UCAS International Advisers Conference 2013

1. UCAS International Advisers Conference 2013 Updates and Important Reminders for Guidance Counsellors Presented by: Kate Whalley, Friday 13th September 2013

2. Admissions Tests

3. Admissions Tests –Important General Information for Students • All types of test are based on a range of material – older information (from 1st or 2nd year) is often touched upon in a different way so that they must recall it and critically apply it in a logical way • Unlike other tests it is possible to lose marks by writing too much (and not enough) – if the instructions say “15 lines” they mean 15 lines – no more, no less. Writing too little or too much will result in marks being deducted.

4. Medical Tests – BMAT & UKCAT • BMAT: Looks for scientific knowledge as these uni’s have more theoretical academic-based courses where students have 3 years of foundational study before hospital placement. Oxford – top 20% of those called for interview are based solely on their BMAT results. • UKCAT: Focuses on problem-solving and situational judgement, so courses tend to be based on more experiential practically-based learning Learning style of student should be taken into account

5. Law Test – LNAT Questions are based on long piece of text – the main issues affecting students are: • Time management – practice under timed conditions to avoid running out of time • Going on a rant - topics for essays tend to be provocative; students should avoid ones they feel strongly about so that they can concentrate on presenting both sides of the argument and come to a logical conclusion towards the end of their essay • Marking scheme is misunderstood – students need to look at the marking scheme online when they are researching the past papers

6. Foreign Language Tests Oxford and Cambridge: Language knowledge and aptitude is tested; For grammar – if they already study the language they are applying for, this is the language that is tested; if they are applying to study a new language, the grammar test is based on a made-up language that they must try to figure out so they can answer questions on it

7. Maths / History / English • Maths – STEP: even if they do not have to sit this for their chosen college, they should make themselves familiar with this test to prepare for interviews • History – HAT: As well as an essay question there is a source comparison test between primary and secondary sources that they will not have studied in the course of their school work • English – ELAT: Comparative literature based on a theme – the literature is given to them and they must not introduce any material even if it is directly relevant to what they are discussing

8. Applying to Medicine

9. Applying to Medicine Too many applicants, too little places – esp for international and EU students Students must demonstrate their knowledge and experience: • Relevant work experience / volunteering (2/3 months) • Critical reading and discussion of subject • Further research into the role of the doctor • Keep up with current affairs / NHS • Different approaches to teaching of medicine in the universities they have applied for

10. Applying to Oxbridge Oxford and Cambridge Applications

11. Applying to Oxbridge • Overseas students make up 25% of undergraduate and 75% of postgraduate students; no quotas are set apart from medicine – Oxford = 14 places / Cambridge = 11 • Workload – many students are not prepared for the amount of work needed: approx 45+ hours per week expected (outside of class time) • Individual colleges within the university should be selected based on location and facilities – choosing one (or not choosing any) does not affect the application. They may be asked about their choice in an interview. Students should research each college using unofficial prospectus produced by the students of each college

12. Oxbridge Selection Criteria • Academic Ability – predicted results/test results/references/personal statement/interview • Academic Interest in the Course – references/personal statement/interview • Personal Qualities (related to their potential to succeed) – references/personal statement/interview

13. Academic Ability & Interest Predicted Results: Oxbridge often wait for results to make offers (if everything else looks promising) but if predicted results are low in the subjects they are expected to excel in the student will probably be well down their list in terms of offers Test Results: Students need to be very familiar with past papers marking schemes in advance; practice timings, etc. Sit tests as early as possible to allow time for results to be gathered References: Give context for student in terms of their class – are they the best? They need to know how the student is performing in the subjects they are expected to excel in; no need to discuss personal matters unless it relates directly to the students application

14. Personal Statements for Oxbridge Different criteria for Oxbridge – they expect 80% of statement to be focused on academic ability and interest; 20% on extra curricular and personal info that is directly related to their application What they need to include: • Why they want to study at Oxford/Cambridge (know the specifics of the course content and teaching methodologies) • What they have done in school that makes them want to do this • Demonstration of their commitment – what have they done to further interest, especially job experience/work shadowing/volunteering • Research into chosen course – they should cite 2-3 texts they have used to further their knowledge and be able to show that they have critically engaged with the texts (expect this to come up in the interview)

