Teachers: got any last minute pupils and stuck for reference ideas?  

Pupils: only just submitted your form and need to give your tutor a nudge? 

There's still time for us to give you some guidance if you need to give a student that extra boost. Get in touch! Here's a video from UCAS to help…

Coming soon…

Our interactive book, entitled 'How to get into University - A complete guide to UK university applications, including a personal statement planner and video tutorials' will be available in iBooks in the New Year.  Watch this space for news and previews of the material.  Join our mailing list to get advance notification of publication. 

It will be packed with advice to take you through the whole UCAS process, and quick and easy-to-watch videos to guide you through the labyrinth of UCAS terminology. 

Recommended reading for anyone in Year 11 or 12 (5th Form or 6th Form) who wants to go to uni.  Tell your parents to get it as well - there's plenty of advice for them too!

If you're in the 5th Form and aiming to go to the leading universities in the UK, you are probably worrying more about your GCSEs at the moment, but fairly soon you should consider thinking through your A level or Scottish Higher choices.  Here's a short video from the Russell Group (a group of 24 leading universities, often the pretty ones that your parents think it would be nice to go to).  They do offer some sound advice on what they call 'facilitating subjects' - that is subjects that help you to keep your options open.  

Article on the iniquities of the current system in today's Telegraph: 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/universityeducation/student-life/9737039/Personal-statement-for-sale-is-the-current-system-fair.html?dm_i=14DE,13WBO,5PB90J,3GXRX,1

Our comment: 
'Admissions tutors clearly do see through Personal Statements that are 'the work of more than one mind' to use the phrase of an Oxford admissions tutor we spoke to: to a certain extent it is expected, but a pre-fabricated response is certainly dangerous and will be caught out by UCAS similarity detection software.  What the independent sector offers, or should offer, is tailored guidance on not just the Personal Statement, but the whole application: where to apply with a particular set of predictions, how to balance the academic and extra-curricular in the statement in relation to particular universities, how to demonstrate proper reflection on work experience, whatever the experience may be, rather than simply listing 'stuff I have done', how to find the right course and university and appropriate insurance choices if things go wrong on results day.  I work in an independent school where we go out of our way to give the best quality advice, which might very well be not what the candidate or their parents want to hear.  We also get a lot of pupils from other schools (sometimes other independent schools) who are not offered the same level of support - but it is support with the whole process, and definitely not a Personal Statement writing service.  In fact we've just sent back a statement that was clearly written by someone else.'

Here's some food for thought. For a combination of reasons (for example, Unis wanting overseas fees, less funding at Unis leading to lecturers and whole departments being culled, etc) there is immense competition at the top end UK university courses. Just look at the applications to acceptance ratios for top courses at the best Unis.

Your personal statement needs to be better than ever. It's not too late to start for 2013 and it's the right time to be planning for 2014. Check out our advice and extended services for improve your chances.

In the meantime, check out these links:

https://kcs.org.uk/node/1399?dm_i=14DE,12X95,5PB9GW,3CALL,1

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/universityeducation/9718740/Huge-rise-in-universities-recruiting-students-in-January.html?dm_i=14DE,1301U,5PB9GW,3CL9F,1