Deciding to study a higher education qualification is a difficult, life-changing decision for anyone.
These pages are designed to help parents and families support students every step of the way; from
choosing their course to celebrating at their graduation ceremony.
parents, family, families, friends, relations, support, guide, course, degree, study, help
Parents and families: choosing a course and a university
There are over 53,000 Undergraduate courses on offer across the UK, at
over 300 different institutions. Choosing the right one is a complex and
life-changing decision for anyone, but there are a number of ways to narrow
down the options. A good place to start is by encouraging students to think
about what they enjoy doing and what they want to gain from higher
education.
What to study
The Universities and Colleges Admissions
Service (UCAS) website allows students to search for course areas that
they are interested in. The search can be narrowed down by institution and
region. It is important to remind students that subjects can vary massively
between institutions. For example, a History degree at the University of
Essex would allow you to take options in many areas of world history, social
or cultural history, and you would predominantly study history from the
1500’s to date. This would obviously not be the best choice for a student
interested in ancient history.
One of the best features of the UCAS website is that it acts as a portal
from which students can access further information on individual courses and
universities. Students can look at module options, entry requirements and a
whole range of information that will help them to decide which course is
right for them.
The most important thing for students to do is to pick a subject that
they really enjoy. With so many courses on offer this can sometimes be a
daunting task, but there will always be courses out there that will suit a
student, and a university that provides them with all of the facilities and
support that they require.
Researching
Encourage students to research all aspects of the institution they are
interested in. Research into institutions and courses can be carried out
online, on the UCAS and individual institution websites, or in person at
higher education conventions. Once students have decided upon their five
courses, it is essential that you try to visit as many as possible.
Attending visit and interview days provides you with an opportunity to meet
current students, academic and administrative staff, and have a good look
around the institution. It is also a fantastic opportunity for parents and
families to attend sessions on student finance and welfare, in order to find
out more about how studying in Higher Education impacts on the family unit.
Postgraduate Options
Many students who want to start a postgraduate course simply stay at the
university where they did their undergraduate course, or move to another
institution that offers postgraduate options in areas that interest them the
most. By this point most students have a good idea about what they want to
study, however is still important to consider things like: