How early do I have to start looking into Unis?
I'm just about to enter Year 12 and I'm kinda worried that I'm gonna miss out as my friend just told me she's going to some open days next month. I don't even know what course I want to take yet! I'm an only child so I don't have a lot of experience/guidance and skl hasn't let us know about anything...
Research some up now as it could give you a good idea as to what kind of grades you’ll want to aim for. I picked my unis for ucas in a hurry so don’t make that mistake 
You're only starting 6th form, so don't worry.
Have a think about what kind of courses you might want to take, find some work experience, start some extracurricular activities which relate to career paths which you think. As long as you get most of this done somewhere along the line in Year 12, it doesn't really matter (but of course, earlier is better).
As far as open days go, the main ones for you will be around May/June/July, and there'll be more chances around September/October time closer to your deadline for UCAS application next year.
Have a think about what kind of courses you might want to take, find some work experience, start some extracurricular activities which relate to career paths which you think. As long as you get most of this done somewhere along the line in Year 12, it doesn't really matter (but of course, earlier is better).
As far as open days go, the main ones for you will be around May/June/July, and there'll be more chances around September/October time closer to your deadline for UCAS application next year.
Try not to panic... start looking at prospectuses and uni websites now, purely for getting an idea of what you might like to study. Application process tends to need finalising by Christmas/January of year 13 to stand a good chance of getting through prospective interviews and getting offers. You've got another 12 months to get it all sorted. Go round as many unis as possible (around AS exams and coursework!) after Easter.
There’s no rush, you have to remember that everyone is on their own university journey. Some people know by the beginning of year 12 what they want to study at university, hence booking open days is the next logical step.
Some people apply to Oxbridge, some don’t. Some people visit universities in year 12 and send their application in year 13, others decide a bit later in year 13 and rush slightly, others find the whole university process too stressful and time consuming during sixth form and thus apply during a gap year.
Please don’t compare yourself to others, everyone is on their own university journey. It’s perfectly fine that you don’t know what your next steps are yet, for you have a lot of time to think and discuss. Don’t rush it, open days run all throughout the year so you’re not missing out on anything.
Some people apply to Oxbridge, some don’t. Some people visit universities in year 12 and send their application in year 13, others decide a bit later in year 13 and rush slightly, others find the whole university process too stressful and time consuming during sixth form and thus apply during a gap year.
Please don’t compare yourself to others, everyone is on their own university journey. It’s perfectly fine that you don’t know what your next steps are yet, for you have a lot of time to think and discuss. Don’t rush it, open days run all throughout the year so you’re not missing out on anything.
You don't have to rush , you don't even really have to start thinking about unis until the start of the 2nd year but starting early doesn't hurt. Also if you don't get the best grade uni's will actually lower their entry requirements for clearing. Look at some open days and which uis have the courses you're interested in. You should do fine
Year 12 -
Workload in year 12 is far less than in year 13 so go to all types of open days. Plus I feel that while other students missed days to go to open days in year 13, they missed out on a lot of topics that would come in the exams so it’s best to focus more on work in year 13 instead of going to open days then.
There’s sometimes open weeks of some sort - i went to one where for the week we went to lectures, did group work and kind of had the university lecture experiences with real lecturer teachings.
Also make sure to look at university requirements now since it will help you know what grades you need and you’ll know to what extent you can achieve - this helps narrow down universities.
Year 13 -
focus on exams and keep going over year 12 topics since the exams this year are based on both year 12 and 13s learning.
Apply for uni - make sure after you send off ucas, focus fully on your work. Regardless of getting offers at uni, the grades are what will be the golden ticket.
Hope that helps x
Workload in year 12 is far less than in year 13 so go to all types of open days. Plus I feel that while other students missed days to go to open days in year 13, they missed out on a lot of topics that would come in the exams so it’s best to focus more on work in year 13 instead of going to open days then.
There’s sometimes open weeks of some sort - i went to one where for the week we went to lectures, did group work and kind of had the university lecture experiences with real lecturer teachings.
Also make sure to look at university requirements now since it will help you know what grades you need and you’ll know to what extent you can achieve - this helps narrow down universities.
Year 13 -
focus on exams and keep going over year 12 topics since the exams this year are based on both year 12 and 13s learning.
Apply for uni - make sure after you send off ucas, focus fully on your work. Regardless of getting offers at uni, the grades are what will be the golden ticket.
Hope that helps x
(edited 4 years ago)
You can narrow down what you want to do based on the a levels you’re doing now. What are you studying?
Original post by officialmay
You can narrow down what you want to do based on the a levels you’re doing now. What are you studying?
I'm taking Biology, Chemistry, Maths and History - (my college makes us take 4 for the first year and then we drop one).
