Online MOOC - preparing for University

UEA are about to launch a MOOC lasting 6 weeks and beginning on the 20th January.  The course prepares students for the skills they will need to suceed at University. For details https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/preparing-for-uni

Youth Unemployment website

 I came across this website that offers advice to young people to improve their employability.  The newsletter hss lots of tips and they are curently offering a competition to help you win your perfect work experience.  http://www.yeuk.org.uk/

Apprenticeships Guide

I received the paper copy of this guide last week and was impressed with the quality of information.  this is a link to the online version http://www.apprenticeshipguide.co.uk/#

Helpful new resources from Nottingham Trent University

NTU have updated a lot of their resources in a very attractive, modern and user friendly fashion.  Two pages struck me as particularly helpful;
Firstly, their Virtual Open day Page http://www.ntu.ac.uk/virtual_open_day/#
secondly, the help page for writing more effective personal statements http://www.ntu.ac.uk/future_students/applying_finance/how_to/personal_statement/index.html

GAP medics new leaflet

GAP Medics have now produced a pdf version of their leaflet.  It not only gives details of the opportunities they offer, but provides useful reading for potential medics.
http://clients.atouchofbeef.co.uk/gap_medics/medical_school_guide/GM_Medical_School_Guide-v1.1-WEB.pdf

UCAS launch ipad edition

A new mobile version of UCAS.  A guide to Higher Education is available for ipad and ipad mini via https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/ucas-the-little-guide/id740527898?mt=8 An Android version will follow shortly.

Additionally UCAS have been working on a mobile version is about to be laucnhed - a test site is available now test site with a fully working version out very shortly

Opportunity to shadow doctors in Tanzania over half term

Students who are interested in training for a career in medicine are invited to apply for places on a one week shadowing opportunity in Tanzania.

The week will involve staying in a Gap Medics house which has its own staff who will ensure that everything on the placement runs smoothly. 

Apart from shadowing medical staff, attending ward rounds and observing operations, there is the opportunity to experience a new culture, different customs, and, of course, different food. 

And above all, the chance to see if medicine really is the right choice for the students involved.

As such the one week programme is ideal for Sixth Form students who are interested in a career as a doctor, midwife, dentist or nurse.  Not only will the week help them ensure that they are making the right decision, it will also be a valuable extra to put on the university application documentation.

If you have any students who are interested in a career in medicine please ask them to take a look at our website.

Alternatively they can call us on 0191 230 8080 or email info@gapmedics.com for more information

15 October applications rise slightly for 2014 entry

UCAS data shows a slight rise in applications for medicine, dentistry and veterinary degrees, as well as for Oxbridge.

Overall some 58,200 people applied by the 15^th October, compared to 56,810 last year, with much of the increase due to a rise in overseas applications. There were also more applications from the EU, with a 4% rise on 2013.

Number of applications by home country
	England	Scotland	Wales	Northern Ireland	EU (not UK)	Non EU
2013	35,970	2,080	1,410	1,130	5,970	10,240
2014	36,120	2,120	1,480	1,020	6,230	11,230

Birmingham University set to increae unconditional offers

Birmingham University is to increase the number of unconditional offers it makes, after declaring last year’s pilot a success. Just over a third of the 1,000 offers led to a place, which is higher than their usual one quarter conversion rate. Roderick Smith, the director of admissions, admitted that not all the students who received the unconditional offer gained ABB, and thus affected their core non ABB quota but that it was still worth the risk. He said they would extend the scheme this year to more courses and a greater number of offers. He also answered criticism that the scheme had benefited the more affluent, saying “We are not unduly privileging the already privileged and the scheme did not skew the socio economic background of our students”.

Oxford releases its annual sample of interview questions

http://www.ox.ac.uk/media/news_stories/2011/111004.html

Amongst the brain testers are: ‘What makes a short story different from a novel? And is it easier to live in the sea or on land?’ A question for potential PPE students was on the meaning of the words lie, deceive and mislead. Dave Leal, who posed the question said: "Questions of this sort help us to test a candidate's capacity to draw nuanced distinctions between concepts, and to revise and challenge their own first moves in the light of different sentences containing the key words. Discussion may well lead into areas which could crop up during a degree in philosophy, including questions in ethics, the philosophy of mind and of language. It's not, though, a test of 'philosophical knowledge', and the content of the discussion begins from words which candidates should have a good familiarity with."

