{"id":2829,"date":"2024-03-11T14:31:31","date_gmt":"2024-03-11T14:31:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/?post_type=resources&#038;p=2829"},"modified":"2024-04-24T13:37:50","modified_gmt":"2024-04-24T13:37:50","slug":"guide-to-higher-education","status":"publish","type":"resources","link":"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/resources\/guide-to-higher-education\/","title":{"rendered":"Guide to Higher Education"},"content":{"rendered":"<h4><strong>Welcome to our Higher Education Guide!<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>This guide is aimed for students considering Higher Education who are researching their options.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#Glossary\">Glossary<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#WhyDoYouWantToStudy\">Why do you want to study?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#ResearchAndWorkExperience\">Research &amp; Work Experience<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#HowToFind\">How to find<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#PersonalStatement\">Personal Statement &amp; Student Finance<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a id=\"Glossary\"><\/a>When considering Higher Education, it is worth being aware that this includes LOTS of different options with many (possibly) confusing terms. To help get you started, here is a short Glossary of the most common terms you may come across:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Glossary-Posters.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-fluid alignnone wp-image-7202 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Glossary-Posters.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1414\" height=\"2000\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Glossary-Posters.png 1414w, https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Glossary-Posters-212x300.png 212w, https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Glossary-Posters-724x1024.png 724w, https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Glossary-Posters-768x1086.png 768w, https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Glossary-Posters-1086x1536.png 1086w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1414px) 100vw, 1414px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Copy-of-Glossary-Posters.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-fluid alignnone wp-image-7203 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Copy-of-Glossary-Posters.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1414\" height=\"2000\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Copy-of-Glossary-Posters.png 1414w, https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Copy-of-Glossary-Posters-212x300.png 212w, https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Copy-of-Glossary-Posters-724x1024.png 724w, https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Copy-of-Glossary-Posters-768x1086.png 768w, https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Copy-of-Glossary-Posters-1086x1536.png 1086w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1414px) 100vw, 1414px\" \/><\/a><\/h4>\n<h4><\/h4>\n<h4><\/h4>\n<h4><strong><a id=\"WhyDoYouWantToStudy\"><\/a>Why do you want to study? <\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Some students study for the love of a subject or for a\u00a0particular career (sometimes both).\u00a0Check\u00a0that the course you are interested in\u00a0will meet your needs and\u00a0if you are looking to study for a specific career,\u00a0that you have checked other\u00a0routes to your goal, such as\u00a0<em><b>School Leaver Schemes, Gap Years, and the wide range of Apprenticeships\u00a0so you don\u2019t miss out on opportunities!\u00a0\u00a0(See\u00a0<\/b><\/em><a title=\"Original URL: http:\/\/www.cxk.org\/resources. Click or tap if you trust this link.\" href=\"https:\/\/eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cxk.org%2Fresources&amp;data=05%7C02%7CLaurenDodson%40cxk.org%7Ca76567d7ca4744dc5de108dc3c45e06e%7Cb4eebf20cc9e4b01af95941d488e07d1%7C1%7C0%7C638451518079200817%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=Zl3ysiKKFLoEsgc9EnDejbcWMqwsa%2F8U12ntZT%2FocKQ%3D&amp;reserved=0\" data-auth=\"Verified\" data-linkindex=\"13\"><em><b>www.cxk.org\/resources<\/b><\/em><\/a><em><b>)<\/b><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Keep in mind you can apply for a degree at a university or college AND apply for an apprenticeship at the same time to keep your options open whilst you decide on the right path for you: <a title=\"Original URL: https:\/\/alanbullockcareers.com\/blog\/. Click or tap if you trust this link.\" href=\"https:\/\/eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Falanbullockcareers.com%2Fblog%2F&amp;data=05%7C02%7CLaurenDodson%40cxk.org%7Ca76567d7ca4744dc5de108dc3c45e06e%7Cb4eebf20cc9e4b01af95941d488e07d1%7C1%7C0%7C638451518079207646%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=uUM3npdnYRIFVqsDIT5U%2BDrPPqoKKSkJCV0RdKaJcMU%3D&amp;reserved=0\" data-auth=\"Verified\" data-linkindex=\"14\"><i>https:\/\/alanbullockcareers.com\/blog\/<\/i><\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a title=\"Original URL: https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=vubbyRCtA60&amp;t=6s. Click or tap if you trust this link.