15. Interviews at Oxbridge • By the time that students are called for interview they have a 1 in 3 chance of getting a place • Students should expect 2 to 3 interviews of up to 3 hours duration • Interviews are now often conducted by Skype or telephone if required • For most courses the interview is used to identify a genuine desire to do the chosen course, rather than an interest in a particular career • Students need to research a great deal before interviews – as well as course content they should also look at essential and preferred subjects for their chosen course; expect to be questioned thoroughly if you had the choice to do a preferred subject and didn’t! • Expect lots of academically-focused questions based on course they are applying for – they look for ability as well as suitability • Good logical flexible thinkers are very important – even if students don’t get the right answer they need to show that they can work through problems logically; don’t just revise material from the last two years in school

16. Understanding Fee Status

17. Fee Status • For most of our students this will be relatively straightforward – they will be classified as “Home/EU” not “International” • Note – this relates to Fee Status only – not loans. EU student loans in the UK apply to tuition fees only; only Home students can apply in the UK for cost of living loans • Meeting Scholarship criteria also depends on Fee Status • Some government funded courses (NHS) are only available to Home or EU students • Some accommodation only available to certain Fee Status students (or priority is given to International students, then EU, then Home) • There may be increased competition for some courses based on the students Fee Status (ie. government cap on Medicine courses) • Some universities practice Student Number Control: From 2013 they will have fixed numbers for EU students; unlimited numbers for high achieiving Home students, and limited numbers for Home students under ABB • Recommended to check guidelines for each university as all have different rules and selection criteria

18. Fee Status – What Students Need to Remember: • Decisions as to whether students are EU or International may differ between universities – take care when accepting conditional offers as the fees for Int students can be more than doubled or tripled that of EU students • If there are any problems students should alert universities immediately via email or registered letter • Fee status won’t change after enrolment – students sign to confirm status on enrolment and individual change of circumstances will not be taken into account (exception – Croatia joining the EU) • If they are deemed International after a basic assessment, there are a variety of non-standard fee status issues they will need to address (and will need to have relevant documentation to support their application)

19. Basic Assessment • Is the student an EU resident for the past 3 years? And 2. Does the student have unlimited leave to remain a resident in the EU without restrictions?

20. Status: Dual Nationals Swiss Nationals Refugee or asylum seekers Temporary absence Documents Required: Evidence of family home address Current Visa Family member’s passports/visas Marriage certs Record of travel to and from home country Common Non-Standard Fee Status

21. More Information www.ukcisa.org.uk UK Council for International Student Affairs Contains all relevant information for non-UK students from Visa info to Fees and Scholarships, information on accommodation, immigration, working in the UK, opening bank accounts, registering with a GP, etc. All universities are members of UKCISA, and they have a free advice live for members of the public operating for three hours daily from 1pm to 4pm (Mon to Fri).

22. Personal Statements

23. Main Problems with Personal Statements Vague / Lack of Focus: Admissions are mainly looking for a candidate’s suitability for a particular course, so vague statements where students don’t talk about a particular course tend to be rejected Opposing Courses: Statements that talk about 2 opposing careers like Medicine and Dentistry are immediately rejected Lack of Work Experience: WE is ssential for Medicine! 2-3 months work experience must be described in order to meet criteria and is vitally important due to the restriction on places for international students Similarity Detection: If plagiarism is detected the application is rejected and the student is removed from the UCAS cycle for that year. In some cases they cannot reapply for the same colleges. Ever. Irrelevant Information: General statements that don’t relate in any way to the rest of the information given are a waste of space and are more likely to be rejected. Link everything back to course – not able to do this? Leave it out. Academic V Personal Information: Statements should be predominantly academic-related information – more than 40% personal info (even if directly relevant) will not be viewed favourably

24. Personal Information Most universities look for 60:40 Academic:Personal information in the statement, but the personal info must still be relevant to the course chosen. Advise students to follow the ABC Rule for providing examples of personal information: A = Activity: What activity did you take part in? B = Benefit: What transferable skills did you learn? C = Course: How does this relate to the course you have applied for?

25. Example: I am a member of the school chess club. I play the clarinet in a youth orchestra. 

26. Instead: I have developed my problem-solving skills through playing chess for my school. This requires a lot of concentration and analytical thought. I am used to working as part of a team as a member of a local youth orchestra (I play clarinet); cooperating with others to achieve a finished production, as well as managing my time so that this does not interfere with my school work. I believe the ability to work well with others, particularly under pressure in circumstances where crucial decisions have to be made, is a vital skill for a doctor; as they must solve problems quickly and effectively, alone or in collaboration with others, for the ultimate wellbeing of the patient. 

