applying through ucas and personal …...ucas extra • if all 5 choices are used and you aren’t...
TRANSCRIPT
APPLYING
THROUGH UCAS
AND PERSONAL
STATEMENTS
AIMS OF THIS SESSION
• Information on the UCAS process
• Tips for writing your personal statement
• An introduction to the UCAS website
WHAT IS UCAS?
• Universities and Colleges Admission Service
• UCAS is the “go between” between the institution and the applicant
• UCAS records all decisions made about you
UCAS DEADLINES
15 October Oxford/Cambridge
Medicine
Dentistry
Veterinary Science
15 January All other applications
October - December Internal school/college deadline
WHEN ARE STUDENTS MAKING THEIR APPLICATIONS?
By application month Total applicants
October 56,753
November 88,256
December 158, 852
January 225,037
February 15,620
March 11,385
April 15,716
May 11,893
HOW CAN I PREPARE TO APPLY?
Year 12 Year 13
Start researching courses
and universities
Start application - up to 5
choices
Attend open days Keep to deadlines
Start planning personal
statement
Attend applicant days
Get a summer job or
voluntary experience
Continue to do your research
HOW CAN I PREPARE TO APPLY?
If applying to Plymouth you will receive an automated email response with your next steps. Check your
email account regularly for important information.
January February March April May
Deadline
Interviews and applicant days
Institution offers / rejections
Applicant accepts / declines
(First and insurance choice)
USING THE UCAS WEBSITE
SEARCHING FOR A COURSE
SEARCHING FOR A COURSE
SEARCHING FOR A COURSE
SEARCHING FOR A COURSE
SEARCHING FOR A COURSE
YOUR APPLICATION FORM
YOUR APPLICATION FORMCOURSE CHOICES
YOUR APPLICATION FORMCOURSE CHOICES
YOUR APPLICATION FORMPERSONAL STATEMENT
WHERE SHOULD I START?
• Think honestly about yourself – what makes you special, interesting or unique?
• Map out your ideas, then build up into paragraphs
• Writing about yourself is difficult, not something you do often
• Expect to write several drafts
WHAT SHOULD I INCLUDE?
Personal Statement
Reasons for
academic subject choice
Qualifications
Career aspirations
Reflection of work
experience
Personal achievements
– life skills, strengths
Taking a year out?
• 75% covering academic interests, motivation and strengths
• 25% covering skills developed that are not directly relevant to the course
THE OPENING SENTENCE
“From the smallest molecule to the
most important issues of the modern
world, chemistry is fundamental.
The burgeoning world energy crisis,
for example, will only be solved with
the help of Chemistry, and the
possibility to be involved in this is an
ambition of mine.”
“Earlier this year I was involved in a
car accident, and as I sat among the
wreckage I was shocked to see not
one persons stopped to help me.
Didn’t anyone care enough to help?
If it weren’t for the science of
Psychology, this and so many other
questions about human behaviour
would go unanswered.”
“To take a journey in art is to follow a
path that is never ending; you will never
know all there is to know or see and
discover all there is out there.”
MOST COMMON OPENING SENTENCES
From a young age I have (always) been.. 1,779
For as long as I can remember I have… 1,451
I am applying for this course because… 1,370
I have always been interested in … 927
Throughout my life, I have always enjoyed… 310
Reflecting on my educational experiences 257
Nursing is a very challenging and demanding [career/profession/course] 211
Academically, I have always been… 168
I have always wanted to pursue a career in… 160
I have always been passionate about… 160
HOW SHOULD I STRUCTURE IT?
Think of ABC when writing:
Activity Benefit Course
• Activity: Being a peer mentor
• Benefit: Teamwork, communication skills, leadership, commitment, time management
• Course: Group assignments, putting across your ideas, good time keeping for lectures and field trips, 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
Part time job Communication, confidence, responsibility, reliability, motivation,
problem solving, decision making, team work
Extended project Analytical skills, independent study, academic writing, self-
leadership, motivation
Relevant recent
study
Subject knowledge, passion for subject, enthusiasm, willingness to
learn
Hobbies and
volunteering
Commitment, motivation, sense of achievement,
time management, social skills
EVIDENCE WHAT YOU SAY
“I have always been interested in art. I especially like paintings. I like lots
of different styles. My favourite is modern art”
OR
“Frequent trips to art galleries as varied as the National Portrait Gallery,
the Wallace Collection and the Tate Modern have inspired an
understanding and deep appreciation of painting as a medium across a
wide range of styles. This has been supported by reading texts like…”
SKILLS ACTIVITY
WHAT ARE UNIVERSITIES LOOKING FOR?
• A well structured, concise personal statement which
identifies academic and transferable skills
• Why you are suitable for the subject area and what sort of
person you are
• Examples to show you have motivation and commitment
to complete your course
TIPS FROM UCAS AND ADMISSIONS
• Identify relevant academic and transferable skills – why you are suitable,
your passion for the subject and what sort of person you are
• Be reflective - if you make a point like 'I like reading', 'I travelled abroad',
say what you got from it
• Evidence the things you say about yourself and relate back to your course
choice (ABC) – Don’t bend the truth
• Take your time, start early and expect to write several drafts
• Keep to the deadlines
• Get it proof read
THINGS TO REMEMBER
• Admissions tutors are very busy people
• Be factual, concise and relevant
• Be passionate as many students won’t get a course interview,
you need to sell yourself
• The best applicant is an early applicant
• Minimum of 1000 characters in your personal statement
SKILLS ACTIVITY
FINISHING YOUR APPLICATION
• Declare your intention to apply for student finance
• Remember to tick the box on your application to let the institutions
you’re applying to know you have been in care (confidential and won’t
go against you!)
• Reference
• Check all details as you cannot continue to the pay/send section until
you have completed all sections
• £18 for 1 choice, £24 for more than 1, up to 5 courses
• Keep a hard copy
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
• See if any of your university/college choices offer you an interview or a
place on their course
• Reply to the offers you get
• Confirm your place
DECISIONS
• Admissions tutors can make one of three decisions:
• Conditional offer
• Unconditional offer
• Unsuccessful
• Applicants then keep a maximum of two offers:
• Firm choice
• Insurance choice
• Any remaining offers must be declined
UCAS EXTRA
• If all 5 choices are used and you aren’t holding any offers, you can apply for a
course (if vacancies)
• Apply from end of February until the end of June through UCAS Track
• Use course search to see course vacancies
• Contact the university/college first to see if they will consider your application
• You can only apply to one course at a time, so you will not be able to have an
insurance choice
• www.ucas.com/students/offers/extra
A-LEVEL RESULTS DAY
• Check UCAS track to confirm your place
• You can call your university to confirm your place
• Don’t panic if you drop a grade
• Clearing: opens on A level results day
• Re-sits
OPEN DAYS
SATURDAY 29th SEPTEMBER | SATURDAY 20th OCTOBER | SATURDAY 10th NOVEMBER
https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/study/open-days
