Choosing and Applying for Competitive Universities and Courses Liz Simmons Admissions Progression Officer

Applying and Choosing Choosing your course Competitive courses How do HEIs decide on your application? Getting inside the mind of an Admissions’ Tutor Doing the research Aiming high but being realistic Preparation for your UCAS application What you should be doing now! Getting your application right Personal statements Interviews Once you have an offer

Choices and opportunities Around 39,000 programmes in UCAS overall Huge range of subjects, approaches, teaching styles and assessment methods HEIs vary greatly!

Choosing a course One of your A- Levels? Something new or interdisciplinary? Vocational? HistoryAmerican StudiesHeritage Studies BiologyNatural SciencesWildlife Management ChemistryPharmacologyMedicine PhysicsMechanical Engineering Construction Engineering Management FrenchInternational Management and Modern Languages French and Translation SociologyGender StudiesSocial Work

Things to consider: Tuition fees Research quality Teaching style / contact time Teaching quality University location University facilities Course content Employability Department facilities Accommodation Student satisfaction Cost of living Bursary and scholarship availability Choosing a course

There are no official rankings Places to look: Unistats Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) Teaching Quality Assessment (TQA) Newspaper rankings – The Times, Sunday Times, Telegraph, Guardian Key Information Sets

Choosing a course Do I have to decide now? No, but it is a good time to start thinking and preparing! Applications open in the summer Deadline for most courses is January (October 2013 for some courses / Oxbridge)

Choosing and applying Why are some courses more competitive than others? Popular subject, eg Medicine, Midwifery, Psychology, Law, English, Business and Management Desirable HEI League tables KIS Employability statistics Placement opportunities Transferable skills

Competitive Courses Why does it matter if a course has lots of applications? Admissions can be highly selective about who is offered a place Even if someone is predicted the right grades – he/she may not get made an offer You have to prove to the Admissions Tutor that you are the ideal applicant for their course Some courses have point-scoring systems

How do HEIs make a decision? UCAS application form Academic achievement GCSEs, AS grades, BTEC units, other qualifications Academic potential Predicted grades, reference Reference Academic performance Effort / attendance / motivation / enthusiasm Contribution to school/college, positions of responsibility Mitigating circumstances Personal Statement (Interview)

How do HEIs make a decision? All Admissions Tutors/Officers will be looking for: Students who will choose their university course Students who will work hard, attend lectures, sustain their interest and enthusiasm for the length of the course Students who can work and think independently Students who will successfully complete the course and go on to related careers

How do HEIs make a decision? Therefore, they will be looking at your application for evidence of the following: That you fully understand and have genuine, sustained enthusiasm for your chosen course That you have the necessary skills, experience, knowledge and understanding to succeed on the course

Research Research the course requirements in detail Find out: What type of qualifications? What level of qualifications? What else is needed? Work experience, additional study, particular skills / qualities What are they looking for in the personal statement?

Research How? UCAS Prospectus Webpages Communicating with the university Telephone Open Days UCAS events

Aim high but be realistic You can choose to apply to up to 5 courses through UCAS Don’t think that you shouldn’t apply to a certain course / university because of your background / education Don’t waste a choice on your UCAS form! Will they accept your qualification/s? Are your GCSEs at the right level? Are your predicted grades at about the right level? Talk to your teachers about what you could achieve

Preparation Academic preparation Study hard for your AS modules – Many universities will ask you to declare these Some universities will not accept resit grades Even the subjects you choose not to continue may make a difference on whether you get made an offer Make sure that you make the right choices when deciding which subjects to continue to A Level (Research!) Consider taking on extra study Some courses will look for evidence of additional study, eg Extended project, Critical Thinking, General Studies, additional A/AS Level BUT don’t allow this to have a negative impact on your grades for your key subjects

Preparation Work experience How necessary is it for your chosen course? (Research!) Think laterally – if you can’t get directly relevant work experience, what would add to relevant skills / knowledge? Think beyond the one/two week standard work experience placement can you volunteer/get paid work experience in school holidays / weekends / after school Find work experience through school, personal contacts (friends, family, etc), making contact yourself – write letters/ s/phone Be proactive!

Preparation Extra-curricular preparation Demonstrating commitment and enthusiasm for subject Joining relevant clubs / societies Wider reading - journals, magazines/newspapers, text books Evidence of relevant skills, personal qualities Positions of responsibility Sports, music, hobbies

Preparation Preparing for your UCAS application Talk to the person / people who will be writing your reference Make sure that they know why you want to apply for your chosen courses Show them your enthusiasm and commitment Make sure they know about anything additional you are doing to help you get offered a place Make sure that they know about any extenuating circumstances that may be relevant to your application

The UCAS Application Completed online Personal details Work experience Personal statement Reference (including predicted grades) Qualifications achieved Qualifications to be completed

The UCAS Application – Personal Statement Your opportunity to demonstrate that you are the ideal student for your chosen course: Demonstrate your enthusiasm for your subject How will your current qualifications help you succeed on your chosen course? How will your extra-curricula activities / work experience help you succeed on your chosen course? What have you learned from these? What useful skills/qualities have these developed? What skills and qualities do you have that will help you succeed in studying at HE?

The UCAS Application – Personal Statement Do: Keep a tight focus on your subject At least 80% Focus on skills and accomplishments Be analytical What have you learned What skills/qualities have you developed Use action words – these convey a sense of participation, involvement and accomplishment e.g. – trained, invented, wrote, designed, created, analysed

The UCAS Application – Personal Statement Do: Keep the character limit in mind! Write your statement in Word or similar programme and then transfer once complete and checked onto the UCAS website. Use paragraphs! Check spelling and grammar carefully Ask several people to check it through for you

The UCAS Application – Personal Statement Do not: Write the whole statement in CAPITAL LETTERS! List qualifications taken or to be taken these are already on the UCAS form Include too much information about achievements and experiences that you cannot directly relate to your academic aims Copy someone else’s statement Similarity detection

University interviews Not all courses ask applicants to attend an interview Not all courses interview all applicants Why interview? Provides the Admissions Tutors with the opportunity to meet applicants and find out more about them in order to decide whether they are suitable for the course Provides applicants with an opportunity to visit the HEI and the department, meet a member of academic staff and ask questions to help decide whether it is the right course and HEI for them.

University interviews Be positive! The university must have seen potential in your application! Check you understand what is required Arrange a mock interview if possible Research the course / the university Re-read your personal statement Be aware of current affairs, particularly anything that relates to your subject area Think about questions you want to ask

Once you have an offer Make sure you understand all the conditions Choose a Firm and Insurance choice wisely and tactically Work hard to get the grades you need Flexibility post-results is not always possible

Any questions?