Higher Education Resources
February 2007 Edition
Key Resources for Course Choice
UCAS website www.ucas.com
Degree Course Offers (latest edition) by Brian Heap
Course Discover (see Online Resources below)
Higher Ideas (installed on Careers Library workstations)
Sixthformer’s Guide to Open Days 2007
University Websites and Prospectuses
Brief details of these and other good resources are given below, listed by format (books, CD-ROMs, websites & online services). These resources can be consulted in the Careers Library.
Reference Books
(a) Choosing Courses
Degree Course Offers by Brian Heap (annual editions) Publ: Trotman
Lists the offers (A/AS level grades and points, and any crucial subject/GCSE requirements) made for each course by each University. This is a very useful guide for selecting Universities that will accept the sort of grades you and your teachers are expecting you to attain – but you must check for up to date entry requirements with institutions, as requirements may change after Heap’s publication date.
Also contains information on the HEFCE teaching and research assessments, on common interview questions and on preparing your UCAS personal statement.
Choosing your Degree Course and University by Brian Heap
Explanations of how courses differ subject by subject between institutions – profiles of thousands of courses. Advice on choosing your degree course by A level or by career choice criteria. Advice on how to judge the quality of a course; subject-specific questions to ask at interview or open day.
CRAC Degree Course Guides 2005/6 & 2006/7 20 volume set
The Art & Design Directory Annual editions Publ: ISCO
Lists all art and design courses (in FE, HE and at Postgraduate level). Information on each course’s content: readers can compare content but also ethos behind each course.
(b) Admissions Test Preparation
Preparing for the BMAT Publ: Heinemann
LNAT Mastering the National Admissions Test for Law Publ: Cavendish
AS Critical Thinking for OCR Publ: Heinemann
(c) Choosing Universities
The Times Good University Guide (annual editions)
Includes the Times University League Tables
The Virgin Alternative Guide to British Universities (annual editions)
For students by students.
Excellent overview of Open Day: dates, how to book, how to get the most out of Open Days etc. Also good section on Studying Abroad – useful contact points for USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, & Ireland. In Careers Library.
Selected Open Days 2007 list is in the HE Booklet,
The Disabled Student’s Guide to University 2005 by Emma Caprez in Careers Library
(d) Considering Oxbridge…..
The following are in the Careers Library:
Note also website: www.oa.waveflex.com has feedback from past Oxbridge interviewees about their interviews.
Getting into Oxford & Cambridge (2005 ed) by Sarah Alakija Publ: Trotman/MPW
How to Get into Oxford and Cambridge (1998) by Moggridge, North & North Publ: PGR Publishing
A Guide to Oxbridge Application in Economics and in the Social Sciences (2003) by Russell Tillson Publ: Anforme Ltd
Cambridge Interviews: The Facts Cambridge Pamphlet
Interviews at Oxford Oxford Pamphlet
(e) Fees, Scholarships, Bursaries, Sponsorship and other Funding
See UCAS website (use Course Search) for information on fees, bursaries etc
Hotcourses website www.studentmoney.org good database also previously called scholarship-search.org.uk.
Undergraduate Courses Money & Funding Guide 2006 Publ: Hotcourses
Coverage of awards, bursaries & scholarships. Same source information as the online database via www.studentmoney.org. Copy in Careers Library
Scholarships & Bursaries Publ: ISCO
Computer Resources
Websites (all preceded by www.) Other sites may be listed on school intranet
ucas.com – UCAS HE information with links to universities’ & colleges’ websites; has excellent and very useful course search facility; gives entry qualifications; includes Entry Profiles for many courses www.coursediscoveronline.co.uk - see above
isco.org.uk – lists taster courses put on by Independent Schools Careers Organisation
hero.ac.uk – Higher Education & Research Opportunities in the UK – is the official gateway site to the UK universities, colleges and research organisations
push.co.uk – extracts from the PUSH Guide to Which University – chatty, informative
unofficial-guides.com – includes useful links to university websites
universityoptions.co.uk – good site run by Manchester University Careers Service, includes Graduate profiles searchable by subject, university attended etc
see SHSK Intranet Careers pages for other sites
tqi.ac.uk – gives official info on quality of HE in UK universities incl national student survey 2006 results
qaa.ac.uk – Subject Review Reports by QAA/HEFCE (for teaching quality) & Institutional Audit Reports
hero.ac.uk/rae/results – results of 2001 research quality assessment exercise
hefce.ac.uk – results of the 1996 research quality assessment exercise
timesonline.co.uk – for The Times Good University Guide (click Education)
educationunlimited.co.uk – Guardian’s education website (find University Guide for The Guardian’s (interactive) University/Subject Guides, usually published each May)
ucas.com – info on fees, bursaries etc., all via the course search
scholarship-search.org.uk – (is same site as studentmoney.org) excellent site run by Hotcourses, with database of undergraduate awards from academic institutions, commercial organisations, professional institutes and charitable trusts
studentfinancedirect.co.uk – the official national student support site; apply for student support online
slc.co.uk – Student Loans Company
oxfordshire.gov.uk - click on Learning & Student Support - Oxfordshire Student Support
yearoutgroup.org – excellent, clear with links to & profiles of the member gap organisations
gapyear.com – for students, parents and schools; general, chatty, lots of links
gap.org.uk – specific organisation GAP Activity Projects
yini.org.uk – Year in Industry site – good for gap year jobs
thesite.org – volunteering opportunities in the UK
worldstudent.com/uk/studyabroad
erasmus.ac.uk - opportunities in Europe
fulbright.co.uk - study in the US
asme.org.uk – Association for the Study of Medical Education, information on medical courses
lcan.csu.ac.uk – very useful site for prospective lawyers, run by the law careers advice network
bps.org.uk – British Psychological Society, with list of accredited degree courses
prospects.ac.uk – AGCAS guide to graduate jobs, careers & postgraduate study
careers-portal.co.uk – includes links to many professional institutions
University Prospectuses
Most prospectuses are available for reference in the Careers Library.
School Contacts – Staff and Recent Leavers
See separate list of Staff to Contact for Advice on Specific University Subject Areas
See separate list of Former Pupils now Studying at University