Why University?

Brainteaser…

• A man is trapped in a room.• The room has only two possible exits: two doors.• Through the first door there is a room constructed

from magnifying glass. The blazing hot sun instantly fries anything or anyone that enters.

• Through the second door there is a fire-breathing dragon.

• How does the man escape?

Brainteaser…

• He waits until night time and then goes through the first door!

Higher Education Explained

Higher Education

Further Education

Vs.

What is Further Education?

• Sixth Form• Sixth Form College• FE College• Workplace

EMA – you may be eligible to get up to £30 a week to study at FE

What is Higher Education?

• Range of courses available• Academic or vocational courses• Work-based learning (your employer pays!)• Certificates and Diplomas• Part-time or Full-time• Half of all jobs will need an HE qualification in

ten years’ time

Types of Higher Education

• Degree• Higher National Diploma (HND)• Higher National Certificate (HNC)• Foundation Degree• National Vocational Qualification (NVQ)

Courses Available

• More than 50,000 Higher Education courses to choose from, at over 500 colleges and universities

• Including:Puppetry OceanographyCriminology Hotel ManagementEquine Studies Social workEnglish Law

• Gaelic• Gallery Management• Gambling• Game• Gamekeeping• Garden• Garment• Gastronomy• Gemmology• Gender• General Engineering• Genetics• Genome• Geoarchaeology• Geochemistry• Geography• Geohazard

• Geology• Geomatics• Geophysics• Georgian• Geoscience• Geotechnics• German• Glass• Global• Global Cinema• Goldsmithing• Golf• Government• Graphic• Greek• Green• Greenkeeping• Guitar• Gujarati

Courses Under ‘G’

• University of Glamorgan, Cardiff and Pontypridd

• University of Glasgow• Glasgow Caledonian University• The Glasgow School of Art• Gloucestershire College• University of Gloucestershire• Goldsmiths, University of London• University of Greenwich• Greenwich School of Management• Grimsby Institute of Further & Higher

Education• Guildford College of Further & Higher

Education

Institutions Under ‘G’

Routes into Higher Education

GCSE GCSE NVQ1GNVQ

Foundation

ASAVCE

(vocational AS level)

NVQ2GNVQ

Intermediate

A2AVCE

(vocational A level)

NVQ3BTEC National

Or AVCEs

Degree HNC/HNDFoundation

DegreeDipHE

Getting into HE

• A levels• Vocational A levels (AVCEs)• Diplomas• BTEC• NVQ• Open University Foundation• International Baccalaureate (IB)

Remember to check that your qualifications are suitable for your HE course…

• Choose subjects you enjoy and that you think you would be good at

• Keep your options open if you aren’t sure what you want to do, i.e. Mix of arts and sciences

• If you do know what you want to do make sure you choose the right A levels to suit the course you want to apply for

A-Level Choices

What makes a University?

5,000 – 30,000 students

Different locations:• City centre • Suburbs • In the countryside

Campus like a student town

• Lecture theatres• Libraries• Laboratories • Classrooms • Halls of residence• Students’ union• Shops, sports facilities, restaurants,

bars etc.

What makes a University?

Places to Study

• FE colleges• Campus Universities e.g. Warwick, Bath

Campus Universities

Places to Study

• FE colleges• Campus Universities e.g. Warwick, Bath• City Universities e.g. Manchester, UCL

City Universities

Places to Study

• FE colleges• Campus Universities e.g. Warwick, Bath• City Universities e.g. Manchester, UCL• Collegiate Universities e.g. Cambridge, Oxford,

Durham

Collegiate Universities

University Teaching

• Lectures• Seminars / classes• Practicals• Field trips / language courses / study

visits• Exams

Collegiate Universities

• University based teaching:– Lectures– Seminars / classes– Practicals– Field trips / language courses / study visits– Exams

– Supervisions– Director of Studies

• College-based teaching:

What is a Cambridge College?• 29 undergraduate Colleges

• Differ in:– Size (number of students)– Accommodation– Location– Appearance– Facilities

• Students live in the Colleges and study in the Departments

• Each subject has its own Department with special libraries and teaching rooms

Cambridge Colleges

Who goes to Cambridge?

?

Who goes to Cambridge?

You don’t have to be:

• Rich• Posh• A genius• From a family that’s

been to university• From a certain type of

school

You don’t have to be:

• Rich• Posh• A genius• From a family that’s

been to university• From a certain type of

school

You do have to be:

• Enthusiastic about your subject

• Likely to get A*,A,A in your A-levels

• Willing to work hard• The best person for the

place, whatever your background

Who goes to Cambridge?

Student Life

• Independence

• Entertainment

• Sports at every level

• College and/or university societies

• Religious/cultural/support groups• Students’ Union

Benefits of Higher Education

• Job opportunities• Earning potential• Independence• Study a subject you love• Lots of great opportunities• More time to think about what you want to

do• It’s fun!

Higher Education Quiz

1) True or false: HE is much harder work than school

vs.

Student Learning

In reality HE is very different from school…

•Informal environment•Lots of individual study•Lots of free time•Fewer teaching hours•Great opportunities•You have chosen to be there!

2) True or false: You have to have A levels to get onto a Higher Education course

HE Quiz

Getting into HE

• A levels• Vocational A levels (AVCEs)• Diplomas• BTEC• NVQ• Open University Foundation• International Baccalaureate (IB)

Remember to check that your qualifications are suitable for your HE course…

3) You don’t have school-type lessons in HE but can you name three ways in which you do learn?

HE Quiz

HE Learning

• Lectures• Seminars• Practicals• Individual study• Field trips• One-to-one sessions (supervisions)• Online learning

HE Quiz

4) Give three reasons why HE is a good idea

Benefits of Higher Education

• Job opportunities• Earning potential• Independence• Study a subject you love• Lots of great opportunities• More time to think about what you want to

do• It’s fun!

Student Life

• Student societies• Politics• Social life• New friends from all over the world

HE Quiz

5) What does UCAS stand for and what is it?

UCAS

Universities and Colleges Admissions Service

• Processing centre for applications to higher education courses

• Students use an online form to apply for up to five different courses

University Pros & Cons

Independence

Career ProgressionJobs

Friends

Starting Salary

Opportunities WorkFees

Interest

QualificationsFacilities

Leaving Home

SocialisingAchievement

Experience

Diversity

Financial/Career Benefits

• Average graduate starting salary is £23,000• Graduates earn on

average £500,000 more over their life times than non-graduates

• Graduates have greater choice of jobs

Why should I think about it now?

• Allows you to make the best choices for you and keeping your options open for the future

• Lots of people decide it’s not for them without knowing much about it

A few last things to consider…

• Online and email etiquette• Get a suitable email address to use for

correspondence with institutions• Remember not to use text speak or emoticons

in formal communications!• Email allows you time to think and plan what

you want to say – make sure you practice this in person too