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Lessons learned from August's UCAS Media insight newsletter

Tue 17 August 2021 - 09:09

By UCAS in UCAS advice

But this is a results phase like no other. It’s been a tough 18 months for young people – from current students, to pre-applicants, and even those with university still a couple of years away. All of the unanswered questions, the challenges of predicted grades, and the will-they-won’t-they of campus lockdowns – they’ve all added up.

But here might be the beginning of a new, post-pandemic, higher education. And there are some big changes in the student psyche that you need to be aware of.

The UCAS Media Insight Newsletter is your monthly snapshot of what’s going on in the sector; how student behaviours are changing, what policy is coming over the hill, and how you can leverage our resources for your benefit. You can sign up here.

Here’s what happened in July 2021:

STUDENT CONFIDENCE IN UNIVERSITY RETURNS FOR 2021/22

In September of 2020, the UK was...

My Clearing Journey

Tue 20 July 2021 - 10:58

By UCAS in UCAS advice

A–level results day was one of my worst days by far. Although I have come to terms with it now, it’s never fun missing out on the grades you have worked so hard for.

When I received my grades, I thought it was all over. I thought that I was never going to be able to go to university and study for a degree that I would truly enjoy. This is when I decided to take a step back with a gap year to study for re-takes.

Exams were just around the corner and preparation had been going well, but that’s when the world got put on pause. The pandemic changed everything - I wasn’t able to re-take my exams, nor was I able to submit my predicted grades. The chances of studying that year were getting slimmer and slimmer, and I definitely didn’t want to take another year off.

That’s when I turned to UCAS and Clearing. I managed to find various courses and universities that were willing...

Positive with a hint of caution - the UCAS Media July newsletter

Mon 19 July 2021 - 10:54

By UCAS in UCAS advice

It’s finally here.

This week, most COVID-19 restrictions were lifted in the UK and we can mercifully, cautiously, look for normal service to resume.

And whilst many of us will choose to uphold our safeguards for a little while longer, it will be refreshing to see the return of daily life and the impact it has on HE.

In preparation for a busy summer, a new term, and the start of the 21/22 cycle – we’ve been getting the lay of the land for you. Within this newsletter is a rundown of the world’s view on UK universities, the surprising state of applications, and 5 ways you can nail your Clearing campaigns this year.

The UCAS Media Insight Newsletter is your monthly...

Lessons learned from May's UCAS Media Insight Newsletter

Thu 17 June 2021 - 21:13

By UCAS in UCAS advice

Brighter mornings. Warmer evenings. The end of another disjointed academic year is fast approaching. With restrictions looking set to come to an end at some point this summer, higher education is becoming tentatively optimistic about being able to do some good old fashioned teaching again. 

But there’s still some way to go, on many fronts. So we’ve spent May supporting the sector’s mission back to normality, on both the student and academic sides. 

The UCAS Media Insight Newsletter is your monthly snapshot of what’s going on in higher education; how student behaviours are changing, what policy is coming over the hill, and how you can leverage our resources for your benefit. You can sign up here. 

Here’s what’s been happening in May 2021: 

DISCOVERY DAYS: 27,000 CURIOUS, SEARCHING MINDS 

Even before the events of 2020, it was becoming more and more difficult to engage with the...

Jamal's story

Wed 9 June 2021 - 14:40

By Refugee Education UK in UCAS advice


Jamal and his siblings were the first in their family to finish school due, in no small part, to their mother’s belief in the transformative power of education. Jamal thrived in his studies, excelling particularly at science.

From a young age, Jamal was acutely aware of the lack of healthcare in his home country. When this absence of medical help led to the premature death of his pregnant aunt, he became more determined than ever to become a doctor. Winning a scholarship to study medicine put this dream within his grasp.

But, in his first term at university, Jamal’s home country descended into civil war. He was forced to abandon his studies, return to his family and ultimately flee the country. Following uncertainty and trauma in a neighbouring country in the region, 22 year old Jamal arrived in the UK by himself and claimed asylum.

