Advice needed on university choices

[Universitynewbie]

Hi, I am looking for some advice for my daughter regarding what universities might not be worth applying to for a state school pupil for courses in the following areas economics/finance/actuarial science. She would love to go to a highly rated university but is worried she won't be considered for some because she is from a state school rather than independent school and doesn't want to waste her choices if there is very little chance of her getting in. Does anyone have any advice or personal experience at all?

The reverse is true, most unis are trying to increase participation from state schools, and improve equality and diversity.

You're not making sense.
What A-levels is she taking &what are her predicted results (A-levels)?

It makes no difference if she went to state or private - in fact some state school students from deprived areas get a lower contextual offer from some unis.

The key thing is her predicted grades. Is she in year 12? What A levels does she do? What is she likely to achieve in them?

Less vital but possibly relevant to some unis is her GCSE profile.

What courses is she looking at? Be aware that economics is having a bit of a moment and offers from places like LSE and UCL can be very high. But still plenty of great places elsewhere.

Universities don’t care what school applicants went to, other than that some universities will give what they call “contextual offers”, which are lower grade offers for applicants from low attainment schools.

She needs to get the best grades she can, think about what experience she can get which will show her interest in the subject beyond just studying in school, and get help to make her application as good as possible.

When you look at statistics though only 7% of pupils attend independent schools in the UK , they take up a much higher % of spaces than that at some universities. I know some universities are trying to improve this but wasn't sure what universities or whether some were just doing it through the deprivation index scores which we don't meet.

I agree with the above. Don’t try to second guess what a uni is looking for and apply to one’s that suit her. For a start, I’m fairly sure the application department don’t look up every school to work out it’s a state or private school.

Sorry, I have ASD so what is in my head doesn't always translate well into communication.
She is in Scotland so have done her highers where she achieved 5 x A grades (A* doesn't exist in Scotland for highers)

Don't overthink it. Apply to whichever ones she wants and will meet the admission grades for. If you're in Scotland presumably you won't be looking at England given you'd have to pay?

At sixth from its more than 7% private btw. Regardless, state schools cater for the full range of academic ability, private schools on the whole tend to cater for those with higher ability. Which is why proportionally more to to uni.

OP if you're in Scotland are you sticking to Scottish Unis because of Tuition fees?

I saw your percentages above - what percentage of people who applies are from state / independent?

Not just sticking to Scottish universities because courses tend to be 4 years long whereas courses in England tend to be 3 years long (excluding things like years in industry etc) so was thinking logically it would balance itself out as she would lose a year of earnings by going to Scottish uni

I am not sure as haven't found statistics for that. It looks like independent school students are roughly twice as likely to get an A at highers, not sure if this is roughly the same for A levels

It would be good to get this information first hand from admissions officers as I am just concerned there is still a bit of discrimination out there and I don't believe they don't look at schools. She is working hard on all elements not just grades but I still think it would be good to get na idea of unis to not bother even attempting to get into

Well given that many private schools are selective, a higher proportion will go on to attend university than from the state sector, where at least 50% don't go to university at all.

Actuarial science is quite a niche field to go into at degree level. She may be be better placed to do a maths degree if that is a possible future career path to give her scope to change her mind.

I think you are other-thinking things about her prospects as a state school applicant. If you don't apply for a degree course you like, you can't possibly get a place. DD has just graduated in PPE at Oxford from a state school background. She applied wherever she fancied going. The only university to turn her down was the one she had ear marked as her insurance place.

Thanks this is very helpful and good to know that actuarial science is a bit niche. To be honest she has been struggling to decide on a course and don't feel like pure maths would suit her , any other ideas of courses that might suit?

Do she expect her take home salary for that extra year of work to be £35 then - so around £50k salary? Blimey!

Ah missed her subject choice - possible then!

No, not necessarily but was just meaning it doesn't make as big a difference as I initially thought as we were only considering Scottish unis until recently when someone mentioned this point to us. I was under the impression that fees would be around 28k though? Have I got that wrong as that may well change things once more? Is it actually 35k?

I think your info is very out of date.

Honestly I'd stay in Scotland. You wont make up all the free tuition with one years worth of earnings.

Look at St Andrews, Edingburgh, Glasgow, Dundee.

What info are you referring to? I used the latest statistics available from the government for exam results. I can't recall where the other stats came from so they may well be out of date, do you have up to date info I can look at? That would eb really helpful and put my mind at rest hopefully!

As long as she has the grades for the course she’ll be fine. Look at the university websites which will tell her about the courses and grades required. Visit the ones she likes. Does she want a campus or city university.. more going on at a city university. There’s lots of choices, the red bricks are popular of course but that doesn’t mean she won’t get a place and she can do a mix of Cambridge/ liverpool and Glasgow . Honestly most kids I know have got what they wanted… and all state education

Scottish students don’t pay tuition fees going to Scottish Unis for a bachelors, so it may be 4yrs but they don’t run up the debt. If a Scottish student goes to a Uni outside Scotland it’s £9,250 a year in tuition fees alone which is a lot of student debt.
https://www.which.co.uk/money/university-and-student-finance/student-finance/student-finance-in-scotland-explained-aVHPK1r0wQt2

Accommodation is the same either way.

Id shoot for Glasgow, Edinburgh or Stirling.

Was worried she might not be considered for St Andrews, Edinburgh and Glasgow and feel Dundee doesn't have a good reputation for her subject area (I know it has an excellent reputation for other areas and have absolutely nothing against it) I feel she is a bit limited in Scotland because it it either unis that she probably doesn't have any chance of attending qnd then a huge gap before the other unis that aren't really great for these subject areas

£9250 x 3 years for tuition, plus however much a year in rent and subsistence (which costs she would obviously incur wherever she goes, except perhaps rent if she were to be studying near enough to home)?

Thanks that's really positive, I shall try to stop overthinking