Introduction to HE Roisin Hurst Education Liaison Office Queen Mary, University of London r.m.hurst@qmul.ac.uk
Overview • • • • •
Outline of UCAS process Making choices The personal statement Sources of information Next steps
UCAS • On-line application through UCAS • One application – 5 choices of course • Deadline for 2014 entry • 15th January 2014 • 15th October 2013 (Oxbridge, Medicine, Dentistry, Vet. Med)
• An early application is advisable • Good personal statement and reference are crucial to success
UCAS • Wait for university responses: • Conditional/unconditional offer • Interview • Rejection
• April – decide on which 2 offers to hold as firm and insurance choices • If holding no offers, student can go through UCAS Extra
Choosing a course • Over 40,000 different courses available to study in the UK • Full-time, part-time and distance learning courses • Courses range from 3 to 5 years • BA, BSc, LLB, MBBS
Types of course • • • •
Professional e.g. Law, Medicine Vocational e.g. Business Studies Academic e.g. History, Mathematics Unusual courses…….
Unusual Degrees • • • • • • • • • •
Gamekeeping Air conditioning Stained glass studies Wine production Puppetry Circus performance Computer games Brewing and distilling Herbal medicine Real estate
Our cousins across the Atlantic • Philosophy and Star Trek – Georgetown University • Daytime Serials: Family and Social Roles – University of Wisconsin • The Art of Walking – Centre College, Kentucky
What to consider…. • • • • • •
Career plans Current subjects Something new A particular interest More than one subject? Use Centigrade Test if need some direction
Course structure • Teaching and assessment: lectures, seminars, tutorials, PBL • Entry requirements • Course content • Study abroad/sandwich year • Flexibility – module choices • Number of contact hours
Remember….. • 70% graduate jobs are open to graduates of any discipline • You will develop transferable skills, whatever subject you do • Class of degree (i.e. first, upper second) is important to employers • Plenty of opportunities to specialise after graduation • Check the support available at university for study skills- will affect how you do
Universities • Over 300 universities and higher education institutions in the UK • Huge variety – something to suit everyone
Type, size and location • • • • • • • •
City centre/rural Campus Multi-campus Collegiate – Oxbridge Small (5,000 students) Medium (16,000 students) Large (35,000 students) Distance from home
Reputation • Russell Group/1994 group • League tables • The Guardian • The Times and The Sunday Times • National Student Survey • www.unistats.com
Accommodation Important consideration if moving away from home: • On site? • Ensuite? • Self-catered? • Guaranteed?
Facilities Computers/lecture theatres/labs/sports facilities
Social Life and Support Services • Clubs and societies • The Students’ Union • Sport and leisure facilities • Welfare services • Careers support • Availability of part-time jobs
The Personal Statement The Basics: • 4000 characters • 2/3 academic, 1/3 responsibilities/interests • Make it positive • Personal to you – reflect your interests, abilities, personality • No templates • One personal statement for all 5 choices
The Personal Statement The Basics: • Simple and concise language • Spelling and grammar • Don’t state the obvious • No jokes or threats! • Use quotations carefully • Get someone who knows you to read it • Be patient –several drafts needed
What impresses admissions tutors? • • • • •
Enthusiasm for subject choice Academic ability Relevant experience/research into course Positions of responsibility - achievements Hobbies/Interests
False starts… “I had always harboured vague medical ambitions, which crystallised into a genuine passion, when a motorcycle struck down my grandmother.” - Medicine Applicant
“My friends all say that I am wordy, I prefer to say verbose” - English Applicant
How about‌.. Harvey Cushing once wrote, “a physician is obligated to consider more than the diseased organ, more even than the whole man - he must view the man in his world.â€? This statement encompasses some of the more appealing aspects of healthcare provision to me, as it considers both the practical and social elements of a vocation in medicine.
Medicine applicant
Or….. I am captivated by the way writers can interact with the reader, how they challenge our understanding, and how the societal and personal experiences of the writer emerge, even as they project their own convictions. My enthusiasm for 19th century literature was initiated when I read ‘Tess of the D’Urbervilles’ by Thomas Hardy and examined the novel’s tragic conventions, the portrayal of the female character and the nature of sacrifice. This last motif was something I also considered in ‘A Tale of Two Cities’, by Charles Dickens, a novel that wove together my A-level subjects, English literature, History and French. English Literature applicant
Endings... Rather than…
“I am looking forward to my time studying illustration” How about…
“I want to become a professional illustrator and I am very determined to make the most of a degree course that will help me achieve my ambition.”
Disasters “ I am 23 years old I have an incredible ability to learn but due to a childhood illness was unable to achive my full potential. I just wish to hve the cnace to forfill my lifes deram and be able to support my wife and child.� Medicine applicant
How to get started: summary • • • • • • •
Question: Why am I applying? …. And what do I know about the course? Visualise: spider diagrams What’s great about you? The “so what?” test Think laterally Give yourself plenty of time
Further information • • • •
Careers adviser/library Teachers Current students Higher Education fairs • do some research before you go
• • • •
Taster courses: www.lon.ac.uk/tasters www.thestudentroom.co.uk www.push.co.uk www.offtouni.com
Next steps…… • • • • • • • •
Work hard – Year 12 is important Order university prospectuses Visit university websites Campus tours Open Days – 22nd June www.opendays.com Course choice tests Work experience
Last-minute checks • Realistic course choices – check points and grades required • Course content • Location, location, location • Have you been consistent? • Proof-read it! • Get the balance right