Higher Education Evening
BHASVIC HE & PROGRESSION EVENING
2013
Higher Education
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Choosing a Course
Choosing a University
How universities choose
What happens after the application
is sent in
How BHASVIC helps
Common mistakes
Recent changes
BHASVIC Students
CHOOSING A COURSE
Where do you get information from…
Lots of websites but some key ones are:
Complete University Guide (general information about
individual universities):
www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/
Unistats (comparing Universities):
www.unistats.direct.gov.uk/
UCAS (excellent information about the application process
itself):
www.ucas.com
COURSE
Interest and enjoyment
 Professional; academic
 Employment
 Single or joint
 Content and Structure
 Assessment

ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS
Required subjects
 Grades in specific subjects or
overall points score
 Entrance test
 Non academic requirements, e.g.
work experience

“ACCEPTABLE” A LEVELS
Generally speaking all A levels are acceptable for
University entry but it can depend on the course or
individual university.
 A ‘spread’ of courses is fine e.g. Biology, Maths,
Drama would be fine as 2 courses are regarded as
being strong academically.
 But Drama, Music and Film Studies would be
excellent for any performance related degree
 Also a pass in Drama will be worth more than a fail
in Maths!

POINTS OR GRADES?
Some universities ask for grades, including ‘*’
e.g. Chemistry at Cambridge requires A*AA
 Most do not ask for A* grades e.g. Brighton
requires BBC
 Some ask for points e.g. Chemistry at
Nottingham Trent requires 260 points
 Points are calculated using the UCAS Tarrif
 The UCAS Tariff also gives details of the points
allocated to L3 BTEC qualifications.
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Grade
A2 (A
Level)
A/S Level
A
B
C
D
E
120
100
80
60
40
60
50
40
30
20
BTEC QUALIFICATIONS
BTEC qualifications have their own UCAS points
attached to them.
 For example, the Sports Science course at
BHASVIC is a double course and so a double
Distinction would be 240 points (2 A
equivalent), a double Merit would be 160
points (2 C equivalent).

CHOOSING A UNIVERSITY

The right course, quality of facilities,
provision

Type and size, quality of accommodation
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Distance from home
• Reputation
league tables, employer
links, word of mouth
• Scholarships and bursaries
• Learning Support
• Student mix
state school/private/mature
students/ international
students/diversity
STUDYING ABROAD
Some degrees at UK universities will offer a year
abroad, typically languages or American (or other
cultural) Studies.
 A student could think about studying their entire
degree abroad and this now has greater relevance
given the recent rise in tuition fees.
 This year BHASVIC students have applied to U.S,
Holland and Australia and we are building up a
comprehensive guide for students thinking of this
route, as well as offering direct support.

Using UCAS Apply
Once student has decided on potential courses and
universities, they apply to them using ucas.apply
UCAS: universities central admissions system, not a
decision making body.
Handles applications for all full time first degree higher
education courses.
AFTER APPLICATION
Sep – Dec 2013: nearly all applications will be
in (final deadline Jan 15th)
 Oct 2013 – March 31st 2014: Students get
Offers
 8th May – students make their choice of two
offers to be their ‘firm’ and ‘insurance’ choice
 Results – 15th August
 Clearing

HOW BHASVIC CAN HELP
March
Tutors begin discussing next year’s options
with their Tutor Groups.
March 14th
and 19th
Parents Information Evening
March 25th – 26th
Higher Education Information Day at Brighton
University
April 30th
Gap Year Fair
June 10th
Progression Event
Writing Personal Statements
Personal Finance
Using ucas apply
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June onwards: BHASVIC gives students support in
using ucas apply and writing personal statements
Students can apply for five courses (unless
applying for medicine/veterinary science)
Applications begin in September
Deadline for Oxbridge, Medicine, Veterinary
Science and Dentistry - 15 OCTOBER
Students who have not made 5 choices can, if they
wish, add a further choice before the January 15th
deadline.
Deadline for all other students - 15 JANUARY
Internal deadlines are earlier
HOW DO UNIVERSITIES CHOOSE
1.
A student will have to have the grades – AS
Grades are crucial as these will be what an
Admissions officer will regard as an accurate
prediction of A level grades or BTEC levels of
achievement.
2.
The student’s personal statement
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Student’s enthusiasm and motivation for course. Why
they want to do it?
Student’s understanding of the course
What students have gained from their current courses
(specific interests, skills)?
Additional reading
Evidence of special commitment, work experience,
attendance at lectures, organising clubs
3. Reference – written in collaboration
between all teachers and Tutor
4. Tests (BMAT, LNAT, HAT) where appropriate
5. Interview (where invited)
6. Widening Participation and the Office for
Fair Access
COMMON MISTAKES
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Lack of research - Applying for courses without the
right qualifications/subjects
Applying to courses whose entry requirements are
higher than AS grades
Applying for extremely diverse courses
Leaving writing a Personal Statement/applying until
the last minute
Applying to universities or courses they do not want to
go to
Not having a proper insurance offer
SOME RECENT CHANGES
Numbers down – in 2011 there was a national
drop of around 9% in applications (BHASVIC
had an almost identical drop), in 2012 there
was a further national drop of 6.5% although
BHASVIC’s numbers did not drop this year.
 Some universities have been affected worse
than others (London Met -43%, Liverpool Hope
– 16%) which is serious for their future
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WHERE DO BHASVIC STUDENTS GO?
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Top ten universities BHASVIC students end up
at (2012): University of Brighton
University of Sussex
Bournemouth University
University of Cambridge
University of East Anglia
University of Portsmouth
University of Exeter
The University of Warwick
University of the West of England, Bristol
The University of Kent
King's College London (University of London)
Royal Holloway, University of London
University College London (University of London)
WHAT AREAS OF STUDY TO BHASVIC STUDENTS
APPLY FOR?

Top ten broad areas by BHASVIC students
(2012):
Biological Sciences
Social Studies
Business & Admin studies
Creative Arts & Design
History & Philosophical studies
Physical Sciences
Law
Mathematical Sciences
Mass Comms and Documentation
Engineering
Combined arts
WHAT DO THEY STUDY?

Top ten individual subjects studied by BHASVIC
students (2012): :
Psychology
Law
Economics
History
Politics
Mathematics
Media studies
English
Physics
Medicine
WHY NOT FOLLOW US ON TWITTER?

BHASVICHE@Ed.Higher is the HE Twitter Feed
which gets up-to-date information regarding:
 University
Open Days and other events
 UCAS tips, advice and deadlines
 BHASVIC support, internal deadlines and other
information