 

Martin Speight, a biological sciences tutor, said he may ask; "Is it easier for organisms to live in the sea or on land?"  Stephen Tuck proposed asking budding historians who they would most like to interview from the past and why. "The question is not so much about which person the candidate wants to meet, but what sort of issues the candidate wants to find out about (which can be quite revealing) and then working out the best way to do so. 'Meeting' Elizabeth I or Winston Churchill might be exciting, but if the candidate wants to find out about, say, their leadership style, they might be better off asking questions of a courtier or member of the war cabinet. Or if they wanted to find out what we don't know about any given period, they might want to interview people who didn't leave any written records."

 

Mike Nicholson, Oxford's director of undergraduate admissions, said; "Academic interviews will be an entirely new experience for most students, so we want to show students what they are really like so they aren't put off by what they might have heard. Most interviews don't involve strange or irrelevant-sounding questions at all - they might include a logic problem to solve for a subject like maths, or a new text to read and discuss for English. They may start with familiar territory and then move into areas students have not studied before, introducing new material or ideas, and they are entirely academic in focus."

Microsoft Apprenticehip Programme for 16-19 years olds

http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ukschools/archive/2013/10/14/the-microsoft-apprentice.aspx full details available on this site

Oxbridge preparation and summer schools

I was sent information this week by a company offering both online courses in a wide variety of fields most suited for year 12 www.oraprep.com
Also this company Oxford Royale offer summer schools for younger students aged 13-15 and more course specific for 16-18 years olds with a period of stay at an Oxford college next summer.  Details from  http://www.oxford-royale.co.uk/

University Compare website

I was sent information about another site that looks quite useful when reseaching universities
http://universitycompare.com/

Essential reading for Cambridge applicants

Linking to the Cambridge site.  This page has information about the interview process and will link to information on tests from that page.

Essential reading for Oxford applicants

If you have just applid to Oxford by the October 15th deadline, it is suggested you look at these pages on the Oxford website
1.  About the interviews
2.  About the tests

Year 12 Medical courses

Courses for potential doctors and Vets are available via http://www.workshop-uk.net/ for December 2013 courses for year 12 held at Nottingham University.  Also in December is So You want to be a doctor held in Liverpool on 16^th and 17th December.  Details at http://www.lmi.org.uk/6thformconference.aspx

University league tables

It’s that time of year when University league tables are published and year 13 students scan the pages for help when making choices.  I am still dismayed how many students still place too much emphasis on league tables believing instead that to make an appropriate choice you should study a combination of;

a)      Choosing a course with grade requirements in line with predictions

b)      Choosing a programme of study that you will find enjoyable and stimulating

c)       Visiting universities to ensure you feel happy in the surroundings

However, league tables do contain a lot of interesting facts and generally the same institutions perform well in a number of competing stats, therefore, looking at a range of information will help to make informed choices:

Which University Guide                                Complete University Guide

Times Good University Guide                     National Student Survey

QS World Rankings                                       Quality Assurance Agency for HE

Guardian University table                            The Independent Student Guide

 

Degrees taken by FTSE leaders

An analysis of the university degrees studied by the leaders of Britain's biggest companies shows that a large number opted for a broad “facilitating” subject not linked directly to the sector in which they built their career.Economics was the most popular undergraduate degree, which was taken by 28 chief executives and chairmen of companies in the FTSE100 index.Close behind came engineering, studied by 26 company chiefs, followed by more vocationally focused degrees: 21 studied business, 18 took a degree in accountancy or finance while 13 studied law.However, broader “facilitating” degree subjects were well represented too: 11 took degrees in maths, seven in physics, and seven in politics, philosophy and economics, all of them at Oxford. Several, however, took less conventional routes. Paul Pindar, chief executive of Capita, studied psychology at Swansea University, while Pascal Soriot, chief executive of AstraZeneca, the pharmaceuticals group, studied veterinary medicine in Paris.The analysis was conducted by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service to demonstrate the diversity of routes through higher education taken by business leaders.It found that 73 chairmen and chief executives of big British companies chose a degree linked closely to their business career, which exactly matched the number who opted for broader subject choices.For example Angela Arhendts, chief executive of Burberry, took a tightly focused degree in merchandising and marketing at Ball State University in her native Indiana, while five leaders of mining, oil and gas or utility companies studied degrees in geology.However, 25 business leaders took degrees with no link to their sector, including four who studied languages, two who opted for architecture, two who took history, and two who studied English or Classics.Only four did not go to university, including Sir Roy Gardner, chairman of Compass Group, who began as an apprentice at British Aircraft Corporation, and Willie Walsh, chief executive of International Airlines Group, who started as a cadet pilot with Aer Lingus.Cambridge was the best represented university, with 20 graduates among the heads of FTSE 100 companies, followed by Oxford with 16, Manchester with five and Edinburgh with four.Mary Curnock Cook, UCAS chief executive, who has urged pupils to follow their hearts when choosing a degree, said: “This study shows that a number of our business leaders chose degrees that did not link to a specific career.“Students should be encouraged that opting for a subject they really care about is no barrier to success.”

