UNIVERSITY applications across England have dropped by 6.5 percent between 2012 and 2013, new UCAS figures show.

However applicants from the South Hams seem to be on a steady incline with a large proportion of students at local schools choosing university as their next step as opposed to finding a job in the current economic climate.

The total amount of applicants who applied for higher education by December 17, in England is 229,932 a fairly dramatic drop from the number of applicants in 2012 which was 245,882 according to recently published UCAS statistics.

Head of Sixth-Form at Kingsbridge Community College, Mrs Tina Graham believes that it is the lack of job security at the end of it that could be putting potential applicants off. 'Students have definitely become more savvy, they are putting in a lot more research into higher education in order to make the right choice for them. It is all about making more informed choices.'However at Kingsbridge Community College, out of 130 year 13 students, 108 have applied for University this year, compared to last years intake of 81, opposing national statistics.

'Students are becoming more aspirational as the economic climate worsens. The number of our Oxbridge and medic applications are increasing each and every year', Mrs Graham added.

For Dartmouth Academy, this is the first year of University applications following the opening of their sixth-form in September 2011. 76 percent of their current year 13 pupils will be going onto higher education at the end of this year, with 24 percent going straight into work.

Head of Ivybridge Community College Sixth-Form, Dominic Fenton said that this year their University applications have actually increased upon previous years. Following the increase in tuition fees, their applications had dropped by 20 percent in 2012, however 2013 has seen a boost in applications for further education, with 177 of the 260 year 13 pupils choosing to go onto University, with a large majority of the remaining choosing alternative options such as sports academies.

Mr Fenton puts this increase down to pupils becoming more conscious of the reality of job prospects; 'pupils had previously been unsure what they were taking on, but I think this year they have become a lot more aware. With less jobs around, pupils are choosing to go onto University first.' With the current lack of jobs available to graduates, Mr Fenton believes that; 'the landscape is changing', in regards to opportunities for young people in this area, with far more local companies offering work placements and job opportunities to local people.

Given these new fears over the unknown possibilities of work after further education it means local schools are doing all they can to help support students in accessing all the information that is open to them. Mrs Graham expressed that with the help of the 'fantastic' Careers South West service, students at Kingsbridge Community College are given all the help and support in finding the University, course or job that is right for them.

'In our context, there are few if any students in our sixth form where their natural progression is not higher education, as all our students do have high aspirations.

'There are usually three reasons as to why students choose not to go onto higher education straight away; firstly if they want to take a Gap Year, secondly, if they are unsure as to what to do and therefore do not want to commit themselves just yet and finally they want to make sure that they are going to University for the right reasons, not just because of the social side of things.'

Dr Wendy Piatt, Director General of the Russell Group, which represents a group of the UK's top Universities believes that job wise, 'University graduates are automatically more successful. If you're good enough to get in, you can afford to go.'