UCAS – Applying to University HE Application Process
What have we done so far? • HE process started in February this year with a general introductory talk on Higher Education & applying to University with Gordon Collins • This month – we launched ‘ BridgeU ’ – a digital platform for pupils & tutors. Pupils have started to build their profiles – looking at suggested courses
aks School Smarter University Preparation A Guide to BridgeU for parents hayley@bridge-u.com www.bridge-u.com (+44) 7580 425 886
“BridgeU is, amongst other things, an excellent way to help students see what alternative, similar degree courses are available that they might not have thought about. The system is extremely easy to use with the added bonus that tutors can see the development of their tutees university research.“ “BridgeU provides a one -stop-shop allowing students and families to make better informed decisions about where to apply."
Your BridgeU Home Page BridgeU’s range of applications to help guide pupils through the University preparation process. University Matches <> Shortlist <> Applications Strategy Advisor <> Writing Builder
Home Page - Tasks Advisor (LHS) will set tasks for pupils to complete and ‘Send for Review’ before the given deadlines that will be built in to the BridgeU platform
Profile Builder Pupils complete the Profile Builder to get their BridgeU recommended University Matches Basic Info: Fill out the basic details and choose which destinations you want to study in Education: Enter your progress report or predicted A-level/IB Grades Subject Interests: Explore and choose subject areas that interest you Personal Preferences: Answer the questions to personalise your University matches to fit your favoured learning style. Get your University Matches Click here to start seeing the recommended Universities and courses matches from BridgeU
Shortlist Shortlisted Universities are bookmarked here so pupils can do further research and determine which Universities they will apply to. Click on the Begin button to go to the scrapbook page to see more information and to make notes about the University/course. Click apply here to confirm that this one of your final University choices Use the Add button to shortlist universities/courses that weren’t recommended to you on the University Matches page
Strategy Advisor In this section pupils collate their academic and extra-curricular experiences and BridgeU will tell them when to use these experiences to bolster their University Application Collect Your Experiences: Answer our questions about your experiences Identify Your Strategy Factors: Tag your experiences Improve Your Strategy: See how many experiences you have in each area and learn from the examples given how to gain further relevant experiences Strategy Report: Use this section to select which experiences to use for each University application
Writing Builder Get feedback from their tutors by inputting and editing the most up to date version of their Personal Statement, Common App Essay or University Application essays here Annotated Essay’s: Read through the highlighted example application essays from previously students Advisor Comments: After your advisor has reviewed your essay, you’ll see highlighted sections of your essay, which will have comments and suggested changes.
What Additional Resources Are Available to Students & Parents? • HE Guide – hard copy that the students get, available also on Firefly & Website to download www.millhill.org.uk under ‘Information for Parents’ – copy will go out via Parent Mail • Oxbridge Guidance Booklet – as above • Personal Statement Writing Guide & Template – as above • UCAS Parent Guide & Finance Guide available to download from UCAS.com • https://www.ucas.com/how-it-all-works/parents- and-guardians/parent-guide
• Open Day link to all UK Universities to book www.opendays.com • Student Halls Comparison Site www.hallbookers.co.uk • Find UK Scholarships www.thescholarshiphub.org.uk • Visit a UCAS Higher Ed Exhibition 27 th March at Excel, 22-23 rd June University of East London – book via UCAS.com
Research & Organisation
Key to Success…and making the process less stressful! • The more organised pupils are, the easier they make life for themselves • Pupils have to take responsibility for this process – this is their application & even with all guidance and support available, how successful they will be, will be determined by the effort they expend now • Be proactive!
Getting Started • Register on Apply 18 from Late May/June – LHS will provide the ‘Buzzword’ to allow pupils to register as a pupil at Mill Hill School – this will be available on the Higher Education section on Firefly • Find out when the Open Days are on & book a place (easy to do online) & go and visit • Download the information for each university you are interested in & look at the course structure & average offers made – do you need to email the admissions tutors to ask questions?
• The application process is time consuming even after you have finished your bit…. • LHS has to check the student application & approve all qualifications, fee codes etc. & often, applications will be sent back to be corrected…several times. Notification is sent by email – so pupils need to check their email! • Only when the student application is complete, can the staff reference be looked at. This process goes through the Tutor, HM, LHS & the Head before LHS can send the completed application off to UCAS electronically
Key Dates • Deadlines MUST be adhered to • Oxbridge, Medics, Dentists & Vets – October 15 th with UCAS ( Half Term is 20 th October this year ) • All applications to guarantee being sent off by October Half Term – submitted for approval to LHS week before • General Applications to guarantee being sent off by end of Christmas term – December 15 th 2017 need to be ready 1 week before this date • Final UCAS deadline January 15 th 2018 6pm
Additional/Admissions Tests • These are becoming more common • BMAT – Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial, UCL & Royal Veterinary College • UKCAT (see full list in the HE/UCAS Booklet on the web site & VLE) • LNAT – Birmingham, Bristol, Durham, Glasgow, Nottingham, Oxford, UCL & Kings London • Cambridge Assessments – for Oxbridge Applications • Imperial/UCL & LSE • Pupils must research what requirements there are for their course, as specific deadlines exist & they have to register for these tests often outside of school
• This is an additional demand on students and often, these tests are testing skills that are endemic at A Level study – analysis, evaluation, synthesis and cannot be ‘revised’ or ‘crammed’ for – we work with an external company called ‘Uni Admissions’ to prepare students for all the admissions tests listed, including those not applying to Oxbridge.
Additional Tests Continued.. • At a recent ‘Cambridge Admissions Conference’ one of the Admissions Tutors explained that each year the bar has to be moved/altered slightly with tests such as the BMAT/TSA, as schools are so good at coaching students for these (!) • He was keen to stress that these additional tests are to test for potential & aptitude & NOT subject knowledge that can be revised for
Useful Links • http://www.lnat.ac.uk • http://www.admissionstests.cambridgeassessme nt.org.uk/adt/ (Cambridge Admissions Tests) • http://www.ukcat.ac.uk/ • http://www.fulbright.co.uk/ (American University Information) • http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearni ng/UniversityAndHigherEducation/StudentFinan ce/index.htm (Student Finance)
Useful Links Continued… • www.britishcouncil.org/erasmus (European study/work programmes) • www.offa.org.uk/students (Information regarding accessing bursaries) • https://www.ucas.com/how-it-all- works/parents-and-guardians/parent-guide (Parent/Guardian Guide 2017/2018)
Competitive Admissions Mr Sam Baldock Assistant Head (Academic)
Which UK institutions may be considered ‘generally’ competitive? • University of Bath • Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine • University of Bristol • University of Exeter • University of Cambridge • London School of • University College London Economics (LSE) (UCL) • University of Oxford • The Courtauld Institute of • University of St Andrews Art • University of Warwick • Durham University
What makes an application stand out? • Almost all applicants will be predicted A*/A grades across their A level subjects • Evidence for individual engagement in the relevant discipline and ‘course readiness’: – informed opinions on reading beyond the syllabus – extended writing on an area of particular interest – active participation in subject societies – external lectures/seminars/memberships – work experience/specific skills developed in co- curricular activities may be relevant
Applying to Oxford or Cambridge Two myths debunked: • “Applicants from independent schools are at a disadvantage” • “Oxford and Cambridge are the most competitive universities to get into”
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