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Factors for successful applications Tony Charlton, Professional Development Executive
Factors for successful applicationsTony Charlton, Professional Development Executive
What do you already know about UCAS?• Central organisation for processing applications to most F/T UK HE providers
• Not government owned or funded
• A registered charity
• Vision: UCAS is at the heart of connecting people to higher education
• Mission: To inspire and facilitate progression in education through information and admissions services
UK F/T HE – setting the scene
• Number of HEPs recruiting through UCAS
380+• Number of courses
35,000+
Archaeology and
Ancient
Civilisations
Architectural
Engineering
Surveying and
Mapping Science
Law and
Photography
Folk and
Traditional Music
Network
Computing
Crime Scene
Science
Can you identify the bogus courses?
Ballistic
Engineering
Perfumery
Bovine
Management
Key features of the UCAS scheme• One online application per admissions cycle
• cost: £23 (single choice: £12)• Simultaneous application through UCAS Conservatoires permissible
• Maximum five choices• Some choice restrictions:
• Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Medicine – maximum four • Oxford or Cambridge
• Consideration is:• Simultaneous and• Invisibleand replies to offers only made after decisions are recorded for all choices
• Opportunities for other choices (Extra, Clearing, Adjustment)
Key dates and deadlines (2016) 27 May: Apply 2016 went live for student registrations
15 October:* Deadline for
Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, Dentistry Oxford or Cambridge
15 January:* Main application ‘equal consideration’ deadline
24 March:* Deadline for some art and design courses
30 June:* Deadline for applications with choices
20 September:* Final deadline for applications made direct to Clearing
* all 18:00 UK time
Staff Apply – logging in
Completing an application
Learners have up to seven sections to complete
TIP: Make a ‘dummy’ application
• Fail to check Entry Requirements or take admissions test
• Qualifications missing or incorrectly entered
• Inappropriate email address or email address not verified
• Tick some boxes (e.g. relevant, unspent criminal convictions) in error
• Fail to tick other boxes (e.g. Section complete)
Common applicant errors
HEP decisions and offersConditional Offers• Can be expressed as:
• Tariff points • e.g. 280 Tariff points
• Qualifications and grades • e.g. ABB in A levels or
DMM in BTEC NationalDiploma (NQF)
• Mixture of both • e.g. 360 Tariff points including
an A in A level Maths
Decisions• Unsuccessful• Conditional offer• Unconditional offer• Interview• Withdraw• Full
Offers• Both Conditional and Unconditional offers can contain non-academic
conditions
• Applicants do not need to reply to offers until decisions have been recorded for ALL of their choices
• Applicants are emailed each time their recordis updated (and advised to check Track for details)
• A reply date is given in Track when the final decision is recorded
• Letters are no longer posted (but can be printed from Track)
Replies (1)• Firm acceptance (the choice the applicant wants to go to)
• If an unconditional offer is firmly accepted, the applicant is placedand must decline any other offers
• If a conditional offer is firmly accepted, the applicantcan also accept an insurance choice (if they haveother offers and they want to)
• The insurance choice will only comeinto play if the applicant is notaccepted by their firm choice after results are released
• CMA 14 day cool off
Replies (2)
Confirmation• Exam results collected through the Awarding Body Linkage (ABL) are matched and
sent electronically to the providers where offers are held
• Results for some qualifications are available from early July • These are passed on to providers and Clearing begins
• ABL receives (Scottish / rest of UK level 3 results) early, but under embargo
• In these periods Track and Adviser Track updates are suspended
• Admissions staff check to see if applicants have met the conditions of offers and record their final(confirmation) decisions for as manyapplicants as possible ready forresults publication days when statusTrack and Adviser Track are updated
Confirmation• Exam results collected through the Awarding Body Linkage (ABL) are matched and
sent electronically to the providers where offers are held
• Results for some qualifications are available from early July • These are passed on to providers and Clearing begins
• ABL receives (Scottish / rest of UK level 3 results) early, but under embargo
• In these periods Track and Adviser Track updates are suspended
• Admissions staff check to see if applicants have met the conditions of offers and record their final(confirmation) decisions for as manyapplicants as possible ready forresults publication days when statusTrack and Adviser Track are updated
Services on A level results day
18:00 06:00 07:30 08:00 17:00 20:00
Clearing vacancies displayed on UCAS search tool
Social Media support starts
Adviser Track with updated status view will go live and UCASContact Centre opens
Track with updated status view live
‘Add Clearing choice’ will be available to enteron Track
Contact Centre and Social Media hub close
Services for A level results day 2016 (TBC)
Wed 17 Aug
Thu 18 Aug
How to contact us What if…?I don’t get any offers?
I don’t get in anywhere?
I do better than expected and want to go somewhere else?
UCAS EXTRA operates from late Feb to early July• Eligibility:
• Used all 5 initial choices• No ‘live’ choices left
• Search and add one more choice (at a time)
CLEARING operates from mid-July to October• Eligibility:
• No ‘live’ choices left• Clearing number given in Track
• Call providers to see if they can offer a place add a choice (from 17.00)
ADJUSTMENT operates from A level results day to end of August… BUT… each applicant has a brief window (up to 5 days) to ‘lock-in’ the achieved place while they search for a possible alternative
Eligible applicant
researches vacancies
Contacts member
provider(s) to discuss
application
Applicant enters choice
details on Track
Member provider considers
application
If unsuccessful applicant can
start again
Applicant placed on
course
Clearing
Personal statements
QU +E + S + T
Which isn’t from a real PS?
It was a catch 12 situation
I think of myself as a worm hearted individual
English is like a second language to I
Twice a week I attend marital arts classes
What are they looking for?
