STUDENTS at a Dorking school continue to buck a national trend by applying to university in higher numbers since the increase in tuition fees.
Despite the cost of going to university going up to a maximum of £9,000 a year in 2012, sixth form students at The Priory are increasingly opting to extend their education, with 63 per cent of Year 13 sending in applications this year.
This was up on the previous year where 62 per cent of Year 13 students applied. In 2011, the last year before the maximum fees went up from more than £3,000 a year to £9,000, only 55 per cent applied.
Head of sixth form and assistant head Hayley Pearson said she was pleased with the figures.
"We like to send a message to students and encourage university as an idea, because we see the full benefit," she said.
"That is a message which all the teachers are keen to put across."
The trend paints a very different picture to what has happened nationally over the past three years, as applications fell by nearly ten per cent in 2012 and are still far from recovering.
The latest figures from UCAS, released three weeks ago, show a three per cent increase from 2012 to 2013, but still 25,000 less applicants than in 2011.
"We always support students in their decisions and we encourage students to look at all the options, even when the results come out," said Mrs Pearson.
"We have also had quite a lot of support from Student Finance coming in and talking to classes about the process."
Mrs Pearson added that so far this year's students seem to be impressing their institutions of choice.
"We have got a positive response from universities. Most students have got offers already," she said.