\" href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/vubbyRCtA60\" data-auth=\"Verified\" data-linkindex=\"15\"><i>https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/apprenticeship-vs-university<\/i><\/a><\/em><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>It is worth being aware that many graduate jobs (which are the jobs and training available to you after studying for a degree or equivalent) are accessible through what we call the \u201c<b>80% Rule<\/b>\u201d. This is where graduates\u00a0<b>transfer their skills<\/b>\u00a0to enter\u00a0<b>graduate training<\/b> within their jobs (sometimes called \u201con the job training&#8221;).<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>However, some students choose to study a subject which some employers may find desirable or useful (rather than essential), such as Accountancy &amp; Finance Degrees for entry into the financial sector. \u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>If you are intending to use your degree to enter the graduate job market, the effectiveness of different degrees can be researched using:\u00a0<a title=\"Original URL: https:\/\/discoveruni.gov.uk\/. Click or tap if you trust this link.\" href=\"https:\/\/eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdiscoveruni.gov.uk%2F&amp;data=05%7C02%7CLaurenDodson%40cxk.org%7Ca76567d7ca4744dc5de108dc3c45e06e%7Cb4eebf20cc9e4b01af95941d488e07d1%7C1%7C0%7C638451518079221331%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=7aZWtGa0CsB6RNTmDFv%2BxdX2MPRKGIz8paSxCmCFwYs%3D&amp;reserved=0\" data-auth=\"Verified\" data-linkindex=\"16\">https:\/\/discoveruni.gov.uk<\/a>\u00a0alongside the other websites listed below.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/The-80-Rule.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-fluid alignnone wp-image-6720 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/The-80-Rule-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1414\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/The-80-Rule-1.png 2000w, https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/The-80-Rule-1-300x212.png 300w, https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/The-80-Rule-1-1024x724.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/The-80-Rule-1-768x543.png 768w, https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/The-80-Rule-1-1536x1086.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h4><\/h4>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4><strong><a id=\"ResearchAndWorkExperience\"><\/a>Research and Work Experience<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Do your research and attend <strong><em>Open Days, Events, Exhibitions, Open Public Lectures and Performances<\/em><\/strong> throughout Year 12 to research what courses and certain careers are actually like!<\/p>\n<p>Use websites like <a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/\">YouTube<\/a>\u00a0to find \u201cvirtual\u201d university tours as well as tasters of lectures! These links will help with your research:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.opendays.com\/\">opendays.com\u00a0<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=wfKeWm-fv-w\">www.youtube.com\/uni-open-day-questions<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a title=\"Original URL: https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/blog\/questions-to-ask-at-university-open-days. Click or tap if you trust this link.\" href=\"https:\/\/eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cxk.org%2Fblog%2Fquestions-to-ask-at-university-open-days&amp;data=05%7C02%7CLaurenDodson%40cxk.org%7Ca76567d7ca4744dc5de108dc3c45e06e%7Cb4eebf20cc9e4b01af95941d488e07d1%7C1%7C0%7C638451518079255383%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=Jos3zBF99QDiYtooEsnGbeh4OmEcJjU4V4N0CTiQFQY%3D&amp;reserved=0\" data-auth=\"Verified\" data-linkindex=\"21\">www.cxk.org\/blog\/questions-to-ask-at-university-open-days<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.unitasterdays.com\">https:\/\/www.unitasterdays.com<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/resources\/finding-work-experience-or-volunteering\">www.cxk.org\/resources\/finding-work-experience-or-volunteering<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ucas.com\/explore\/search\/subject-guides\">https:\/\/www.ucas.com\/explore\/search\/subject-guides<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/kmpf.org\/resources\">https:\/\/kmpf.org\/resources<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.prospects.ac.uk\/careers-advice\/what-can-i-do-with-my-degree\">www.prospects.ac.uk\/careers-advice\/what-can-i-do-with-my-degree<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.prospects.ac.uk\/postgraduate-study\/study-abroad\">www.prospects.ac.uk\/postgraduate-study\/study-abroad<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/yearoutgroup.org\/\">yearoutgroup.org<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.seasonworkers.com\/\">www.seasonworkers.com<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"x_MsoNormal\">If you are a student with additional needs and\/or disabilities Higher Education can be an option for you. There is lots of support and help available, explore the links below to help you:<\/p>\n<ul type=\"disc\">\n<li class=\"x_MsoListParagraph\"><a title=\"Original URL: https:\/\/kmpf.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/The-Guide_final_Digital.pdf. Click or tap if you trust this link.