So you want to become a doctor or lawyer?

Epoc Careers organises focused careers events for students.  Places are available at our 2013/14 Careers Conferences:

* Improve Your Chances of Becoming a Doctor

* Improve Your Chances of Becoming a Lawyer

For full details, including costs, and to apply, see www.epoc.org.uk.

These one-day events are on Saturdays, from 10:00am to 4:30pm. They are suitable for students in years 11 and 12. Other students, staff and parents are welcome too. As well as helping students to achieve their goals, our conferences give them a clear view of the advantages and disadvantages of a particular career.

Registration for SATs now open

I have copied the content of an email below, containing details of SAT tests for US Colleges

Interested in Undergraduate Study in the USA? Registration for the SAT and ACT is Now Open!

Registration for the SAT and ACT 2013-14 test dates is now available.

Due to a limited amount of testing centres in the UK, places for these tests fill up very quickly. We strongly encourage students interested in applying for US study who would like to sit the SAT or ACT to register early. Please note, the Fulbright Commission does not administer the exam, you need to register through College Board for the SAT and ACTstudent for the ACT.

How do I know if I have to take an admissions exam?
Most US universities will require students to take either the SAT Reasoning Test OR ACT. However, the most competitive US universities will require students to take the SAT Reasoning Test and 2-3 SAT Subject Exams OR the ACT with Writing. Please note some US universities do not require any admissions tests (a list is online), and some international students may also be required to take an English Language Proficiency Exam. In order to ensure that you are taking the appropriate test, check the admissions webpage of each university to which you will apply.

Interested in learning more about the US admissions process? Attend our undergraduate admissions seminar in London.

HESA report on destinations of HE leavers 2011/12

The report DESTINATIONS OF LEAVERS FROM HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE UNITED KINGDOM FOR THE ACADEMIC YEAR 2011/12 was published yesterday and makes interesting reading for those with a love of statistics. http://www.hesa.ac.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2903&Itemid=161

Medlink and other courses for December 2013

In the last few years a large number of my students have attended these courses and all come back full of praises for the content and delivery.  A 3 day course including accommodation is £195, everyone I have recommended onto this course has thought it essential. Course dates have been announced for December in Medlink, Vetlink, Dentistry, Physiotherapy and Chemistry.  Details can be found on http://www.medlink-uk.net/ 
Other courses and further details can be found on http://workshop-uk.net/homepage

Graduate jobs 3 times more likely with work experience

According to research produced last week by High Fliers research http://www.highfliers.co.uk/download/UKGCSRelease2013.pdf
Graduates with an internship or vaction work are three times more likely to secure a well-paid graduate job.  36% with final year experience received at least one offer compare to 11% with no work experience.

Bristol Uni Maths Engineering Challenge

If you are aged 16-18 there is a £1000 prize to solve the best way to fit cars onto car parks of varying shapes and sizes.  Details available from http://www.bristol.ac.uk/engineering/departments/engineering-mathematics/competition.html 

Guardian university Guide promotes most effective Departments

Economists at Royal Holloway, University of London, are reported to have analysed university applications to see how scores given to institution departments by the Guardian on its website affected the number of student applications they received.

