University is an exciting and significant milestone in a student’s educational journey. It can, however, be a little overwhelming with plenty of possible routes and options.
We have put together our 10 top tips on how to navigate the university admissions process:
1. Research your options thoroughly: attend open days and read the university prospectuses for the courses you are interested in.
2. Check all entry requirements thoroughly. Make sure you meet all the criteria early in the process and, if you don’t, you might have a chance to catch up before applying! The earliest you start working on your application, the better prepared you will be.
3. If you’re applying for scholarships or bursaries, use the university website’s ‘Fees and Finance’ page to find out more information on the options available. Likewise, if you’re applying for a student loan, make sure you read all the information thoroughly and take your time to fill in your application.
4. Get in touch with the universities you are applying to – advisors and professors are there to help, so don’t hesitate to drop them an email with general enquiries about your course or university and any specific questions you might have.
5. Organisation is key! Keep a diary of all your upcoming deadlines including open days, exams and interviews
6. Spend plenty of time writing and proofing your personal statement, as universities will be looking for passionate and articulate individuals. It’s a good idea to include information about your personal life, in addition to your academic achievements, such as your extracurricular interests, volunteering experience or what you intend to do after your degree.
7. Ask your teachers for a letter of recommendation, in particular teachers who specialise in the subject you’re looking to pursue as a degree. For instance, if you want to study English Literature, it is worth asking your English teacher for a recommendation who can vouch for your passion and talent in the subject.
7. Prepare well for any admission tests or interviews, as this will be a determining factor in your admissions process. Mock exams are a great way to ensure you are ready – they allow you to hone your exam technique, such as exam timings and working well under exam conditions.
8. At the Golden Circle, we run mock interviews and teach effective interview strategies in the 6 months preceding interview dates. We mentor students to develop strong communication, independent thinking, and problem-solving skills. This approach leads to offers and places at high-ranking UK universities and medical schools.
9. Always consider a backup. In case you don’t get an offer to your chosen university, make sure you have a few backup plans. There are plenty of excellent universities that offer amazing courses, so if you don’t secure your first option, don’t lose hope!
10. Navigating the university admission process can be a daunting task and may cause you some stress. Your support network of family, friends and school teachers are there to help and discuss any queries you may have.
The Golden Circle is a leading provider of UK and US university admissions support. Our students have an extremely high admissions rate and enjoy success at leading universities including Oxbridge, Stanford, MIT, St Andrews, Durham University, and London School of Economics, among others.
For more information, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us via our bloss profile. We wish all of you the best of luck with your university applications!
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