£33,512

Did you know £33,512 is the cost of a three year degree course? According to a survey by NatWest Student Money Matters this has risen by £5000 since 2007. How are students paying for this? Well, parents have traditionally helped out and cheap credit has helped to ease the financial burden but more and more students are resorting to part time jobs or even internships so they can afford to have a social life. How are you coping?

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There are plenty of graduate jobs out there!

Despite the doom and gloom being reported in the financial press there are still many firms with vacancies to fill. This recent survey asked over 600 UK based companies what they thought would be the biggest challenge for 2008. Click below for more info;

http://www.internationalbusinessreport.com/Press-room/2008/Business-constraints.asp

Make your dissertation work for you

Thoughts of graduate recruitment might be far from your mind at the moment, especially if you are a finalist toiling over your dissertation - but the work you are doing now could play a pivotal part in securing you a job when you graduate.

Your final year project will be the most in-depth piece of work you do towards your degree. You might have picked a subject that you are particularly interested in, or a topic you are confident dealing with. Therefore, when you graduate, your dissertation could say a great deal about your studies and the skills and knowledge you acquired.

When you begin to apply for jobs, the 'education' section of your CV shouldn't read like a list of institutions; you should draw out the transferable skills you have learnt during your time at uni. Even if your dissertation topic is relatively obscure to anyone who hasn't studied your degree, organising a project of that scale will show an employer that you have time management skills, the ability to think analytically and self-motivation.

Kate, a marketing graduate from Coventry University, focused on the effects of advertising on children for her dissertation. She says: "I now work in a marketing environment, although I am not advertising to children. However, at my first interview my employer was impressed by the detailed work I had done on the subject. Also, it was a topic I was quite happy talking about in the interview - I think it really helped me get the job."

If you are a job-hunter and you haven't yet included any information on your CV about your dissertation, then it might be worth adding a few words about your project and what you learnt in the process.

Has your dissertation helped you in your job search? Or are you a finalist wishing you never had to read the thing again? Leave your comments below;

A satisfied customer

GRB place graduates every day. We can spend all day telling students how great we are but what really counts is the proof of the pudding so here's what a graduate said yesterday about our service;

"Many thanks for your help in the process, it was refreshing to be involved with an agency who treat you like a person. Initially I had recruitment job pencilled in as a bit of a back up option but now I have chosen it over things I thought I'd much prefer - there are a few reasons for this, one being the quality of clients that you presented to me and also rather significantly the way I saw you guys work. When I was a teacher the best way to learn was to watch other good teachers and the experience I had with your consultants showed me there were credible people in the industry. You asked me how I found the service when we met up, I have had a think about why it was better than some other agencies....
-Very personable
-The ability to always sound delighted to hear from me
-Calibre of clients
-I never felt like I was being sold anything even though I was
-Took time to understand need/person-Genuinely good advice
- I would not have this position without it
-Ability to articulate the merits of recruitment to a total sceptic
-Honest

Tips for doing an effective presentation

Sometimes while in the process of trying to get a graduate job you may be asked by an employer to give a presentation. To make sure it goes smoothly read our top tips here.

Always be prepared!

You will have heard this before but the essential ingredient to the success of any presentation is thorough preparation. Effective preparation can limit almost every daunting aspect of your presentation and will reduce your uncertainty of those nagging questions, such as;

- Will I appear fluent and confident
- Will they be interested
- And, will I be able to hold their attention

The five essential rules when making a presentation are;
1. Know your subject
2. Be sincere
3. Be convinced that your message is worthwhile and that your audience will benefit from it
4. Be enthusiastic
5. Be self-confident

These are all things that will result from thorough preparation. The more you rehearse your presentation the more familiar you will become with the content. You will have continually made improvements so that you know the final version is good and should therefore feel you have the enthusiasm and confidence with which to present it.

However, knowing how and what to prepare is often part of the problem.

Put yourself in the position of the audience. Be selective with the material you include. What are the main points that they most want to hear' Emphasise these points through your intonation as it is easier to attract attention by the way you say things rather than what you are saying.

Practice your intonation and facial gestures to convey enthusiasm. If you don't appear interested in what you're speaking about, your audience won't either.

Write down key words in your notes that mean something to you and will jog your memory, but don't be tempted to simply write out your whole speech. This makes your notes difficult to follow and tempts you to simply 'read aloud' making you sound mono-toned, allowing no eye contact with the audience, so you appear unconfident.

