Hundreds of school and college students visited the Higher Education Convention at Wiltshire College Trowbridge on Tuesday, and at the Salisbury campus on Wednesday, to find out more about studying university level courses.

Thirty-eight universities attended the convention to talk to students and offer advice, while other exhibitors included those promoting year out opportunities, volunteering with Grow Wiltshire, Year in Industry Initiative and local higher education courses such as Honours Degrees, HNCs, HNDs and Foundation Degrees.

Various speakers gave talks to audiences of up 150 throughout the day including Richard Wiltshire, one of the college's careers education and guidance managers, who spoke about student finance and explained fees, loans, grants, bursaries and scholarships.

Guest speaker Alan Bullock, of Alan Bullock Careers, gave several sessions throughout the day offering advice on how to write a 'winning' personal statement for UCAS applications.

His book Creating Your UCAS Personal Statement’ is a small, compact guide that takes just 12 minutes to read. At £2, students were snapping up copies and intending to recycle them to next years’ students.

Angie Randall from Southampton Solent University and Rosanne Fairclough from Glamorgan University, spoke to students on how to choose the right university and degree course, such a critical part of a student's decision making.

The event was aimed at college students and sixth form students in Year 12 aiming at starting their higher education course in 2013.

Local sixth forms in attendance included, Devizes, Kingdown and St Laurence.

Performing Arts student, Alexander Turner, 21, from Trowbridge said: "I’m contemplating going to university so I’m here to see my options.

"I would like to be a professional actor. I’ve spoken to a few universities today and am now weighing everything up."

With the rising costs of studying at university there was great interest in Wiltshire College’s stand and in the new HND in Criminal Justice Studies, available at the Chippenham campus.

Lecturer Mark Williams said: "This qualification is designed to provide a holistic overview of the Criminal Justice System. It aims to equip learners with an in-depth knowledge of the roles and functions of the agencies and organisations involved.

"It is ideal for those who want to progress into careers in the police, court service, youth Offending team, Probation Service, Border Agency or Customs. Students can also top-up the HND to an Honours degree."

Mr Wiltshire said: "This is the college’s first attempt at a ‘full blown’ Higher Education Convention.

"Wiltshire, as a county, unfortunately does not have a UCAS convention. Our decision to hold this event was not only to bring universities from as far afield as Kent, London, Worcester and Wales, and provide our students with quality presentations on key issues, but also to address the misinformation concerning increased tuition fees; providing our students with a balanced and factual view of the new graduate tax. We will definitely be repeating this next year."

For more information on degrees and other university level courses at Wiltshire College, visit www.wiltshire.ac.uk.