UCAS - THE APPLICATION
PROCESS
FEBRUARY 2016
FACTS AND FIGURES
3 FEBRUARY 2016
So far, 593,720 people have
applied to UK higher
education courses in 2016, an
increase of 0.2% compared
to the same point last year.
FACTS AND FIGURES – Most
competitive subjects
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Medicine / Vet Sci / Dentistry
Subjects allied to medicine
Business/management studies/Economics
English
Psychology
History
Social Work
Sports Science
Law
Most popular courses 2014:
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Nursing: 238,000 applications
Psychology: 106,000
Law: 103,000
Design studies: 97,000
Pre-clinical medicine: 85,000
Computer Science: 77,000
Management: 71,000
Sport and exercise: 67,000
Business: 66,000
Social Work: 64,000
13 April 2015
Hardest Universities to get into
1. Cambridge or Oxford
2. Imperial College London
3. London School of Economics
4. Durham
5. St Andrews
6. University College London
7. Bristol
8. Edinburgh
9. Warwick
10.Bath
Top Universities (World ranking)
Students from the Floyd are currently studying:
• Engineering, French & Italian, Mathematics (2),
and Human, Political & Social Science at
Cambridge (No. 3)
• Physics, Music, Theology, Medicine, and
Biomedical Sciences (2) at Oxford (No. 6)
• Medicine, Chemistry, History, Arts & Sciences,
History, Philosophy, Physics, and Engineering at
UCL (No. 7)
• Maths, Chemistry, and Aeronautical Engineering
at Imperial (No. 8)
GETTING STARTED
FIRST CONCENTRATE ON GETTING
THE HIGHEST PREDICTION
IN YOUR SUBJECTS
External exam grade = UCAS prediction
Internal (trial) Exam grade = UCAS
prediction
IMPRESS YOUR TEACHERS!
THEN…………………
GETTING STARTED
Research subject and courses
•
G2 and Library
•
Internet – ucas tv, ucas course search,
Good University Guides etc
•
Subject staff
•
Tutor
•
Year 13 students
•
Parents
•
Year Head / Head of 6th Form /
IB co-ordinator
ALTERNATIVES
USA
• www.fulbright.com
Europe
UCAS DAY talk
Open University
Buckingham University
What Can You Study in Europe?
- Biosciences
- Business/Management
- Digital Media/Gaming
- Engineering
- Environmental Science
- Hospitality & Tourism
- International Law
- International Relations/Politics
- IT & Software
- Life Sciences
- Media & Entertainment Management
- Medicine
- Performing Arts
- Physiotherapy
- Psychology
- Sports Management
- Veterinary Science
There are
currently
nearly 700
programmes
taught
through
English
OPEN DAYS
• We allow you 3 days off school for Open
Days
• TASTER DAYS – check your emails and the
G2 notice board
WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES
• This evening!
• How to Write an Effective Personal Statement 15th
June
• Birmingham University Open Day trip – 24th June
• Next Steps Day– 4th July (TBC)
• LIFE! lessons
• Extensive help with Personal Statements from Mrs
Williams, Mrs Chapman, Mrs Craigie, Form Tutors,
relevant subject teachers
• All applications are thoroughly checked before
sending
ELECTRONIC APPLICATION
• www.ucas.com
• Sections to the form
1.
Personal details
2.
Further information – criminal
convictions, disability/special
needs, nationality
3.
Choices – 5 (4+1 for medics)
ELECTRONIC APPLICATION
• CONTINUED…..
4.
5.
6.
7.
GCSE & AS grades (if applicable)
Employment
Personal Statement
Reference with predicted grades
Finalising choices
5 CHOICES (MAX) IN ANY ORDER
• 2 ‘dream’ choices – aspirational grades
• 1 or 2 ‘realistic’ choices – secure target grades
• 1 or 2 ‘back up’ choices – if things don’t go so
well
• Spread choices over a range of institutions
• eg. Russell Group / 1994 / top 50
Personal Statement
• 15th June in LIFE!
• Apart from qualifications and reference, most
important part of the application
• Subject specific
• 75% academic, 25% extra-curricular
• Wider interests over and above IB/A levels
• Keep refining – several drafts
AIM TO COMPLETE BY END OF SEPTEMBER
REFERENCE
• Subject teachers comment by start of
September, including predicted grades
• Use anybody, not just the academic staff,
for positive comments, includes external
referees (email tutor)
• All checked – written – re-written
• Contribution to school life important –
tutor needs this information
TIMELINE
• April/May
• June/July/Sept
• June/July
• Activities Week/
Summer holidays
Research courses, order
prospectuses (online)
Identify Open Days
Decide on short list and
visit institutions
Start putting together
information for
Personal Statement
Work experience if
necessary and read
around your subject/
do a MOOC
Study Leave for IB/Linear A
Levels Internal Exams
• March - AS trial exams – no study
leave
• May – AS external exams – half day
study leave immediately before the
exam
• June – IB and linear A levels trial
exams – study leave
DETAILS AND TIMETABLE BY EMAIL
TIMELINE cont …..
Early applicants - Oxbridge / medics / vets
/dentists
• Middle of September personal statements
finalised
• End of September references checked
• October 15th UCAS final deadline
TIMELINE cont …..
All other applications
• From 16th October applications submitted
to UCAS
• Mid October onwards offers made
• End of November school deadline for
completed application with final personal
statement
• End of term all references completed
TIMELINE cont …..
• March/April/May final offers
• Decisions – Firm and Insurance
• Apply for Student Finance &
Accommodation
• Results Day (August) – school open from
9 am
Work Experience
Enrichment Week starts 13th July
• 13th – 20th July collapsed timetable
• 20th July final day of term
Before this:
Register for UCAS – compulsory so book
alternative time with Mrs Chapman if necessary
During this time students can:
• Organise work experience – letter gives details
• Take part in activities as helper or participant
………………..or go to Costa Rica & Nicaragua!
ALTERNATIVES TO UNI
• Next Steps Day
• Higher Level Apprenticeships
• Don’t have to decide yet – can apply for both
The possibilities are endless
• Apprenticeships e.g. Barclay’s UK Retail and Business Banking – receive
full salary, work towards a QCF in retail banking – guaranteed permanent
job at the end
• National Apprenticeship Website - www.apprenticeships.org.uk
• Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) –offers education and training
opportunities
• RetailChoice.com – UK retail recruitment website
• Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) – professional body for
Accountants
• CareerTree – specialises in working with people who want to make changes
to their working lives.
• CILEx – promotes vocational legal training
• CareerWorx – career counselling and coaching
• Accor UK – Leading Hotel operator -management apprenticeship program
• Pearson in Practice – Skills Funding Agency (SFA) contracts
• Chartered Management Institute (CMI)
Year 14+ APPLICATIONS
• ALL students must go through the process this
year – draft personal statement and complete
application form.
• Students can still apply through this school after
they have left – contact Mrs Chapman – but a
fee will be charged
SELL YOURSELF!
YOU ARE IN COMPETITION
BE THE BEST!