Andrew Downes is applying to university to study computer games design, as he has studied creative media at college and wants to further develop his skills in areas like 3D modeling, animation, and game development. His academic background includes qualifications in creative media production, art, history, and classics from GCSEs and college diplomas. He is interested in careers creating concept art, designs, and scores for video games in genres like fantasy and mythology.

1. UCAS APPLICATION
Andrew Downes
BUZZWORD – castle2020

2. Grades

3. GCSEs
BOOTHAM
Year Subject Grade Awarding Body
2016 English Language D
2016 English Literature E
2016 Maths C
2016 French D
2016 Art C
2016 Physics D
2016 Chemistry D
2016 Biology D
2016 Classics E
2016 History C

4. York College Grades
Year Level (GCSE/FS) Subject Grade Awarding Body
GCSE English
Language
B
Maths
Level 2 Diploma In
Creative Media
Production &
Technology
Disitniction UAL
Level 3 Extended
Diplomanin
Creative Media
Production &
Technology
Meritt UAL

5. UAL Level 3 Diploma in Creative Media Production
and Technology (Year 1)
Unit Grade
1. Introduction to Media Processes and Technical Skills
P
02. Introduction to Design and Research Skills in Creative Media
Production
P
03. Introduction to Professional Practice in Creative Media
Production
P
04. Critical and Contextual Awareness in Creative Media
Production
P
05. Investigating Audio Production and Technology
P
06. Investigating Visual Production and Technology
P
07. Investigating Interactive Production and Technology
P
08. Developing a Creative Media Production Project
M

6. Final Grade Y1
Grade UCAS Points
PASS 36
MERIT 60
DISTINCTION 84
Final Points Final Grade
60 Merit

7. UAL Level 3 Extended Diploma in Creative Media
Production and Technology (Year 2)
Unit Grade
9. Characteristics & Contexts in Creative Media
Production
10. Engaging With an Audience in Creative
Media Production
11. Preparing for Progression in Creative Media
Production
12. Specialist Study in Creative Media
Production
13.Extended Project in Creative Media
Production

8. Final Grade Y2
Grade UCAS Points
PASS 72
MERIT 120
DISTINCTION 168
Final Points Final Grade

9. Courses

10. University Course
Course Title Computer Games Design BA (Hons)
UCAS Code G4W6
Link https://digital.ucas.com/courses/details?CoursePrimaryId=995e9
b7e-4671-c986-1e69-04dea6995973&CourseOptionId=d8b4f17e-
8b0d-44c7-8dac-2d11e76c178b
Location University of Huddersfield
Entry
Requirements/
Qualification
GCSE
Grades
• English
UAL Grade • D/D/M
UCAS points • 128
General
Comments/
Course Content
Rating/Suitability
(0-10> 10 Being
Most Suitable)
8/10

11. University Course
Course Title Computer games Design BA (HONS)
UCAS Code G470
Link https://digital.ucas.com/courses/details?CoursePrimaryId=1709b
537-93a5-0d7a-e7fc-64654c74decd&CourseOptionId=115d8aa1-
71fe-4662-8bb7-bf474be95c8f
Location Teesside University
Entry
Requirements/
Qualification
GCSE
Grades
• English
UAL Grade • MMD
UCAS points • 96-112
General
Comments/
Course Content
Rating/Suitability
(0-10> 10 Being
Most Suitable)
7/10

12. University Course
Course Title Computer games design
UCAS Code 620I
Link https://digital.ucas.com/courses/details?coursePrimaryId=45e3b
fda-248d-a906-554c-ddb53310c5a4&academicYearId=2020
Location York St. Johns
Entry
Requirements/
Qualification
GCSE
Grades
• 3= C + English and maths C or above
UAL Grade • D/D/M
UCAS points • 96- 112
General
Comments/
Course Content
Rating/Suitability
(0-10> 10 Being
Most Suitable)
5/10

