UCAS presentation
A guide to the application process
Introduction
• UCAS
• Application process
• Personal statement
• What happens next
• UCAS extra
• Results time
UCAS – online application
• UCAS - Universities and Colleges Admissions Service
• Deals with the majority of full-time applications for Higher
Education degrees and diploma courses (Colleges)
UCAS – online application
• Online system
• Support and advice available through UCAS
• Make changes to application at any stage
• Track your application
• Add new choices (if not used all 5)
• Reply to offers
• Cost of applying:
– £11 for one course
– £22 for two or more courses (up to 5 maximum)
– It is wise to use all of your choices!
UCAS – application deadlines
• 15 October – Medicine, Dentistry, Vet Medicine – also
Oxford/Cambridge applications
• 15 January –All other applications
• School will have own deadlines which you should follow –
to allow them to write your references. Make sure you
give them plenty of time.
You will need to register with UCAS
When you register, you will
be allocated a Personal ID –
make sure you make a note
of this as you will need it if
you contact UCAS
Main sections:
Make sure everything is filled
in. Use the additional
information section to highlight
any additional
courses/summer schools you
take part in
This highlights which
sections have been
completed, to be
completed or are in
progress
UCAS – Research
Courses –choose up to 5
– Make sure you use all
of them!
– Think about different
universities/courses
– Speak to admissions
officers, might not be
wise to apply to
multiple courses in the
same school/faculty
(dependant on
institution)
• Education
• Employment – part-time work should be included
• About you – personal details
• Personal Statement – why you want to study this course
• Reference – provided by your school, includes predicted
grades
UCAS – The personal statement
‘Tell the universities why they should choose you’
(www.ucas.com/students/applying/howtoapply/personalstatement/)
• This is about you, in your own words
• Competition for places means you have to try and stand
out from other applicants
• Interviews can focus on personal statement content
• 4,000 Characters or
47 lines of text
• Type on word doc,
then paste in
• get family/friends to
check over it
The personal statement – all about you
What to include:
• Why you have chosen the course?
• Why are you suitable for the course
• What work experience or voluntary
work do you have?
• Achievements/Awards
• Extra-curricular interests and hobbies
• Do you have career/future plans?
• And don’t forget to mention the Top Up
programme!
Application howlers
• “My ambitions include learning to sky dive... becoming fantastically
rich as well as improving my A-Level grades.”
• “At School I held the position of head bog.”
• “I’m training a pet rat and have recently become interested in
reading.”
• “I also enjoy driving, especially off the road.”
• “I have many interests, both interlectual and social.”
The personal statement - examples
• “The final destiny of man. Ever evolving, in a relentless and frantic
need of immortality, slowly shifting from a natural form to a purely
mental and absolute state where mass has no value. As a direct
result of my interest in electronics I became increasingly interested
in the scientific trend to emulate mankind..”
• “…My application to study English is a natural progression from my
studies of the subject at Higher and in extra curricular activities. I
find literature enjoyable and challenging, and my studies to date
have allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of the influence of
personal, social and political circumstances on writers’ styles and
works….”
The personal statement - examples
• “For three years I have been a member of a storytelling group that
travels and performs in events across the West of Scotland. Having
to engage and capture the imagination of an audience with only your
voice has made me a confident and articulate speaker, which is
highly important for the medical profession….”
• “I spent two weeks managing customer enquiries at a department
store. I learnt how to interact with customers and handle complaints.
The experience highlighted the importance of positive
communication between a business and its customers, and taught
me how to manage difficult enquiries effectively. I would like to
develop this skill further by studying a degree in public relations.”
taken from
www.ucas.com/students/applying/howtoapply/personalstatement/whattoinclude#work
The personal statement – further information
Further information and good examples
• UCAS
www.ucas.com/students/applying/howtoapply/personalst
atement/
The personal statement - tips
•
Research your courses properly
•
Be truthful and relevant
•
Be enthusiastic
•
Be ready to re-write your statement several times
•
Use your best English – but don’t over elaborate!