27. Layout / Structure • Recommended to use paragraphs – sacrifice some word count to make it look nice (A5 block of text when sent to Admissions) • Use headings if paragraph structure allows for it • No right or wrong way to structure but most find it easier to stick to a standard intro – main body – conclusion style • Make the opening very strong • Ideas for what to include in the main body are in the UCAS powerpoint presentation • Underline your commitment and desire to do the course in the conclusion – many just taper off and don’t finish well • Expect to do up to 10 drafts of the personal statement – many international students fall down in this regard as they are often applying for the UK as a back-up to preferred course in home country • Advise students to avoid gimmicks like quotes, jokes, arranging text into strange shapes!

28. References

29. Main Points to Remember re References • Put the praise in the reference not in the personal statement • The course they have applied for must be mentioned in the reference • If the student had relevant work experience this must be referenced – did this improve their school performance • Target the subjects that are relevant to the course and discuss student in terms of the rest of the student body • Focus on: performance in class/ability to work alone/excellent research skills/leadership ability/teamwork/ability to challenge effectively/ ability to argue a point well not polite/well-mannered/charming etc

30. Other things to mention… • Illness or disabilities • Illness or death of family members • If students are the sole carer of a family member • Family problems (divorce, unemployment) • Students working part time to support family (Seek permission to disclose any of the above) • Any difficulties the student had to overcome in school (eg. having more than one teacher per subject in senior cycle) * Also, parental pressures towards certain careers may be noted in a subtle way which gives a clear message to Admissions without causing problems if the reference is seen by other parties - “XXX has always been a solid student who has been supported unwaveringly by his parents in his pursuit of a career in medicine…”

31. Predicted Grades • Grades must match or exceed what’s required for the course to be considered for conditional offers • Students who miss conditional offers due to lower grades than required are unlikely to secure a place in their top choice courses BUT • Schools must be careful to be as accurate as possible when predicting grades • Accurate predictions build good reputations and recommendations in references are more likely to be viewed favourably as a result • Conversely, schools that regularly over-predict to secure places for their students will be highlighted as a problem and will destroy the credibility of the school in other matters • UCAS recommend writing a “no-negotiation” policy into the guidance plan to protect staff who feel pressurised into inflating a student’s predicted grades – this may seem harsh but it shows a consistency of approach and also shows that staff decisions are supported

32. The Wise Advisor Changes in UCAS

33. Changes in 2014 and beyond… • In 2014 there will be a min 1000 character count for the personal statement • By 2015 (and hopefully this year) there will be a facility through UCAS to submit another personal statement when applying for courses through Extra – this year students are advised to ask the universities directly if they can submit another personal statement directly to their Admissions • UCAS manages applications for 41 private universities and many of these are classifies as FE not HE – this has many implications so students should be very careful when considering any of these colleges / courses • There are now embedded videos in each section helping students (and guidance counsellors) along the application path – if they have already seen them they can be hidden so they aren’t distracting them during future visits • Students applying as individuals will now have their independent referees supplying their predicted grades – there is a box to tick if they feel they cannot supply any for the candidate

34. Cont…. • There will be a more intuitive school name search and qualifications search; students will also be able to search for qualifications by country • A message will now appear along with the disability question to explain why this is in the form • Additional information has been added to clarify information for students who need a Tier 4 Visa to study in the UK • Size of field to enter names has been increased • An email address is now mandatory • New website has been released – new version of Track is expected to be released by Dec at the latest • By Dec it is hoped that students will be able to update their qualifications via Track

35. Final Notes

36. Students need to look at courses that they will genuinely love before considering their suitability for future careers. 50% of graduate jobs advertised in the UK last year did not specify a degree area. Course First, Career Later

37. Getting Value from 3rd Level Robert Willis (University of Edinburgh) gives the following advice to students researching universities in the UK: As well as location, suitability and course content, students should be thinking of the value of their course – • What is the contact time with staff? • What amount of work will I have to hand in? • How quickly is this work turned around? • Who is teaching the course and what is their background? • What is the group size – lecture/tutorials? • How specific is the content and choice to their needs?

38. The End!