Help your son or daughter to explore their prospects

It is wise to think about specific aspects of a subject before your son or daughter makes a decision. Here are some examples.

Entry Profiles: sometimes it can be very difficult for applicants to decide which course they would like to apply for. Entry Profiles can help with this decision. If your son or daughter clicks on a course with an Entry Profile logo symbol, this means the university or college will have put together a good explanation of that particular course, which may distinguish it from others.

Employment opportunities: will they have to study a certain subject to get the job they want? Are there varied opportunities or is the subject too specialised? Some subjects lead to a particular career, for example, medicine or architecture, whereas others, such as English or history, can open the door to more wide-ranging opportunities. It is important to check whether a certain subject is a requirement for their chosen career because if it is and they do not take this subject, they may have to take another qualification after their higher education course.

Admissions tests: some subjects require applicants to take an admissions test for particular institutions. Although it can be daunting, passing the test is a valuable experience which can also prepare your son or daughter for the work they will encounter on the course.

The Stamford Test: if your son or daughter is unsure which subject to study at higher education level, they could make use of the Stamford Test. Filling in this short online interest questionnaire is an enjoyable way to match their interests and abilities to possible higher education subjects.


Costs: some courses will cost more than others, depending on the subject studied and the length of the course. For example, studying to become a doctor can last six or seven years, whereas gaining a psychology degree usually takes three years, so the tuition fees for medicine will be much higher overall. More information about specific course fees can be found through the Course Search.

Help with costs: there is specific help available for certain courses, depending on your son's or daughter's circumstances. For more information go to student finance.

Popularity: some subjects receive more applications than others. This could be because they have a good reputation or because they offer more employment opportunities. When choosing subjects, it can be a good idea for your son or daughter to find out how popular they are beforehand, so that they are aware of the competition they may face.

Location: your son or daughter could find the perfect subject for them which is taught on the other side of the country. You may need to discuss the practicalities of the location when they are making their choices.

Quality/Quantity: when researching subjects, it will become clear that some subjects are taught at many universities and colleges, whereas others are only taught at a few. This is where researching the university or college is essential because, although the subject is the same, different institutions will have different teaching and assessment methods. Entry Profiles provide information on teaching and assessment. You may also find it useful to visit Unistats to read what over 177,000 students felt about the quality of their courses.