Applying to University Bobbi Hartshorne www.herts.ac.uk/

Applying to University What will I cover? What to do, when Introducing UCAS The application process The application form Getting an offer, missing your grades and doing better than you expected What next?

What to do, when

Introducing UCAS

The application process

The application form

Getting an offer, missing your grades and doing better than you expected

What next?

Applying to University What to do when Date Tasks Achieved Year 12 Summer Term Researching Universities Researching Courses www.ucas.com Go on Open Days www.opendays.com Summer Holidays Yr 12 – Yr 13 Start drafting your Personal statements September Yr 13 Selection of 5 courses Final draft of Personal Statement Start completing application form October Yr 13 Teachers references written November Yr 13 Final check and Submission

Researching Universities

Researching Courses

www.ucas.com

Go on Open Days

www.opendays.com

Start drafting your Personal statements

Selection of 5 courses

Final draft of Personal Statement

Start completing application form

Teachers references written

Final check and Submission

Applying to University Successful Researching Search by course See where you can study Find out more

Applying to University Successful Researching www.opendays.com Plan Ahead to fit them all in Questions to ask: Do you like the area/town? Are there good facilities? Are there lots of things to do? What are the specifics of the course you’re looking at? Can you imagine yourself here?

www.opendays.com

Plan Ahead to fit them all in

Questions to ask:

Do you like the area/town?

Are there good facilities?

Are there lots of things to do?

What are the specifics of the course you’re looking at?

Can you imagine yourself here?

Applying to University Introducing UCAS University and Colleges Admissions Service Act as the Middleman One online form for all your applications Direct you to student finance

University and Colleges Admissions Service

Act as the Middleman

One online form for all your applications

Direct you to student finance

Applying to University The Application Process Submit in early Yr 13. UCAS check your application and pass it on to all the universities you’re applying to. The institutions tell UCAS if you’ve been successful. UCAS inform you of these decisions Once you have all the response, you select a Firm and Insurance offer.

Submit in early Yr 13.

UCAS check your application and pass it on to all the universities you’re applying to.

The institutions tell UCAS if you’ve been successful.

UCAS inform you of these decisions

Once you have all the response, you select a Firm and Insurance offer.

Applying to University The Application Form Personal Details Your GCSE results Your AS results Your predicted A Level Results Teachers/Academic Reference Give them plenty of time Personal Statement The only bit that takes any time really Most Institutions will use the form alone to make their decision. Make sure it is PERFECT!

Personal Details

Your GCSE results

Your AS results

Your predicted A Level Results

Teachers/Academic Reference

Give them plenty of time

Personal Statement

The only bit that takes any time really

Most Institutions will use the form alone to make their decision.

Make sure it is PERFECT!

Applying to University Getting an offer, Missing your grades and doing better than expected Getting an offer Unconditional Offer Conditional Offer Decline Missing your grades Don’t Panic Insurance offer Clearing Re-Apply Doing better than expected The Adjustment Period Approach with caution

Getting an offer

Unconditional Offer

Conditional Offer

Decline

Missing your grades

Don’t Panic

Insurance offer

Clearing

Re-Apply

Doing better than expected

The Adjustment Period

Approach with caution

Applying to University What to do next? Work to achieve the highest grades possible Keep as many doors open as possible Start researching Universities Open Days Courses Entry Requirements Information for your personal statement

Work to achieve the highest grades possible

Keep as many doors open as possible

Start researching

Universities

Open Days

Courses

Entry Requirements

Information for your personal statement

Any Questions?

Personal Statements Bobbi Hartshorne www.herts.ac.uk/

Personal Statements What will I cover An overview of Personal Statements How are they used? A good template The dos The do Nots Questions to answer Being original

An overview of Personal Statements

How are they used?

A good template

The dos

The do Nots

Questions to answer

Being original

Personal Statements A brief overview Used to provide interview fodder And/Or Plays a much larger role in deciding whether or not you are offered a place at University Admissions tutors at most Universities will spend a maximum of 5 minutes reading you personal statement It provides an important opportunity to distinguish yourself as ‘the best’ candidate It gives the Universities a general overview of who you are, what experience you have and why the should consider you.

Used to provide interview fodder

And/Or

Plays a much larger role in deciding whether or not you are offered a place at University

Admissions tutors at most Universities will spend a maximum of 5 minutes reading you personal statement

It provides an important opportunity to distinguish yourself as ‘the best’ candidate

It gives the Universities a general overview of who you are, what experience you have and why the should consider you.

Personal Statements How are they used? To confirm the appropriateness for the course To confirm commitment and organisation As a point for discussion at interview To find out about your subject focus (i.e. Your niche interest within you main subject/s) To assess your commitment to wider reading and exploration To understand your extra-curricular roles and positions of responsibility

To confirm the appropriateness for the course

To confirm commitment and organisation

As a point for discussion at interview

To find out about your subject focus (i.e. Your niche interest within you main subject/s)

To assess your commitment to wider reading and exploration

To understand your extra-curricular roles and positions of responsibility

Personal Statements A good template Paragraph/s Content Opening Why do you want to study the course? 2 and 3 How you interest in the subject/s developed Discuss your niche Include details of wider reading and exploration Closing Extra-Curricular Activities Positions of responsibility How you will make the most of your place outside your studies.

Why do you want to study the course?

How you interest in the subject/s developed

Discuss your niche

Include details of wider reading and exploration

Extra-Curricular Activities

Positions of responsibility

How you will make the most of your place outside your studies.

Personal Statements The Dos and Do Nots Dos! Do Nots! Spell accurately Use the correct grammar Use a clear structure Provide evidence to support your statements Name drop Write too much Lie or embroider the truth Use ‘used to’ Use cliches Leave it too late!

Spell accurately

Use the correct grammar

Use a clear structure

Provide evidence to support your statements

Name drop

Write too much

Lie or embroider the truth

Use ‘used to’

Use cliches

Leave it too late!

Personal Statements Questions to answer What sparked your initial interest in the subject? How are the subjects you to at school relevant? (All of them) How has you extended your learning in this area outside of the curriculum ? How can you demonstrate that you are the following: Hard-Working and Committed Well-Organised Will make the most of a place at University If relevant, how does your chosen course fit in with your career plans?

What sparked your initial interest in the subject?

How are the subjects you to at school relevant? (All of them)

How has you extended your learning in this area outside of the curriculum ?

How can you demonstrate that you are the following:

Hard-Working and Committed

Well-Organised

Will make the most of a place at University

If relevant, how does your chosen course fit in with your career plans?

Personal Statements Being original Your personal statement is meant to be exactly that Personal to you Take advice, but make sure you write it in your own words Try introducing a phrase or quote to liven it up UCAS now use a similarity detection system, so you will be caught if you plagiarise

Your personal statement is meant to be exactly that

Personal to you

Take advice, but make sure you write it in your own words

Try introducing a phrase or quote to liven it up

UCAS now use a similarity detection system, so you will be caught if you plagiarise

Personal Statements A Further Information and Guidance From UCAS http://www.ucas.com/students/applying/howtoapply/personalstatement/ From Studential http://www.studential.com/guide/write_personal_statement.htm

From UCAS

http://www.ucas.com/students/applying/howtoapply/personalstatement/

From Studential

http://www.studential.com/guide/write_personal_statement.htm

Any Questions?