For many Year 12s, the hunt for what to do post-18 education has begun. From attending university or signing up for an apprenticeship, there is plenty to choose from. One way to gain information was on the 16th March, where UCAS, the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service, held the annual UCAS Discovery Exhibition, which was the perfect place to immerse oneself in all things uni, apprenticeships, careers, and more. Held at the ExCeL Centre in London, this UCAS uni-verse was not one to miss. 

 

Walking into the Centre, there was an immediate bustle of people, eager to learn about post-school life. The main event was the stalls, and the sheer amount of them did not disappoint. With over 100 representing different universities, apprenticeship programmes, and more, attendees were not spoilt for choice or things to do. 

 

At each university stall, there were students and staff representatives who were open to answering any questions about their university, from nightlife to rent prices of the area. Attendees were able to learn more about Russell Group universities, which were very popular stalls at the event. These are the 24 leading universities in the UK, for example: University of Cambridge, King’s College London, University of Bristol, and more. However, there were so many other great universities which provided valuable information and opportunity despite not holding this status, and a Russell Group University is not needed to excel in post-18 life. 

 

Due to the event’s impressive turnout and amount of stalls, the information learnt sometimes became overwhelming and could be forgotten. Thankfully, each university provided a prospectus with all of the information, and with luck, a free tote bag to put it in. Many stalls provided a range of freebies, such as pens and badges - University of Hull even had a spice mix for chips. At the end of a visit to a stall, someone from the university would scan the QR code from the ticket of the event, automatically allowing any updates or information about the university to be easily emailed. 

 

Overall, the event was a burst of information and a step into the future of what post-18 life could be like.