lal joshi – head of outreach & partnerships liaison hayley phillips – student relations...
TRANSCRIPT
Lal Joshi – Head of Outreach & Partnerships
Liaison
Hayley Phillips – Student Relations Manager
How to support students on Personal Statements
Topics Covered
• Importance of a Personal Statement• Points to consider: For the student
For the adviser• Guidance for writing a reference• Access students • Reference Tips & Deadline Dates • Admissions Advice
Gives universities an insight into the applicant as a person
Importance of a Personal Statement
Gives universities an insight into the applicant as a person
The first impression a university will receive
May play a huge part in the offer decision
Students chance to stand out from the crowd
Displays the student’s personality and writing style
Portrays the student’s enthusiasm for the course
• Qualifications and awards• Course of interest• Career interest and reasons• Personal qualities• Work experience• Activities, interests and
hobbies• Up to 4,000 characters (inc.
spaces) or 47 lines of text• Spellcheck and ask
someone else to proofread
Points to consider: For the student
• Existing achievements, particularly those relating to their proposed course
• Motivation and commitment towards chosen course
• Relevant skills achievement (whether certified or not)• Potential (other than grades)• Extra-curricular activities• Work experience (placements,
voluntary work)• Proposed career plan
Points to consider: For the adviserGive an assessment of the suitability of the student for the HE courses that they have chosen and, where relevant, include:
• Your reference should support the student’s intentions for progressing to HE
• Advise the students to narrow down their subject areas
• If a student has had a break in their education, it’s helpful to provide the reason
Access and BTEC student applications are no different from A levels! Applicants just need the right guidance
Guidance for writing referencesYou will need to discuss these points with the student:
• If the student is on a one-year course, you may not have known them long enough to write a full reference
• Provide a temporary reference with details of how the course is assessed and number of credits awarded
• Confirm that you will send a more detailed reference direct to all chosen universities and colleges at a later date
Did you know? In the personal details section of Apply, applicants can choose to nominate a
parent, teacher, adviser or carer to contact UCAS on their behalf if unable to phone themselves
Access Students
• Any special requirements
Do not give information about a student’s
health or disability without their
agreement
• Performance in individual units of
qualifications, for example: GCE, AS and A
levels that the student has not already given
And don’t forget to include…
A realistic summary
Likely achievements in future exams
Suitability for the courses
Ensure the application and reference
are complete and do not have any
misleading on false information
Reference Tips
• Applications for 2015 entry: between mid-
September 2014 and 15 January 2015
• Oxford and Cambridge/Medicine, dentistry,
veterinary medicine or veterinary science:
by 15 October 2014
• All art and design courses: 15 January or
24 March 2015
Some institution accept direct applications
UCAS Deadline Dates Reminders
“My current goal is to build a career in computer science and start working to gain experience and be able to analyse and implement computer programmes”
Good Statements
“I have further developed my leadership skills in a business environment. In a tight timescale I created proposals with a risk assessment for an event to raise money for the colleges chosen charity”
“Intertwining my interest for business and entrepreneurship within a business management degree would be a perfect opportunity to explore, learn and gain an overall invaluable insight in to the world of business, moreover allowing me to gain the knowledge needed to pursue a successful career in management”
“By researching more about studying business in University…”
Bad Statements
…any quote (I.e. Ghandi, Mandela… etc.)
“I have been a student all my life”
“I’m well built, enthusiastic in science, 5’11, brown eyes, loves pizza and fast cars. Never persuaded with the sensitivity of the situation, always on time”
“I have always been interested in Science and believe I have finally found my favourite field; Economics”