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*** *** THE DAILY TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2009 *** *** III CLEARING telegraph.co.uk significant shortfall in the number of vacancies likely to be available through clearing. But things have improved slightly since then, with a further 10,000 places now to be made available in maths, science and technology. the Exams Results Helpline, says teenagers should have a clear idea of what they want from a gap year and should not use it as a way of deferring hard choices. With the prospect of going into debt, and the economy in its current precarious state, is university really worth it? School-leavers have to consider the likely financial benefits of a degree over the course of their career alongside the prospect of accumulating some debt over the coming years. They also need to weigh up how interested they are in the subject they are thinking of studying. Professor Alan Smithers, director of the Centre for Education and Employment Research at the University of Buckingham, says: If you want to pursue an academic subject to the highest level you can, you have to decide whether the university you have chosen can help you do that. If, on the other hand, you want to take what can be called a vocational degree, you have to work out whether it will really provide a good ladder into employment. If the answer is no, then you might be better off making alternative plans, such as taking an apprenticeship or going straight into some form of employment. Opinion is divided on whether it is better to shelter from the recession by studying for a degree. This years increase in applications suggests that many candidates believe so, but there is no guarantee that the economy will have fully recovered by the time they graduate in 2012. Should I get on to any course and then try to swap once Im in? This is a risky tactic. Johnny Rich says that although some universities are pretty easy-going about this, others may well frown on any kind of switching. However, some, such as Keele, have introduced structures where you can study a broad range of related subjects in your first year before specialising in the second, so these, says Rich, may be more amenable to switching. But Sue Barr, president of the Association for Careers Education and Guidance, says: It is not a good idea to start on a course that you have not chosen to do. If going to university isnt going to give you a course youre happy with, Id suggest leaving it until next year being re-marked, its worth telling the university from which you have an offer of your situation. much of the study involved has to be done alone. CASE STUDY askia Seller, who lives at home with her parents in Worthing, Sussex, wasnt accepted at her first choice, the University of Brighton, to train as a teacher and didnt want to take the place she had been offered at Canterbury Christ Church University because it would have meant living away from home. But thanks to the clearing system, she has just completed her second year at the University of Chichester, where she is studying for a three-year BA Hons degree in Primary Education and Teaching. This will give her Qualified Teacher Status next year. The course is brilliant, says Saskia. I really like the environment at Chichester, where the emphasis is work-based rather than social and where we are in small groups for seminar work. And the university is very good at matching the qualities of its students to the ethos of the schools where we do our placements and then helping out to make it feasible. For example, they provided me with a hire car to travel to a placement in Horsham. I dont think there are any other universities that do that! Saskia is very pleased with the outcome of the clearing process. The Ucas part was a bit bureaucratic but the people at Chichester were really helpful, she says. She hopes that successful placements in schools in her final year could lead to a job offer an impressive feat considering this is a time when the number of vacancies for teachers is dropping. SUSAN ELKIN What can parents do to help? The sensible advice for parents is to keep calm, be supportive and, if necessary, be prepared to help with visiting universities. Caroline McHale, from Harrow, in North London, found a place for her son, Calum, at the University of Winchester after he missed out on the grades needed to study archaeology at Reading or Leicester. She says: If you want to lock yourself in the bathroom and have a cry as I did thats fine, but try to be calm for your child. Phone the advice line on the morning they receive the results, have the Ucas form and their results at the ready and do some quick research about the universities that still have vacancies. Id advise looking at drop-out rates, as these are usually a good indicator of student happiness. McHale adds: Calum is now the happiest Ive ever seen him. He loves the course. He loves his tutors. Hes found his place. Parentline Plus (www. parentlineplus.org.uk or 0808 800 2222) can provide help and advice for parents during clearing. Should I re-take my A-levels? This can be a difficult route: most schools and colleges are unlikely to offer you tuition, so you may be on your own for revision, unless you can afford to pay for private tuition. However, it can be worthwhile. Tom Reid, 19, who upgraded his maths grade from a B to an A, and his physics from a C to a B in January after narrowly missing out on his target grades last summer, is enthusiastic about re-takes. He says: It can be tough coming home after work and doing several hours revision at night and on weekends. But you have to think that it will be worth it in the long run. It certainly worked for me. S Is it worth getting my A-level papers re-marked? You need to consult your school or college about this, as requests for re-marks must be made through them, rather than by the student. But be aware that grades can go down as well as up as a result of a re-mark. If your