Tag Archives: education

University Fees-ability by Josh Edwards

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Another period of A-level results has passed and thousands of students will be heading to University over the next 4 weeks.  But is a degree strictly necessary? For many it isn’t. It wasn’t for me initially, but as my career aspirations altered, a degree became the minimum requirement for my next goal.

universityfees

Three years ago, I decided to end a successful career in retail and become a student, studying Education. I became poor overnight and left behind a lifestyle of exotic holidays, new cars and weekly shopping trips to Topman. So how can university be financially possible for the majority of young people?

This is how I did it. I applied in 2011, just before the Government planned to increase tuition fees. Although the increase in fees would not have necessarily discouraged me, if I wanted to avoid paying up to nine thousand pounds a year I had to bite the bullet and submit my UCAS application.   Knowing my parents would not be able to financially support me, and aware that my maintenance loan would not be enough to live on, I had to work out how to support myself.

Josh Edwards

Luckily, my local Starbucks was recruiting so I decided to attend the day of open interviews. It went well and I was asked to start the following week. Although, somehow I had convinced people that I was a coffee lover, I wasn’t at the time. A great number of awkward coffee tastings followed, but that is another story. I soon realised that Starbucks was a revolving door for students, with many working weekends and between lectures which enabled us to earn extra cash. Throughout my three years at University, I typically worked between 16 and 25 hours a week. Without being able to work part-time, for me, University just would not have been possible.

university

For most, student loans are an inevitable part of the University experience, especially now. Only the very fortunate are able to leave University debt free. Many are put off by the huge sums of money they have to borrow, but I considered it to be a risk free investment. Only a small percentage of the loan is taken from your pay-check based on your salary, and repayment starts when you are earning twenty-one thousand pounds or more a year. If it all goes pete-tong and you never quite meet your earning potential, then you never have to pay the loan back.

I expect thousands of students will be in the same boat I was in three years ago. So if you need some extra money to help you through university, why not check out your local Starbucks, or Costa, or anywhere else that accommodates student hours. As well as helping financially, it’s good for your cv, and is fun.

I am now a graduate, with a degree under my belt, and a more than manageable level of debt. I am on the job trail, and who knows, I might get back to that sun-filled, fun-filled lifestyle, or just head towards a mortgage, or even both. Either way, I have had three years of mind stretching education, and have acquired great coffee making skills which keep me going in between interviews. Life is good.

 

 

High Costs Putting People Off Higher Education Courses

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An educational charity have outlined that the high cost of further education has prevented almost half of UK adults gaining advance qualifications. This comes as figures show that the average graduate debt is now £53,000 after tuition fees rose in September 2012.

The NCFE (Northern Council for Further Education) surveyed 2,000 adults across the UK and found that being too old (36%) and family commitments (24%) were also factor when deciding to undertake a further education course.

university cost too much education infographic

Despite there being a demand for degrees over the past 20 years, with a 140% increase in the number of people studying medicine, and 162% increase in degrees in mass communications and media studies between 2000 and 2012, there is currently a lack of graduates in technical disciplines which has led to a significant skills gap.

With an average of 250 people applying for each corporate job, and with 20% of graduates unemployed in their first 6 months after completing their University course, there is an increasing demand for vocational courses.

In the past couple of years, the Government has put more money into apprenticeships than ever before, and with the demand for vocational courses predicted to peak in 2050, there is an ever increasing demand for more practical and vocationally led courses.

 

 

Exam Results Helpline tells students not to panic

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Exam Results Helpline advisers urge students to ‘stay calm’, as they prepare for thousands of calls from students (and parents) who are keen to talk over their options after receiving unexpected exam results this year.

The Exam Results Helpline telephone 0808 100 8000 is a free telephone helpline staffed by independent careers advisers. Students across the UK who receive unexpected exam results (A levels, GCSEs and equivalent qualifications) can call in for advice about their learning and career options.

The Helpline is open throughout the exam results period, this year running between Thursday 15 and Saturday 24 August for students receiving exam results in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Helpline opens for students in Scotland between Tuesday 6 and Wednesday 14 August*.

The busiest time is always A-level results day, which is Thursday 15 August this year.  Last year, the helpline received almost 3,000 calls on A level results day and almost 9,000 across the whole exam results period.