If appropriate, encourage audience participation as this will give an extra dimension to your presentation and increase the attention span of your audience.

Familiarise yourself with any equipment and visual aids you may be using. Test out the slide projector, make sure the OHP is clearly focussed, and ensure the video is rewound to the right place. If any technical hitches occur, they may not be your fault but they will cause you delays and embarrassment.

When writing your notes, try to divide your presentation into sections to make them easier to follow. Highlight the key words you have chosen to aid your memory, so that you can see them quickly and clearly.

You should aim to be able to give your presentation without any notes, but have them there simply as a back up. This will enable you to maintain eye contact with the audience and use hand and facial gestures, demonstrating your subject knowledge, confidence and professionalism.

Before you make the presentation, practise. Ask someone to listen to you. What you believe to be a logical argument may need clarification or adjustment to appear so to others.

Consider the factors that may lead people to 'switch off', these include;
Boredom: what is said is neither relevant nor interesting
Depth of content: depth given by the presentation is more/less than audience expected. Understanding: content of the presentation is too advanced/too basic for the audience.

You therefore need to determine questions such as;
- Is the content completely relevant to the subject on which I am presenting
- What is the purpose of the presentation
- How much information does the audience require
- What will the audience understand - should I use jargon or not

Critically evaluate your performance after the event and consider what changes you would make if you were to do the presentation again.

Try to think about good presentations you've seen other people give. What factors made them so impressive' How could you incorporate these elements into your presentation'.

Graduates with good degrees and poor A level results

A question we often get asked by candidates is whether or not poor A level results will affect graduates with good degrees to get a job. Catherine Quinn examines this issue in her piece in the Rise section of the Guardian.

With final exams looming, many university students are concerned about landing graduate posts with larger employers. Apprehension often centres around the extra requirements these companies are now seeking. Blue-chip graduate employers are asking for something besides the standard 2:1 degree - they are calling for a minimum 24 points at A level.

This is unwelcome news for graduates such as Rich Abrahms who went to a state school and college in Colchester. Despite not realising his potential at A level, he went on to gain a 2:1 in astrophysics at the University of Southampton.

"I'm looking for a graduate job at the moment, but most of the big recruiters require 24 points at A level," he says. "I am considering retaking an A level, because having finished my degree it would be so easy for me to just retake physics. I don't think I'd even have to really revise. But it seems so ridiculous to have to do that when my degree clearly shows that my physics is above A level standard."

Steven Rolls is the director for resourcing at Ernst & Young - a global firm of accountants whose graduate scheme carries a 24 point minimum. Why does he use these extra selection criteria' "The problem we have is that we get lots and lots of applications. We are looking for applicants who will pass exams with us and go on to be successful with clients. Our research shows us that a good indicator of those who do well in our exams are graduates who have gained between 22 and 24 points at A level."

Graduates who feel cheated by this selection process may have a fair case. Recent findings suggest that A level performance can be more indicative of privileged schooling than actual ability. Robin Naylor is researcher in economics at the University of Warwick. His investigations indicate that A levels are an inaccurate determinate of ability in comparison to degree result.

"Our research shows a difference in the A level performance of people from what are seen as less privileged (that is, state) schools. For those people, A level scores seem to underestimate their potential. Universities which take other factors, such as type of school, into account are justified by our research. This is not just a political point about widening participation. From a hard-nosed angle of simply picking the most talented students, universities would be justified in offering lower entrance grades to pupils from state schools."

These findings have already had an effect on university selection procedures. Bristol University now operates a widening participation campaign, which it believes will ensure them the best students. "

We regard A level performance as an important indicator of academic performance," says Barry Taylor, director of communications for the University of Bristol. "But we don't feel they are the be all and end all. We consider the context in which the person has been educated and the personal qualities and commitment of the person. We know that people with the best academic abilities exist in every corner of society, and we believe it is our duty to look for this ability wherever it exists."

But the research also seriously undermines the tactics of recruiters who use A levels to evaluate candidates. As Robin Naylor explains: "Our research also indicates that university performance is a better indicator of merit than school performance. There is one exception in that maths at A level seems to be an indicator of ability that is not necessarily overruled by degree performance. Recruiters might well be justified in taking this subject into account."

