No better time to apply to university

There is no better time to apply to university than right now.

It might seem hard to believe, with all the talk of funding cuts and tuition fees, but this was the message that d'Overbroeck's parent and Director of Careers and Skills at Warwick University Sue Bennett had come to deliver to our Upper Sixth on Wednesday 27th October.

With 84% of graduates ending up in full time employment or further study within 6 months of graduation, Ms Bennett showed that a degree is still a safe bet even in this time of economic uncertainty. Not only that: students should also resist pressure to study a specific degree merely because they think it will improve their chance of a job; instead, it's often a better strategy to study a subject that that will enjoy – and perform best on. Two thirds of employers are only interested in the fact that an applicant has a degree, and do not care about the subject studied. Most employers prioritise a "good degree [1st or 2.1] from a good university" – without specifying subjects.

And with tuition fees due to increase in 2012, it makes sense to apply for 2011 entry – for the obvious reason that those doing so will escape the rise in fees.

— By Mark Piesing, Head of UCAS Programme