It’s that time of year when we would normally be rolling out the well-practised routine of HE Fairs, UCAS Exhibitions and Open Days for students applying for university entry in 2021. It goes without saying that for this application cycle things will be rather different.
The university application process can seem daunting at the best of times, particularly for students who are the first in their family to go to university, and having to whittle down the endless numbers of universities and courses is no easy task. This article will discuss ways in which schools and colleges can support their students to make decisions about which universities and courses to apply to under the current circumstances.
Universities have relied on similar outreach methods for a number of years, largely involving face-to-face contact and visits to campus. This period of lockdown has made it necessary for universities to rethink this approach and develop new, creative ways to reach students and provide them with the information they need to make those all-important decisions. As a result, we now have a series of virtual events - such as virtual open days and webinars for students to access from home.
Due to the current circumstances, these events are likely to be crucial in helping your students to make informed decisions on which courses and universities they will apply to. Therefore, ensuring that your students are aware of these online events is essential.
The nature of these online events means that students will need to take a more proactive approach in researching their university options. They may have to set aside their own time to do this, rather than having this time allocated to them in tutorials. Whilst this may seem inconvenient, this is excellent preparation for studying a degree, as university students are required to manage their time and workload for independent study.
To help your students get the most out of these events, it’s important to encourage them to consider what they would like from a university experience beforehand, so they know what to look out for and what questions to ask.
I would recommend promoting discussion with your students on the following topics when considering university options:
It’s OK if students don’t know exactly what they want at this stage, but it’s important for them to be aware of their options, and that different universities and courses will result in varying experiences. Encourage students to write a list of things which are important to them in a university experience, something that they can refer back to and use to prompt questions in online events.
Virtual open days are great opportunities to find out more about a specific university, with the chance to go on virtual campus tours and speak to staff and current students. Remind your students to use these events as opportunities to find out about both their academic subject and student life as both factors will help to determine which university is right for them.
There will be opportunities to speak to academic staff but also teams such as admissions, accommodation, disability support, careers service etc. so it is a great time to ask questions.
Encouraging your students to consider what they want from a university experience and prepare questions beforehand is a great way to make sure students get the most out of these events.
Whilst universities may not be able to visit you in school, it’s worth getting in touch with their outreach teams to find out what support they can offer at this time. Many universities have developed online versions of the presentations and workshops they would normally be delivering in schools on key topics such as the application process, personal statements etc.
It’s a great way to get information out to students and, as a bonus, we have often found that students are more likely to ask questions in this online format than they would in school, in front of their peers.
If you have safeguarding concerns, let universities know which virtual platforms are permitted by your school’s policy and what you have been using to communicate with your own students and they will be as flexible as possible around this.
Another platform to direct your students to is Unibuddy. Unibuddy allows prospective students to ask questions to current university students on a safe and secure platform. This is useful if students want to find out about a course in detail. Unibuddy also displays the university ambassadors’ hometowns so prospective students can ask questions about what it was like to move to a new city/stay local.
As most of these resources are online, this can make it difficult for students without technology such as laptops or reliable WiFi to access the information they need. This is challenging, but with most university websites accessible on mobile phones, students can search for information using their mobile internet connection or request a hard copy of a prospectus. Many universities also offer PDF versions of their prospectuses, which can be downloaded once and then viewed offline. Most webinars are recorded, so students can watch them at a time convenient to them - either when they have access to mobile data or using public WiFi. This is far from ideal but hopefully these methods will enable prospective students to access the information they need to make decisions when choosing a course and university.
The 2021/22 application cycle will undoubtedly be remembered for a number of reasons. Whilst it will have its challenges, we hope that the new resources and platforms that have been developed will benefit applicants for years to come.
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Richard, an Economics and Finance student at the University of York, discusses how he chose his GCSEs and A-levels, his study motivations, and offers advice on selecting qualifications.
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Orin, studied Law at the University of Oxford, shares how her GCSEs influenced her A-level choices and decision to attend university. She also offers advice on selecting qualifications.
Josh, a Computer Science student at the University of Newcastle, shares how he chose his A-levels, offers advice on university applications, and reflects on valuable lessons for future students.
Mayowa studies English Literature at King's College London. She shares her university application journey, her enjoyment of university life, and valuable advice for choosing a course and university.
Mayowa, studying English Literature at King's College London, discusses her GCSE and A-Level subject choices, offering advice for students on making informed decisions.
Sarah, a Biochemistry graduate from Birmingham, discusses how university aided her transition to employment and shares valuable insights for choosing the right career path.