In terms of all other subjects, however, Robin is keen to point out the unfairness of graduate recruiters using A level grades. "It's counting twice. If A levels are counted once to get in to university and again at recruitment level, it does look unfair. Our research also indicates that schooling also seems to have an effect on recruitment, even though the statistics show that a degree is a better indicator of ability. Using A level grades for recruitment risks penalising people who have made up for a poor start."

What does big business think of these results' "The major problem is that we get around 12,000 applicants for a relatively small number of positions," says Ernst & Young's Steven Rolls. "We have to introduce fairly stringent criteria, otherwise we'd just drown under the weight of paperwork. Someone who hasn't done as well in their A levels is not going to get through our selection process - but, we do also take on experienced hires. We employ a number of graduates who have worked their way up in other companies."

A spokesperson for Capital One explains why some parts of the company demand a 26 point minimum A level standard. "The reason why we use A level points in selection is to do with the level of ability we are looking for. We, like many other recruiters, are looking to recruit the best of the best. We are also looking for candidates who are going to achieve a 2:1 at degree, and we make an offer before they achieve this. A levels are an indicator of students achieving a 2:1. Our research shows that the vast number of the employees we take on at graduate level have gained between 22 and 26 points at A level. In terms of research indicating the insignificance of A level points, we haven't seen it, so we couldn't comment on it."

State school graduates may have further cause for concern. Additional research by Robin Naylor also indicates a lack of equality in the workplace. His findings demonstrate that despite degree performance, employability is still advantaged by independent schooling. Whether this is partly due to attention paid by recruiters to A level results has not been proved, but it certainly can't disadvantage those from independent schools.

On a more positive note, around half of graduate recruiters don't have a UCAS point minimum. Alex Snelling, graduate recruitment manager at L'Oreal, explains the cosmetics giant's criteria. "We always take a broader view, looking not only at a candidate's education but also their work experience, participation in university societies or sports. We take into account the full spectrum of areas where they might have demonstrated their skills."

So, at least some recruiters make a fair appraisal of graduate skills - because, as L'Oreal would say, you're worth it.

The power of recall

Want to read faster and digest it all? An article by Barbara Oaff suggests seven ways you can remember more. Wouldn't it be great if you could read faster and remember more. Just imagine the possibilities. As a student you would be able to race through the reading list - and recall useful passages in your assignment. As a job seeker you would be able to blitz all that 'interview research' - and, when prompted, make intelligent comments about the company, its industry and its prospects. Sounds impressive and it's not impossible. You can teach yourself to read faster and recall more. We show you how (appropriately, we do this in just seven steps and 764 words):

1 Determine your ideal reading conditions. If you don't already know, find out when your concentration level is at it's highest - in the morning, in the afternoon, or sometime after dark' Try to open up the pages or click on to the website at this time. And try to do it in a place that is conducive. Some people have to be somewhere quiet. Others find silence deafening and distracting. You may be most disciplined at a desk. Your friend may prefer the comfort of the sofa. Of course it may not always be possible to read when and where it best suits you. But if you can, it will help you to absorb and store more information more quickly.

2 Before you settle into your reading, identify your exact reason for reading. This may sound strange but how often do you ask yourself 'what do I want to get out of this text'' and how often do you just let it aimlessly amble past you. So, determine your goal. Is it for general background' Is it to understand a new concept' Is it to seek out a specific quote or figure' Are you looking for clarification and further explanation' Or do you just need to double check that your existing understanding is correct' Your purpose will help to determine how fast you can get through the material. And it will train your mind to file away key words, phrases and facts.

3 OK, that's some useful advice on the overall context of reading. Time now for some specific tips on reading faster and remembering more. We'll start with an obvious one. Set yourself a deadline as to when that chapter or article or online report should be read by. It will provide a sense of urgency and, yep, you guessed it, it will encourage you to race along.

4 Another common sense tip is to avoid going back over what you have already read. This is a common trait. Most of us tend to do it. To stop yourself, place a piece of paper at the top of each page and bring it down as you read each line. This way, your speed, concentration and comprehension should all be improved.

5 Now for something a tad more complicated. Try to take in more than just one word at a time. Look at each alternate word. Or see groups of words. This may not be easy. Be prepared to practise a little. It will come. And when it does, your reading rate will double, if not triple.

