Authoritative action plan
Over the past 20 years, Marlborough College has used independent assessment tools and careers advisors to provide students with dispassionate guidance, enabling them to create an authoritative career and study action plan. Guy Nobes, Head of Department, Guidance, explains how the college uses My UniChoices to achieve this.
Impartial, rational advice
Marlborough College is an independent boarding school for pupils aged 13-18. Almost every student goes on to university each year so it is critical they feel confident they have chosen the right course at the right university.
We start thinking about university choices early, in year 9. We use MyCareerChoices, as a conversation starter to get students thinking about career ideas.
The programme includes personalised guidance based on a range of assessment tools which helps each student identify which career areas best match their strengths and interests. Critically it helps them understand the implications for future study choices.
Assessing strengths
We find it incredibly useful to use independent assessment tools and careers advisors to help students think about study and career options. It means that discussions are based on neutral, credible, evidence.
The insight that students glean from the comprehensive report helps them to identify the best subjects to study at A-level which helps them to keep as many doors open as possible. What we want to avoid is a situation where a student finds they have missed the boat to get onto a specific degree course because they don’t have A-levels in required subjects. It also helps our students to work out what kind of work experience they take over the summer.
University options
In the Lower Sixth we use MyUniChoices to help students identify which degree subject and university best match their interests, strengths and career aspirations. The range of suitable options generated by the programme is truly impressive and helps to raise possibilities that hadn’t previously occurred to the student or their parents.
A high percentage of our students go on to study Medicine and they find MyUniChoices helpful as it suggests options that match their interests and strengths for a fifth, non-medical course.
Degree Course Descriptors are excellent, and help the student to delve a little deeper to understand whether a particular course really is their cup of tea.
As a boarding school it is a bonus that our parents can visit the MyFutureChoice platform any time to view their child’s report and action plan.