•
Double check EVERYTHING!
•
Pass the application to your teacher/referee in good time
UCAS – researching course profiles
Use a variety of sources to gather information about course
profiles e.g.
• UCAS entry profiles
– www.ucas.com/students/choosingcourses/entryrequire
ments
• University prospectus
• Visit universities – Open Day!
• University websites
• Careers advisors
• Friends, family, teachers
Plagiarism
•
Copying other people’s work is considered a serious matter at University
•
Admissions staff take it seriously too
•
UCAS checks all personal statements and flags applications with evidence of
copying
•
Checks against current and previous statements
•
Advises you and the University
•
You will have to explain and may have to rework statement
•
May be rejected
UKCAT, LNAT
Don’t forget
• Medicine & Dentistry applicants must sit the UKCAT
before the application deadline
– For more information and to book a test – www.ukcat.ac.uk/
• Applicants to Law at Glasgow must also sit the LNAT
before the application deadline
– For more information and to book a test – www.lnat.ac.uk/
• Bursaries are available to pay for test – see relevant website
What happens next?
• If you receive conditional or unconditional offers, you must
decide on a ‘firm’ and ‘insurance’ choice within the
deadlines specified by UCAS
These are binding agreements!
• If you don’t receive any offers or decline the ones made to
you UCAS Extra provides a further opportunity to apply
for programmes
UCAS Extra
Available to candidates who have used all 5 choices but who do not hold
any offers
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
UCAS will notify you if eligible
You can then apply to other universities who participate in the Extra
scheme
Applications can only be made to one university at a time
University has 10 days to consider your application
If you accept an offer, you can no longer participate in Extra
If you reject/don’t receive an offer, you can make another application
UCAS Extra runs from March until June
Results time
• If you have achieved the grades for your “firm” choice you
will automatically be accepted to that institution
• However, if you have not achieved the grades and if your
Firm institution does not wish to confirm you, you will
move to your “insurance” choice.
• If you have not achieved the grades required for either
your “firm” or your “insurance” choice, there are further
options available to you through Clearing
Results time
Clearing
•
Institutions await publication of all results
•
Institutions then check the numbers firmly accepting offers
•
If application is not confirmed UCAS will place candidates in clearing. You
will then have to go on to UCAS Track and choose courses/institutions
•
It is important to contact universities first to see what is available
•
Courses available listed on UCAS and through national newspapers (at the
time)
Summary
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Do your research
Take time over your personal statement
Complete your UCAS application
Consider the offers you receive
Select your ‘firm’ and ‘insurance’ options
Await results
Start university!
The Top Up Programme
• Running since 1999
• 40 schools
• 65 postgraduate tutors
• 1,140 16-18 yr old students
Aims
To prepare students for
higher education study
To enable students to
succeed in their
chosen course of
study
To give students a ‘mini’
higher- education experience
How does it work
•
postgraduate
tutors
•sessions in school
•session on campus
Key Academic Skills
•
Lectures
•
Seminars
•
Library & I.T
•
Student Life
•
Meet UG students
Assessment
•
Student Profile consists of the following areas: -
•
Overall performance
• Seminar
• Written Assignment
Questions studied
1. Public Art
2. Images of Scotland
3. Film
4. Science
5. Renewable Energy
Assesment
• You are assessed on this Programme:
•
BBB or above is needed for results to be passed to
admissions officers
•
Vital you put on your UCAS application that you are
taking part in Top Up!
•
Essential that you complete the Programme
How does the Top-Up Programme help?
Students with BBB or above in the Top-Up Student Profile,
will have it forwarded to admissions officers in the HEIs to
which they have applied:
– You must complete the Programme to receive 3 grades
– Admissions agreements differ across the west of Scotland HEIs –
contact Top-Up staff if in doubt
– One Higher grade may be adjusted (not always for priority
subjects)
– University of Glasgow: one grade in two Highers for some
subjects and conditional offer made
– You must have Top-Up included on your UCAS application.