6 As for retaining and retrieving all this data more effectively, well, being more focused in your reading will already be helping, but there are several other brain boosting things you can do as well. Write the relevant points down, recite them back to yourself and review them regularly. Throughout this process try to make good use of mnemonics. You know, those pesky memory techniques like:
Alliteration - a word's sound is repeated
Acronym - a word is formed using the first letter of each word you want to remember.
Acrostic - a phrase or saying is formed using the first letter of each word you want to remember.
Now, these might well sound a bit anoraky, but the end results will make it well worth your while.

7 Last, but not least, learn the art of skimming and use it wherever possible. Look at how the material is organised. Be guided by the headings and cross headings. Scan for the key words, phrases and facts you're after. Read just the first and last sentences of paragraphs to see if they contain the information you are seeking.

As a final comment, bear in mind that the time you spend putting these points into practice really will pay off.

Cash Crisis?

Making ends meet at Uni is tough. Here's what an expert advises from a news article I picked up.

Keith Tondeur, director of the money education charity, Credit Action, answers questions on how to manage student debt and handle your finances.

What do you think is a manageable level of debt for a student?
It is very difficult to give an accurate figure to this question! Nearly all students will come out of university with some debt and if they have not been able to get help from their parents or work in the vacations it is likely to be significant. It is important to remember that you will only have to repay this once you earn over a certain figure and so some students may never have to repay. The figure at which you start repaying is increasing and by the time you graduate it is likely that you will have to pay back 9% of everything you earn over £15,000.Try and budget but ensure you allow yourself some "leisure" money. Going to uni is more than non-stop study!

An old electricity bill from a student house I lived in last year has resurfaced in the shape of a letter from a bailiff addressed to me at my parent's home. Obviously I'm going to pay it immediately, but I was told this might affect my future credit rating' Is this something I should be worried about?
If you have an old bill that was in your name and you did not pay it on time it is likely that that is why you have now heard from the dreaded bailiff. It is important that you not only pay it straight away (and there might be substantial add-on costs) but also find out whether the bailiff is involved because of court action. It is quite possible that your credit rating is already adversely affected by this and if so you could struggle to get credit for six years. Write to a Credit Reference Agency, either Equifax (0207 298 3000) or Experian (0207 623 3860) and send them £2 and they will send a copy of your file to you.If you find there is a problem and you do have a County Court Judgement (CCJ) against you, you can go to court and make a Statutory Declaration that you had moved and this was the first you knew about the bill. You do this on oath and if you follow this route the CCJ will be set aside. This is very serious so please act swiftly and try and reach agreement as soon as possible.

Apart from a short-term job as a shop assistant, I have been out of work since I left university over a year ago. Can I declare myself bankrupt and get rid of my student debts'?
Technically you can declare yourself bankrupt at this current time though the Government is planning to close this loophole shortly. However, you do need to think of the consequences seriously. Going bankrupt can mean that you will struggle to get credit in the future and certain jobs may become impossible to consider once you have taken this step.In addition student loans only have to be repaid once you start earning serious money and in the mean time only increase with the rate of inflation. If student loans were your only debt therefore I would hesitate to recommend this route. However if you have a range of other loans as well it may be worth exploring. Whatever you do seek advice beforehand. I would recommend you contact the Consumer Credit Counselling Service on 0800 1381111 for totally free and confidential adviceI'm just starting university and want to avoid having any debt when I finish, if at all possible.

I have a part-time job and have managed so far with the help of some money from my parents. Is my aim of staying out of debt realistic? Do you have any tips?
It may be unrealistic to expect to leave uni totally debt free but that doesn't mean you can't do all you can to achieve this! Firstly however, make sure your part-time job does not get in the way of your studies. As pressures increase so does the tiredness and it can become easy to start to miss lectures and then your work can suffer.There are also certain things you can do and they are all to be found in Credit Action's booklet " A Students Guide to Better Money Management".

• Draw up a realistic budget for the academic year including items such as accommodation, food, transport, books and leisure.
• Control impulse spending and try and keep miscellaneous spending to as little as possible!
• Take full advantage of your bank's free overdraft offers.
• If you have to borrow more talk to your bank and get an agreed higher overdraft rather than go overdrawn without permission
• Be wary of credit and store cards- even those that offer "interest free" periods or transfers. If you do not keep on top of these they could eventually prove to be expensive.
  

