How much do universities care about extracurricular activities?

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Just a question from someone who will be applying soon. As someone who will be applying for an academic course, what can I do to make myself stand out?

Grades and UMS scores are the most important in this incidence.
Some wider reading (even with sciences) and supercurricular activities that are related to your course.

It really depends on your course.

Reply 21

FrostShot

Original post by flibber

Thanks! Is there a reason why people keeping telling others to focus on extracurricular rather than supercurricular?

They are misinformed.

To an extent it depends on the course, but even if you have extra curricular activities, no matter what the course, grades ALWAYS come first. For some courses, extra curricular activities do not matter at all, but some people like to shove it in others face to focus on extra curricular despite what the course is.

The reason they say this is probably because simply good grades are no longer sufficient to ensure a place at a top university, but keep in mind that they are still necessary, so they expect you to have something extra, which is true to an extent.
Unfortunately, for a lot of subjects, that 'something extra' absolutely should not be extra curricular activities, especially if they are not relevant to your course. The way candidates with similar grades are differentiated now are by specific entrance exams, and interviews, not extracurricular activities or their personal statement.

Practicing hard and doing a university entrance exam a year early and scoring well on it is that something extra I would personally recommend, extracurricular s are just a waste of time.

Reply 22

cambio wechsel

Original post by flibber

Thanks! Is there a reason why people keeping telling others to focus on extracurricular rather than supercurricular?

Im guessing most people haven't heard the second term before. I hadn't.

Incidentally, ignore my signature in the context of this discussion. That's mostly there just for 'intimidation'.

Reply 23

dirtmother

Extra curriculars might keep you sane and fit to achieve well academically. Supra-curriculars will give you some insight into whether you really want to do the course you are applying for.

It's not all about getting in.... there's three or four years to come after that, not to mention the rest of your life.

What's this 'university entrance exam'??? Sounds highly specific to one university to me...

Reply 24

flibber

Original post by subject1

Just a brief digression- why are humanities courses counted as 'arts'?

Reply 25

flibber

Original post by dirtmother

Warwick and Cambridge make people with conditional maths offers do STEP.

Oxford and Imperial make Maths applicants do MAT.

There's other stuff for Oxford too, such as ELAT, PAT, HAT, BMAT, ZAT, XAT, YAT and so on.

P.S. ok the last three aren't real.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 26

subject1

Original post by flibber

Just a brief digression- why are humanities courses counted as 'arts'?

I think it is because universities try to classify subjects in just two categories - arts and sciences. Therefore, any subject that is not classified as a "science" is considered as an art.

I don't think it really matters. I am doing geog at uni and it is classified as a science by some unis and as an art in some unis. In fact, for geography most universities offer both BSc and BA for it.

Which humanities course are you thinking of?

Reply 27

dirtmother

So completely subject specific... like BMAT for medicine etc.

A levels not 'irrelevant' for most.

Reply 28

Carnationlilyrose

Original post by flibber

That's why I feel sorry for people doing medicine... they're trapped in that field for the rest of their working lives.

Does stuff that's implicitly but not completely linked to the subject (e.g. a person participating in the school's politics society and is applying for economics) count as 'supercurricular' or 'extracurricular'?

'Super' means on top of or extending it further, and 'extra' means in addition to or outside the curriculum. I don't think you need to get bogged down in the terminology much, though.

Reply 29

Carnationlilyrose

Original post by AvWOW

What about Biotechnology? Is that 'vocational'?
And the extra-curricular I'm getting is like leadership training and work experience. Also a few sports achievements... nothing much. Compared with my friend though I though I was heavily lacking. But in terms of academics, I'm very focused. Expecting 4 As for AS.

No. It doesn't directly lead to a job. It doesn't incorporate professional qualifications within it.

Reply 30

Cerdic

I kept my extra curricular activities to a short paragraph on my personal statement and got where I wanted. Academic achievement is far more important, but if you're the same academically as someone else it could give you the edge.

Reply 31

Carnationlilyrose

Original post by flibber

So I can essentially leave the extracurricular part out (or just put a sentence or two) since I want to apply for competitive universities?

Here's what I wrote on TSR about 3 years ago when I went on a Careers Advisors' conference at Leeds University about applying for English, and in particular about the PS:

•

Minimise extracurricular content. I will quote the tutor exactly here: 'The more academic subjects, as opposed to vocational ones, at competitive, research-led universities want only minimal extracurricular details, if any at all.'

Reply 32

flibber

Original post by subject1

I still have no idea about which course I want to apply for. Is Maths a science subject? (Math doesn't use the scientific method, so it can't be called a science).

Reply 33

Blackstarr

It depends on the course.

Reply 34

Blackstarr

Original post by flibber

I still have no idea about which course I want to apply for. Is Maths a science subject? (Math doesn't use the scientific method, so it can't be called a science).

Maths can be a science because maths is essentially a part of physics and vice versa.

Reply 35

flibber

Original post by 08Mercyf

Maths can be a science because maths is essentially a part of physics and vice versa.

I consider maths to be more a tool of the physicist.

Reply 36

Blackstarr

Original post by flibber

I consider maths to be more a tool of the physicist.

If you say so.

A level maths overlaps with A level physics. The content is similar.

Reply 37

Clearing and Applications Advisor

What universities are looking for:

Evidence that you have the skills/knowledge to succeed on the course. 90% of this will be based on your grades. In creative and vocational subjects then they might be looking for this evidence in a portfolio, interview or PS.

Evidence that you know what you are getting into: 3+ years is a long time. Your PS needs to show evidence that you understand what you are applying for. For vocational courses this also means the career path you are getting into. For most courses this also means understanding how university level teahing and learning works for your course - if you apply for a degree in History with no evidence of independent study/research skills then you're not top of the pile of applicants.

Evidence that you have the interest and enthusiasm to stick with your degree course. This is where super-curriculars can really help. If you've made an effort to find out more about your subject then that shows an enthusiasm beyond the basic.

In my experience it is the middle area that most applicants and PSs tend to skimp on. Applicants often don't really look into what topics will be covered or do their research on how a course will be taught or the realities of the career they apply for. This lack of understanding is one of the main reasons students end up unhappy, failing or dropping out of degrees.