Summary
• Use the UCAS website to
search for courses
• Visit opendays.com for a list
of visiting opportunities
• Do something you enjoy but
think ahead
• Don’t do something or go
somewhere unless your
100% sure
• Be true to yourself!
CHOOSING THE RIGHT COURSE AND
UNIVERSITY
Todays talk
• Entering the workplace
• Benefits of going to
university
• Choosing the right course
• Choosing the right
university
• An introduction to the
UCAS website
Entering the
workplace
• Many professions have
become graduates only
and require a degree
• A more competitive job
market
• A graduate is likely to earn
£100,000 more over their
working life (compared to
someone who leaves with
2 or more A levels).
Benefits of
university
• Study
– Increase your
knowledge
– Time management
• Employability
– Earn more
– Enjoy your job
• Transferrable skills
– Self development
– Make new friends
So where do you start?
Types of courses
• Foundation degree
• Fast track honours degree
• Honours degree
– BA, BSc, BEd, BEng,
BMBS
– 3 years or 4 years
sandwich degree
– Some are 5+ years
– Can progress onto
Masters degree or PhD
A variety of courses
to suit every interest
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Theatre and Performance
Robotics
Media Arts
Architecture
Wildlife Conservation
Nursing
Mechanical Engineering
Illustration
Environmental science
Marketing
Choosing the right
course
• Over 39,000 courses at
over 300 institutions in the
UK
• Specialise in one or several
of your A level subjects
• Try something new
• Pursue a passion
Career vs. Passion
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Vocational courses
–
Nursing, Architecture,
Teaching
–
Learn specialist skills
–
Placement focussed
–
Lead into specific careers
Non vocational courses
–
Humanities, Business
–
No specific career path
–
Transferrable skills for
employment
Things to consider
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Do I know enough about the
course?
Will I enjoy studying the
course?
What are the teaching and
assessment methods?
What job can I get at the end of
it?
Can I meet the entry
requirements?
Can I study a minor?
How many places are
available?
What are the three
most important
things to consider
when choosing a
university?
Choosing the right university
Top answers…
• Location
• It has the right course
for me
• A nice campus
• Good facilities
• Good reputation
• It has a wide range of
clubs and societies
• It’s close to home/it’s
far from home!
• Great atmosphere
• Nice accommodation
Research you can do
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UCAS website
University websites
UCAS convention
UK course finder
(www.ukcoursefinder.com)
Prospectus
Open days
Word of mouth
Careers library
League tables
Student satisfaction survey
Online blogs/networking sites
Using the UCAS website
Searching for courses
Searching for courses
Searching for courses
Searching for courses
Top tips for getting
it right!
• Start thinking now about
what you want to do in the
future
• Look online for entry
requirements for jobs that
interest you
• Do research about the
degree/industry you are
interested in
• Pursue your interests – not
others!
UCAS AND PERSONAL STATEMENTS
Todays talk
o Information on the UCAS process
o Using the UCAS website
o Tips for writing your personal statement
What is UCAS?
o Universities and Colleges Admission Service
o UCAS is the “go between” between the
institution and the applicant
o UCAS records all decisions made about you
o Online service so can be accessed from any
computer
What are the UCAS deadlines?
15th October
Oxford/Cambridge
Medicine
Dentistry
Veterinary Science
15th January
All other applications
October - December
Internal school/college
deadline
How can I prepare to apply?
Year 12
Year 13
Start thinking about courses and
universities
Choose up to 5 courses
Attend open days
Finish writing personal statement
Start planning personal statement
Don’t leave things until the last minute!
Get a summer job / voluntary
experience
Attend preview days
What happens to my application?
January
February
March
April
May
Deadline
Interviews and preview days
Institution offers / rejections
Applicant accepts / declines
(First and insurance choice)
If applying to Plymouth you will receive an automated email response this will detail what happens next. Check email account regularly to
check for important communication.
Your application form
Course choices
Course choices
The personal statement
Where should I start?
o Firstly, everyone is different!
o Think honestly about yourself – what makes you special,
interesting or unique?
o Map out your ideas then build up paragraphs
o Writing about yourself is not something you do often
o Expect to write several drafts
What should I put in it?
