really worried about everything

i'm not sure if this should be in this particular section, but as its affecting me quite badly and i have started to get depressed over it i figured it may as well go here. I've just finished my first year at college (and dreading my AS results). Recently i've started to think that i won't get accepted into any universities because on personal statements they want to see you as being an interesting person who is truly passionate about the subject, and i don't know how to do that on paper, because i dont consider myself particularly interesting. I recently got rejected for the durham masterclass summerschool, which is one less thing to put on my UCAS form, and i'm getting really worried that i don't have enough credentials. There's also the fact that while my grades have always been good and my tutors have encouraged me to consider applying for some of the top Unis, (which i would like to do), since being rejected for this summerschool i have started to think "maybe i can only do exams, that doesnt neccessarily make me clever." It's getting to the point where when i hear the word "university" i feel ill, because i keep thinking i'll never be accepted anywhere. Anyone have any advice? Sorry this is so long btw

Reply 1

spark911

I have the whole "maybe I can only do exams" sometimes. But it's just you being nervous and scared. This year at uni (2nd year) I'm going to force myself to do so much more. The opportunities are there, at university, to do so much more.

It's not so much about how interesting and what you've done before uni, more so at uni. Just like Colleges only really care about GCSE results, and Unis generally only care about A-Level results, graduate employers only care about your life at uni. So who cares if you didn't go to summer school for something, I wont hold it against you if you have a good grade at uni and have done more things there.

Trust me, it's so much easier at uni. In one year at uni I've been simulation skydiving (in a wind tunnel), snowboarding in france and scuba diving in Malta!

Granted these aren't academic things, but I'm going to work on this a lot more this year. So my advice would be not to worry.

Try other summer schools. Why not write to companies/businesses for relevant work experience. What cours are you applying for, by the way? May help people offer better suggestions.

"Being interesting" on a personal statement can be as simple as reading around your subject, perhaps looking up some acaedmics in the field and seeing if they have any seminars you can go to (some free, some you pay), does your college have a debating club (if its relevant), can you get yourself in a position of responsibility (or do something like help out at a charity), work experience (as mentioned before) or take up a sport (can be team, or solo such as running).

Reply 2

princess_laura

hey, i totally sympathise with how you're feeling, i was exactly the same last year when i was doing my as levels. i got good results but whenever i was put on the spot in one of my lessons i could never come out with an intelligent answer which made me think i was only good at exams, like you think. but this year i've had to do so much more independent research and coursework because of my subjects that i realised i can do these things and i'm sure you'll find that next year too. the way i see it is if you're not that bright you wouldn't have gone on to do a levels in the first place or if you had you wouldn't have stuck at it which shows something... plus if you're teachers see potential in you to apply to the top universities listen to them, they'll have taught many students over the years and for them to say that must mean they can see you're intelligent, even if you don't see it yourself!
as for unis, i think schools and colleges put way too much pressure on you to start thinking about them in year 12, i know my school did which led to so many of my friends getting stressed out in exactly the same way you did. to tell you the truth i didn't think about it until the summer and even then i didn't want to get too into a uni in case i didn't get good as results. i'd just say try your best not to think about it too much and try to enjoy your summer! just pick up a few prospectuses for unis you think you might be interested in, but don't feel pressured to make a decision.
i had the same problem with my personal statement as well, i didn't have a clue how to make it sound "passionate" and "interesting" and all those other words unis throw at you! i went on a few different websites and looked at other people's from past years to get some ideas and that really helped. if you search through google you'll find loads!
and if you do get rejected by a uni it's not the worst thing in the world. i got rejected by two of mine and one of them had been my first choice and i'd had my heart set on going there and initially i thought about declining all my other offers and trying to go through extra. it was only when i decided i might as well give nottingham a chance that i realised i actually liked the place and the course 100 times more than my first choice uni! so i just think if i hadn't had that rejection i wouldn't have realised there was somewhere else i was much more suited to :smile:

my advice would be to just relax and enjoy the rest of the holiday and as hard as it is try not to think about results day until absolutely necessary (like the day before!) and just don't stress yourself out with unis and ucas applications because in my experience it wasn't half as bad as i'd expected it to be, but i guess everyone's different...
hope i've helped, even if it's just a little bit! :smile:

Reply 3

mermania

16

wow you managed to calculate that you liked nottingham 100 times more than the other place without ever attending either! quite the achievement. you should be very proud!