• Evidence of:
• Effective research
• Reflective thinking
• Critical engagement with subject
• Motivation, enthusiasm, commitment, maturity
• Relevant transferable skills and experience
• Course information and entry profiles can give some veryspecific clues (E.G. “ability to work effectively as part of ateam”, “good written and oral communication skills”)
How to write about skills – the ABC method
Good
Better
Best
Activity: What have you done?
Benefit: What skills have you gained?
Course: How will this prepare you for the course?
TIP: GIVE IT THE ‘SO WHAT?’ TEST
(Could an Admissions tutor say ‘So what?’ to anything in it?If so, work on it more or consider if it needs to be included)
‘ABC’ rule and ‘So What?’ test
Stand out for ‘good reasons’▪ Try not to come across as a ‘clever Dick’ or ‘smart Alec’
▫ Write a poem instead of prose
▫ Use text speak to make more room
▫ Refer to a website as it will tell them more about you
▪ Don’t boast or brag▫ This is better done on your behalf by your referee!
▪ Be positive▫ Don’t criticise your teachers, school, curriculum etc.
▫ Don’t ‘commit GBH’ on the English language!
▪ Make sure your statement works for ALL choices▫ Don’t mention one by name (except in particular circumstances –
e.g. if you attended a summer school or taster course etc.)
Good reasons: subject insight
During Work Experience
Observing a dentist
Saw him/her calm a distressed patient
Realised how important communication skills are for dentistry
Good reasons: critical thinking and analytical ability
During a History debate
I had to critique the argument of the opposition
Needed to listen carefully to identify flaws in their argument; then took the lead in prioritising the points that we wished to make in support of our case.
As a result, our team won the debate
Law applicant - first draft
I enjoy watching football, I play basketball for Tyneside schools, Ising in a choir, I am doing the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme, Iam a member of a local debating society, I work in Tesco onSaturdays and I shop for my Granny on Monday after school.
I have been an active member of a Newcastle-based debating
society for the last three years. This has proved really interestingas I have had the chance to research and defend viewpoints thatI would normally not agree with; an exercise which I’m sure willbe prove valuable as a Law degree student.
Second draft
UCAS similarity detection service
DO NOT
FORGET
▪ UCAS puts EVERY personal
statement through similarity
detection (‘Copycatch’)
▪ This checks it against:
▫ Other personal statements from
the same cycle and earlier cycles
▫ Known websites
▫ Known publications
Writing UCAS references
A common format model
Information about school/college
Special circumstances (if applicable)
Subject by subject report
Suitability for chosen course
Concluding endorsement
Performance in
individual modules or
course components
Any additional
preparation by student
in support of application
Motivation and
suitability for the
chosen HE course
Examples of exploring
the subject beyond
the bounds of the
school or college
curriculum
Ability to work hard as
part of a team or
independently and to
keep to deadlines
Are assignment
results a fair reflection
of ability?
Student capability as
an independent
learner
Academic and practical
skills specific to your
subject
Attainment in
comparison to rest of
group
Subject reports
Writing style
▪ Try to ensure that style and tone are consistent
▪ You do not have to use subject reports in their entirety or word for word
▪ Direct quotes can be used
▪ Input from other sources can be included (e.g. external tutors, work or study placements etc.)
▪ Plain English is best
▫ Admissions staff want to be able to read and absorb them quickly initially
Style example 1
X is an outstanding young man; were I to pour out a stream of
superlatives it would be no more, no less than he deserves. He is
this year’s Head Prefect; I can only say that it is an exceptional year
group and yet he has stood out. He has a buoyancy and energy and
a natural sense of care for others that make it a privilege to know him.
He simply loves life, people, school, everything, and though he makes
major commitments to all sorts of things, he does all that he undertakes
supremely well. (I saw him purely by chance, miles away from school,
during the summer holidays – he was at the seaside accompanying a
group of disabled people who were on a day out, and that is
absolutely typical of him.)
Some admissions professionals’ responses:
The style is too rococo for some tastes and may obscure the excellence of the candidate
Could be described as “over the top.” This would put me off (I’d probably offer the candidate an interview out of interest!)
Very verbose…lots of superlatives
I feel that the author is trying to hide something – it is so fulsome!
The style of this reference annoys me.
Style example 2X is someone of whom we are very proud. She is an exceptionally hard
working and committed pupil who is popular with both staff and students
and has gained their respect for her friendly and responsible attitude.
She has an excellent record of attendance and punctuality; she is
mature, well motivated and conscientious as well as being meticulous in
her organisation of herself and her studies.
X has held some positions of responsibility with success. She took on
the responsibility as captain of the school sports day athletics team
displaying excellent organisational skills. She has been consistently
supportive of her form’s and the school’s charity events and has
personally raised money for charities.
Some admissions professionals’ responses:
Clearly written and easy to read
I prefer this plain nature of words and style
Is a little brusque, but conveys an air of objectivity, and is very close to the ideal from a stylistic point of view
The perfect structure, style and content. It takes 15 seconds to read and I know that the applicant fulfils all my requirements
Finally…avoid OTT eulogising
… and when he is not working towards World Peace, he
enjoys learning languages from scratch, writing
symphonies and playing a standard of golf that Tiger
Woods can only dream about.
Research resources UCAS website www.ucas.com
Providers’ websites (links from UCAS search tool) & social media
Unistats website www.unistats.directgov.uk
Prospectuses and course information leaflets
Books and guides
HE fairs and conventions
Open Days, virtual tours, taster courses, summer schools etc
Employers, relations, friends etc
Other websites and social media sites (keep a list and use learners’ research logs to add to/keep up to date)
Telephone providers directly Find out everything you can –don’t leave anything to chance
