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FAQs
Higher education (HE) refers to courses taken post-18 which lead to a level 4 qualification. The variety of courses on offer in HE is greater than it has ever been, therefore there is a need for young people to make realistic, well informed decisions. There are various reasons that young people choose to go onto HE. Some are looking to go onto jobs requiring a degree, others want to have an HE qualification which will help them get into employment, whilst others purely enjoy studying and wish to continue with a subject for another three years. There are also those who take an HE qualification to delay making a career choice for a little longer. Research shows that graduates are less likely to be unemployed in their working lives. They will also earn an average of 20% more than those who only have advanced level courses. According to the DfES website, “individuals with HE qualifications currently earn on average around 50% more than those without”. 3. I am trying to encourage my daughter to do more work experience. What are the benefits of this? Making the effort to take part in work experience, part-time work or voluntary projects indicates a young person’s interest, commitment and level of motivation. It also helps to develop skills and confidence. Employers and admissions tutors are always interested in applicants’ experience of the world of work – from their point of view these are often as important as academic achievements. The ‘What do Graduates do?’ survey of 2004 shows that 66.9% of university graduates entered employment, 19.7% went on to further study and 6.9% were unemployed after six months. 5. Is an HE qualification enough to get a good job? Research carried out by the Association of Graduate Recruiters identified the following as the skills valued by most employers: motivation and enthusiasm; team working; oral communication; flexibility; and initiative. They also highlighted the following as being important skills in short supply: interpersonal skills; managing own development; business awareness; oral communication; and problem solving. 6. What us the best university for… such and such a course? It may sound predictable, but the best university for your son or daughter is where they will be happy. Look at league tables, but also take into account location, size, etc. The best way to find out whether they could be happy in an institution is to visit a selection. 7. How many points do you need for such and such a course? Because the tariff system is now so complicated, most universities will give you their offer in terms of subjects and grades – rather than in points. The best ways to find out what subjects/grades are needed for a particular degree course are: 1) search for suitable courses on www.ucas.com 2) look at university prospectuses (similar sounding courses can be completely different and ask for different entry requirements) and 3) phone institutions to ask directly. 8. Why does X university only want two Ds when Y university wants As and Bs? The popularity of particular universities inflates the grades asked for. A high grade requirement is not necessarily an indication of the quality of the course and vice versa. 9. What can my son/daughter do with their A/AS level subjects? The answer is they can probably do a lot with their subjects since there are only a handful of careers that need specific subjects. Many careers can be entered with any subjects. 10. What is an HND or two year degree? These qualifications are at a level between A levels and a three year Honours degree. They are great for people who may not want to study for too long (both last for tow years). Both qualifications ask for between one or two AS levels and one A level. Students can transfer onto a three year degree course if they want to, either at the end of the course or mid-way, depending on the university’s policy. 11. My son is not sure he wants to go to university. He says he has had enough of full time study, and I don’t want to waste money by starting something he might drop out of if he goes to university. What can you suggest? Your son may like to consider going into employment with training, such as an Apprenticeship, or applying for a HND/two year degree. Another possibility could be a sandwich course which alternates employment with study. Another possibility is to take a gap year which will give him more time to make decisions. 12. What is an Apprenticeship? An Apprenticeship is a planned, high quality training programme leading to a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ). It combines work-based training with education. Advanced Apprenticeships are suitable for students completing advanced courses, and aim to train young people for supervisory and junior management positions. Advanced Apprenticeships are usually employed status and receive a wage from day one. For more information visit www.apprenticeships.org.uk or phone 0800 015 0600 for a free information pack. Post-16 courses are all called A levels now, whether they are general or vocational. However, vocational A levels are also called AVCEs (Advanced Certificates of Vocational Education). The double award AVCE is worth two A levels. The single award AVCE is worth one A level and is often referred to as the Vocational A level. The part-award or three unit award AVCE is the Vocational AS. 14. Does my son/daughter need A levels to get into university? The quick answer is yes – but these can be vocational and/or general. BTEC National (roughly equivalent to three A levels) is also welcome. Of course, different qualifications are more suited to different university degrees – some degree courses will accept NVQ qualifications, and others will accept Access Courses – sourcing prospectuses will help.
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