Supporting schools and colleges, helpline advisers offer information and advice on a range of topics including further and higher education options, vocational learning, re-sits, re-marks, careers, employment and gap years.

The only careers helpline with access to UCAS’ applicant information and higher education qualifications, its experienced careers professionals also offer up-to-date advice about Confirmation, Clearing and Adjustment. Advice is timely and accurate.

 

Exam Results Helpline adviser Nick Hynes, who has 25 years’ experience as a professional careers adviser, said: 

“After all the planning and revising students do, results day is the moment of truth.   If they haven’t achieved the grades they were hoping for, if they’ve done better than expected or if they just want to consider their options before making any major decisions about their futures, our experienced careers advisers are here to help.

“We offer professional and impartial advice on what the best choice might be taking into account individual circumstances and goals. We are happy to speak to family members and friends also.

 

Student, David Murdoch, called the Exam Results Helpline last year. He said:

“It was really nice to have someone properly explain my options – what I could do, the alternatives I hadn’t thought about, and the processes I needed to go through.

“It was good to get objective advice.”

If a student is reconsidering their options based on results they have or have not achieved, they should contact the Exam Results Helpline on 0808 100 8000.

If a student has a specific query about their university application, they should contact the UCAS customer service line on 0871 468 0468.

For further information, visit www.ucas.com/examresultshelpline

For students in Scotland receiving exam results
Tuesday 6 August Scottish exam results day    0800 : 2000
Wednesday 7 August                                        0800 : 2000
Thursday  8 – Friday 9 August                           0900 : 1900
Saturday 10 – Sunday 11 August                       1000 : 1800
Monday 12 – Wednesday 14 August                 0900 : 1700

For students in the rest of the UK receiving exam results
Thursday 15 August A-level exam results day 0800 : 2000
Friday 16 August                                               0800 : 1900
Saturday 17 August                                           0900 : 1700
Sunday 18 August                                             1000 : 1600
Monday 19 – Wednesday 21 August                0900 : 1700
Thursday 22 August GCSE exam results day    0800 : 1900
Friday 23 August                                               0900 : 1700
Saturday 24 August                                           0900 : 12noon

BlackBerry targets the best and brightest women in the UK for BlackBerry Scholars program

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aliciakeysBlackBerry Scholars Program – a multi-level strategy to engage young women across the globe in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics

BlackBerry is reaching out to women in the UK to urge them to apply for the new BlackBerry Scholars Program, an initiative designed to inspire women globally to enter and develop careers in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

Led by BlackBerry Global Creative Director, Alicia Keys the BlackBerry Scholars program will offer ten full, four year university scholarships to outstanding female candidates. The BlackBerry Scholars Program is available to women across the UK and will provide scholarships to outstanding applicants who are seeking degrees at accredited local colleges and universities in the areas of STEM across the UK.

“Women are underrepresented in fields of science and technology, and we feel strongly that it’s time to drive a change,” said BlackBerry Global Creative Director, Alicia Keys. “It’s important to connect the dots for young women in school and college, and show them that careers in science and technology are within their reach. And when women do land these jobs, it’s vital they receive the mentoring and support they need to advance in their careers. I’m proud BlackBerry is demonstrating leadership in women’s education, both in school and in the workplace, and giving back to its most loyal users in such a profound way.”

Applications are now open to candidates in the UK, who are interested in the scholarship, and will close on June 26 2013. The scholars will be selected by a panel of inspirational and accomplished women, led by Alicia Keys, who will recruit candidates based on their academic merit and passion for entering the mobile computing industry.

This scholarship program is the first step in BlackBerry’s long-term commitment and multi-tiered strategy to engage young women at every step of their education from school to college, and as they rise through their careers. As more than 55% of BlackBerry customers are women, BlackBerry aims to champion this generation of female leaders as they strive to achieve their ambitions in this highly-competitive industry.

For those interested application is now open and will close on June 26, 2013. For more information about the program, eligibility requirements, and how to apply, please visit www.blackberry.com/scholars.  Please spread the word on Twitter by using #BBScholars.

Famous People Who Didn’t Go To University

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Zac GoldsmithI have a confession to make. I find the whole snobbish going to university thing stupid. If you want to actually study something or be a doctor, then obviously go and reach your potential, but one of the things I find most stupid about social pressure is that everyone should go to university. At least if they want to be middle class.