According to the study, individual departments moving up a subject-level league table experienced a rise in applications of almost 5%, with the increase most pronounced among overseas applicants.
Evidence also exists that some employers use the league table to decide where to target recruitment.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/universityguide

One day conferences for Yr12/13 students interested in financial careers

Directions provide help with financial careers and are holding one day free conferences for Sixth form interested in financial careers in Birmingham 20 June and at Manchester on 24 June
web link

Cardiff Medical school open day

Medical School Open Day – Friday 21^st June & Saturday 22^nd June 2013

On behalf of the School of Medicine, may I extend a warm invitation to you and to your 6th form students who are interested in reading medicine to our Open Day at Cardiff University.  The event will run from 8.45am to 4pm on Friday 21^st June and Saturday 22^nd June 2013 in the Cochrane Building at the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff.  

Each day will consist of a detailed presentation about the course and admissions procedure, a presentation from Student Services, and a presentation from current medical students about their experiences.  We will be opening up the clinical skills laboratory and simulation suite for the students to have some hands-on practical experience.   Staff from the Medical School’s Admissions Team and current medical students will be available to answer any questions you and your students may have.  

Due to the popularity of the event and the limited number of places available, early booking is advised.  (Please choose one date only.) Please ask your pupils to visit

www.surveys.cardiff.ac.uk/june21openday2013
or
www.surveys.cardiff.ac.uk/june22openday2013

to register for a place.  Once they have made a booking they will receive further information regarding the event.  This information will include a programme for the day and a map/directions to the event.

If you require any further information, please contact Caitlin Golaup on 029 2068 8115 /  medicopenday@cardiff.ac.uk.

Explore Law - for GCSE and A level students at Chester

My local University of Law college at Chester has this session


Explore Law gives you the opportunity to find out what it really takes to study law at university and to work as a lawyer. Discover law through interactive law taster workshops and collect valuable information and advice on finding your route into a career in law.

Event		Date	Start time	Finish time	Itinerary
Explore Law		Wednesday 9 October 2013	4.00pm	6.45pm	Explore Law

If you are making an individual booking please register here. If you wish to make a group booking please download the group booking form.

Labour would reverse Gove's A-level plan

The Shadow Education spokesman has written to Ofqual stating that Labour will reverse Gove's unpopular plans to remove AS from A level and run it only as a standalone qualification.

full story http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-22389286

Minister rejects concerns over AS-level changes

This story reported in the BBC shows that the government seem determined to press ahead with changes to AS levels despite virtually every agent within the education sector arguing against the removal of AS as a component of A level.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-22530207#

Reading List for Law for potential undergraduates

At a recent conference hosted by Oxford & Cambridge I attended they suggested the following books for potential Law Undergraduates

What About Law?: Studying Law at University -Catherine Barnard (Author, Editor)

Letters to a Law Student: A Guide to Studying Law at University-Nicholas J McBride (Author) 

Glanville Williams: Learning the Law -ATH Smith (Author) 

Careers events in Accountancy and Finance and careers in the Law

Details of courses in the above and also journalism and Chemistry, mostly London or Edinburgh at the end of June or early July http://www.myfuturewise.org.uk/futurewise_courses_and_events.aspx

US Colleges Open Day dates available

This annual event in Kensington Town Hall will be held on September 27-28 2013.  Booking and details are on http://www.fulbright.org.uk/news-events/usa-study-events/usa-college-day

Susan Burke careers website - excellent

I was recommended this website as a resource and it is fantastic.  Covers a wide variety of information sources and ideas for those seeking a career or gaining experience.  http://susanburkecareers.co.uk/

BSc in App design

Glyndwr University in Wrexham is to be the first in the UK to offer a degree in App design.  Details on http://www.glyndwr.ac.uk/en/undergraduatecourses/Appdesign/

World Stage Design at WSD in September

Jumping the gun a little as full details will be announced in a couple of weeks .  The Welsh College of Design & Drama are hosting the World Stage Design exhibition for 10 days in September.  Tickets bookable soon allows pupils to see what would be involved in careers behind the scenes. http://www.wsd2013.com/

Help with Careers in Finance

There is information published about work experience opportunities on http://www.directions.org.uk/getting-in/ 
A list of video guides on finance careers is at http://www.directions.org.uk/careers/what-finance-documentary/what-finance/ 
You can also get help from an e-careers mentor to learn about careers in the finance sector
http://www.directions.org.uk/getingeton/how-does-scheme-work/ 

Latest University League tables

The latest student satisfaction survey has been published in the THES in the same week as the Complete University Guide. Although the CUG looks at a much broader picture, it is interesting to compare the tables.