As soon as he was granted refugee status, Jamal made contact with every medical school he could think of. How, he asked...

Start to Success - a project to support student mental health and wellbeing

Mon 14 June 2021 - 10:54

By UCAS in UCAS advice

Start to Success - a project to support student mental health and wellbeing during transition: A case study and reflections from Laura Kendall (FE Liaison and Transitions Officer)

 

Start to Success is a student mental health project supporting student transitions into, through, and out of university. I work collaboratively with Keele and Staffordshire Universities to develop a whole community approach to supporting student mental health and wellbeing – in partnership with the region’s colleges, local authorities, police and NHS providers, who come together with a common purpose, to remove barriers, improve support and services, and enable student success.

As part of my role, I have developed a toolkit to support successful transitions into higher education (HE), including...

What happens when you share a mental health condition in the UCAS application? A case study from the University of Warwick

Thu 1 September 2022 - 14:32

By Amanda Bishop in UCAS advice

There is often a misconception that by declaring a disability or mental health condition, challenge or disorder, an application to a university may be looked at differently or unfavourably, but it is important to note that this is not the case.

When an application to the University of Warwick is received, it is looked at purely based on the academic elements, such as predicted and achieved grades, personal statements and teacher references, and also anything extra sent in, such as our Warwick AWARDS form. Any disability or mental health condition, challenge or disorder declared through UCAS does not impact on our academic assessment of the application form. At offer stage, the Disability Team makes contact with...

One year on, a feeling of hope

Thu 22 April 2021 - 08:30

By Rebecca Hopwood in UCAS advice

There is a feeling of hope in the air.

As COVID retreats, spring blooms. As the days get longer, the world begins to reopen. And as the mornings get brighter, students return to campus.

Whilst we will all be extremely glad to see the end of social distancing and masks, once it is safe, the lasting impact of COVID cannot be overstated. It has been transformational, not least of all for the new students who have had en

tirely different university experiences than the ones they were expecting. A full third of their learning so far has been encapsulated by stay-at-home orders, remote learning, and very limited social engagement with their peers.

Our Student Lifestyle Report, now in its tenth year, is designed to determine how behaviours in students have changed over the past 12 months, to inform strategy for the next 12.

Suffice to say, this was our most challenging rendition yet. But here’s what we discovered:

Students want more...

The long road back to normality

Wed 21 April 2021 - 17:22

By George Gallot in UCAS advice

It’s been a long year of appreciating the smaller, rather than the finer, things in life.

Long dog walks with the family are the closest most of us have come to travel, banana bread the height of culinary prowess. And whilst being deprived of the normal opportunities for leisure and enjoyment has been a struggle for all, far greater has been the impact on these global industries as a whole.

For those venues lucky enough to have outdoor space, the race is now on for an April recovery, when current policy allows them to reopen. Pubs, bars, and restaurants are in full preparation mode for what should be the start of a much brighter spring than last, but takeaway providers might not be so positive.

How, when, and where students eat

Of the select few businesses to benefit from stay-at-home orders, takeaway providers sit at the heart. Able to indulge our need for restaurant food, our lack of motivation to cook after working at the kitchen...

Lessons learned from April's UCAS Media Insight Newsletter

Fri 16 April 2021 - 14:21

By UCAS in UCAS advice

If knowledge is power, then insight is the key to the kingdom. 

There is great potential in the petabytes of data and statistics generated within the higher education sector, but interpreting them in a way which serves the end user is where the magic happens. Universities may look for different insight to employers, who might in turn seek different answers to brands and retailers. 

We have launched a UCAS Media Insight Newsletter designed to put some context around student behaviours. Each month, we’ll issue a snapshot roundup of the previous month and compare it to recent and annual trends. The aim is to equip providers and agencies with the insight, the keys, to more effectively communicate with their student market, the kingdom. You can sign up here. 

Here are the top three lessons from March 2021: 

TARGETING PRE-APPLICANTS: DON’T...

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