February 2025 sentiment deck

• Past papers, blurting and mind maps – what are the top revision methods preferred by students?
• Logistical and financial concerns are the primary deterrents for Year 12s when it comes to attending university open days.
• We asked students how careers advice could be improved.
• Are students planning on going to Ucas fairs this spring?
• At the end of February we checked in with students on if they had heard back from their uni applications yet.
• Students feel nervous yet excited about moving away from home to university and tell us their top reasons for choosing to move away.
• Increasing future employability was seen as the most important benefit to applicants on progressing to HE study.

Download the deck

January 2025

– Students were straight back into it after the Christmas break
– Mid Jan we did a sense check of where students were at in the application process
– We asked Year 12 students if they were considering that pathway

– When do students make the decision to stay at home or move away to university?

Read now

Sept 2024

– Life skills are the main needs of students moving away to university this month
– Summer was all about relaxation for the TSR community
– Almost half of Year 13 students were feeling overwhelmed at the new academic year
– What influence their parents had in their uni choices
– What do students think universities are doing well?

Read now

December 2024

– Year 12 reactions to personal statement changes

– Revision was firmly on the Christmas list for students

– What benefits of HE are most important to students?

Read now

August 2024

– Year 12 – where they are with post FE options

– 59% would use Clearing if did not meet their grades

– Words prospective UGs liked and what would put them off a uni

Read now

November 2024

– Making friends has been the biggest challenge for first year undergraduates

– Almost half of students polled are frustrated at the announced rise in tuition fees

– 59% of respondents said student debt and costs would be the main thing to put them off applying to uni

– TSR Insight look at perceptions of Clearing and of Higher Education

Read now

July 2024

– A third of students polled found exams harder than expected
– Knowledge gaps still prevail on how Clearing works
– Financial skills (such as taxes and budgeting) was cited as the top thing missing from the school curriculum
– Clearing is the most popular Plan B for those not making the grades this summer
– How knowledgeable are their parents/carers about the uni application process

Read now

October 2024

– We asked year 12 users on site what their plans were post FE

– What learning tools are helpful to support their studies?r

– Awareness of Clearing and what it means to 2026 entry potential applicants

Read now

June 2024

– How students plan to support themselves financially through university

– Main concern around A-level results is that they would miss their university offer

– 32% of students voted for in-person open days as their most favoured resource when it comes to researching universities

Read now

May 2024

– 59% of Year 13 students have had all their offers back by end of April

– Cost of living is a significant concern for year 12’s

– Only 30% of Year 13 respondents planning to go to university in 2024 felt they knew a lot about Clearing

– We explore factors influencing prospective UGs’ choices and their information needs

Read now

April 2024

– Year 13 students talk back-up plans

– Biggest worry for 2024 applicants is cost of living when starting uni

– Year 12s first port of call when researching their options is online research

– Year 11s are already factoring future employability into their course choice decisions

– We revisit the impact of Cost of Living on UG decision making

Read now

March 2024

– Student opinions on apprenticeships
– 34% of students had no idea how student finance worked – Two thirds of 2024 UG applicants surveyed favoured halls as their accommodation preference
– New TSR Insight summary on insurance choice decision making

Read now

February 2024

– Impact of the cost of living crisis
– Year 12: the help they need with making uni decisions
– Year 12 plans to attend Ucas fairs
– Over half of poll respondents still waiting to hear from some of their choices
– Who do prospective students trust to provide peer-to-peer support?

Read now