\" href=\"https:\/\/eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fkmpf.org%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2023%2F02%2FThe-Guide_final_Digital.pdf&amp;data=05%7C02%7CLaurenDodson%40cxk.org%7Ca76567d7ca4744dc5de108dc3c45e06e%7Cb4eebf20cc9e4b01af95941d488e07d1%7C1%7C0%7C638451518079317801%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=t6iqRO%2FkNXfCQgBs4D%2FB04QHf9UXPFZnzuQcQIiJjBY%3D&amp;reserved=0\" data-auth=\"Verified\" data-linkindex=\"30\">The Guide: Support available for Disabled Students at University (kmpf.org)<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"x_MsoListParagraph\"><a title=\"Original URL: https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=5J2rFP-6nj8. Click or tap if you trust this link.\" href=\"https:\/\/eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D5J2rFP-6nj8&amp;data=05%7C02%7CLaurenDodson%40cxk.org%7Ca76567d7ca4744dc5de108dc3c45e06e%7Cb4eebf20cc9e4b01af95941d488e07d1%7C1%7C0%7C638451518079325053%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=qiAihS6EOFQetDUkgw%2FPtAiU1DYVhi02F2HxVI7IHak%3D&amp;reserved=0\" data-auth=\"Verified\" data-linkindex=\"31\">KMPF: Making the Most of University as a Disabled Student (youtube.com)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>TOP TIP!<\/strong>\u00a0Many courses require\u00a0<em><b>work experience<\/b><\/em>\u00a0as well as grades so, organise this early in the academic year. For many schemes you apply in the October of Year 12 for your July placement! Starting early is really important:\u00a0<a title=\"Original URL: https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=T9Ho5-bmnXQ&amp;t=15s. Click or tap if you trust this link.\" href=\"https:\/\/eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DT9Ho5-bmnXQ%26t%3D15s&amp;data=05%7C02%7CLaurenDodson%40cxk.org%7Ca76567d7ca4744dc5de108dc3c45e06e%7Cb4eebf20cc9e4b01af95941d488e07d1%7C1%7C0%7C638451518079331969%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=1gQ%2B0laBxur4QjvYtZ7vAp%2F9yONkdvWvOlEc8ZF2U7I%3D&amp;reserved=0\" data-auth=\"Verified\" data-linkindex=\"32\">https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/how-to-prepare-for-uni<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4><strong><a id=\"HowToFind\"><\/a>How to find:<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>You might be unsure what your predicted grades are until the end of Year 12 (once you have taken your mocks). At this stage, use your best guess to set a range for you to research within. Much like the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears you are looking for options that aren\u2019t \u201ctoo hot or too cold\u201d but rather, \u201cjust right\u201d.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00b7 <\/strong>For example, if you are working at an average of: ABB in your A-levels or Distinction, Merit, Merit if taking Level 3 BTECs, you may consider searching between:<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00b7<\/strong> ABC or Distinction, Merit, Pass (representing you on a bad day) and A*AA or Distinction*, Distinction, Distinction (representing you on a good day or your very best).<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00b7<\/strong> This give you an initial picture between courses that are \u201ctoo cold\u201d (potentially too easy for you, against your grade potential) and \u201ctoo hot\u201d (potentially too hard for you, against your grade potential).<\/p>\n<p>This is of course only a rough guide, and it is important for you to talk to your teachers so you can get a good indication of what grades you may achieve.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>There are different ways to search for courses, from those which are more \u201canalogue\u201d to those using \u201cSearch Engines or A.I\u201d:<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Step by Step (Analogue Approach)<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>Search all courses: <a href=\"http:\/\/search.ucas.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">search.ucas.com<\/a> using a variety of keywords.<\/li>\n<li>Be creative in the word strings. <strong><em>E.g. \u201cDrama\u201d &amp; \u201cContemporary Performance\u201d<\/em><\/strong> will bring different results :\u00a0<a title=\"Original URL: https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=lL7kt7wuVHo&amp;t=3s. Click or tap if you trust this link.\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=lL7kt7wuVHo&amp;t=3s\" data-auth=\"Verified\" data-linkindex=\"34\">https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/important-<\/a><a title=\"Original URL: https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=lL7kt7wuVHo&amp;t=3s. Click or tap if you trust this link.\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=lL7kt7wuVHo&amp;t=3s\" data-auth=\"Verified\" data-linkindex=\"34\">university<\/a><a title=\"Original URL: https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=lL7kt7wuVHo&amp;t=3s. Click or tap if you trust this link.\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=lL7kt7wuVHo&amp;t=3s\" data-auth=\"Verified\" data-linkindex=\"34\">-websites<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Print off all your results and use a marker pen to cross off all those you dislike the look of, and a highlighter to circle all the ones you do.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><strong>Search Engines, Chat Bots and Filtering Tools<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Use the search tool(s) of your choice and filter to narrow down the search!