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Preparing for Results Day

18 July 2017

Worried about how A-level exams went or already have your results but haven’t had your offers confirmed? Read on….

While some students (those taking the IB or international qualifications) will have received their results already, for the majority of students the big day is 15th August when A-level results are published.

If you already have your results and have met your firm choice offer then your university should be in touch to confirm your place. If they haven’t then it is worth checking to see if they are waiting for you to send confirmation of your results to them. UCAS receive many results directly from exam boards but if your qualification is not on their list you will need to send official confirmation of your results to your universities.

If you already have results but have not met the grades for your first choice university and have not heard from them, then you should call admissions and ask whether they have made a decision about whether to take you. They may let you know immediately or ask you to wait until A-level results day to find out whether they will confirm your place or decline it. This is because the universities need to wait until the A-level students have their results in order to determine whether or not they still have places available and consequently whether they are prepared to be flexible over offers. Remember that if you have made the grades for your insurance choice university then you will have a place at that backup university whatever the final outcome at your first choice.

If you are in this uncertain position or if you are an A-level student concerned that the exams didn’t go according to plan then it is certainly worth working out a strategy in advance of August 15th.

UCAS have now issued a list of Clearing vacancies – this is a list of courses that still have places available. Be aware though, that this list is fluid and many universities will only add courses to Clearing once the A-level results are out. If you have concerns over your results then this is the time to do some additional research. Go back to your original shortlist of universities and courses – is there somewhere that has slightly lower entry requirements? Give the universities a call, explain your situation and ask whether they are likely to be making Clearing offers – get ahead of the game! If you have applied for a particularly competitive course then look again at allied courses and subjects that may be similar in content but less popular.

On A-level results day you need to be prepared – it can be stressful. Check in advance that your contact details are up to date, ensure that you have your Track sign in to hand and that your phone is charged. If you are not going to be available to talk to universities then make sure that you have ticked the nominated access box on the UCAS form and given details of a trusted individual to act on your behalf. Check with your School or College to make sure that you know when you can pick up or receive your results. UCAS Track should go live at 08.00 UK time on 15th August, so it may be that you are able to see whether your universities have accepted you before you receive your results.

Hopefully all will go well on Results Day, but whatever happens it is important not to panic and to take your time over making decisions.

Read our blog Clearing Explained for more info on results outcomes.

UK Study Options can support students whatever their journey to university. If you need post-result support, please get in touch to see how we can help.

Replying to UCAS offers

6 February 2017

Once you have sent off your UCAS application you will start to hear back from your choices. You will either be made an offer (conditional or unconditional), be rejected outright or be offered an interview or audition. Once you have received decisions from all the universities that you have applied to then you can start to think about which ones to accept and which to reject.

If you receive all your decisions by the end of March then you have until May to reply to the universities through the UCAS Track system. If you have an unconditional offer then you can select it to confirm your place and if you have conditional offers you can select two – a firm choice and an insurance choice. At this time you must reject any other offers that you are holding.

An unconditional offer is usually made when a student already has the results of all his/her examinations before applying. However, universities will sometimes offer unconditional places to students who still have to take their exams. This means that the place is yours regardless of your results but be warned – it is still important to get the best grades you can for future employment prospects.

A conditional offer will depend on the results of any examinations that you are yet to take. Conditional offers can specify particular overall grades, particular grades or scores in certain subjects or overall UCAS tariff scores. If you achieve these results then the university is required to give you a place. If you are not clear what the exact conditions of an offer are then it is really important that you contact the university concerned and ask for clarification.

Assuming that you are holding conditional offers you will need to decide which to accept as your CF (conditional firm) choice and which to accept as your CI (conditional insurance) choice.

The CF choice should be your first choice – the course you really want to study at the university that you really want to go to. It needs to be the right fit for you as an individual and it is worth spending time checking that the course description and modules on offer are what you are looking for.

The Insurance Choice should be your backup and should be a lower offer than your Firm Choice. Then, if you fail to meet the requirements of your firm offer and are subsequently rejected by that university you will hopefully have still met the conditions for your second choice. Be honest with yourself over offers – if getting the required exam results for your Firm Choice is going to be difficult then it is doubly important that you choose a realistic Insurance Choice.

If you are finding it difficult to choose try to visit each university, even if you have already been to an open day. You may be offered a ‘post-offer’ visit but if not arrange a tour independently. Take the opportunity to talk to current students and academics within the department. Ask about the support offered, both academic and pastoral and try to get a feel for whether you would be happy to study there.

Clearing Explained

16 August 2016

For some students A level results day will mean that things haven’t gone quite to plan and they find that they haven’t been accepted at either their firm or insurance choice universities. Instead they have been entered into the UCAS Clearing system – but this doesn’t have to mean disappointment.

In 2015, 64,300 students used Clearing to find a university place and this year it looks as though even more courses will be on offer, including those within the Russell Group. Many of these places are taken very quickly once results have been published so the key to a successful, stress-free Clearing period is preparation.

Before results day, look over your personal statement and think about what made you apply to university and for the courses you picked in the first place. Then look at what courses are on offer and make a list of the universities and courses you are interested in, together with their Clearing helpline numbers and your UCAS number. Just as when you first did your research, it is important to remember that courses can differ substantially between universities. Ensure that the courses you are considering offer the options that you are interested in and that you are likely to meet the entry requirements. It is important to be open-minded and flexible about different universities but it is also crucial to remember that you need to be happy studying and living at a particular place for three or four years.