NO	STUDENT SATISFACTION		COMPLETE UNIVERSITY GUIDE
1	UEA		Cambridge
2	Oxford		Oxford
3	Sheffield		LSE
4	Cambridge		Imperial
5	Loughborough		Durham
6	Bath		St Andrews
7	Leeds		UCL
8	Dundee		Warwick
9	York St John		Bath
10	Lancaster		Exeter

The top 5 for sports facilities were: Loughborough, Bath, East Anglia, Surrey and Brunel, for industry connections, LSE, Bath, Surrey, Imperial and Loughborough, and for social life it was, Sheffield, Newcastle, Cardiff, Leeds and East Anglia. 

UCAS blogger

Another blog that readers should view is the one from the UCAS team who publish lots of useful help and ideas on navigating the application process. http://ucasonline.blogspot.co.uk/

Advice for Open Days

With so many open days looming it seems sensible to repost advice given in the Telegraph newspaper a few weeks ago http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/universityeducation/9203274/How-to-get-the-most-out-of-university-open-days.html

Ah, open days — a time of excitement, wanting to present oneself in the best light and outshine one’s competitors. But that’s enough about the universities. The open day experience can also be useful to pupils and parents.

“Open days are much more important to universities now,” says Richard Taylor, director of corporate affairs at the University of Leicester. And pupils are checking out veritable laundry lists of universities. “They used to visit two or three. Now it’s six or seven — or more,” says Taylor.

They’ll even visit the same university repeatedly, adds Vicky Annand at Goldsmiths, University of London, like newlyweds choosing their first home.

“Open days have become much more professional”, says Donald McLeod, Head of Marketing at the University of Hertfordshire. “They’ve been deconstructed – we now think about every point of the ‘Experience’ from arriving and parking, through meeting ‘ambassador’ guides, having all staff fully briefed on probable questions, and so on.”

And it doesn’t stop there. Durham organise a post-offer overnight Durham Experience); Exeter do specialised subject days; Cirencester give you a free key ring and good coffee.Sheffield, with a Facebook page for potential students to gel, also does good Experience.

Related Articles

• Your personal statement doesn't have to be poetry
  16 Sep 2011
• A parents' guide to applying to university
  01 Aug 2011
• Universities: staff to student ratios
  05 Aug 2011
• Graphic: University applications fall as demand from school leavers remains steady
  31 Jan 2012
• University open days: try before you buy
  02 Oct 2012