• 75% covering
academic interests,
motivation and
strengths
• 25% covering the
skills developed that
are not directly
relevant to the
course
Reasons for
academic
subject
choice
Taking a
year out?
Qualifications
Personal
Statement
Personal
achievement
– life skills,
strengths
Career
goals
Work
experience
How should I structure it?
o Think of ABC when writing:
o
Activity
Benefit
Course
o Activity: being a peer mentor
o Benefit: Teamwork, communication skills, leadership,
commitment, time management
o Course: Group assignments, putting across your ideas,
good time keeping for lectures and fieldtrips, work/life
balance, responsibility
What do I have to offer?
ACTIVITY
EXAMPLES OF SKILLS/QUALITIES DEVELOPED
 Work Experience
Responsibility, punctuality, team work, enthusiasm, ideas
person, communication
 D of E, Mentor,
Prefect, Ten Tors
Communication, confidence, leadership, reliability,
motivation, problem solving, decision making
 Relevant recent
study
Subject knowledge, passion for subject, enthusiasm,
willingness to learn
 Hobbies and
volunteering
Commitment, motivation, sense of achievement, time
management, social skills
 Travel and holidays
Research, planning, budgeting, organisation, patience,
independence
What are universities
looking for?
• A well structured and thought
out personal statement
• Why you are suitable for the
subject area and what sort of
person you are
• Evidence for the things that
you say about yourself,
always related back to your
course choice
• Examples that show you
have motivation and
commitment to complete
your course
Top 10 opening sentences through UCAS
2010
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
I am currently studying a BTEC National Diploma in..
From a young age I have always been interested in..
From an early age I have always been interested in..
Nursing is a very challenging and demanding career..
For as long as I can remember I have been fascinated with...
“Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only”...
Nursing is a profession I have always looked upon with...
For as long as I can remember I have been interested in...
I am an International Academy student and have been studying
since..
10. Academically, I have always been a very determined and...
Opening sentence
“I first became interested in
Physiotherapy when I was sat
in the waiting room of the
West Cornwall A&E after my
sister was recovering from a
broken pelvis”
“Lights, camera, action!’ – just
saying the words sends me
into a whirl of excitement
about all the possibilities that
await me after studying Film”
“Seeing a Reef Shark off the
coast of Australia first sparked
my passion for anything from
the marine world. Instead of
swimming away – I swam
closer, I was fascinated”
Final tips
• Admissions tutors are very
busy people
• Be factual, concise and
relevant
• Get it proof read
• Be interesting and
passionate
• Sell yourself on paper,
many won’t get a course
interview
• The best applicant is an
early applicant
Finishing your application
• Reference
• Check all details
• Cannot continue to the
pay/send section until you
have completed all other
sections
– £22 for 2 to 5 choices
– £11 for 1 choice
• Keep a hard copy
• Apply for your financial
support
UCAS track
• You will need your Personal
ID and the same username
and password you used in
Apply
• Enables you to follow the
progress of your application
24/7
• It is the quickest way to find
out about new offers
• You can reply to offers online
Decisions
• Applicants can then keep a
maximum of two offers:
– Firm choice
– Insurance choice
• Any remaining offers must be
declined
• Admissions tutors can make
one of three decisions:
– Conditional offer
– Unconditional offer
– Unsuccessful
UCAS extra
•
If you have used all 5 choices and aren’t holding any offers you
can apply for a course (if there are vacancies) through UCAS Extra
•
This will appear on UCAS Track
•
Apply from end of February until the end of June
•
The course search will tell you which courses have vacancies
•
Contact the university/college first to see if they will consider your
application
•
Once a course is chosen, enter details into Track and UCAS will
send your application direct to the institution.
www.ucas.com/students/offers/extra
Results day!
• Check UCAS track to confirm
your place
• You can call your university to
confirm your place
• Clearing: opens on A level
results day in August
• Re-sits
Further information
www.ucas.com
www.ucas.tv
www.plymouth.ac.uk/applicantjourney