Lee Worden Head of Access and Student Recruitment

1. Supporting successful progression to higher education Lee Worden Head of Access and Student Recruitment

2. Common issues with students • Students may…. • Have low aspirations and/or attainment • Be used to success (often easy success). • Have a narrow view of indicators of success (maturity?). Together we’ll create your future

3. Common issues with students • They must take responsibility • Don’t let them create boundaries • Make sure they do their research • It’s time for them to learn about pragmatism Together we’ll create your future

4. The Admissions Process • What does “competitive” mean: • - High expectations for entry alone • - High expectations for entry plus intense competition • - Institutions (not all programmes) • - Programmes (at non-competitive institutions) Together we’ll create your future

5. How do admissions tutors make their decisions (and why have tests?) • GCSEs • AS Results • A Level Predictions • Personal Statement • Style of UCAS form • Interviews • Tests - LNAT (Law), UKCAT, BMAT (Medicine)

6. The UCAS Reference • Possible structure for the reference: • General comments about School/College and student (providing context) • Individual comments about each subject (with predicted grades again?) • General remarks about the student (non-academic) including comments on the programme for which they have applied Together we’ll create your future

7. The UCAS Reference • Some general points to remember: • Be honest and where critical, constructive • A clear but personal reflection on the individual, their achievement and potential • Admissions tutors appreciate an academic judgement from an appropriately trained academic(especially where no interview is held) • Remember- due to the Data Protection Act students can ask for a copy of the reference or any other information that UCAS hold on them. Together we’ll create your future

8. The UCAS Reference • “AS unit grades please. Don't tell us it is your policy not to reveal them, and then expect us to make an offer to the applicants with weak GCSE grades and brilliant A-level predictions.” • “If it says in the prospectus that you need A-level Maths, then you know what, you need A-level Maths.” Together we’ll create your future

9. The UCAS Reference • “Don't hesitate to write enthusiastically about students you think highly of… if the applicant is head and shoulders above the rest of the class, make it clear.” • “When we find it difficult to rank a candidate, we often compare his/her applications to the other ones we have received from his/her school, and finding that every student has the same positive attributes does not fail to give a bad impression.” Together we’ll create your future

10. The UCAS Reference • “In recent years we have chosen to weigh quantitative evidence (UMS marks and individual maths module grades) very high in our scheme. As a guide the bulk of our offers went to applicants who had clearly over 550 UMS marks from 6 maths modules or had 6 A grades with supporting comments that the marks were at a very high level. I'm not sure what Physics do but their problems distinguishing applicants must be very similar. Roll on A* grades.” Together we’ll create your future

11. The UCAS Reference • “What we are really interested to know, from the Referee, is whether the candidate has a fast mind, can work independently, can assimilate new concepts quickly, is good at project work, is a good communicator, has imagination and dynamism, is well organised, has maturity, etc.” • “State whether the candidate is a member of NAGTY/YG&T Learner Academy, or, if not, would be eligible to join.” Together we’ll create your future

12. The UCAS Personal Statement • Suggested structure: • Why do you want to study this subject? • What have you done in the past that makes you particularly suitable to study the subject? • What else have you done that would contribute to the course and the university community and makes you an interesting and unique individual? Together we’ll create your future

13. The UCAS Personal Statement • “The personal statement is a place to demonstrate breadth, depth and dynamism.” • “I'll just mention one particularly counter-productive practice, which is to tell the reader what should be concluded from the facts presented (e.g., that the student's involvement in such or such activities demonstrates his qualities of leadership).” Together we’ll create your future

14. The UCAS Personal Statement • Suggested structure: • “I want to see a balance between academic interests and extra-curricular. Lots of academic and little or no extra-curr = nerd…whilst lots of extra-curr and no academic means they won't work hard enough.” • “Applicants seem to worry about their lack of work experience, well it is simply not easy to arrange chemical work experience and I don't worry about that.” Together we’ll create your future

15. After the Replies • Supporting students after receiving replies is just as important as supporting them in deciding where to apply and in writing their UCAS application: • Deciding between offers – select realistic choices for firm and insurance, maintain effort to achieve grades (it’s not over yet!) • Coping with “rejection” – expectations must be realistic from the start but all Universities are special and unique so any offer is an achievement Together we’ll create your future

16. Supporting successful progression to higher education Lee Worden Head of Access and Student Recruitment