Still, there’s room for improvement, says Stuart Youngs at Purpose, a marketing firm which recently ran a round-table on branding for university leaders. Purpose suggest more differentiation, “unpacking a series of excitements” and doing less talking and more listening. They also recommend that universities decide whether they want to attract more students or better students.
The number of visitors in each family group has ballooned. “Pupils used to come on their own or maybe with a parent. Now it’s two parents, grandparents, siblings, you name it,” says Taylor.
And according to Eileen Penman, at The Good Schools Guide’s University Advice Service, big fee rises mean parents aren’t likely to fade back into the woodwork. Many unis now run parallel Experiences for parents, offering them talks on, say, Unending Sacrifice for your Children while their offspring attend one on Nightlife.
“Most kids came with parents”, says sixth-former Imogen Rolfe. “I found it useful to have mine there to discuss it with.” But sometimes it works the other way around. “My daughter went on her own”, says Charlotte Obolensky. “We actually had a row about it as she wanted me to go. She said all the other parents were going.” Victoria Blunt took the same view with her son: “You have to stand back from it and think ‘this is their decision’.”
10-point plan to making the most of the day
1. Do not forget the postcode for the satnav. This is easy to do and has ruined many open day experiences.
2. Parents or no parents — what to do, what to do? Pupils’ antennae will be sharper if they attend solo, but many find it useful to have another set of eyes (and someone to pay for the petrol. And lunch).
3. Can you stand the area? Open days aren’t just about the course — you can find out everything about the course online — they are about whether you want to live in that place for three years. Try and imagine what it might be like on a wet Tuesday in November.
4. Accommodation. How is it allocated? What happens after your first year? Which halls are known for partying, swots or being “Rah?”
5. Sorry to ask, but can you afford the tuition fees and local cost of living? Scottish students get free tuition in Scotland only. Welsh students can venture away from Wales and still benefit from subsidised fees (is this fair, we ask?) Accommodation costs in London and the South East are much higher than in the North/Midlands.
6. If you’re using open days to shortlist your five Ucas choices, ask yourself: would I really enrol here if I got an offer? Don’t choose a “safety” you would shudder to attend.
7. Have questions ready (most of which you won’t get around to asking and all of which are probably answered on the website — but still). How many taught hours per week? Is the course assessed by modules, coursework, class participation (yes, it often counts) or just exams? Can you take part of your degree abroad through an exchange or Erasmus? Who teaches undergraduates — professors or post-grads?
8. If you haven’t already applied, ask current students in your subject area about strategy. Are there subjects aligned with yours that have fewer applicants? If you want to read English, is it easier to get in on Creative Writing, and then transfer, or vice versa? Ask for the mobile number or Facebook contact of every student you talk to so you can grill them later.
9. Distance from home — for many students, the farther the better, unless they feel the opposite. While we’re on distance, what about unis abroad? Trinity, Dublin, is globally famous and in a fabulous city, and the tuition there is free. Or what about courses taught in English at Maastricht or Groningen?
10. Engage in a bit of pre-event planning. “We find a lot of people missing out on what they want to do or see,” says Emma Stephenson, outreach manager at Exeter University. “It’s important to read all the literature about the day in advance.” With any luck you’ll be so clued up you won’t have to go at all.
Above all, remember you can actually visit universities any time. “I had a Saturday job,” says Rachel Spedding, who runs the Oxbridge Applications consultancy, “and I lived in Liverpool, a long way from some universities I was interested in. My mum worked and didn’t have time in the week. So we used to drive down on Sundays — we could look around, speak to students, porters, even a tutor if contacted beforehand.” Any day can be an Open Day with a little determination and planning.

Janette Wallis is a senior editor of The Good Schools Guide (goodschoolsguide.co.uk)

Headstart Cymru Engineering summer schools

Summer schools at Universities throughout wales can be signed up for now by potential Engineers currently in year 12
http://www.stemcymru.org.uk/project-strands/headstart-cymru/

Improve your chances of becoming a doctor or lawyer

There are courses available for booking now on http://www.epoc.org.uk/ I guess they would suit current Year 11 most of all who would be 16/17 next Spring

Leaflets about careers - useful for research

The Careers Wales website has some of the most comprehensive listings of leaflets and information available about careers for anyone researching careers
https://www.careerswales.com/server.php?show=nav.9699 

Summer courses for Year 12

The University of Manchester is offering one day Discovery days across a number of science based subjects plus Law, English and History from end June to early July.  The link for Manchester is http://www.manchester.ac.uk/undergraduate/discover-days/

The Unversity of Lancaster offers free residential courses in a number of subject areas, although you have to qualify under one of the following conditions

comes from a home where neither parent attended university in the UK or abroad, straight after post 16 education

is, or has been a looked after young person

is in receipt of, or entitled to, free school meals

has experienced difficult family or individual circumstances that the School/College believe have affected their performance in exams or the likelihood of them going to university

has a disability that they feel would prevent them from progressing to higher education 

Also on offer is a course for Gifted and Talented year 10.  All details are on http://www.lancs.ac.uk/schools/summer-schools/

Universities in London have a searchable page across all subject areas http://tasters.gradsintocareers.co.uk/

Food and Nutritional Sciences at reading have a 3 day course in mid July http://www.reading.ac.uk/food/shortcourses/foodbio-sixthform.aspx

Operating practice and Nursing taster days from Anglia Ruskin
http://www.anglia.ac.uk/ruskin/en/home/faculties/fhsce/news-events/taster_days.html

There is also the generic website with details of 100s more around the UK http://www.unitasterdays.com/

RBS work experience and employability bootcamps

RBS are offering 2 day work experience in London or Edinburgh with a chance to gain experience in a large financial institution.  For year 12 they are organising Employability Bootcamps with dates tbc where they meet all expenses.  
https://www.rbsbankyoubuild.com/school-initiatives/where-do-i-start 

courses for potential dentists

http://www.oxbridgeprodental.com//Home.html has numerous courses many need booking early although they are not until December.

