UCAS INFORMATION DAYS 2016

1. UCAS INFORMATION DAYS 2016

2. Introduction

3. Researching Courses and Universities

4. Deciding what to study • What subjects do you enjoy at A Level? • What do you want to find out more about? • What career path do you wish to go down?

5. Deciding where to study • Do you want to go to a city or campus university? • How do you prefer to learn? Lectures/tutorials/seminars/practicals

6. UCAS Website- Researching Courses • Go to www.ucas.com • Click on ‘Search for Courses’ • Click on ‘Search undergraduate and conservatoires’ courses or Search for foundation degrees • In ‘Search courses’ select ‘England’ from drop down list • In ‘Search courses available’ select ‘2017’ • Go to Course and type in name of course you might be interested in studying e.g. architecture • A list of Universities offering your selected course will be displayed. • Click on any of the courses at specific universities to find out more information e.g. entry requirements. • Go to the specific University website to find out more

8. New UCAS tariff • Not all qualifications attract UCAS Tariff points for various reasons. The university or college you're interested in may accept your qualifications as an appropriate entry route even if they don't attract UCAS Tariff points. • Not all universities and colleges use the UCAS Tariff. Most prefer to express their entry requirements and make offers in terms of qualifications and grades rather than in Tariff points. Around one third of course entry requirements make reference to the Tariff. • Tariff points are generally only counted for the highest level of achievement in a subject. This means that you can’t usually count AS levels if you have the full A level in the same subject. • Tariff points were designed for use by universities and colleges. We don't endorse their use for any other purpose.

9. UCAS Application Process

10. Key Dates • Today: Start your online UCAS application and Personal Statement • 4 July: Subject staff reference deadline • 1 Sept: Hand in a draft of your personal statement to your form tutor to look over • 15 Oct: Deadline for early applicant (Medics, Dentists, Oxford, Cambridge etc.) • 15 Dec: all applications should be off • 15 Jan: Official deadline for applications

11. Filling in your UCAS application Step by Step Guide Mrs Solly

12. Go onto www.ucas.com and click on ‘register’ and then ‘Register and apply for 2017 entry’ Click the register button, next, agree to the terms and click next Enter your details, name, address etc. Enter your email (remember universities will it!!!) Choose a password and enter security questions. WRITE THESE DOWN. UCAS will ask you these if you need to contact them. Make a note of your username!!! They will email you a verification link. Click on the link to continue. Click Sign in and apply for 2017, enter your username and password Click ‘through my school/college’ Enter the buzzword ‘leicesterhigh2017’ , Leicester High should come up to confirm Make a note of your personal ID, this number is important as you need to quote it when contacting UCAS and universities. Step 1 Set-up an account

13. Make sure you enter all boxes with a * • If unsure click the ‘see list’ button at the end of the box for options. • Ignore Reference Numbers section • STUDENT SUPPORT: 02 = you want some sort of loan; 01 = parents are paying for Everything • If you have clicked 02 you need to select the area you live, be careful when selecting between LEICESTER and LEICESTERSHIRE • Decide how you want UCAS to contact you with information • NOMINATED ACCESS: you need to enter the details of someone who can speak to UCAS or a university on your behalf, most likely the person who come into school with you to collect your results • ‘nationality’ or ‘residential category’ • For most of you this will be UK national and residential category will be UK citizen - England • Once complete click ‘section complete’ and ‘save’ Step 2 Personal Details

14. Click add choice Click on see list to enter the details of the university and course you have chosen. Check the university and course code carefully to make sure you have selected the correct one Leave point of entry blank Repeat for 4/5 choices Remember: universities are listed alphabetically not in an order of preference. Universities cannot see who else you have applied to. Step 3 Choices

15. Add LHS using the search bar If you did GCSEs at another school add this first Enter start date and finish date as 07/2017 (for GCSEs elsewhere enter 07/2015) Full time, Yes you will receive qualifications Click add qualification Step 4 Education

16. Click on GCSE/ Double Award GCSE from the list shown Find each subject, make sure you get the right name of your subject from your certificates Add Qualification date: 08/2015 Add Exam Board and grade Click save Repeat until all GCSEs are entered Adding GCSEs

17. a) If your AS levels have been certificated (also known as 'cashed in'): • You’d need to state the AS levels on your form as completed qualifications. The qualification date is the month and year the exam result was certificated (August 2016). • If you're taking any of these onto full A levels then you'd also state the A levels as 'pending' and put the qualification date for them as August 2016 (check with your school/college if you're not sure what month the exams are due to take place). • b) Add the AS modules in the module/unit section for the AS level, and the A level modules in the module/unit section for the A level.  • Then add the results in the grade boxes. • (You do not have to mention the modules but some universities want to know them) Adding AS and A levels

