More Experience Please
Unsuccessful university applicants advised to gain more experience…
With almost 660,000 applicants hoping to gain a full-time university place this autumn, record numbers look set to face disappointment. And the general message to them - broaden your experience before applying again!
Not only are there more applicants than ever before, but a number of universities have declared themselves to be full even before the start of clearing. It would also seem that, despite the surge in applications, university places have been capped this year, with strict fines being enforced for over-recruiting.
With only 480,000 university places, it is predicted that more than 3,000 straight A-grade students will be turned down by their chosen institutions. This has prompted the Exams Results Helpline, run by the University & Colleges Administration Services (UCAS), to gear up for a record number of calls.
UCAS chief executive Mary Curnock Cook is advising students who fail to obtain their hoped-for grades to be "flexible and realistic", and to take time to consider all the options available to them, including reapplying, clearing, part-time study, apprenticeships, and using the "bridging year" to enhance their applications for the next cycle.
Carl Gilleard, Chief Executive of the Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR), expresses similar sentiments. "My advice for school-leavers who feel university is the right route for them but miss out on a place this year is to consider getting some broader experience - either in the workplace or by volunteering - which will help strengthen their application to university next time round."
He adds that employers don't penalise graduates who've taken a year out before going into higher education: "indeed, many regard the experience as providing added value."
Source: Ri5 – www.ri5.co.uk