Revision tips

posted in "The Guardian" 24 April 2013

With so many different revision guides, it can be hard to know what's good practice and what's not. We talked to a brain expert, as well as students and lecturers from universities across Britain, to get the best advice on how to revise effectively and remember what you've learned.

Plan your time

Start early: "The best revision is continuous revision, started as early as possible," says Sergio Della Sala, professor of human cognitive neuroscience at the University of Edinburgh. Revision should be "spread into several sessions, rather than lumped in at the last minute".
Revise on the go: By not confining your revision to one place, you can revise regularly, even if it's for short periods of time, says George Brooke-Smith, PPE student at York University: "Flashcards are great because you can carry them in your bag. Having them on the go can help you to take in information."

Get the most out of your brain

Understand the information: Understanding material is as important as learning it, says Professor Martin Coyle, lecturer at Cardiff school of English, communication and philosophy: "Pages of notes can often be reduced to a single page – don't let them dominate and crowd out your understanding and perceptions."
Professor Della Sala agrees, explaining: "You'll remember what you understand, as you can consign this to knowledge that you already have. Think of your knowledge system as a cupboard with hangers and the new material as items that need to be hung up. The greater the number of hangers, the easier it is to hang up new material."

Repeat to yourself: Neuroscience student David Cox says that repeating information is one of the best ways to remember it, as "pathways between neurons can be strengthened over time".

As well as repetition you can try "retrieval practice", which is "one of the best ways to revise", according to Professor Della Sala. He says: "Instead of highlighting or underlining textbooks, produce maps of the material, or read it a number of times, and then call what you have just read to memory and test yourself."
Another technique is "spaced repetition", where you increase the amount of time between recollecting information by recalling it to memory just before you forget it.
Teach your friends: Teaching others is a good way to understand and therefore remember your notes, says Oscar Tollast, multimedia journalism student at Bournemouth University: "For law exams, my course's Facebook group was a great way to revise. We could bounce ideas and answers off one another, which was brilliant. By answering somebody else's query, you were reaffirming and verifying what you had already learned."

Avoid distractions

Turn off technology: Google Chrome's StayFocusd and Facebook Nanny can help you restrict your online activity and Facebook use.

Asking a friend to help can also work, says Rachel Barry, who's studying law at LSE: "Facebook and Twitter are the big thing. I give my passwords to my partner, because then another person will know if I attempt to use them."
Another option is to turn your computer off altogether, says history student Zoah Hedges-Stocks: "Writing by hand helps to avoid all the distractions that come with using a computer."
Plan breaks: In order to stay focused you should plan set times for other things and have a clear finish time, says Professor Della Sala: "Distraction is not necessarily bad, provided it's planned, so it's good practice to take breaks."

Look after yourself

Get some sleep: Brain recall becomes stronger after sleep and information becomes easier to access, Professor Della Sala says. "Sleep is fundamental, as it allows memories to consolidate. It's a good idea to learn something just before going to bed, and then let your brain do the work."

What you said

George Brooke-Smith, PPE, York University: "In the past I've memorised by playing the piano and putting the information to music. You always remember the lyrics to songs so I've put [what I need to learn] into a song and remembered it that way. I've also written on my bedroom walls with a pencil, drawing mind maps or tick boxes."
Oscar Tollast, multimedia journalism, Bournemouth University: "I revise by filling out a notebook with everything I need to know and then recording myself reading these points aloud. I'll listen to them until they stick in my memory."
Rachel Barry, law, LSE: "I avoid the library because a lot of my revision is saying things aloud, so I have to do it in my room to avoid embarrassment. When I get into the exam I can hear myself saying [my notes], especially if I've said them animatedly."
Zoah Hedges-Stocks, history, Cambridge: "I can't work very well in my room. There are too many things to distract me. After the internet, the worst temptation is my bed. If you feel you've been working hard, it's easy to talk yourself into taking a 20 minute 'power nap'... only to wake up two hours later."

resources for EPQ and IB Extended Essay

Although inended for teachers, these resources will help with referencing and reading skills and are very good for EPQ & IB students alike http://www.manchester.ac.uk/undergraduate/schoolsandcolleges/post-16/epq/support/downloads/

