The Student Room Group

2006 applicants

okay, 2006 applicants...

My sixth form is SLOW down to a snails pace

all of the year above (2005 applicants) haven't yet sent off their UCAS or even visited unis.

Therefore, I was wondering if this could be a thread to help all applicants (including me!)

Could people who HAVE ALREADY been through the whoe edeciding uni thing help

1.What did you do?
2.When did you start?
3.Did you use the internet?
4.How did you not get scared when a million courses showed up on searches? What did you look out for, etc. etc.

For people who are applying could they say

1. What year you are in
2. What course you are thinking of taking
3. Anyother information


I would love this to stay on topics and actaully help people, because if it does, I will tell all me friends to go on it.

thanks
Reply 1
Nice idea. I would suggest the following:-

Use your time in Yr 12 well, as the pressures in Yr 13 are greater.
Go on coursefinder about halfway through Yr 12. Identify the places you want to go to.
After AS exams, go on the Open Days for the Unis you've identifed as possibles.
Before end of the summer term, log on to the UCAS system and make a very very good start on your Personal Statement. keep this ticking over during the hols, ask for help at home on this and other forums.
After your AS results, you will then be in a position to finalise your choices, related to the grades you got and your predicted A2 grades... this might not be available till you go back to school.
Finish your PS and UCAS online/paper version in September and send it off - you will have lots of things to do in Yr 13, a PS jst adds lots of pressure. If you have at least got a very good draft before you go back to school, you will be able to apply early.
historyhoney
okay, 2006 applicants...

My sixth form is SLOW down to a snails pace

all of the year above (2005 applicants) haven't yet sent off their UCAS or even visited unis.

Therefore, I was wondering if this could be a thread to help all applicants (including me!)

Could people who HAVE ALREADY been through the whoe edeciding uni thing help

1.What did you do?
2.When did you start?
3.Did you use the internet?
4.How did you not get scared when a million courses showed up on searches? What did you look out for, etc. etc.

For people who are applying could they say

1. What year you are in
2. What course you are thinking of taking
3. Anyother information


I would love this to stay on topics and actaully help people, because if it does, I will tell all me friends to go on it.

thanks


I started looking at where I might like to go as soon as the 2005 prospectuses came out, so it was late spring this year. I literally ordered every prospectus I could get my hands on for every university that does English.

I gave the ones that didn't appeal to me at all to other people who were interested in them or put them in the common room or threw them out. I had about 20 that were still of interest, so I perused them all in great detail and spent ages looking at the internet sites too. I think I got it down to about eight in the end, and went to visit six universities in the summer. One visit told me I didn't want to go there (Royal Holloway) and the other five convinced me to apply. I chose Cardiff as well because my parents used to live there and swear that it's lovely!!

I knew where I was applying when I got back in September and my form will go on Monday (it will be the first one to go from my school). I am really glad that I got all of the looking at unis done last year and over the summer, because I want to concentrate on getting the results I need this year :smile: I don't think you can start too early, but be flexible and don't set your heart on things too early. I had my heart set on RH and was really disappointed by it when I went!

Good luck :smile:
I'm in Year 12 but want to have a really good idea of where i want to go before i start Year 13 as, like Geogger said, i don't want the unnecessary pressure.

I want to do English literature but i am also going to apply for a couple of courses that combine with education as the offers are lower - that way, i'll (hopefully!) get to do English at uni, one way or another.

So far i've only looked around Birmingham uni as it was the only open day at this time of year that was on a Saturday (i didn't want to miss too much of school right at the start of the AS course) but am glad i did - it seemed OK, but not as nice as i was expecting from the prospectus and so i am definitely going to aim to visit all the unis i apply to.

At the moment i would love to go to Warwick but i'll have to see how it goes and whether i'll realistically get the required grades.

:smile:
Reply 4
I want to do history by the way!

I have sent off to around 40 unis that do history courses for prospectus (althoughg most I will end up putting in our sixth form common room) it seems a lot of hard work at the moment
Since about Year 10 i knew i wanted to go to university, and since Year 11 i knew i wanted to study geography - i really couldn't imagine doing anything else! I started researching universities and courses way before most people (probably) - it was, in fact, about this time last year. Well, actually, i started off really slowly (no need to go crazy hehe) and ordered Durham, Bristol and Exeter prospectuses early so i got the 2004 editions. But i really wanted to get an idea about some places early on. In the Spring, when 2005 entry prospectuses were published, i went to a UCAS convention and picked up loads, and ordered some off the internet as well. I ended up with about 30-40. After trawling through prospectuses, league tables, forums like this one (for opinions), review websites, even going on AA route planner and seeing how long journeys would take (!), i narrowed my list down to around 10-12 universities. I was almost dead set on applying to Bristol because of its fantastic reputation for geography, but a visit there told me it wasn't for me, so i am really glad i went! I realised i wanted campus/smaller city universities.

