Get the Edge: What Next?

Get the Edge:What Next? For university applicants

You’ve made your application… • Uni’s and Colleges have until early May to make their decisions • You may be undergoing interviews • You’ll be using UCAS ‘Track’ to view status of your application and to respond to offers (by the deadline) with a firm acceptance /insurance acceptance

Replying to Offers • Firm acceptance- first choice, if you get the grades you will go • Insurance acceptance- Back-up, if you don’t get the grades for your first choice • Decline- you are then eligible for UCAS Extra and clearing

Interviews • Not all university courses will interview potential students. • Policies vary greatly and some universities interview only selected or borderline applicants and some do not interview at all. If you are invited to interview, there are lots of things you can do before, during and after interviews to get the most from the experience.

Preparation • The when's and where's: Make sure you know where you need to be and when, and make any necessary travel and accommodation arrangements in advance. • Knowledge is power: Be sure to read the prospectus and look on the university's or college's website - the more you know about it and the course you have applied for, the keener you'll seem. Make a list of questions you'd like to ask, perhaps the kind of things the prospectus doesn't tell you. • Know your application: Make sure you're familiar with what you put in your application - this is all your interviewer knows about you so far so he or she will probably ask you about some of the things you've mentioned.

Be familiar with 'hot topics' in your subject area: You may well be asked about them, and don't forget to read the newspapers too. Interviewers commonly ask for your views on the issues of the day. • Practice makes perfect: A mock interview might be a good idea. Why did you choose this course; what do you enjoy most on the course you are currently studying and why did you choose this university are typical things you might be asked. Ask a teacher or careers adviser to run through a mock interview with you.

Dress appropriately: Although you probably won't need to wear a suit to interview, show your interviewer you are taking things seriously by dressing smartly (smart trousers and a shirt or blouse will do the trick). • Arrive in good time: Take any contact numbers just in case the worst happens and you get delayed on the way to your interview. • Body language: Be aware of your body language in the interview room - don't slouch or yawn; sit up and look alert. Make sure you are giving off all the right signals.

Stumped?: If you don't understand a question ask for it to be repeated or rephrased. Make good guesses or relate your answer to something you do know something about. • Expect the unexpected: While interviewers aren't trying to trick you, some will want to see how you react under pressure. A surprise test or exercise isn't unheard of so stay calm and think clearly. • Ask questions: While your interviewer needs to find out about you by asking lots of questions, you'll come across as enthusiastic if you ask appropriate questions too. Use the interview as a chance to find out answers to your questions that weren't answered on the website or in the prospectus.

UCAS Extra You can use Extra if you have applied through UCAS, used all 5 choices and… • All your choices have been unsuccessful • You have declined all 5 Extra is open end of Feb-end of June 2011 Extra button will appear on Track through which you can apply for courses that have vacancies

How does Extra work? • Go back to course search-there will be an ‘X’ next to courses that still have vacancies • Contact the uni or college to make sure you can apply through Extra • When you have chosen a course, choose the Extra button on track and enter the course details • UCAS will send your application to the University

Choosing a course • Work with your Connexions/Career advisor and tutors-you my need to consider related or alternative subjects and they can help • You can apply for one course at a time through Extra so choose carefully

What happens next? • If offered a place, accept or decline by the date shown in Track • If you decline an offer or the uni turns you down your Extra button will be reactivated and you can start again • If you don’t receive any offers through Extra don’t worry-the next step is clearing

Results Day • Be available-if you need to use Clearing, you will need to speak directly to the University or college YOURSELF • Get support from your college careers/Connexions advisers beforehand as you may need to make quick and potentially difficult decisions if using Clearing • Check uni/college contact details in Track

Results Day: What happens if… • You get the grades you need? You get onto your firm choice • You don’t get the grades you needed for your firm choice but do for your insurance choice? Check that your firm choice won’t accept you anyway, but you will at least get onto your insurance choice

Results Day: What happens if… • Your results don’t meet the conditions of any of your choices? You will automatically be entered into Clearing • You already know that you don’t have a place (because you didn’t receive any offers or you declined them) You are automatically entered for Clearing

UCAS Clearing • Clearing is a system that allows you to approach a number of universities/courses with vacancies at once • It is for applicants with no offers or who apply after 30th June 20.. • It is open between July and September-most people use it after results are published in August but if you know your results before you can use it earlier • If you only made a single choice on your original application you can pay an extra £10 and enter clearing

Steps to Clearing • Be prepared- You don’t have to stick to the subject areas you choose originally so get advice from Career/Connexion advisers about which courses and subject would be suitable for you • Look at the vacancies- There will be official vacancy lists on the UCAS website and in the National media following publication of exam results

Steps to Clearing 3. Get your Clearing number from Track-it will be displayed on the Welcome page and Choices page 4. Once you have your exam results, contact universities and colleges with vacancies that interest you to see if you can gain a place through Clearing. They will ask for your Clearing number which enables them to view your application

Steps to Clearing… 5. Accepting provisional offers-whenyou are speaking to a variety of different universities, you may be provisionally offered several places 6. Formally accepting offers- You will need to decide which one to accept. The universities will give you a date by which you must formally accept by entering the course details on Track (using the Add Clearing choice button)

Steps to Clearing… 7. If your place is confirmed- it will show up on Track (in the choices section) and you will receive a confirmation letter 8. If you are not accepted- the ‘Add Clearing Choice’ button will be reactivated on Track so that you can try to accept another provisional offer

Other Options… If you do not have a place at the end of this process it’s time to look at other options e.g: • Get some experience in the subject area • Consider a school leaver programme • Take a Gap Year (www.yearoutgroup.com), travel work, volunteer, learn something new, retake qualifications, • Re-apply next year but be aware you will be subject to the new student finance system BE CONSTRUCTIVE AND PRO-ACTIVE!!!

Need some advice? • Careers advisers in college/6th form • Connexions Team in college/6th form • Admissions tutors at Universities

Don’t Forget • You can apply for your Student Finance from………………………. • www.direct.gov.uk/student finance

Further Information • www.ucas.com • www.prospects.ac.uk • www.thestudentroom.co.uk • www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance • www.notgoingtouni.com • www.push.co.uk • www.connexions-direct.com • www.do-it.org.uk • www.volunteering.org.uk • www.realgap.co.uk • Publications: The Independent (Clearing Lists)

Get the Edge: What Next?