<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theuniguide.co.uk\/\">www.theuniguide.co.uk<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theuniguide.co.uk\/a-level-explorer\">www.theuniguide.co.uk\/a-level-explorer<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/sacu-student.com\">https:\/\/sacu-student.com<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk\/courses\/search\">www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk\/courses\/search<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.whatuni.com\/degrees\/courses\">www.whatuni.com\/degrees\/courses<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Research <\/strong>your initial courses in more depth. Find out how the courses are taught and how well the courses are rated for things like graduate job prospects, drop-out rate, quality of teaching and support. <strong><em>Various league tables compile this data in different ways, so use more than one to research!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4 class=\"x_MsoNormal\"><b>Filtering Options:<\/b><\/h4>\n<p class=\"x_MsoNormal\">With so many different combinations of subjects and options to choose from, including distance learning, face-to-face study, coursework, or exams, narrowing down options for Higher Education can be slightly daunting.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x_MsoNormal\">One approach is to consider exploring degrees as if you were shopping for a new mobile phone or similar. In the same way we might choose what things we want a new mobile phone to be good at, such as streaming videos or listening to music, we can do the same with exploring degree courses.<\/p>\n<p class=\"x_MsoNormal\">Consider what factors are most important to you and which ones are your priorities, a list of factors to get you thinking can be found here:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-fluid alignnone wp-image-7201 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/University-Factors-2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1414\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/University-Factors-2.png 2000w, https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/University-Factors-2-300x212.png 300w, https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/University-Factors-2-1024x724.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/University-Factors-2-768x543.png 768w, https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/University-Factors-2-1536x1086.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>TOP TIP:<\/strong> It is<em> <strong><u>highly<\/u> <\/strong><\/em>recommended you use lots of different sources of information to find out what courses are like (called triangulation)\u2026 talk to teachers, employers, friends &amp; family (online or in person). Look at a wide range of data, attend \u201cvirtual\u201d tours and open events. Be mindful of bias from any source!<\/p>\n<p>These links will get you started\u2026<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theuniguide.co.uk\/advice\/choosing-a-course\/what-do-university-league-tables-really-tell-you\">www.theuniguide.co.uk\/advice\/choosing-a-course\/what-do-university-league-tables-really-tell-you<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/discoveruni.gov.uk\/\">discoveruni.gov.uk<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/discoveruni.gov.uk\/about-our-data\/#data_sources\">discoveruni.gov.uk\/about-our-data\/#data_sources<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/universitycompare.com\/rankings\">universitycompare.com\/rankings<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/universitycompare.com\/guides\/city\">universitycompare.com\/guides\/city<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.timeshighereducation.com\/world-university-rankings\">www.timeshighereducation.com\/world-university-rankings<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/careerswriters.com\/tag\/higher-education\/\">https:\/\/careerswriters.com\/tag\/higher-education\/<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Keep an eye on <strong><em><u>application deadlines<\/u><\/em><\/strong> and <strong><em><u>entry criteria<\/u><\/em><\/strong> carefully (including any entrance tests) as these vary from course to course. Consider applying for a range of courses so if you don\u2019t quite get the grades you need for your first choice, you have enough for your insurance (second) choice.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4><strong><a id=\"PersonalStatement\"><\/a>Personal Statement &amp; Student Finance<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>This guide will help you put together your Personal Statement:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/UCAS-Personal-Statement-2.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-6014 img-fluid\" src=\"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/UCAS-Personal-Statement-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/UCAS-Personal-Statement-1.png 1920w, https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/UCAS-Personal-Statement-1-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/UCAS-Personal-Statement-1-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/UCAS-Personal-Statement-1-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/UCAS-Personal-Statement-1-1536x864.