Before Priestley…
Even before you start studying at Priestley you should consider your options carefully to ensure the right opportunities are available to you after college. Use Informed Choices to help you understand which subjects open up different degrees, particularly at Russell Group universities.
Results Day
Students should have researched courses that are of interest to them and available in UCAS Clearing. They will need to check entry requirements, course content, university location and anything else they consider important.
Students need details like their clearing number – this can be found on UCAS Track once logged in. They will also need their UCAS number and qualifications/grades. They will need to ring their chosen university’s admissions team. It is important to have completed prior research into the university and course through clearing as the phone call with the admissions tutors is essentially a telephone interview.
Questions that arise might include: Q. Why are you suited to the particular course? Q. Tell me what you know and what interests you about our course? Q. Tell me about yourself, your skills, your qualifications etc?
Priestley will have a team of advisors on hand to guide and assist any students going through clearing. Help will be available including land lines for you to contact universities on in one of the sports classrooms off the mail sports hall. For more clearing details click here
Student Finance
For detailed information about the financial support available to students go to Student Finance
Going to university or college is one of the biggest investments you can make. Most students do not need to pay any tuition fees up-front, as they could be eligible for a Tuition Fee Loan. There are also grants and loans to help with living costs, such as rent, food, books, transport and entertainment. It is likely that different institutions will charge different fees for similarly titled courses.
Therefore it is important that you are clear on how much you will be paying for the course prior to submitting an application. You can start by viewing this short video > http://bit.ly/2lOnIQx
Securing a place at university
Students can still apply for a university place until September, but may not be guaranteed their course choice. They should remember that when they click complete – and pay and send on their online UCAS application – it does not mean it has been sent to UCAS. It will go through an internal checking process first. We aim to complete this process within 10 working days from the personal/progress tutor submission.
This is the latest UCAS tariff information: Tariff factsheet or go to UCAS
UCAS Extra
If a student has been unsuccessful with all five of their choices, or if they decided to decline all their offers, they needn’t wait for Clearing. UCAS Extra is their opportunity to apply for a new course and it’s available now. A student will know if they can use Extra because it will appear as an option in UCAS Track. If your son or daughter is eligible, it’s important they think carefully about what they want to apply for before entering the details in Track.
They should get in touch with the university or college to check whether there are still vacancies, they can then add their choice in Track and UCAS will send their application to the university. If your son or daughter accepts the offer, they are committed to it, which means they can’t apply anywhere else. If their offer is declined the student can apply for a different choice through Extra providing there’s still time.
If your son or daughter isn’t holding an offer by mid-July then they’ll be eligible to use Clearing once they have their exam results.
Parents’ guide to university
As a parent, you’re likely to be one of the most important and trusted sources of information and advice to your son or daughter when they’re applying to university. Click here to access the free 24-page guide containing everything you need to support your child – from university choices to student finance.
Preparing a personal statement
As part of the UCAS application process students are asked to complete a personal statement, explaining why they are a good candidate for their chosen course. A well written application may convince a university to make an offer, or invite a student to an interview. Many people find it difficult to write about themselves, particularly their own strengths, so this is a useful guide to help great personal statement
Staffordshire University have also provided the following guidance.
Not going to university?
The notgoingtouni website has links to live apprenticeship opportunities and so again, is a great tool for students to access.
Widening participation HE progression
Priestley advice and guidance
Priestley College Qualifications grades (tariff points)
