The feeling you get when you find out you’ve been accepted into your dream university is second to none — but getting to this point isn’t easy. It’s not as simple as your parents choosing a secondary school for you. As well as meeting the grade requirements, there’s the UCAS application to consider, in addition to interviews and admissions tests.
Ready to complete a degree in your favourite subject? Here are five things to do to boost your chances of being accepted into university.
- Receive top grades at A-level
We know it’s easier said than done, but high A-level grades are key to your acceptance. Every institution has a different set of criteria for entry requirements that varies from subject to subject. Usually, this means three grades between A* and E — some may also ask for a specific minimum grade in one or two subjects. For example, to study English Literature, you might need one of your grades to be in English Literature (or combined with English Language). It’s important to be aware that some universities will not accept candidates that don’t get the required grades. While this seems harsh, it’s necessary since places on courses are highly competitive. In general, the better your grades, the higher your chances of acceptance.
You won’t receive good results unless you put the hard work and effort in though. Make sure you begin revising early on so that you understand each topic and types of questions come exam time, and have enough time to prepare.
- Write a strong personal statement
Your personal statement — an essay showing your interest in a subject — plays an important role in your UCAS application. This gives you freedom to talk about yourself in a creative and personal way and express your passion for your chosen topic. For example, what is it about Art History that you love so much?
Writing a strong personal statement is essential to standing out from other applicants. It showcases your talents, skills, achievements and experience in no more than 4000 characters (615-800 words), which can be tricky. No matter what university you’re applying for, there’s no room to slack on any part of your application. Some of these will even have been reviewed by teachers and faculty members who are seasoned at preparing their students for the entry examinations.
This is no reason to lose heart, however — UCAS has a helpful guide to get you started. Remember that your essay needs to be clear and concise, grammatically correct, provide evidence of your learning and experience, and formatted into several paragraphs: the introduction, main body and conclusion.
- Try out a success calculator
A success calculator provides a general percentage of how likely you are to secure a place at the university of your choice. All you have to do is answer a few questions about yourself and the institution you want to apply to, and you will receive your result. This outcome is based upon thousands of previous applicants, though, and isn’t hard and fast but just an estimate. It gives you a picture of what your chances are and lets you think about what you realistically need to do.
For example, UniAdmissions offers students applying to Oxford or Cambridge a success calculator that asks questions such as whether they meet the minimum entry requirements for the course and uni, what kind of school they currently attend, its education system and their predicted grades. It also enquires about GCSE results, work experience, and more to get a rounded picture of the individual’s academic profile.
- Review your digital presence
Lecturers and university admissions tutors use social media just as much as students nowadays. This can benefit you, but also come back to bite you if your content isn’t academically appropriate. Your digital footprint could play a significant role in your acceptance, so it’s essential to be wary of your social accounts when submitting your UCAS application. Remember, what you post online can be found with a quick search of your name.
While it’s not a given that admissions tutors will look at your social media, it’s not worth leaving anything questionable on your profile for them to see. As such, it’s important to evaluate your digital presence before applying. Consider the impression you want to give to lecturers and tutors and ensure your account matches it. If you wouldn’t feel comfortable with a lecturer seeing an inappropriate post or photo of a night out, remove it, or at least make your profile private.
- Keep on top of subject-related news
Many lecturers and university departments use platforms like Twitter to share interesting news and opinions about their subject. Not only is this a great way to get a sense of which university appeals to you the most, the insights they give can be valuable to your application. You can keep track of hot industry news and learn more about your course topic, which will be useful when you write your personal statement as you can clearly demonstrate what you know. If you find something that your future lecturer is interested in that excites you, put it in your statement! It will add colour to your application, and let the admissions team know you are serious and passionate about coming to their institution.
It’s also worthwhile staying updated with general newsworthy pieces relating to your subject. If you’re applying for a science-based course, for example, improve your knowledge by reading relevant publications and keeping an eye out for industry research. Setting up Google Alerts can help with this. This allows you to activate alerts for topics that apply to your subject and emails whenever anything is published online. Attend exhibitions and events that are focused on your topic too — these will expand what you already know and help you create a winning personal statement.
