2. The Plan for Tonight
• Intro to UCAS
• A Few Basics to Start
• Choosing Courses
• Applying
• Key Parts to the
Application
• Application Advice
• Deadlines
• Decisions
• What happens after
• What should students be
doing now
3. Please Relax Tonight
• This PowerPoint will be
posted on our HS
Counseling Website
• For the most part the
UCAS application is
fairly straightforward
and intuitive
• If you need help filling
out the application
itself, counselors will
be happy to help Everything will eventually get done
that needs to get done in time.
5. Why Study in the UK?
• Long established
tradition of education
excellence
• Respected and widely
recognized
qualification
• A strong reputation for
global employers
• Top teaching and
research
• Multicultural
environment
6. Other Factors
• Three year degree
programs in England
and Wales
• A narrower focus on
your chosen major
• Competitive tuition
costs
• Easy and inexpensive
application process
• No need for SAT or ACT
7. UCAS
• Search for a course
or an institution
• Search for the
relevant entry
requirements
• Complete the online
application
• Track progress
• Accept and reject
offers
Universities and Colleges Application Service
9. A Few Basics to Start
• The main application window is from September to January
but there are a few exceptions to this
• Applicants can apply for a maximum of five courses with the
exception of Medicine where one 4 (+1) applications are
allowed
• UCAS guarantees invisibility of the application
• The same application is received by all universities at the same
time
• Almost all offers will be conditional until the applicant has
final exam results (not until July)
10. What is Everyone Doing?
What the Student Does
• Fills out the Application
• Input the IB courses he/she
is taking
• Writes a Personal
Statement (and pastes into
the application)
• Additional UK University
aptitude tests such as
UKCAT, BMAT, Thinking
Skills Assessment, Physics
Aptitude Test etc.
• Sends the application to
the counselor to “approve”
What the HS Counselor Does
• Input Predicted IB grades
in the student’s
application
• Input the Teacher’s
Reference (we check the
reference)
• Double check
EVERYTHING
• Either Submit to UCAS or
return to student for
revision
Counselors also work with the student on the actual Personal Statement
22. Academic/Other Considerations
• Is the student being realistic? The total on the UCAS website is
the minimum number of points required
• Prudent to be strategic with the 5 choices.
• Is there a “safety school” in the list of five schools?
• City or Campus life?
• Study Abroad options?
• Specific Course requirement?
• Sandwich courses?
• Fees and other cost?
Where will your son/daughter thrive and be happy?
23. Maximum of 5 Choices
• Reach = no more
than 2 IB points
ABOVE your
predicted IB total
• Match = Your
predicted IB total or
minus 1-2 points)
• Safety = 4-5 points
BELOW your
predicted IB total
• EXAMPLE: Predicted
38 IB points
• Reach = 39-40
• Match = 36-38
• Safety = 33-34
Depends on the selectivity of school, number of students applying to
THAT particular course etc.
27. SUPER IMPORTANT!
• Students will be
asked when they
make an account if
they will be applying
through a school
• Say YES
• Students will then be
asked to input a
BUZZWORD
• The BUZZWORD is
ukbearcats2017
The BUZZWORD connects the student application with ISM’s UCAS account
33. Step 2 – Applying (UCAS)
• Personal Details
• Additional Information
(UK only)
• Student Finance (UK
and EU only)
• Choices – make up to 5
choices
• Education
• Employment
• Personal Statement
• Reference
Helpful videos to watch for each section
34. Three Key Parts + Aptitude Testing?
1.IB Predicted Grades
2.The Personal Statement
3.The Teacher Reference
+
AptitudeTesting?
35. IB Predicted Grades
• The first set of IB
Predicted grades will
come out Friday
October 7 (Any
students with the
October 15 deadline)
• A second set (updated)
of IB predicted grades
will be Friday
December 2 (Any
students with the
January 15th deadline)
37. The Personal Statement
• 4,000 characters with
spaces
• 80% about academics
• Include relevant
additional information
• Be formal and specific
• Show don’t tell
• Supply evidence
• Dos and Don’ts
38. The Personal Statement Widget
http://www.ucasdigital.com/widgets/personalstatement/index.html#/splash
39. Personal Statement Workshop
• Thursday September 8
• 3-4pm
• AMR
• Bring a first draft of the Personal
Statement
• An opportunity to work on and get
feedback on what has been completed so
far
40. The Teacher Reference
• Students have already
received both a verbal “yes”
and a written yes from their
chosen teacher
• Students are required to fill
out a “Teacher Survey” in
Naviance to help their chosen
teachers write this reference
• If the survey is not done yet,
it should be done by
September 9 for early Oct 15
applications and September
30 for regular Jan. 15
applications.
