WITH this year's A-level results still fresh in our minds, the next round of applications for university places will start within the autumn term.

Next year's hopefuls and some students who didn't make their grades this summer are already looking for the right place for them. And in fact many students from year nine onwards are advised to look ahead at possible higher education courses before making decisions on GCSE and A level subjects.

But, when it comes to making the right choice of degree course and college, the way ahead can turn into an absolute minefield.

Students need all the up-to-date facts on courses, costs, accommodation and future job prospects to avoid making the wrong decision and becoming part of the quarter of a million each year who, according to surveys, say they are unhappy with their choice.

So where can they turn to for help? In addition to advice from their own school or college or from the careers service, a set of user-friendly CD-ROMS called "Course Discoverer," has been produced and managed by ECCTIS 2000 Ltd on behalf of the Department of Education and Employment.

The set of five disks, updated and delivered throughout the year runs on Microsoft Windows and come at a price of £250, offering easy access to the latest information from more than 1,000 universities and colleges on more than 100,000 courses, often well ahead of any printed material available. And the best news is that we have a year's subscription to "Course Discoverer" worth £250, to give away in a prize draw for secondary schools and colleges taking part in our autumn term NIE local history project. Primary schools will be offered a prize draw of similar value.

To ensure that your school is in with a chance of receiving this valuable asset for the future, teachers must order our resource looking at the past by the deadline of September 17.

Our latest NIE material "East Lancashire - From Stone Age to Space Age," comprising a set of supplements written by Ron Freethy, a pack of photocopiable worksheets designed by teachers from local schools for KS2/KS3 pupils, a five-day delivery of a class pack of our newspaper from October 4 to 8, featuring more articles on local history and a free copy of Eric Leaver's book "Images of East Lancashire," comes at a basic price of only £48.

A last reminder about the project and order form has already been delivered to every school within our circulation area.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.