Some courses are more popular than others, allowing their departments to ask for higher grades. The same can be said for universities. You can use the U.C.A.S. Entrance Guide, the UCAS or university web sites and prospectus to find out what grades are required for the universities you might like to attend and the courses you might like to attend. Sometimes a points total might be given instead.
These take the following form:
A = 120 points C = 80 points E = 40 points
If you have only taken an AS:
A = 60 points B = 50 points, etc.
Some other courses carry UCAS points too, such as Music Theory above grade 5. For detailed information on the UCAS Tariff click here
Choosing the right UCAS course/institution
Do you want to study for a degree to help you get a job and just for interest's sake? Decide on the right course for you. It may be one you are already studying. It might be linked to one you are studying. It may be something totally new. Talk to teachers, parents, and friends. Do they think this would be a good course for you?
Search for universities that offer this course. www.ucas.com is a good start. Use the search facility. The 'Big UCAS Book' in the library will also help. Make a list of the relevant universities. Do the Stamford Test if you have not already done so.
Find the relevant prospectuses on the shelf. Have a read. Courses with the same name/code can still differ by content, level of module choice, types of assessment (exams/coursework) and amount of teaching hours. Which ones would most suit you? Also research the university location, whether first years are guaranteed accommodation, social events and other issues that relate to student life. www.studentuk.com can be useful for lots of related student information such as accommodation, finance and clubbing!
E-mail the universities you are most interested in for department or subject prospectuses. These will give you more information. They will also send you a complete prospectus if you want one
Look at the league tables in the Study Room.
Note what grades the university wants. You should end up with 6 choices: 2 just above your AS grades to give you a challenge, 2 about the same and 2 a bit below (in case things don't go so well this year).
Remember to seek help whenever you need it!
You should have completed the whole process by October half-term!
Personal Statements
Whether you intend to apply to university, do a gap year or find employment when you leave Wrenn you will need to write a personal statement. This will be an introductory 'letter' to the person dealing with your application. It says who you are, why you are applying and why this person should pick you over and above the other applicants. Therefore it needs to be factual, interesting and above all, positive. You should not be modest but nor should you be over-bearing. You need to convince this person that you will be an asset to their organisation and that you will not drop out after a couple of weeks.
You will need to get (at least) the first draft done by the end of the summer term. Ideally you will have got your tutor to check it through and have up-dated it ready for use by then. If you type your first draft it will make re-drafting much quicker and easier. If it is done on the network it will also make transferring it to your electronic UCAS form easier. Alongside this you should also consider up-dating your burgundy NRA folder with certificates, photographs, copies of your GCSE and module results, etc… anything that says something about the kind of person you are.
Your personal statement should take on the following form:
What the course/gap/job (pathway) is that you are applying for and why it interests you. You can also explain what skills and abilities you already have in that area. This could be one, two or three paragraphs. It is where you should exhibit a passion for the subject; providing evidence not only of what you have done in the classroom, but more importantly what you have done to extend your learning outside the classroom. Evidence might be visits undertaken, books / journals read, societies or clubs you have joined, personal web-pages and the like.
What you are studying at the moment and what elements of these courses would help you in this application. It may be a specific thing or it may be general skills that you have learnt such as how to work in a group or time management. This section will be of little value if you have managed to write a lot for section 1, so you can miss it out if that is the case.
What extra-curricular things you have done while in the Sixth Form that could contribute to you being successful in your chosen pathway and/or show you to be someone who gives as well as takes. This could include your Community Service, sports, expressive arts, organisation of an event or organised work experience.
What things you do outside of school that would help you in your chosen pathway and/or show you in an interesting or positive light. It might be your part-time employment, a hobby, a membership of an organisation. For example going to see the Diamonds is good enough, but explain why you go and what you get from it. Reading is good, but say which genre or authors you like and why (do this in paragraph one of you are applying for an English based course). Likewise, if you like going to the cinema, explain what types of film you like and why. If you haven't got any interests apart from drinking, find one quick! Do not lie on the form as you could get caught out later. And don't go for the "I like socialising/shopping with my friends" line!
Finish off by reconfirming your desire to follow this pathway.
Below is an example of a finished personal statement. It is to act as a guide. It is not to say that yours must look exactly the same.
EXAMPLE
I have chosen a degree course in Design Technology for higher education as I intend to pursue a career in teaching or in industry. Design has always interested me, and studying this type of course would help me learn new skills which will benefit my chosen career. Throughout my school life I have maintained a keen interest in design and was successful at GCSE level with an electronics orientated project which I found challenging and rewarding. To date, as part of my A-Level design course, I have completed a project based on a local company who are in the plastic packaging industry. I find the course content consistently offers new opportunities to improve my skills and techniques. This has greatly enhanced my ability to organise my approach to a problem, solving it constructively and effectively. I recently completed a two day period where I 'shadowed' one of the design staff. During this time I witnessed teaching methods across the full spectrum, from year seven work to A-Level courses. I found the experience very interesting and worthwhile. My second A-Level subject is computing which I find very interesting. I believe that as Design and Technology advances, the computer will play an increasing role in the process and consequently an in-depth knowledge of computer technology will be a very useful addition.
My two weeks work experience placement was spent at a local garage workshop. Here I was able to satisfy my longstanding ambition to understand the workings of a motor car! Whilst the two weeks period was obviously insufficient to grasp the complete technology involved, I feel it was most beneficial to me. I have also been employed for two years as a waiter in a local Italian restaurant, working Saturday nights and occasionally one mid-week night. This job, whilst not particularly demanding mentally, has primarily taught me a great deal about dealing with people. During the summer break , I obtained work with a company called RPC Containers. Due to the nature of the company's business the position offered, as a packer, did little to enhance my education other than impress upon me the necessity to proceed with further education to gain employment which will exercise my mind as well as my body!
Throughout my school life I have taken part in residential visits to Cornwall, Wales, France and Austria on outward bound sport courses. These visits have instilled in me a sense of independence and responsibility along with the obvious associated educational advantages. During school terms I have often enjoyed contributing to charity events such as fetes and 24 hour fundraising famines.
Outside of school my main leisure activity is golf. I have represented my club at both junior and senior levels for 3 seasons in countrywide tournaments. I have also been a member of the County Junior Team for the past year, playing matches against Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Bedfordshire. I currently have a handicap of 5 and am confident of reducing it further over the next year. Whilst golf is my primary sport, I have represented my school and district at both football and cross country as well as achieving an international gold skiing award in France.
I am resolved to working towards obtaining the necessary A-Level grades to enable me to pursue a university placement in Technology related discipline as I am confident that it is the subject to which I am most suited. I believe that given the opportunity, I would represent any establishment with integrity, enthusiasm and maturity throughout.
Accepting your UCAS offers
In the next April or May of your application year you will be sent a letter by UCAS asking you to nominate your first and second choices. You do not need to return it immediately; take time to think through and discuss your options. But do send it in time for the date specified. You will accept one university as a firm choice and one as your insurance offer. The firm choice is the one you really want to go to. The insurance offer is there in case you don't get the grades you need for your first choice university. Therefore, it should be a lower offer that the first one and you should still be very interested in going there. You must be clear that just as the university is legally bound to accept you if you get the grades asked for, you are bound to go there if you get the grades. The only way around this would be to get them to release you (which is extremely stressful and doesn't always work or to withdraw from UCAS for that year and do a gap option instead).
If you need any help, please ask your tutor, Miss Ellis or Mr Frazer.
Please also note that Northamptonshire County Council Student Support Office will be holding an evening about finance; loans, fees and the relevant 'forms'. Look out for the posters detailing the specific dates and venues