Samra, a Medicine student at the University of Liverpool, shares how she chose her course, the value of her work experience, and advice on overcoming barriers. She also offers tips for applying to study medicine.
Jackson, a Theatre and Performance Studies student at the University of Bristol, shares his insights on choosing qualifications, the significance of enjoying your subjects, and how bursaries and scholarships influenced his university decision.
Eireann, an English and Education graduate from Cambridge, shares how a summer school helped her decide on university and her course. She also offers advice on selecting the right university.
Gemma, a Communication and Media student at the University of Leeds, explains how an access course helped her and shares thoughts on university as a path for everyone.
Amy, an English Language graduate from the University of Glasgow, shares how she chose her university course, why she selected Glasgow, and her experience with scholarships.
Billie-Joe, studying Social Work and Geography at Queen's University Belfast, shares how she chose her GCSE subjects, what she enjoyed in A-Level, and offers advice for subject consideration.
Billie-Joe discusses her university life, sharing advice for care leavers, her motivation for studying social work, extracurricular involvement, and the benefits she gained as a student.
Hamid studies Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at LSE. He discusses his career aspirations, factors influencing his course choice, and how summer schools shaped his university decision.
Billie-Joe, studying Social Work and Geography at Queen's University Belfast, shares his university selection process, reasons for choosing Belfast, and helpful advice for others.
Bishoy shares his journey in choosing a university and course, highlighting the significance of aligning his degree with career goals and evaluating different options.
Sophie discusses her journey to studying Law at Sheffield, covering her decision-making process, considerations for open days, and advice on personal statements.
Fatima, studying Dentistry at Cardiff University, shares her journey, emphasising diverse work experiences, teacher support during applications, and the benefits of attending a Russell Group University.
Khima, a Law student at the University of Edinburgh, shares how he chose his A-Levels and how his dream job influenced those decisions.
Sophie, a law student at Sheffield, shares her experiences with GCSEs and offers valuable advice for selecting A-Level subjects based on her personal choices.
Saif, a graduate in Accounting and Finance from Manchester, discusses choosing a university and course, highlighting the benefits of access schemes in decision-making.
Saif, a graduate in Accounting and Finance from Manchester, shares how his degree aided his career at Enterprise and offers tips for securing a graduate job.
Bishoy, studying Aerospace Engineering at Southampton, reflects on his university experience, highlighting the skills gained and what he enjoyed most about student life.
Onome, a Chemical Engineering graduate from Imperial College London, discusses his summer school experience, course highlights, and what mattered when applying for jobs after his masters.
Khima discusses his motivation for studying law at Edinburgh, highlights the city's appeal, and shares tips for open days.
Habiba, studying Maths at Queen Mary University, discusses her course selection factors, extracurricular activities, and shares valuable advice for choosing the right university.
Richard, an Economics and Finance student at the University of York, shares his university life experience, highlighting extracurricular activities and how they prepared him for future employment.
Nathan, an English student at Exeter, shares why he chose his course, the benefits of a gap year, and offers advice on selecting a university subject.
Matt, a Linguistics student at UCL, shares how he chose his GCSE subjects, the skills that supported his studies, and offers advice for selecting subjects.
Saif, a graduate in Accounting and Finance from Manchester, shares insights on making subject choices, emphasising how his GCSE experience influenced his A-Level decisions.
Jess discusses her Sociology experience at Durham, highlighting involvement opportunities, the benefits of university, and advice for those considering applying to higher education.
Gemma, a Communication and Media student at the University of Leeds, shares her experiences navigating university life with a disability and the opportunities she found.
Nathan, an English student at the University of Exeter, discusses challenges he faced transitioning to A-levels and shares insights that helped him realise he could attend university.
Habiba, studying Maths at Queen Mary University, shares how her future plans influenced her GCSE choices and offers valuable advice for making subject selections.
Fatima, studying Dentistry at Cardiff University, shares her insights on excelling in studies, the A-Level transition, and the importance of keeping her subject choices open for future opportunities.
In this case study, Khima, a Law student at the University of Edinburgh, talks about how getting involved in extra-curricular activities made her university experience even better.
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This article will discuss different barriers which LGBTQ+ students may face, and tools we can effectively use to dismantle these barriers.
We know students are using Chat GPT for their Personal Statements, right?
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It’s that time of year when we would normally be rolling out the well-practised routine of HE Fairs, UCAS Exhibitions and Open Days for students applying for university entry in 2021.
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As someone who has answered hundreds of phone calls in the past from students on A level results day.
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The first article in a blog is rarely the most interesting one – I dare say that this will be no exception…