13. University Course
Course Title Games art
UCAS Code WG24
Link https://digital.ucas.com/courses/details?CoursePrimaryId=756cf
2fa-e683-4905-850c-c88b63b02049&CourseOptionId=46ba2138-
ddee-49b8-bd39-48f201c65968
Location Leeds Beckett Headingly Campus
Entry
Requirements/
Qualification
GCSE
Grades
• C grade at English and Maths
UAL Grade • D/D/M
UCAS points • 104
General
Comments/
Course Content
Rating/Suitability
(0-10> 10 Being
Most Suitable)
6/10

14. Personal
Statement
Support in the notes section at the bottom of each slide

15. Academic History
• The main subjects that I studied that will help me is my history, art and classics classes from
GCSE as History and classics gave me ideas for stories and what I could base game ideas
around such as mythical monsters or heroes from Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Norse and Gaelic
periods, and the art got me a head start when it came down to drawing and working in after
effects even though the after effects work was fairly limited to colour keying and adding
music into the background of it. As for creative media level 2 it gave some basics for
Photoshop and Premiere so then I could actually animate what I had made and at level 3 I
became Proficient in Photoshop but still struggle with both Premiere and After Effects. For
my level 2 I made merchandise for a game and advertising for the game as well as a disc box
for the game it was going to be a sort of lord of the rings type game. As for the first year of
level 3 I made a castlevania type game at the start which I was fond of and I also made a God
Of War related game for my FMP and this where I am probably going to take it back to
concept art and merchandise. This made me want to progress on with further education
because I have looked for jobs in video game design and they all say that I need to go through
university to be even considered for the job interview, but as for going onto the second year
it is because there is still a lot that I need to learn to become faster and draw better designs
with some more detail also in general I think that I have to start drawing with lines instead of
using pixels but in general I also think that I should try other things as well as just using pixels
and the same goes for the genre I should try and make different genre games instead of just
fantasy.

16. Current Study
• For each and every product that I had made except for the audio
project I have done some drawing for it and in most of the other
cases I also decided to animate the drawings such as when it came
down to the video game, music video, and the print rotations so it
has given me quite a lot of practice with pixel art and the animation
of pixel art. For my FMP I created I made a videogame I didn’t really
learn much apart from don’t trust the unrealistic production
schedule ( so don’t be unrealistic about what you are going to
create) but I also earned how to make some of the animation faster.
This made me want to progress further because I realised that I had
a lot to learn in a pixel art style and other styles that I haven’t tried
yet which I am going to try and do in the future. The main programs
that I have some skill in are photoshop, premiere and garage band
however I can still use some of the basics in After Effects though
anything else I have no real experience with.

17. The Future
• Well as a start I want to get into any type of
games company to get more experience with
what the job is actually like and to get used to
the work rate and stuff like that when I feel
like I am doing well I will try to either move to
a triple A games company or try to get the
people who I am working for up to triple A
status to try and create massive worlds with
some sort of story line for others to enjoy.

18. Outside College
• Playing Video games gives me ideas for what I could make
and also shows me how it should be done. I also listen and
play a lot of music so I could create my own musical score
for my game only if it uses guitars and drums and I might
just be able to use garage band to fill in some other bits and
pieces for the music, reading about Greek mythology and
history mainly but it gives me some great ideas for games,
as far as client work goes I’ve done some designs on red
bubble but that seems to be as far as work goes. This
makes me a great candidate for university because it shows
that I can draw from a lot of different areas for inspiration
and it also shows that I have some skills to back it up as
well also I want to learn more about the games industry.

19. Conclusion
• I want to go to university because so then I can
learn about specialized bits and pieces that will
be useful to a career in the study and also
because I need to go to university to even be
considered for some of the jobs that I want to try
and get into. The course will help me to learn
what it would be like to work to a universities
extent so it will probably be the first time I have
that sort of work load, it will also teach me about
how to do things better and faster, and also show
me how to use better design soft ware. I am a
good candidate because I want to learn.

20. Introduction
I am planning on going to university for video
game design courses. I want to go to university
because I want to learn more about the industry
and I also want to learn how to use such
programs as Z-brush and Maya and others but I
also want to learn how to make some good
looking designs to make some of my work look a
little bit more understandable.