On results day, your UCAS Track status will tell you if you are eligible for Clearing and will give you a Clearing number. Make a note of this as you will need to give this number to any universities that make you an offer. UCAS’s search tool will show students the available options and The Telegraph newspaper will publish all Clearing vacancies on Thursday 18 August and Saturday 20 August as well. If you do find yourself in Clearing you should consider getting in touch with your original university choices to see if they will accept you or even offer you an acceptable, alternative course. If not, then move onto the universities on your additional list and ring them on their individual Clearing helplines. Keep calm and treat the conversation as a mini-interview giving details of your results and why you are a suitable candidate for the course you are applying for. If you get an offer by phone, ask for written confirmation via email, and don’t feel you have to accept it straight away. Clearing choices can’t be entered into Track until 3pm on results day but often universities will hold places for a day or two to give students enough time to make a considered decision and to visit if necessary.

Whatever you do, remember that thousands of students have been through Clearing before and ended up having a brilliant and rewarding time at university.

University Open Days

7 July 2016

Planning on applying to university this autumn? Have you looked around the institutions on your shortlist? It doesn’t matter whether you are interested in Oxford, Edinburgh, Exeter, Imperial, Warwick or any of the other UK universities – it is really important that you try to visit and get a feel for whether you would be happy there for three or more years of study.

UK universities hold Open Days, usually in June or July and September or October in order to showcase their courses and facilities to prospective students.

They offer an opportunity:

To find out what university life is like
To find out about the challenges, opportunities and rewards of academic and social life
To meet with the academics, as well as current students
To gain advice before finally deciding on which degree course you should take
To view the accommodation, the library, access to computers, the careers office, cafés and restaurants and much more
To check out the Students’ Union and find out about the social and sports clubs that they offer and how you can get involved

This is your chance to ask questions such as:

What ‘A’ level grades do I need? Are there any specific subject requirements?
Which qualifications are acceptable?
Are there any alternative courses to consider?
How does the selection process work?
What do you look for in the application and Personal Statement?
Can you recommend any reading or activities to inform my Personal Statement?
Do you hold interviews or is selection based only on the UCAS application?
Are gap years and deferred entry applications acceptable?
Is it an advantage to get my application in early?

Check out the university websites and book a place – beware of any deadlines!

Can’t make an Open Day? Then check online to see if they offer ‘special visiting days’. Universities are aware that not everyone can visit at specific times so they may offer additional dates for you to visit. You might be able to arrange for a student-led tour or take your own. Don’t forget that many of the universities also offer virtual tours.

If you want to get a ‘feel’ for the place you will need to visit the university during term-time. This will give you a better idea of what university life is like. Not only will you ‘feel the buzz’ but you will also be able to meet students who are already studying there.

If you require any assistance in arranging a university visit or would like more information about Open Days contact us at hello@ukstudyoptions.com

Plan Ahead with your UK university choices: Pre Personal Statement Tips and Ideas!

24 March 2016

Get ahead of the competition – Personal Statement 1

As a Higher Education specialist I help many students who are considering applying to either Oxford or Cambridge or to a competitive course such as medicine, dentistry, veterinary, law or economics. There are two important UCAS application deadlines:

October 15th 2016 for Oxford OR Cambridge – this means you have to get your application in if you are applying for any course at all at these institutions for 2017 entry.
October 15th 2016 if you are applying for medicine, dentistry and veterinary at any university in the UK for these subjects for 2017 entry.

The second deadline January 15th 2017 is for all other subjects for UK and EU nationals (except Art and Design). Technically international students can apply up to the 30th June in the year of entry but this is not advisable as your application will be stamped LATE and the institution may not have any places left by the time you apply.

The other thing to bear in mind is some subjects are extremely competitive to get into in all the universities. Economics and Law are two competitive subjects that spring to mind. It is better for international students if you get ahead and prepare to submit your UCAS application at least by the end of October and by the January 15th deadline if you possibly can.

So, where do you start? ….

…Bearing in mind that there may be as many as 12 applicants, all with the specified grades for each place. You have to really stand out and:-

Decide on the subject/s you are most likely to succeed at and enjoy studying for three years or more.
Start reflecting upon what it is about the subject/s that really fires your passion.
Think about your natural preferences in your studies and potential careers.
Think about the skills you gain by studying each of your subjects at school.
Go to the UCAS website AND the Departmental Website of your shortlisted courses – check the Eligibility Requirements to make sure you are a good fit and have the required subjects.
Make sure you also have the right number of subjects and grades at GCSE or equivalent.
Look at the Application Process on the Departmental Website – see if there are any other requirements to be fulfilled such as Admissions Tests, Interview or Supplementary work to be submitted.
Have a look at the Course Modules on the Departmental website: There will be a lot of information for prospective students to help you gain momentum with your preparation.

Many universities have pre-study reading or recommended books listed on their websites. Why? Because up to 25% of students drop out of their course each year because they were not aware of what the course and subject entailed. Student selection in competitive institutions is a very well-tuned process. It is all about student retention! It’s important to select the right students and that the students know exactly what is expected of them. All this advance preparation will certainly give you the edge with that all-important Personal Statement.

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