exam papers are What about applying to the Open University? This might be an option for anyone who wants an alternative to the traditional clearing process. More than 25,000 students under 25 currently study with the OU. However, this is seen as an option only for those who are highly motivated, as Is it worth sitting it out for a year and applying for 2010? Johnny Rich, editor of the university advice website, www.push.co.uk, believes it is. He says: If going to university is not going to give you something youre happy with, Id suggest leaving it until next year. Take a gap year. Do something worthwhile with your time: get a job, go travelling or retake your A-levels. And then you can apply again next year with your grades in the bag. However, Vera Telford, of Could you study abroad? With a scholarship, attending university overseas can be an affordable option and you dont have to be a genius to get one, says Max Davidson A (www.student-scholarshi merica, anyone? com), an American-based It may not be a company that has just opened great time to visit the States if youre a branch in the UK, can help you access scholarships at a British tourist more than 120 American the exchange rate is far less state universities. The best favourable than a few years scholarships on offer will ago. But if youre one of the save you more than 50 per many thousands of students cent of that $20,000. Suddenly likely to miss out on a an expensive alternative to place at a British university university in the UK becomes this autumn, Uncle Sam an affordable academic might just be able to throw adventure, chilling out you a lifeline. on campus with cool Hollywood has dudes called Chuck and simultaneously glamorised Juanita. And dont forget that and lampooned the life of the day-to-day cost of living the American campus: one in the States is significantly long round of drunken frat cheaper than here. parties, interspersed with InTuition Scholarships the odd windy lecture about neo-feminist literature. But American academia is more diverse and challenging than the popular stereotypes. It can also be cheaper if you play your cards right. A lot of British students are deterred from going to university in America because of the expense. The World view: Montana State University cost of tuition fees, pre-screen you for eligibility, accommodation and food is typically about $20,000 a year, then make the application direct to the universities for and that excludes travel you and you should hear if between the US and the youve been successful within UK. But America also has two to three weeks. If this a very generous system of appeals, you can apply for the scholarships, both academic 2010 intake anytime from and sporting. now to January. You dont have to be a Day-to-day cost of living budding Stephen Hawking or is also a little cheaper in most Rebecca Adlington to qualify European countries, and if for a scholarship. Motivation is as important as raw ability. you study there, youll be able Americans love young people to travel home to the UK with a get-up-and-go attitude, more often. So, if you have and will not judge you purely decent French or German, why not consider continuing by the number of A* grades your education in mainland you have acquired. Europe? Again, its unlikely Some aspects of higher youll be able to go through education in the States the application process in time can seem unfamiliar from for this year, but you could the outside. There is no spend a gap year perfecting centralised application your languages in preparation. system like Ucas: you have If you like the idea of to apply to universities immersing yourself, both individually. The qualifying academically and emotionally, academic criteria are also in a very different culture, log slightly different. on to www.campusfrance.org But the American system or www.campus-germany. is far from impenetrable. org for further information. InTuition Scholarships ALAMY *** *** THE DAILY TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2009 *** *** A-LEVELS & BEYOND Facing your future J udgment day is here at last, which means two years of hard work are reduced to one small envelope and a few vital letters of the alphabet. But while the contents of that envelope will determine what *** II *** *** THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2009 THE DAILY TELEGRAPH *** CLEARING telegraph.co.uk DECISIONS , DECISIONS In the current economic climate, should you be thinking about doing a course directly related to your future career, asks Dorothy Lepkowska, or is it still okay to follow your heart? hoos *** *** THE DAILY TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2009 *** *** III CLEARING telegraph.co.uk significant shortfall in the number of vacancies likely to be available through clearing. But things have improved slightly since then, with a further 10,000 places now to be made available in maths, science *** IV *** *** THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2009 THE DAILY TELEGRAPH *** UNDERGRADUATE LIFE telegraph.co.uk WAYS TO SURVIVE UNI BY CHRIS ALDEN 3 Dont leave home without... Jamie Oliver (and if you cant persuade him, make do with one of his books). Enough staple food rice, pasta and tinned stuff to surviv *** *** THE DAILY TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2009 *** *** VII ALTERNATIVE PATHS TO SUCCESS telegraph.co.uk Opportunity knocks University isnt by any means the be all and end all of life after school, the world is full of successful non-graduates, says Fiona Donald O kay, so were not all the nex *** VIII *** *** THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2009 THE DAILY TELEGRAPH *** *** *** THE DAILY TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2009 *** *** V STUDENT FINANCE telegraph.co.uk MONEYMATTERS helps to ensure you dont overspend and then find yourself with nothing left to live on, McGrath adds. Once you have sorted out your finances and found a bank account, its time to start plann