Track 63

Track 63.

So, Amanda, you want me to help you with your application. Let’s have a look at the UCAS website.

Do you know what ‘UCAS’ stands for, by the way?

It’s the University and Colleges Admissions Service.

Have you set up an account with them yet?

Yes.

I did it last week, but I haven’t completed my application.

One thing I need to know is how many universities I can apply to.

Well, first of all, you need to see how many offer the course you want.

Remember, you’ll want to choose the universities which have the best reputation, but you need to have some kind of back-up in case you don’t get into your first choice.

What are you studying?

I’m doing A levels in Biology, Chemistry and Psychology, so I’m thinking of taking Biochemistry.

OK.

Well, there are seven good choices I could give you.

Apart from Oxford and Cambridge, Imperial College in London is very good, and York is also a good possibility and easier to get into.

OK.

I don’t think I’ll get into Oxford or Cambridge, so I can include York and Imperial College.

OK.

I think you should go for those two, plus three others, because the maximum number that you can put on your application is five.

How about Durham, Sheffield and Exeter?

OK, I’ll look at those.

Another thing I’m not sure about is how to make a good assessment of myself and my skills and abilities.

I’ve always found that difficult.

You mean your ‘personal statement’?

Well, just be honest.

I can help you phrase it so that it reads well, but you need to note down what you want to include.

If you can do that by Friday, we can write it up together.

That’s great!

Thanks.

Well, that’s what I’m here for, to give you the advice that you need.

After you’ve completed your application, I can add the reference and your predicted grades before sending it to UCAS.

Great!

After we send it in, what happens next?

Well, UCAS processes your application and sends it on to each university that you’ve chosen.

Then the universities assess it and decide whether to make you an offer.

Remember that your predicted grades are only provisional, which means they are not confirmed until you get your actual results, so you need to pass the exams to actually get those grades.

Usually any offer from a university will be a conditional offer.

That means they can’t give you a definite offer because it depends on your final grades.

Then, when your exam results come through, they get sent to the school here and to the universities.

Do I have to contact the universities to ask them about my application?

No.

They’ll contact UCAS about their offer.

If you meet the predicted grades, they’ll usually confirm the original offer, but if not, they don’t tend to renew it or change it.

Oh, I hope that doesn’t happen.

But if it does, what can I do?

Well, if you don’t get a place at any of your chosen universities, you can take a year off and try reapplying next year.

Alternatively, you can try to get a place through ‘clearing’.

This is a way universities fill remaining places on their courses and it’s a second chance for students to get into another university if they didn’t succeed with any of their chosen ones.

It’s a sort of safety net, but I hope it doesn’t come to that.

Well, thanks for your help.

I’ll complete my application and then come and see you on Friday.

Glad to help, Amanda.

See you then.