Tuition fees are now appallingly expensive, and the most annoying thing I found about the recent BBC class calculator is that they still put going to university and owning a home as an indicator of class. Even though people buying homes they could not afford was one of the factors in the recession, and a recent study said that most students would never be able to pay of the debts they had incurred.

I recently saw an interesting meme on Facebook. It said, “Modern education: creating people who are smart enough to accurately repeat what they are told and follow orders.”

You don’t have to agree with me. I know it is a controversial thing to think. However, have a look at just a few of the famous people who did not go to university.

Apple founder Steve Jobs dropped out of Reed College.

TV host and comedian Ellen DeGeneres dropped out of the University of New Orleans after one semester.

The creator of Tumblr David Karp never even graduated from high school.

Walt Disney left school at 16 to join the Army. He couldn’t get in because of his age so he joined the Red Cross and left for Europe.

Bill Gates dropped out of Harvard but later got an honorary degree.

Paul Thomas Anderson dropped out of NYU film school.

Zac Goldsmith MP for Richmond Park and North Kingston did not go to university, instead deciding to travel the world. He told the Financial Times: “I think university is hugely overrated for most people,” he says, insisting that a wide range of good apprenticeships is more useful than three years of light work and heavy drinking. “I would not encourage my children to go to university.”

Mark Zuckerberg dropped out of Harvard to work full time on Facebook.

Yoko Ono dropped out of Sarah Lawrence College

Woody Allen was thrown out of New York University after one semester and later dropped out of the City College of New York.

James Cameron studied physics at Fullerton College. He dropped out to become a truck driver.

Thomas Edison left school to work on the railroad at the age of 12.

F. Scott Fitzgerald dropped out of Princeton.

Coco Chanel dropped out of school to become a cabaret singer when she was 18.

Whole Foods founder John Mackey dropped out of the University of Texas.

Pablo Picasso dropped out of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts.

The founder of WordPress Matt Mullenweg dropped out of the University of Houston in 2004.

What do you think? Is going to university important?

Equal Education Unequal Pay

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It’s 2012 and close to four years after the Lilly ledbetter Fair Pay Act was signed into law. Surely, the gender wage gap has been closed, right? Wrong.

Even with moves toward equalizing pay between men and women, men still make almost 20% more than women in nearly all industries. This is despite the fact that women receive the same education, with the same tuition price tags and levels of debt upon graduation. The only major differences are that there are more ladies in college and they have better average GPAs to boot. The benefits of paying women their fair share include increasing the GDP while reducing the poverty rates for families.

Check out the infographic below to see what else the gender wage gap affects.

Equal_Education_Unequal_Pay

Equal Education Unequal Pay by LearnStuff.com

Applying to university or college next year? Read these top dos and don’ts

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Applying to university or college next year? Read these top dos and don’ts from UCAS.

 

Applying to university or college next year? Read these top dos and dont’s by Cathy Gilbert, Director of Customer Strategy at UCAS

Do – research your university and degree course choices carefully before applying. For me, that should include going to open days as well as looking at the online information. You’ll spend three or four years studying in higher education, so you should be really passionate about the course content and your chosen place of study.

Do – remember the UCAS application deadlines. The first date on the horizon this year is the 15 October deadline for applying to Oxford and Cambridge, and for courses anywhere in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine and veterinary science. The key deadline for most other courses is 15 January next year. You’ll have to send your application to us by this time to be certain of consideration.

Do – make the most of the help available from UCAS on ucas.com. Working through our Six steps to applying will make the process much easier. You can also watch videos on UCAStv featuring students who have already started and been through big events like Freshers’ Week. If you have a burning question at any stage of the process why not ask our team of experts on Twitter (@ucas_online) and Facebook (/ucasonline)? You’ll get a clear answer back very quickly.

Don’t – forget that some universities and colleges will ask you to sit an admissions test in addition to the standard qualifications. The Admissions tests section of the UCAS website will help you understand some of these and the UCAS bookstore has guides dedicated to many of them.

Don’t – be tempted to submit a copied personal statement or one downloaded from a website. Thankfully, only one percent of applicants did this last year. UCAS is quite clear that personal statements should be an applicant’s own work, although we do advise that parents and teachers check them over. Our computer system has tens of thousands of personal statements on file and similarities will be flagged up to the universities.