I have to say that just being a member of this forum, and using studential.com put me way ahead of everyone else i know in my year at school in terms of knowing what's what, reputations of universities, the UCAS form, etc! My UCAS application has been sent, but most people in my tutor group don't even know where to start! I am really glad i started my personal statement early as i went through about 20+ drafts and in the end i was really satified with my effort and my tutor only had to skim read it to know i had done it properly. It's never too early to start your PS if you know what course you want to do, in my opinion.
Reply 6
historyhoney
I want to do history by the way!



Hi, my UCAS form is going off on early next week and its for History (V100) so if you want any help on specifically History, just ask! :smile:
Reply 7
Doolally
Hi, my UCAS form is going off on early next week and its for History (V100) so if you want any help on specifically History, just ask! :smile:


oo lovely person!! could I ask what ur predicted grades are and were ur applying?
Reply 8
historyhoney
oo lovely person!! could I ask what ur predicted grades are and were ur applying?


They're AAA, but i dont think ill get that! Applying for Durham, York, Cardiff, Nottingham, Bristol, Southampton.... I looked at loads tho, so any questions on any unis for History, just ask away and ill try to help! I really don't mind helping, cos I know how hard it is :smile:
Reply 9
Doolally
They're AAA, but i dont think ill get that! Applying for Durham, York, Cardiff, Nottingham, Bristol, Southampton.... I looked at loads tho, so any questions on any unis for History, just ask away and ill try to help! I really don't mind helping, cos I know how hard it is :smile:


cool! I am really interested in applying to Durham actually, u know when you look at webstes and you suddenly think - yeah I could imgine myself goign to this!
Reply 10
historyhoney
cool! I am really interested in applying to Durham actually, u know when you look at webstes and you suddenly think - yeah I could imgine myself goign to this!


Yes!! Done the exact same thing...although thats quite bad now I think, because I *really* wanna go there, but its so competitive with History that i don't think i'll get an offer :frown:
Reply 11
Doolally
Yes!! Done the exact same thing...although thats quite bad now I think, because I *really* wanna go there, but its so competitive with History that i don't think i'll get an offer :frown:


aww, what results did you get at GCSE?
Reply 12
historyhoney
aww, what results did you get at GCSE?


A* (Hist), 10 A's, 1 B

I'm definately gunna send it tomorrow, i just want it to go now...but I know i'll be waiting around for ages to hear from Durham, they're really slow apparently :frown: What unis are you looking at?
Reply 13
Doolally
A* (Hist), 10 A's, 1 B

I'm definately gunna send it tomorrow, i just want it to go now...but I know i'll be waiting around for ages to hear from Durham, they're really slow apparently :frown: What unis are you looking at?


I have no idea! I ordered loads of prospectuses and Durham was the one that stuck out that I am definatly going to visit, but I'm stuck on others - are there any u recommened? It must be annoying havng to wait to find out , do you have to take an enterence test or go to an interview?
historyhoney
I have no idea! I ordered loads of prospectuses and Durham was the one that stuck out that I am definatly going to visit, but I'm stuck on others - are there any u recommened? It must be annoying havng to wait to find out , do you have to take an enterence test or go to an interview?

I'm in love with Durham - never actually visited though! :biggrin: Seeing as i'm applying for geography i'm not an expert on other good places but York seems popular.

99.9% sure you DON't have to have an interview if you are applying with standard qualifications i.e. 3 A-levels. :smile: And no entrance test either, but i heard that Oxbridge are bringing back their History Admissions Test (HAT)?
Reply 15
historyhoney
I have no idea! I ordered loads of prospectuses and Durham was the one that stuck out that I am definatly going to visit, but I'm stuck on others - are there any u recommened? It must be annoying havng to wait to find out , do you have to take an enterence test or go to an interview?


Nope, no entrance test or interview...i hope! York's History course is apparently really good...loads of choice with modules, which is exactly what i want. Yep, Sians right, Oxford have bought the History admissions test back this year (one of the reasons I didn't apply). Um, other unis...apparently Lanacaster is good for History, and has slightly lower grade entries. Southampton also has lower grade entries...but im not sure about whether the course is any good or not! I think Exeter is good aswell? And i *think* i heard that Royal Holloway does a really good History course too. Lol, im not being much help am I? Just mentioning random names! But definately look into Durham, it looks gorgeous, I can't wait to go visit!