Details of scholarships at UK Universities

I have been looking at this site with comprehensive details of scholarships, grants and bursaries that can be applied for whether by merit or financial circumstances.  http://www.thescholarshiphub.org.uk/

EU students forms for finance now available

EU students applying to start courses in the UK from 2013 can now download the forms from finance from the Student Finance site http://www.sfengland.slc.co.uk/full-time-study/eu-students.aspx

Business Related Courses

The most popular area for HE applications is business related courses. Here is a list of titles that students may want to look at: Accountancy; Actuarial Science; Advertising; Banking; Business Administration; Business Analysis; Business Studies; Consumer Studies; European Business; Finance; Financial Mathematics; Hotel/Catering Management; Hospitality Management; Human Resource Management; Industrial Economics; Insurance;  International Business; International Finance; International Marketing; Land Management; Logistics; Management Studies/Science; Marketing; Operational Research; Organisation Studies; Property Management; Public Relations: Retail Management; Sales Management; Transport Management.

As well as traditional universities, students may also want to look at BPP College and at agricultural colleges, which offer a range of business related subjects. Business courses are often taught in a joint format, with languages, maths/statistics, ICT, law and economics as common options. Most business courses are open re A level subjects, although some will prefer/require maths. Many are offered on a sandwich basis, and this can be very advantageous in terms of jobs. Dutch Universities offer a good range of business related courses that are taught in English.

Thanks to Gordon Collins CES

Alternatives to Medicine

Many students want to do something ‘medical’ but are not going to get the grades to be a doctor. Here is a list of subjects allied to medicine that you may want to consider: anatomy, audiology; biomedical science; chiropractic; deaf studies; dental technology; dietics; health  science; hygienist; medical lab science; medical technology; mental health; midwifery; neuroscience; nursing; nutrition; occupational therapy; opthalmics; optometry; orthotics & prosthetics; pharmacology; pharmacy; physiotherapy; podiatry; radiography & radiotherapy; speech therapy and toxicology. Many of the above will attract an NHS bursary that will pay the fees and give you a (small) non means tested bursary.

Thanks to Gordon Collins CES for this 

New site to compare University course costs

I am not quite sure that this site has too much new or unique information inside but what I did find helpful was on the "Courses" tab, the user can view courses by cost per year.  This site will therefore let a student see how much they need to borrow/spend (If from EU or UK) to study at that University.
http://universitycompare.com/

new IB offers from Kings College London

Kings have looked at the offers they have been making to IB students and felt that offers so far may have been penalising IB students.  To achieve 38 points (so far treated as broadly equal to AAA at A level) an IB student has to achieve for example 666 in HL subjects, 666 in SL subjects and 2 points from the Core.  An A level student is likely to be taking 3 subjects and would have given up on additional subjects most probably at GCSE.  By changing the A level offer AAA to an IB equivalence of 35 points including 666 in HL subjects, Kings are being far fairer to IB students in their application. A subject such as Maths will still require a 6 in HL maths, however the new entry requirements from 2014 entry are faairer to IB students whilst still requiring 666 in HL and therefore only very able students can apply.

Comprehensive list of taster courses and Open days

UCAS update this list every Monday and it contains not only Open Day info but also taster courses.  the link can be found at http://www.ucas.ac.uk/students/choosingcourses/choosinguni/opendays

Careers in IT - new site

http://www.bigambition.co.uk/ is a fairly comprehensive site detailing the sorts of jobs that can be offered  in teh IT sector with links to lots of different companies.

lectures at LSE to download

As part of preparation for personal statements or as preparation for Oxbridge interviews try listening to some of the 100s of public lectures that have been hosted by the LSE at http://www2.lse.ac.uk/newsAndMedia/videoAndAudio/channels/publicLecturesAndEvents/Home.aspx

Birmingham Uni to offer unconditional places

For the first time in a few years we see a return of unconditional places.  Birmingham University is to trial offering about 1000 places for students expected to achieve at least AAA and who accept Birmingham as their first choice HEI. The 12 courses involved are: classics, maths, modern languages, philosophy, sociology, economics, materials engineering, political science, accounting and finance, business management, international relations and European politics, society and economics.