UCAS
For further information on applying to University do visit the UCAS website as it is full of the latest information and guidance on the process.
The UCAS widget, just below, links you directly to the UCAS website. Through simple navigation, it’s easy for users to increase their knowledge of the information and advice UCAS has to offer. The content is reviewed regularly by UCAS so it remains up-to-date and relevant.
The section for parents provides invaluable information to guide you through the different stages of the application process: look at the UCAS Parent Guide [a must-read for all parents/ guardians] and the parent information tool, sign up for monthly newsletters and access blogs, case studies and videos to support your son/ daughter every step of the way.
Unifrog
Unifrog is a complete destinations platform that allows students to search for opportunities and make applications for their next steps. We are using this platform to search for information, write personal statements, and communicate with reference writers.
Click this link to sign in: https://www.unifrog.org/sign-in
University Destinations 2023
Last year, 96% of our Year 13 finishers secured places at university, 10 of those through incredibly competitive Degree Apprenticeships. 73% of these students are at elite Russell Group universities, with 46 at Warwick, 25 at Nottingham and 23 at King's College, London. Loughborough remains a popular choice, with 11 of our students electing to study there. Our most popular subject areas are Economics (35), Computer Science (40), Politics (27), Medicine (33), Medicine Allied (11), Engineering (20), Law (13), and Accounting (13).
We are incredibly proud of our students, and they continue to be in great demand with the top universities. This is evident by the fact that over 80% of applicants received offers at the following universities who were ranked in the top 15 UK Universities according to the Complete University Guide: Bath (81%), Loughborough (95%), Lancaster (96%), Warwick (90%), Surrey (100%), Birmingham (88%) and Exeter (94%).
Please find full details of all of the 2024 University Destinations here.
Year 12 Futures Evening - Presentations and Useful Information
How to make your choices for University
Information on Student Finance
Choosing Your University
Do you want to live at home or move away? Do you want to study in a big city or a small town? Would you prefer a city centre site, or a green edge-of-town campus? Then you must look carefully at the different components of the course; two degrees with the same subject title might have very different course content.
There are many sources of information to use to help decide which university is the right one for you, and some are listed here:
Unifrog – students will be shown how to use this platform during form times.
All universities hold Open Days - the dates are published on www.ucas.com/ucas/events/find/type/open-day and www.opendays.com
Information about other university events and virtual open days can be found at the following link: https://www.ucas.com/undergraduate/what-and-where-study/events-and-open-days
There are subject guides and a range of useful resources to help you choose subjects and courses at: www.ucas.com/ucas/subject-guide-list; www.ucas.com/ucas/undergraduate/getting-started/what-study
Many universities offer taster courses which include lectures and workshops – have a look at www.ucas.com/taster-courses to find out more. You can take a virtual university tour on many university websites, www.ucas.com/virtual-tours on Youtube.
You can research student satisfaction, quality of teaching, assessment feedback, academic support, learning resources, accommodation costs and destination statistics for every degree course on www.unistats.ac.uk; www.university.which.co.uk; provides excellent information about subjects/ degree courses/ graduate employability and offers advice about writing personal statements; you can download a free ‘Getting into Uni’ guide, browse all universities or see how many applicants received an offer for your course last year. www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk gives you university/subject league tables and graduate prospects, and offers advice on a wide range of matters from student finance to Oxbridge applications. www.russellgroup.ac.uk has all the information you need about the 24 RG universities - but do not limit yourself to these! Remember that institutions such as Bath and Loughborough are just as competitive, popular and prestigious.
Degree Apprenticeships
There are an increasing number of degree apprenticeships as an alternative to the traditional university experience and for many students these offer a more attractive route to becoming a graduate. It is important that students consider all the perceived advantages and disadvantages of each route so that they make the right decision for them. Whilst with a degree apprenticeship there will be no tuition fees and indeed the student will receive a salary, they will take longer to graduate and will miss out on the harder-to-quantify benefits of the university experience. They will however amass a great deal of real-life career experience and this route often suits those students who want to get stuck into work and take on responsibility after 14 years in full-time education.
For more information and to search for organisations currently advertising degree apprenticeships please visit the government database at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/higher-and-degree-apprenticeships .
Careers Support
Miss Law, our Head of Careers, hosts a fantastic website at https://dgsfutures.wordpress.com/ which provides ongoing support and information for all things career-related. This includes CV support, work experience opportunities and career-insight days.
Other useful websites
The Times www.timeshighereducation.com ,Telegraph and Guardian also produce league tables for subjects as well as universities – but it’s important to check the weighting and methodology of all league tables to understand their bias. A more useful table is one you create yourself: you can record the key points from a range of university/ subject rankings but include all the other important factors for you [course content, teaching style and assessment, type of university, distance from home, accommodation …].
www.whatuni.com; , www.universitycompare.com; www.savethestudent.org/tools and www.thestudentroom.co.uk/a-z-of-universities.php give you university profiles, compare degree course details and offer advice on many topics from selecting subjects to choosing accommodation.
www.studenthut.com has been described as a Trip Adviser for universities and reviews all aspects of student life from courses to nightlife. You can find out about regional variations in the cost of living at www.timeshighereducation.com/student/news/uks-regional-student-living-costs-revealed or www.timeshighereducation.com/student/news/cheapest-student-cities-uk and use the UCAS budget calculator tool.
The Student Finance website www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance provides comprehensive information but you may also want to have a look at www.ucas.com/finance/undergraduate-tuition-fees-and-student-loans, and www.university.which.co.uk/advice/student-finance to help you get on top of budgets and money matters. Another excellent website is www.moneysavingexpert.com/students/student-finance-need-to-knows: Martin Lewis busts the myths surrounding student loans and offers advice on student bank accounts and how to stretch your loan.
You can research graduate employment prospects by subject or university at www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/league-tables/rankings. www.prospects.ac.uk, www.allaboutcareers.com and www.icould.com also offer career options with your course but remember that most graduate level jobs are not concerned with your degree subject knowledge – what’s important is that you are a graduate.
Read more about the different types of apprenticeships available on www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship, www.ucas.com/apprenticeships and www.allaboutschoolleavers.co.uk.
Some useful websites for ‘Gap year’ students