18. If your AS levels have been certificated (also known as 'cashed in'): • You'd follow the same procedure as before. Then you'd need to add the AS level again in which you're retaking a module, if it's going to be certificated again. So, on your application you will now have two AS level entries for that one subject – one with the original result and the second ‘pending’ while you wait for the result. • However if the school chooses not to certificate the new AS level for that subject, with the modules just going towards the full A level, then you wouldn't add it a second time. • If you've stated the modules of all your AS and A levels, then you should also make it clear which one you're retaking. To do this, you just need to add the relevant module in the 'module/unit' section of the pending AS level and state that the result is pending. You would also state the pending module in the A level instead of the module result you originally got.  • If the new AS level for that subject isn't going to be certificated and the retakes are just going to go towards the final A level result, you would enter the AS modules under the A level. You would state the pending module in the A level instead of the module result you originally got. Adding AS and A levels: Re-sits

19. In this section you can also add other qualifications such as: • Music exams • CSLA • Speech and Drama Other Qualifications

20. If you have had a paid job you can enter the details here Click add employer and type in the business name You also need to add an address, job description, that it was part-time and the dates of your employment Step 5 Employment

21. Once you have completed your final draft of your personal statement on Word you can paste it into this box. Make sure you check regularly when you are drafting your statement to see if it fits as the characters in Word differ to those on the UCAS website. Step 6 Statement

22. Once you have completed the previous 6 sections and marked them as complete you can view all of your UCAS application as one document. CHECK IT CAREFULLY When you are happy with it you can tick ‘section completed’ and ‘save’. Step 7 View all details

23. Once each section is marked as complete and you have ticked the box on the ‘view all details’ page you can pay! Follow the instructions on screen to pay by card. Once you have paid your application goes to Mrs Solly to check. Don’t worry if you realise you have made a mistake or want to change something afterwards – she can send it back to you!! Once it has been checked and your reference is sorted your application can be sent!!! Step 8 Pay/send

24. Personal Statements

25. https://www.ucas.com/ucas/undergraduate/apply-track/writing-personal-statementhttps://www.ucas.com/ucas/undergraduate/apply-track/writing-personal-statement

28. 1. When should I start? • "As soon as you can! Give yourself time to write it properly. Your first draft alone could take you a whole day to write." Amy Smith, Nottingham Trent University. • "Set yourself a schedule. It will take longer than you think to write your personal statement and it is important that you allow time to review your work several times." Emily Bell, the University of Liverpool.

29. 2. What are unis looking for? • "Don’t forget about the obvious! Why do you want to study your chosen course? Hopefully it’s something you know the answer to and have taken a lot of time to think about so make sure you include it." Emma Powell, Edge Hotel School. • "Enthusiasm, motivation and focus about the subject you’re applying to. Mention extra- curricular activities, transferable skills and include what your future career plans are after your degree." Maxine Charlton, the University of York. • "Unis aren’t looking for a dictionary definition of a subject. They know what their degrees are about; they want to know what you understand and enjoy about the subject. Emily Bell, University of Liverpool. • "The best personal statements effectively link examples of the student's extra-curricular activities with the university's entry requirements." Amy Smith, Nottingham Trent University.

30. 3. How should I structure my personal statement? • "Put your notes in order according to what the course you're interested in is looking for. If you have any skills and experience relevant to the entry requirements, make sure you say so at the start of your personal statement." Amy Smith, Nottingham Trent University. • "First impressions aren’t everything – yes, a lot of personal statements start in the same way. However, don’t put so much prominence on writing a witty first line – having a good overall personal statement will make a much better impression." Emma Powell, Edge Hotel School.

31. 4. What should I do when I've written it? • "Check it carefully! Get your teachers, friends, partner, work colleagues or someone else you trust to read it - out loud - to you. It's a great way to spot errors and make sure it makes sense." Amy Smith, Nottingham Trent University. • "Don’t forget to save an up-to-date copy somewhere. If you are invited for an interview your personal statement is likely to be read by the person interviewing you and may be used as a starting point for questions. Make sure you can remember what you wrote and back it all up if you are asked." Emma Powell, Edge Hotel School.

