Thorough research and selling yourself are as vital as good grades
YOU CAN do a degree in anything these days. In the UK, you can study subjects as diverse as Bengali and Development Studies and Watersports and Adventure Activities Management. There are literally thousands of courses to choose from and hundreds of institutions that all offer a unique experience in different parts of the UK. So with all this choice, how do young people narrow it down to a mere five options that the initial UCAS application process offers potential students?
If applying to go to university straight from school, many people are only 17 and have barely started their final year at school when they need to focus their mind on this. For example the deadline for completing the application form for anyone applying to Oxford and Cambridge or wanting to study Medicine, Dentistry or Veterinary Science has already passed. Everyone else has until January 15 (or March for some Art & Design courses) but this is still not long to get their heads round these potentially life-changing choices, when there are exams to study for and a social life to manage.
So, there are a number of key questions to ask, before you start looking. The first of these must be what subjects do you enjoy studying and do you have a career in mind? For those few teenagers who have always had a burning desire to be a doctor or an architect, then it is easier: you already know what course you want to follow. It is just a question of predicted grades and desired location.
Field of study
If, like the vast majority of 17 and 18-year-olds, you do not have a clue what you want to do, which is perfectly normal, start by thinking about what you enjoy. There are a couple of good tests you can do on the UCAS site that help you work out what your strengths are and what you are best suited to. Take time to read everything you can about as many courses as possible and get good advice. Do not pay too much attention to the conservatives and the snobs, who only want you to consider traditional academic courses. These days people with degrees in Landscape Architecture and Events Management can earn as much money, or more, than GPs if they are good at what they do and possibly have a bit more fun.
Location
Once you’ve decided on a field of study, the next key question is where do you want to live: a small town, a big city like London, close to an airport or on a campus university? List your priorities. Are you more concerned about the number of people getting First Class degrees on the course or about having a good social life? Is being close to great shops and the social make up of the university student population important to you? There are a number of good university guides that can help you with these types of questions. The Times and the Guardian have online guides that rate university courses as well as important issues like student satisfaction, the quality of services and facilities (will you have an ensuite bathroom if you live in halls?) and where the best place to be is for disabled students, women and ethnic minorities.
Remember that you will spend at least three years living in the place you choose and will probably make friends that you will keep for the rest of your life. You need to visit these places and make sure you get this bit right if you are to be happy.
Predicted grades
Finally, be realistic about your grades. You do not need to get all A grades to go to a good university. Some of the newer universities rate higher than the traditional universities for certain courses. It all depends what you want to study. Do your research well and you will always get an offer. If you apply to five universities that all require A grades at A’ Level, you are limiting your chance of getting an offer at all. The rule is to apply to two top-ranked universities for the course you want to take, two middle-ranked universities and one security option, which you know will make you a low offer. And if all else fails or you change your mind later on in the process, there is always UCAS Extra and Clearing.
Personal statement
As for the application process itself, once you have chosen the courses and filled that part of the application in, you need to write a strong personal statement. You need to sell yourself in about 600 words. In some cases, particularly for courses that are highly competitive and where all students applying will have good grades, this personal statement is all the admissions tutor has to distinguish you from hundreds of other promising applicants. You need to be clear about why you want to study this course and why this university (which is hard when you are addressing five universities). You need to convey what you have to offer and what life experiences and skills you can contribute. If you have nothing of interest to say and have not properly thought this through, then seven grade As won’t help you get an offer.
Remember that universities only make offers on three A’ levels, so if you are tempted to do more than three A’ Levels and one AS, then think again about what else you could be doing with your time that would impress admissions tutors more.
In summary, choosing a university is not easy, so don’t leave it too late. Do your research and don’t be swayed disproportionately by traditional reputations and pressures from others. Even if a university has a good reputation but you hate where it is, don’t apply there, you might be unhappy for a long time. And make sure you chose a course you will enjoy studying, even if it does not lead to an obvious career. Having a degree and a chance to leave home and learn some life skills is what matters. And these days many people take a gap year before they go to university to give themselves a chance to travel or work, take a break after school and discover a bit more about what they really want to do before they go to college.
n Not sure which course to apply for, take The Stamford Test on www.ucas.ac.uk