• We have some PD for
teachers on the UK Teacher
Reference on August 31
• High School counselors read
over and check all references
before submitting.
41. Aptitude Testing?
• Depending on the program you
are applying for and/or the
universities you are applying to,
you may have to take additional
aptitude tests.
• Oxford/Cambridge and UCL
• Medical Programs
• Check each website carefully to
clarify if you require any tests
• We administer most testing
except the UKCAT
• UKCAT (UK Clinical Aptitude Test)
• Register yourself and test in
Manila
• http://www.ukcat.ac.uk/
*******************
• BMAT (BioMedical Admissions
Test)
• HAT (History Aptitude Test)
• MAT (Math Aptitude Test)
• PAT (Physics Aptitude Test)
• TSA (Thinking Skills Assessment)
• Register with Ms. Janelle Grier
before the end of September.
• Test second week of November
44. Application Advice
• EDUCATION
Students DO NOT put in any predicted grades! We put them in.
Please put the Subjects in “order”: HL, HL, HL, SL, SL, SL EE, TOK
45. Application Advice
• EDUCATION
Students put the Subject of their Extended Essay in and then select EE
Students put the Subject as Theory of Knowledge then select TOK
46. Deadlines
UCAS Deadline ISM Transcript
Request
Deadline
October 15 Medicine, dentistry, veterinary sci/med and
Oxford & Cambridge applications
Sept 15
January 15 Application deadlines for most courses Nov 4
March 24 Many art and design courses (check each
course for deadline)
Nov 4
*Applicants to Cambridge University who would like to be interviewed in Asia
have a September 20 deadline (immediately tell your counselor)
*Applications can still be made after the January 15 deadline but are not
accepted after June 30.
51. UCAS Track
• You can see what is
happening with your
application on Track
• Follow the progress
of your application
24/7
• See your choices and
personal information
• See offer details
• Reply to offers online
52. Replying to Offers
• Once you have
decisions on all your
choices, you can hold
a maximum of two
offers.
• Firm – your first
choice
• Insurance – your
back up
• You decline any
remaining offers
53. Only Halfway There!
• If a student has
received a
conditional offer
from a university
(which is based on
his/her predicted
grades), he/she has
to meet that offer in
July
• Stay Strong / No
Senioritis
55. UCAS Extra
• If a student has used
all 5 choices, received
the decisions and is
not holding any offers,
one can use UCAS
Extra
• Received no offers
and/or declined all
offers
• End of February /
beginning of July
https://www.ucas.com/ucas/undergraduate/apply-and-track/track-your-application/extra-choices
57. UCAS Clearing
• If one was not
successful in Extra or
one didn’t meet
his/her conditional
offer(s) one can use
Clearing
• Clearing begins after
Extra closes at the
beginning of July
https://www.ucas.com/ucas/undergraduate/apply-and-track/results/no-offers-use-clearing
59. UCAS Adjustment
• If you’ve met and
exceeded the
conditions of your
conditional offer, you
may be able to use
Adjustment to find a
“better” university
without losing your
firm choice.
• Optional
https://www.ucas.com/ucas/undergraduate/apply-and-track/results/adjustment-%E2%80%93-if-
you%E2%80%99ve-done-better-expected
61. Applications …only 10
• Student may apply to
10 applications
worldwide
• Exceptions: UCAS and
UC system (U.S.)
• Possible to apply to
US/Canada (other
countries) in addition
to the UK
• 1. Five UK Schools
• 2.
• 3.
• 4.
• 5.
• 6.
• 7.
• 8.
• 9.
• 10.
64. UK University Visits
• University of Manchester and Nottingham Trent University
• Friday September 30 (11:25am -12:05pm)
• Our counseling office
• British Council UK University Fair
• (University of Warwick and University of Bath + more)
• Friday Nov. 11 (10:30am to 12:00pm)
• Most likely the LT
65. What students should be doing
now?
• Communicating with parents and their counselor frequently
• Stay strong with the IB
• Finalizing their “strategic” 5 UK choices
• Working on their Teacher Survey (for the teacher who is
writing their Preference)
• Survey DEADLINES: September 9 (Oct 15) and September 30
(Jan 15)
• Working on their Personal Statement (sharing with their
counselor) Workshop – Thursday Sept 8
• Transcript Requests DEADLINES: September 15 (Oct 15)
November 4 (for the rest)