32. 5. What other advice do you have? "Do not mention a specific university. Unless you reveal otherwise, we will think that you really only want to come to us!" Emily Bell, the University of Liverpool. • "Remember you have a lot to offer – you just have to write about yourself in a positive way and sell all the skills and experience that you have." Amy Smith, Nottingham Trent University

33. The Personal Statement:How to start? The tricky matter of your opening line and first paragraph.

34. 10 most overused opening sentences for Personal Statements: 10. Academically, I have always been a very determined and ... (138 times) 9. I am an International Academy student and have been studying since ... (141 times) 8. For as long as I can remember I have been interested in ... (166 times) 7. Nursing is a profession I have always looked upon with ... (178 times) 6. "Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only” ... (189 times)

35. 10 most overused opening sentences for Personal Statements:_________________________________________ 5. For as long as I can remember I have been fascinated with ... (196 times) 4. Nursing is a very challenging and demanding career ... (275 times) 3. From an early age I have always been interested in ... (292 times) 2. From a young age I have always been interested in ... (309 times) 1. I am currently studying a BTEC National Diploma in ... (used 464 times)

36. Opening Line One Often the hardest concepts to understand are the most intriguing.

37. It continues… Maybe it is the fact that the cat can be both dead and alive, the universe finite but unbound, or light both a particle and a wave. It is partly for these reasons that I find physics intriguing. Modern day advances in physics fuel my interest for the subject, such as the recent discovery of a Higgs-like particle. A degree in physics is one that will allow me to develop invaluable transferable skills, while exploring in-depth topics which I find both fascinating and stimulating.

38. Opening Line Two Dentistry is a career where I could make a real impact on people's lives; I could alleviate pain and improve quality of life through a professional relationship.

39. It continues… • I observed this at a Dental Access Centre where patients were relieved to be free of pain, something I found very rewarding. This year I have volunteered at a care home for the elderly with dementia, developing my ability to communicate effectively and empathise. It introduced me to the greatsatisfaction of working in a caring profession, where fulfilling relationships are developed.

40. Opening Line Three I have considered the popular question of whether a glass is half full or half emptymathematically and psychologically.

41. It continues… The answers have been explained by optimism and pessimism, suggesting the analysis of environments is governed by cognitive processes, which result in a particular outlook. A solution from a mathematical perspective is that if the value of empty is zero and full is one then the glass cannot be half empty, as half of zero is zero, but the glass can be half of full. Both mathematics and psychology have fascinated me at A-level as they challenge my thinking in different ways.

42. Opening Line Four My interest in history was first sparked when discovering my grandfather's letters which documented his time as a political prisoner in India in 1947.

43. It continues… Since then I have felt compelled to learn about the past, something which was fuelled further when uncovering my family tree which spans over four hundred years. My inquisitive nature has led me towards further reading, and I have a particular interest in 20th century history. Guha's 'India after Gandhi‘ documents the difficulty to establish democracy after British rule, and gives great insight into the world's largest democratic country.

44. Useful advice… • Don't submit to ‘writer’s block’ and spend ages trying to come up with a perfect, snappy first line – write anything and return to it later. • Famous quotations should be used with caution, as these may be found in countless other applications. • Don't list your interests, demonstrate them. Professor Alan Gange, head of the department of biological sciences at Royal Holloway, University of London, says: "Actually doing something, for example joining a national society or volunteering for a conservation organisation, tells me that students have a passion."

45. Useful advice… • Style matters. Don't be chatty and use slang, but on the other hand, don't be pretentious. Cathy Gilbert, director of customer strategy at UCAS, says: "If you try too hard to impress with long words that you are not confident using, the focus of your writing may be lost.“ • Be original but treat humour with caution – jokes can fall flat.

46. Useful advice… • Don't ask too many people for advice. Input from others is helpful, but it is important that your personality comes across. • Nicole Frith, who is studing for a BSc in Geography at the University of Durham, asked two teachers for advice on content. "I would seriously advise against asking teacher after teacher," she said. "There is no such thing as a perfect personal statement, and everyone has different opinions." Most admissions offices are happy to give general advice too.

47. Warning!! • Don't be tempted to let someone else write your personal statement for you. A news report claimed students are paying up to £350 on the internet for Personal Statements written by university students. UCAS, which uses fraud detection software to identify cheating, warns of "serious consequences". • Don’t skimp on paragraphs, despite their negative impact on line count. You want your statement to be readable.

48. Useful advice… • In the end, honesty is the best policy. Tell the admissions tutor, in your own words, why you deserve a place. Just be yourself!

49. Useful advice… • In the end, honesty is the best policy. Tell the admissions tutor, in your own words, why you deserve a place. Just be yourself!

50. Work Experience • Work experience is essential for some degrees such as medicine and dentistry. • Work experience shows the tutors your commitment to the area you wish to study • It also helps you demonstrate how you have developed particular skills