I'm not sure if the medicine route is for me tho.
Original post by nidgethesquidge
I'm taking Biology, Chemistry, Maths and History - (my college makes us take 4 for the first year and then we drop one).
I'm not sure if the medicine route is for me tho.
I'm not sure if the medicine route is for me tho.
That’s a nice range of subject so well done for that
. And so what subject will you drop next year if you want to - I’d say you drop whichever subject you get low As grades on. From your subjects you can pretty much do anything health related, or even go into history or finance. Do you have any idea of what you might want to do though? Could be a multiple of options, then you can narrow it down around year 13.
haha thanks, i was planning on dropping history but if i end up liking it i might consider dropping any of the others based on how i get on :/
right now i’ve been quite interested in the pharmaceutical industry and also have an interest in forensics so i guess a biology/biomedical science degree might apply to those fields
i’m just VERY indecisive
right now i’ve been quite interested in the pharmaceutical industry and also have an interest in forensics so i guess a biology/biomedical science degree might apply to those fields
i’m just VERY indecisive
Original post by officialmay
That’s a nice range of subject so well done for that . And so what subject will you drop next year if you want to - I’d say you drop whichever subject you get low As grades on.
From your subjects you can pretty much do anything health related, or even go into history or finance. Do you have any idea of what you might want to do though? Could be a multiple of options, then you can narrow it down around year 13.
. And so what subject will you drop next year if you want to - I’d say you drop whichever subject you get low As grades on. From your subjects you can pretty much do anything health related, or even go into history or finance. Do you have any idea of what you might want to do though? Could be a multiple of options, then you can narrow it down around year 13.
Original post by nidgethesquidge
haha thanks, i was planning on dropping history but if i end up liking it i might consider dropping any of the others based on how i get on :/
right now i’ve been quite interested in the pharmaceutical industry and also have an interest in forensics so i guess a biology/biomedical science degree might apply to those fields
i’m just VERY indecisive
right now i’ve been quite interested in the pharmaceutical industry and also have an interest in forensics so i guess a biology/biomedical science degree might apply to those fields
i’m just VERY indecisive
Indecisive is good. Some poor fellows don’t even have a clue on what to do with their life, forget uni. At least you’ve got a baseline idea about which direction you might be headed. I guess all you have to do now is to go to open days.
Which brings us to your main question, I recommend you go to open days in year 12 so you can see how the interesting the courses are and how the open days are appealing to you, and from there you can thereafter look into specific universities.
A lot of people would say pharmacology is pretty hard, but really regardless of what others are saying, if you enjoy the subject, you’ll do just fine because the interest in you will motivate and help you achieve the best.
Forensics is interesting one of my friends are going to study that this sept and she’s pretty excited about that since it’s a very fun course to study. Wish I applied for this but I don’t see myself becoming a forensic of some sort lol
Anyways good luck. Keep experimenting with all your course options by going to open days and ask, can you see yourself working in that field in the next 4 years?
But make sure in year 13 you have no distractions x
Original post by officialmay
Indecisive is good. Some poor fellows don’t even have a clue on what to do with their life, forget uni. At least you’ve got a baseline idea about which direction you might be headed. I guess all you have to do now is to go to open days.
Which brings us to your main question, I recommend you go to open days in year 12 so you can see how the interesting the courses are and how the open days are appealing to you, and from there you can thereafter look into specific universities.
A lot of people would say pharmacology is pretty hard, but really regardless of what others are saying, if you enjoy the subject, you’ll do just fine because the interest in you will motivate and help you achieve the best.
Forensics is interesting one of my friends are going to study that this sept and she’s pretty excited about that since it’s a very fun course to study. Wish I applied for this but I don’t see myself becoming a forensic of some sort lol
Anyways good luck. Keep experimenting with all your course options by going to open days and ask, can you see yourself working in that field in the next 4 years?
But make sure in year 13 you have no distractions x
Which brings us to your main question, I recommend you go to open days in year 12 so you can see how the interesting the courses are and how the open days are appealing to you, and from there you can thereafter look into specific universities.
A lot of people would say pharmacology is pretty hard, but really regardless of what others are saying, if you enjoy the subject, you’ll do just fine because the interest in you will motivate and help you achieve the best.
Forensics is interesting one of my friends are going to study that this sept and she’s pretty excited about that since it’s a very fun course to study. Wish I applied for this but I don’t see myself becoming a forensic of some sort lol
Anyways good luck. Keep experimenting with all your course options by going to open days and ask, can you see yourself working in that field in the next 4 years?
But make sure in year 13 you have no distractions x
Thanks so much, will take on all this advice!
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