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Advice from the
How we make the decision
Admissions tutors in the relevant subject areas decide whether to accept students or not. They base this decision on the following:
- Academic performance - the exam results you already have.
- Academic potential - what your tutor/teacher says about you and what grades they are predicting for your next set of exams and what you say about yourself in your personal statement
- Enthusiasm and commitment - again this will be demonstrated by what is written in your personal statement and your teacher reference.
The Personal Statement
We advice prospective students to start working on the
personal statement before the start of year 13. This is an important part of
the form, you will probably need to do several drafts in order to get it right
and you will need to give your teachers the opportunity to discuss it with you
before they write their references.
What we think you
should put in your personal statement
Whether you choose to write in note form, paragraphs or use headings is
irrelevant as long as you appreciate that the need to be articulate is a
prerequisite for a university education. Stick to the style which suits you
best. However there are some musts:
- Legible
- Free of grammatical and spelling mistakes
- Focussed
- Convey motivation and enthusiasm
- 70-80% directly relevant
- Be checked by tutor or subject teacher
It should contain the following key elements:
- Why do you want to study this particular course?
- What can you offer?
- What do you hope to do with your degree
Think how any of the following may have contributed to your choice:
Academic study
· Essays
· Projects
· Books
· Fieldwork
Higher Education
activities
· UCAS conventions
· University open days
· Subject taster days
· Master classes
· Independent research
Personal experiences
· Travel - experiencing different cultures, societies and languages may be
relevant to your chosen area of study
· Work experience - could show commitment and time management
· Social experiences/opportunities
· Hobbies/interests
(Even if these do not seem directly relevant they may help
you demonstrate your ability to balance the demands of school, paid work and a
social life!)
What would you bring
to a University?
- Positions of responsibility
- Games/sports? Membership of clubs, school teams etc
- Duke of Edinburgh Award or similar
What do you hope to
do with your degree?
· How will your choice of course help you towards a chosen career?
· Is it a sandwich degree?
· Does if give you the opportunity for a year abroad?
Even if you're not sure about your career direction yet you can discuss broad
areas of interest
Taking a gap year
Generally we are happy for you to take a year out -
but it's important to make it clear on the form that you are intending to defer
entry. There may be one or two departments that won't accept a deferred entry -
this doesn't mean they don't want you to take a gap year but they prefer you to
apply in the year of entry. Check with individual departments for their policy
on this.
Think about some of the ways that taking a gap year may help you at university:
- Increase your maturity
- Learn new skills,
- Gain knowledge
- Experience a different culture/life style
- Live independently
- Manage your money
- Earn money to help fund your studies
And
finally....
Whilst it's fine to get help and advice do not be tempted to copy other
people's statements or make things up. You could well be asked questions about
it at a later stage.