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Write your personal statement with these top tips:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/alanbullockcareers.com\/2022\/09\/04\/my-ucas-personal-statement-articles\/\">https:\/\/alanbullockcareers.com\/2022\/09\/04\/my-ucas-personal-statement-articles\/<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.ucas.com\/undergraduate\/applying-university\/writing-personal-statement\/how-write-personal-statement\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">www.ucas.com\/undergraduate\/applying-university\/writing-personal-statement\/how-write-personal-statement<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theuniguide.co.uk\/advice\/personal-statements\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">www.theuniguide.co.uk\/advice\/personal-statements<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>You can now apply for your top five courses (don\u2019t worry if you only have a top three, you can leave a couple of spaces to fill later with late applications if needed).<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>For all applications \u2013 <strong><em>double check deadlines<\/em><\/strong> <strong><em>and details on UCAS!<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Some courses like Law &amp; Medicine have <strong><em>entrance tests<\/em><\/strong> that you will need to sit \u2013 <strong><em>check when these are and prepare! &#8211; <\/em><\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theuniguide.co.uk\/advice\/ucas-application\/which-admissions-tests-do-i-need-to-take\">www.theuniguide.co.uk\/advice\/ucas-application\/which-admissions-tests-do-i-need-to-take<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Check whether <strong><em>work experience, portfolios or auditions<\/em> <\/strong>are a requirement and ensure you have a plan in place to put these in place.<\/li>\n<li>Apply for student finance as soon as you can and make sure you understand the myths!<a href=\"https:\/\/www.moneysavingexpert.com\/students\/\"> https:\/\/www.moneysavingexpert.com\/students\/<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ndh-iSXqGK4\">https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/student-finance-explained<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Further sources of funding are available and worth applying for: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.savethestudent.org\/student-finance\/student-grants-bursaries-scholarships.html\">www.savethestudent.org\/student-finance\/student-grants-bursaries-scholarships.html<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Don&#8217;t forget if you have additional educational or health needs, you can also apply for additional financial support to help you achieve: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/disabled-students-allowance-dsa\">www.gov.uk\/disabled-students-allowance-dsa<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Welcome to our Higher Education Guide! This guide is aimed for students considering Higher Education who are researching their options. Glossary Why do you want to study? Research &amp; Work Experience How to find Personal Statement &amp; Student Finance &nbsp; When considering Higher Education, it is worth being aware that this includes LOTS of different [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":2830,"template":"","acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>CXK Resources: A Guide to Higher Education<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Some students study for the love of a subject or for a career. Check that your course will meet your needs &amp; that you&#039;ve checked other routes\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/resources\/guide-to-higher-education\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"CXK Resources: A Guide to Higher Education\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Some students study for the love of a subject or for a career. Check that your course will meet your needs &amp; that you&#039;ve checked other routes\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/resources\/guide-to-higher-education\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"CXK\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/cxkltd\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-04-24T13:37:50+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/cap-celebrate-celebration-1205651-1024x683.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"683\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@CXKLtd\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/resources\/guide-to-higher-education\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/resources\/guide-to-higher-education\/\",\"name\":\"CXK Resources: A Guide to Higher Education\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/resources\/guide-to-higher-education\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/resources\/guide-to-higher-education\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/cap-celebrate-celebration-1205651.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-03-11T14:31:31+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-04-24T13:37:50+00:00\",\"description\":\"Some students study for the love of a subject or for a career. Check that your course will meet your needs & that you've checked other routes\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/resources\/guide-to-higher-education\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/resources\/guide-to-higher-education\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/resources\/guide-to-higher-education\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/cap-celebrate-celebration-1205651.