Don’t – panic about tuition fees. There is a wealth of information out there to help you understand the costs of higher education – and remember you won’t have to pay anything upfront. You can visit the Student finance section of our website to find out more, or visit Moneysavingexpert’s Students section.

Interview with Joe Thomas of Fresh Meat

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Joe Thomas got to enact a childhood dream while filming the second series of Fresh Meat.

“I couldn’t quite believe it but basically I got to be filmed busking in the style of Blur,” says Joe. “It was like being able to vent my childhood dream of being in a band when my favourite band was Blur.”

Returning to university for the second term, Joe’s character Kingsley has a new look…

“In the last series Kingsley was relatively innocent but this term he is trying to contrive an image for himself – he has become quite pretentious, probably because he was quite badly hurt in the first term. This includes growing a little beard called a soul patch, which doesn’t really suit him, and developing an interest in music.

“On the downside I have to sing but on the upside it is a song written by Graham Coxon from Blur who are pretty much my favourite band of all time. I got to meet him and it was really nice to meet someone so famous who has done an awful lot with their life yet seemed very much a normal bloke. He is a fan of Fresh Meat which is why he wanted to be involved.

“It is interesting because the song isn’t supposed to be very good so Graham must have had to pull against all his natural instincts to write this tortuous and pretentious thing. The lyrics are very funny and it felt like we really got what we wanted from it; an adolescent, overly complicated epic.

“I do play guitar but only to a level many people can, which is a few chords to a few Blur songs. The only other person in the cast who sings in the series is Charlotte Ritchie, who is actually a professional singer, so it is an unfortunate point of comparison for me.”

The other major change in Kingsley’s life is the arrival of Heather…

“Kingsley has a new girlfriend, Heather, who is slightly cooler than Josie and maybe, in the long run, not as well-suited. However in the short term she is definitely more together and more able to organise a relationship and as Kingsley needs to be told what to do they fall into one. And immediately he is in way over his head.

“This series Kinglsey is getting on with the outward appearance of being grown up but fundamentally he is still sorting himself out. He doesn’t resolve any of his issues.

“Take the soul patch; it tends to be the first bit of hair that grows so it is a bit like a boy pretending to be a man. Also in Kingsley’s case trying to look a bit tougher.

On a personal note it wasn’t great for me to have to go round in my normal life with a soul patch either – it is not something I’d have chosen.

“It was an interesting experiment and I suppose made me appreciate not having it after I shaved it off. I might grow a full rugged beard one day; I can understand that back to nature, wild look but the soul patch isn’t really in the same category…”

So how does Kingsley feel about Josie this term?

“Kingsley is increasingly worried about Josie and he is really good to her as is not unaware that she is having a bad time. But when somebody is your friend but you do still really like each other it confuses things. So he has this mix of sympathy and desire which is frankly a bit weird. They have this relationship that neither of them are in control of.

“They both behave like they don’t care about each other, Kingsley is uber chilled and relaxed about her and Josie acts like she lives to party but neither of them mean that. They like stability and feeling at peace with the world but by carrying on as if they don’t care and are just free spirits they are damaging each other in the process. And as a consequence they mess up the opportunity to be together.”

So what were Joe’s stand out moments of the series?

“I got to do some minor stunts when we filming in the Peak District and I do like a tussle. There aren’t many times you get to wrestle in the great outdoors and let off a bit of steam; normally it is all about being very controlled. I didn’t do anything particularly adventurous but I got to fight with Greg or even better with Howard who is definitely not a fighter and probably hadn’t had any physical contact with a human for some time.

“And filming on location in the big country house was great – it was the only time it didn’t rain, apart from when we were in the Peak District, and it was so nice to sit in a garden rather than a car park outside the studios. A change of environment can really change your frame of mind plus there is always a bit of fun when cast and crew are staying in the same place – it’s a bit like a school trip!”

Joe is currently co-writing Chickens, a comedy series for Sky, with Simon Bird and Johnny Sweet in which they will also star.

Fresh Meat returns to Channel 4 on Tuesday 9th October at 10pm.

Don’t forget to check out Fresh Meat House which will launch 9th October directly after transmission of the first episode on Channel 4. Go to www.channel4.com/freshmeathouse for a tour of the student digs and to watch exclusive content released at the end of each episode.

Fresh Meat House is a new commission from Channel 4’s Education team who have a focus on life skills for young people