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Interpreting student behaviour in a global pandemic

Tue 2 March 2021 - 09:57

By UCAS in UCAS advice

Dr Katie Bell, UCAS

More change to come as students remain passionate about changing our future.


I have worked in education for more than a decade, and before that another decade in the world of corporate global marketing. They share many of the same requirements: a firm finger on the pulse, and a keen understanding of the way that consumer behaviours develop. It doesn’t take a psychologist or an economist to diagnose the big dynamic shifts of the market, but understanding them at a micro level (not just Gen Z, but students within Gen Z, for example) requires a deeper social study.

And that is,...

How to ace a job interview

Wed 25 November 2020 - 14:22

By Anna in Applicant

Nobody likes them. Everyone has to do them. Dreaded job interviews: the joyful prospect of sitting across a table from a future employer, being grilled on questions you’ve never thought about before, trying to smile without crying and praying that you’re saying all the *right* things.

The key? Preparation. That’s where this post comes in. This isn’t just for grad jobs – it can be applied to part-time work, uni, or work experience interviews/chats too. I’ve probably had around six interviews in my time, for jobs in everything from a swimming instructor to a waitress in the grubbiest restaurant going. They’ve all been completely different – for one, I had to wait for an hour to be interviewed whilst I waited for the manager to finish chatting to his mate – another...

Five ways to stay productive during lockdown 2.0

Tue 17 November 2020 - 08:31

By Sophie Gibbons in First year

The first lockdown, which probably seems like a lifetime ago, was a time filled with adjustments and frustrations concerning a new routine we would have to follow for the foreseeable future. When that lockdown finally ended, I remember the relief I felt knowing that life would soon return to normality. Now lockdown 2.0 has arrived, I can imagine the feeling of dread is felt by more people than just myself.

Try not to think of lockdown as a time where the world stops spinning, rather focus on the fact that now you most likely have time to focus on the things you never had time to before.

Here are some tips which I found useful…

1) TO DO LISTS

This has got to be my favourite thing to help keep motivated that I recommend to a lot of my friends at university. Whether these are daily, weekly or a to do list aimed at a looming upcoming deadline you know you have, this will help you keep up to date with what you have to do rather than...

Preparing for interviews at a University

Wed 11 November 2020 - 12:33

By Tabitha Hempshall in Applicant

The prospect of having to do an interview is nerve-wracking. For many it involves singing your own praises, answering unknown questions on the spot and having your personal statement pulled apart, all of which push people out of their comfort zone. Here is a list of a few key ideas, which I have found helpful in preparing for interview and that have made me feel more confident!

- Research questions based on topic

Just Google “interview questions for [insert course]” and you will find questions that cover key topic areas. I found the best way to use...

Ticking the Box – How we use the information about care experience at Kingston University.

Tue 10 November 2020 - 08:20

By Beth Taswell in UCAS advice

Ticking the care experience box: what happens next?

Some students are uncertain about ticking the care experience box because they don’t really know what happens to that information once they submit their UCAS application. In this case study from Kingston University, Beth Taswell, Access and Support Advisor, explains how they use this information to connect prospective students to the support and information they may need to help them make a successful transition to higher education – and right through to graduation.

'For many applicants with experience of local authority care, going to university can be a fresh start. They may be moving to a new area as well as a new learning environment where nobody knows them or anything about their past. On the UCAS application form there is an opportunity for applicants to disclose that they have spent time in local authority care, but many choose not to because of the uncertainty of what is done with...

A letter to my younger self

Mon 9 January 2023 - 09:52

By Danielle in UCAS advice

Hi, I’m Danielle. I’m 24, I have a first class degree, 2 children, a job in the department for education and I’m a care leaver.

Currently, around only 6% of care leavers between 19 and 21 enter higher education. This is such a low number for an opportunity that can really improve your life and I think it’s time we start to change this.

So, for any care leavers that are thinking of attending university, I want to share my experience, the challenges I faced in my journey and the things that helped me to succeed.

After years in the care system, my self-worth was destroyed. I thought that nobody wanted me and that I’d amount to nothing. I then became a mother very young. At 16, I had a son, was living alone, and had no one around me to help. I honestly thought that my life was over. However, at 19, I took the leap to enter education again. As a bit of luck, it turned out that the college course I was taking could get me into university. Through a little bit of...

Letter to myself

Mon 9 January 2023 - 09:53

By Laura in UCAS advice

Dear my younger self, 

Where do I start…I can tell you that it won’t always be easy, but I can promise you every opportunity, every friendship, every heartbreak, every decision will be worth it. 

Going into foster care will probably be one of the hardest, turbulent time in your life but once you get past the first few months and your life settles down – it will get easier. Your friends will stay the same and they will be there to guide you through the journey that feels like it’s going nowhere. I can promise you that your friends will become your biggest support network along with your foster carers who are amazing. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and talk about your experiences as much as it might be hard and people won’t understand, be patient and explain to them (if you want to) or not at all that some peoples upbringings are different. 

Be patient with your parents because although you love them it’s ok not to be strong all the...

Letter to my younger self

Mon 26 October 2020 - 10:20

By Gareth Rafferty in Support

Hi 2017 Gareth, it’s Gareth from 2020 here.

The next few years are going to test you. You’re going to have up’s and downs, highs and lows, and an all round rollercoaster of a time.

But I’m not here for that.

I’m here to give you some advice on the next few years to help you, or me, to be more effective at handling what’s to come.

Let’s break it down into 6 points:

  • Life seems like a box, a perfect square. Remember you may not be a square.
    • You may be a circle, or a triangle, or some other shape. It’s important over the next few years that you focus on who you are. Not, who people want you to be, or who everyone else is, but just who you actually are and what...

Students with care experience: Three reasons to tick the box

Thu 17 November 2022 - 09:03

By UCAS in UCAS advice

Applying to university is a huge step for anyone but if you have been in care, you may have additional questions about applying or studying. Nicola Turner, Senior Fair Access Adviser at UCAS explains how – and why – you can tell universities about your care background.

When it comes to completing your UCAS application, you will notice a question asking if you have been in care. If you have seen this question and don’t understand why we ask for this information, or feel worried about sharing it, you’re not alone.

Some students ask if this will affect the way their application is assessed, and others tell us they don’t want anyone to know about their past because they want a fresh start. These are completely understandable concerns, and I hope that the following information will reassure you that ticking the box is a positive move.

Reason 1: Your chosen universities and colleges use this information to connect you to the support you are...

15 October deadline: applying on time

Thu 15 October 2020 - 12:52

By UCAS in UCAS advice

To begin with, let’s just clarify exactly what this deadline is for. The 15 October deadline is only for applications to most medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine/science courses, as well as all courses at the universities of Oxford and Cambridge. Meeting the deadline means that your application will receive equal consideration from your chosen universities and colleges. You can still apply after the deadline, if the course has places available, but your application won't be guaranteed to get equal consideration.

So what counts as meeting the deadline? Well it’s pretty straightforward – we must receive your completed application before...

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