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/cap-celebrate-celebration-1205651.jpg\",\"width\":5414,\"height\":3609,\"caption\":\"University graduates throwing mortar boards in the air\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/resources\/guide-to-higher-education\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Resources\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/resources\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Guide to Higher Education\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/\",\"name\":\"CXK\",\"description\":\"Supporting young people &amp; adults with career guidance &amp; vocational training\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/#organization\",\"name\":\"CXK\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/logo2017.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/logo2017.png\",\"width\":791,\"height\":462,\"caption\":\"CXK\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/cxkltd\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/CXKLtd\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/cxk-limited\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCwKH8qGt32rSASuviy2T03w\"]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"CXK Resources: A Guide to Higher Education","description":"Some students study for the love of a subject or for a career. Check that your course will meet your needs & that you've checked other routes","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/resources\/guide-to-higher-education\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"CXK Resources: A Guide to Higher Education","og_description":"Some students study for the love of a subject or for a career. Check that your course will meet your needs & that you've checked other routes","og_url":"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/resources\/guide-to-higher-education\/","og_site_name":"CXK","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/cxkltd","article_modified_time":"2024-04-24T13:37:50+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1024,"height":683,"url":"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/cap-celebrate-celebration-1205651-1024x683.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_site":"@CXKLtd","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"7 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/resources\/guide-to-higher-education\/","url":"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/resources\/guide-to-higher-education\/","name":"CXK Resources: A Guide to Higher Education","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/resources\/guide-to-higher-education\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/resources\/guide-to-higher-education\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/cap-celebrate-celebration-1205651.jpg","datePublished":"2024-03-11T14:31:31+00:00","dateModified":"2024-04-24T13:37:50+00:00","description":"Some students study for the love of a subject or for a career. Check that your course will meet your needs & that you've checked other routes","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/resources\/guide-to-higher-education\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/resources\/guide-to-higher-education\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/resources\/guide-to-higher-education\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/cap-celebrate-celebration-1205651.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/cap-celebrate-celebration-1205651.jpg","width":5414,"height":3609,"caption":"University graduates throwing mortar boards in the air"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/resources\/guide-to-higher-education\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Resources","item":"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/resources\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Guide to Higher Education"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/","name":"CXK","description":"Supporting young people &amp; adults with career guidance &amp; vocational training","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/#organization","name":"CXK","url":"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/logo2017.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/logo2017.png","width":791,"height":462,"caption":"CXK"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/cxkltd","https:\/\/x.com\/CXKLtd","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/cxk-limited","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCwKH8qGt32rSASuviy2T03w"]}]}},"fimg_url":"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/cap-celebrate-celebration-1205651-1024x683.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resources\/2829"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resources"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/resources"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2830"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cxk.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2829"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}