA- ABB

How do you apply• Attend open days from June• Complete application via UCAS• Application sent to UCAS from

September 2015• Can choose up to five universities • Costs approx £23• Write a personal statement• College write a reference

Grades or UCAS Tariff Points

• Universities can make you an offer either• Conditional – based on you gaining certain grades or

UCAS Points• Unconditional –students already have their A levels• Usually require 3 A levels – some request specific

subjects and some specific grades in subjects• Some employers also request certain points at A level• May also request certain grades at GCSE especially in

English and Maths.

UCAS Tariff Points

• You will be the last year under the current system.

• Don’t double count A Level AS Level

A* 140 -

A 120 60

B 100 50

C 80 40

D 60 30

E 40 20

Find out more

Competitive courses - which ones are they?

Can also depend on the University

• Medicine• Biomedical research• Veterinary Medicine• Dentistry• Physiotherapy• Primary school teaching• Law• History• English• Maths• Geography• Economics• Psychology

Apprenticeships –a job with training• Many large companies take on

apprentices• IBM, Laing O’Rourke, Siemens,

Airbus, BBC, ITV, PwC, Deloitte, British Gas, Barclays, Lloyds, GHQ, Police, Sainsbury’s, BAE Systems, Honda, Ferrari, Ryanair, Network Rail, Nestle, EDF.

How to apply

• Either direct to the company• Through a training provider• On the National Apprenticeship

Service website.

E-mail from a student’s mother

I have been meaning to write to you guys about XXXX ! He is doing great .... He is doing an apprenticeship in logistics and looking to become a transport co -ordinator next year ... This has been so good for him ... He struggled with studying for A levels and didn’t really know what he wanted to do ... University didn't feel like it was meant for XXXX... This apprenticeship has changed him so much already ... He has got responsibility and respect from his employers and has grown so much in confidence and people skills ... We are really proud of him ... I would really recommend apprenticeships as an option for those students not wishing to go to Uni ... XXXX has high ambitions and this seems to be a door for him which will lead to opportunities we couldn't have thought of

• Any Questions