It’s always a good idea to get a taste of a university before you apply there or accept an offer of a place from them. The best way to do this is by attending an open day! Not sure how to find them or why you should attend? This blog has it covered…
Why should you attend an open day?
They give you the chance to get a first-hand impression of the uni that you can’t get online – so important if you end up spending three years living there. You’ll get to see the university in action, find out more about the course, ask the tutors questions as well as the opportunity to meet their students who will know the uni inside out.
Search for open days and make a shortlist
There are over 370 unis and colleges in the UK, so you won’t be able to attend them all! Make a shortlist of the unis and courses you’re interested in by looking at our search tool. ...
The early UCAS deadline for Oxbridge applications is fast approaching. For those of you who are considering applying to these universities, work will now be well underway regarding your personal statements, academic portfolio and finding suitable references. Representing yourself through so few words is one of the biggest challenges you will have faced throughout your sixth form experience so far, hence it is natural to feel overwhelmed and a little stressed by it all. Fear not – whilst the deadline is approaching, there is still more than enough time for you to complete everything necessary. It’s all in your approach.
As far as your personal statement goes, make sure that you have a clear structure as you read over everything. If...
Got a question about writing your personal statement? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. We’re often asked about this section of the application, and chances are your question will be one we’ve heard from other students. Check out the answers to five of the most frequently asked questions below – they're all from admissions staff at universities and colleges (the people who spend their time reading personal statements!)
1.When should I start?
"As soon as you can! Give yourself time to write it properly. Your first draft alone could take you a whole day to write." Amy Smith, Nottingham Trent University.
"Set yourself a schedule. It will take longer than you think to write your personal statement and it is important that you allow time to review your work several times...
Teens and their parents waiting for GCSE exam results on Thursday (Aug 24, 2017) are being urged not to panic as the UK’s only specialist ‘pop-up’ exam helpline for students is open for them first thing on the morning of results day.
The Exam Results Helpline (0808 100 8000) is a specially-formed team of expert UK careers advisors who come together at the UCAS head office in Cheltenham once a year for the sole purpose of helping young people who receive unexpected exam results.
Created nearly three decades ago and funded by the Department for Education, the...
While students across the country are nervously waiting their A Level results this Thursday (Aug 15) or GCSEs (Aug 22), a thought should be spared also for their equally anxious parents.
To help everyone going through the stresses and strains that inevitably come with this time of year, the Department for Education’s Exam Results Helpline opens at 07:30 on A Levels Day and will continue to be a lifeline of support and guidance until the end of the month.
Although students make the bulk of the calls, a quarter are from parents phoning to find out how best to help their youngsters take the next steps.
Here, Exam Results Helpline careers advisor Iwan Williams has outlined the ‘Ultimate Checklist’ for parents to ensure they can help their teenagers make the right decisions when the time comes.
So, what do parents really need to know?
1) The options: Having a solid understanding of the...
The main reason for anyone attending university is to get one step further to achieving their desired career. It’s important to attend a university where you are not only taught skills for future jobs in your studies, but also to learn from new cultural experiences, friendships, social life, and the everyday independency that may be new to you. Studying abroad allows you to learn these skills on another level, and why not do that in the country that is home to top English-...
The wait to find out if you’ve met the conditions of your offer can seem like it goes on forever. To take your mind off it, here are three things you can be doing right now.
2. Familiarise yourself with Clearing and Adjustment – if you’re waiting for results, they may be better than expected, or they might not be quite what you were...
You might have heard stories about unconditional offers, and how a friend-of-a-friend’s next-door neighbour’s cousin received one before they got their exam results. In the past this would probably have been an urban myth or at most, not the whole story. However, some universities are now making unconditional offers to exceptional applicants who don’t have their results yet. Some universities and colleges make unconditional offers based on an interview/audition, admissions test or predicted grades.
Here, we explain what you need to consider if you’re thinking about accepting one of these offers.
Having an unconditional offer from your favourite university at an early stage of your application can be very reassuring. It means that if you select them as your firm choice, you will definitely be accepted on to the course, regardless of what grades you get in the summer.
If you haven’t yet made plans for the next academic year, consider this – you already have everything you need for a unique, fulfilling gap year, right there in your rucksack.
In today’s super-connected world, there is a wealth of knowledge at our disposal. Whether it’s watching YouTube videos, listening to a podcast, or reading a blog, we can now learn almost anything online. All it takes is a laptop, tablet, or smartphone, and an internet connection.
So instead of spending thousands of pounds on an expensive gap-year package, some school leavers are deciding to simply spend that time learning – their way,...