If you find you are unable to avoid debt do not get depressed but talk to your parents or the Student Welfare Officers at your university.

My parents pay for my accommodation at university but I am relying on the money I earned over the summer and will be taking out a student loan to keep me going through the year. I admit I don't have much of a concept of money, so do you have any advice on how to budget properly for the year ahead?

Budgeting is a very important thing to consider not just when you are at university but for the rest of your life. By doing it correctly it can save you a fortune over the years and enable you to avoid spending a huge amount on unnecessary interest.Take a notebook with you whenever you go out and try and keep a record of what you spend on every different item over a four-week period. I appreciate that after the tenth pint this becomes a bit difficult! This will give you a pattern of your spending which you will need to put into categories such as food and travel and so you can estimate reasonably accurately what money you need for the rest of the year.Use your budget to borrow sensibly as necessary (and to prove to your parents that you are doing all you can to handle money wisely).Ensure you stretch your income over the full year and therefore try not to spend too much on today's wants only to find you have nothing left for tomorrow's needs.Plan things like trips to the supermarket. Go with a list but be prepared to swap items on it for any real bargains you see.

I'm studying an MA and unfortunately am not eligible for any financial help from my university. I am reluctant to take a Career Development Loan as I already have two student loans to repay. Are there any other government schemes or options available to me to help with the cost of my MA?

Unfortunately there are not many options here, as the Government does not have any financial schemes to help. The bets thing to do is to determine what career you intend to follow once you have completed your MA. What lenders are interested in is your future ability to repay any loans you take out.It is therefore worth doing some homework as to the likely salary level you will be achieving on the completion of your MA and also your likely expenses. So go along to your bank and sell your future to them! If they think you are a good risk and have done some careful planning you might be pleasantly surprised.Another option would be to go to potential employers and undertake the same exercise and see if they would be prepared to support you through your MA if you agreed to join them afterwards.

I have a credit card that I originally was only going to use for emergencies, but have ended up spending nearly £1,000 on it. The interest is pretty hefty and I'd like to get rid of it completely. As I already have my maximum number of student loans, are there any other options open to me to pay it off in one go, or maybe transfer it?

It is very easy to pile up interest on some credit cards and they are not the best way of borrowing for a hard-up student. There are some new players in the card market who offer cheap or even 0% interest deals for a time. Many of us are lazy and tend to stick to our own bankcards even though they are often quite expensive when compared to others.I am unsure from your question as to whether you have exhausted your interest free overdraft at the bank, but if you have go and talk to them and try and get it extended or even take out a small loan as this is still likely to be cheaper.If you are really struggling then talk to one of your Student Welfare Officers at college. Nearly all universities have such funds and they can make all the difference between sinking and swimming. Go to them with a proposal and be honest with them as to what you need and why. Also try and show that you are doing your bit by taking a job in the holidays if possible.

I expect that after I leave university, even if I get a good job, I will be in debt for most of life. This is a worrying thought, as I've grown up to believe being in debt is an insecure way to live. Do you have any advice on how to cope, not just with managing debt, but also dealing with the psychological side of living with debt?

I really would like to reassure you that you are unlikely to be in debt for the rest of your life. If you don't get a well-paid job you still technically owe your student loans but they only really become a debt when you are earning enough to start paying them off. If you do get a good income then yes, you will certainly notice the repayment but it should never be at a crippling level.Most of us have debts such as a mortgage but they only become a problem when for whatever reason we cannot pay them and so fall behind on our payments and thus get into debt. Credit can also be very useful in smoothing out the peaks and troughs of everyday life.Because you have identified this as a source of worry it is a good idea to conquer this fear. You can do this by ensuring you get to grips with the basics of understanding money and building your confidence in this area. One of the best ways of doing this is too learn how to budget. Remember to include some fun spending money!However it is very easy to waste money and Credit Action also has a booklet in the Better Money Management series packed full of Money Saving Ideas that will also help with budgeting tips. It also would be worth trying to build up, however slowly, a rainy day account. A useful idea would be to try and get this up to three months expenses over time.Lastly if you are worrying talk to someone who can reassure you and give helpful, free and confidential advice. Debt can be harmful but if you manage it carefully, borrow only when necessary and at the cheapest rates you can find, and then repay as quickly as you can then you can feel confident that you are controlling money rather than letting it control you.