Reply 4

Rei

14

Im dreadin Alevel results too..and am in the exact same situation..done nothing for the UCAS form..dont know how to get into any top unis..just gotta see what happens after the 16th i guess...

But, your best bet is to start doing something now..anything.(volunteering is popular and liked) it can help a lot.

Reply 5

Cirsium

19

Well as far as the Personal Statement goes, don't worry - you have the TSR Personal Statement team at your disposal! (If you have no idea what I'm on about then look under my username :wink:

) Whatever happens this summer, you still have an entire year to improve upon it - even if things do go wrong. Teachers are generally a pretty good judge of potential: they wouldn't set you up for a fall, so if they think you're good enough then you probably are :wink:

Reply 6

Anonymous #1

OP

Thanks everyone. I'm going to be applying for either English Lit or History, haven't really decided which one, but it will definitely be one of those two. I do do things outside college and within college, but i didn't think them of relevant importance, like i play piano and violin and i'm on the chaplaincy and newspaper in college. I think i'll have a look around at some sample personal statements to get an idea of what to do - guess i'll just have to wait until the 16th and see my results.

Reply 7

ph9

10

i'm the opposite. i'm terrible at exams and always think 'damn exams, i'm more intelligent than this'. how big headed of me :frown:

getting good grades is, i'm sure you've gathered, veeery important in getting into your unis and since you say you're good at exams, i think this is to your advantage really. take it one step at a time. don't sweat over images of these excellent academics who spend break times discussing aristotle or whatever.

someone once wisely advised i should only worry about a problem when it becomes real and that's really helped me whenever i get nervous and irrationally worried about school/uni/exams.

and yeah leaving everything until results day is what i'm doing too :biggrin:

it helps keep the worrying away at least...

Reply 8

username70704

Anonymous

Thanks everyone. I'm going to be applying for either English Lit or History, haven't really decided which one, but it will definitely be one of those two. I do do things outside college and within college, but i didn't think them of relevant importance, like i play piano and violin and i'm on the chaplaincy and newspaper in college. I think i'll have a look around at some sample personal statements to get an idea of what to do - guess i'll just have to wait until the 16th and see my results.

Put that in! Admission tutors like to see that you're a well-rounded individual and what your interests are outside of college so you could briefly mention these in your personal statement.

My advice would be to choose your choices wisley and the sooner the better. In September, the teachers will be on you like a tonne of bricks nagging about your PS etc. And before you know it, the deadline will zoom round in January! Get your application sent off asap, especially for competitive courses such as English (but I'm being biased because I applied to do English in September :p:

). At my college, our UCAS applications had to be checked over by THREE people, which I thought took the mick!

Really, don't worry about it for the whole of the summer. Just sit back and wait for the offers to flood in! There are plenty of sample personal statements you can look at. What universities are you tihnking of applying to?

Good luck with your results on the 16th! :smile:

Reply 9

username70704

*~*laura*~*

it was only when i decided i might as well give nottingham a chance that i realised i actually liked the place and the course 100 times more than my first choice uni!

Yeah, Nottingham's a great place. Ignore all the stories about how we're the gun capital of the country and we're supposedly one of the worst places to live in England - we're nice people really :wink:

Reply 10

Anonymous #1

OP

Shuv

Put that in! Admission tutors like to see that you're a well-rounded individual and what your interests are outside of college so you could briefly mention these in your personal statement.

My advice would be to choose your choices wisley and the sooner the better. In September, the teachers will be on you like a tonne of bricks nagging about your PS etc. And before you know it, the deadline will zoom round in January! Get your application sent off asap, especially for competitive courses such as English (but I'm being biased because I applied to do English in September :p:

). At my college, our UCAS applications had to be checked over by THREE people, which I thought took the mick!

Really, don't worry about it for the whole of the summer. Just sit back and wait for the offers to flood in! There are plenty of sample personal statements you can look at. What universities are you tihnking of applying to?

Good luck with your results on the 16th! :smile:

I'm thinking of Durham, Leicester, Warwick and Edinburgh at the minute - not too sure about my 5th choice. I think i'll be able to decide which course to choose better after the 16th, then i plan on starting work on my personal statement, so at the very least by the time i start college again i'll have a very rough draft. Thanks for the luck!

really worried about everything

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