year 11 - extracurriculars

2

Hi, I'm in year 11 and my school isn't the best in terms of expectations and extracurriculars but I aspire to go to a top uni and my school just says that I just need the grade and hasn't given guidance ( he told me it isn't needed ) when I asked advice for example how does writing a research paper work due to seeing that being a good point to add to an application. My grades aren't the best, but I am working to improve them and I don't want to just be enough I want to do my best. Therefore I'm scared that staying at my school's sixth form will be reason as to why I won't achieve this dream I did do some extracurriculars but they feel scattered as in from what I researched in order for an application to be successful it has to have extracurriculars that had an impact and depth. So does anyone where as an year 11 I should be at for this to happen and what type of things I can do, where to look for extracurriculars or even what to do to improve? To give a bit of context I picked chem, physics, maths and I plan to learn coding on the side as I enjoy it a lot (I didn't pick cs due to the teachers) and the teachers aren't bad at teaching you just need to ask questions and stuff as they don't push you as much as other sixth forms like LAE in the subjects I picked.

Reply 1

melancollege

Universities Forum Helper

19

Original post

by taia4

Hi, I'm in year 11 and my school isn't the best in terms of expectations and extracurriculars but I aspire to go to a top uni and my school just says that I just need the grade and hasn't given guidance ( he told me it isn't needed ) when I asked advice for example how does writing a research paper work due to seeing that being a good point to add to an application. My grades aren't the best, but I am working to improve them and I don't want to just be enough I want to do my best. Therefore I'm scared that staying at my school's sixth form will be reason as to why I won't achieve this dream I did do some extracurriculars but they feel scattered as in from what I researched in order for an application to be successful it has to have extracurriculars that had an impact and depth. So does anyone where as an year 11 I should be at for this to happen and what type of things I can do, where to look for extracurriculars or even what to do to improve? To give a bit of context I picked chem, physics, maths and I plan to learn coding on the side as I enjoy it a lot (I didn't pick cs due to the teachers) and the teachers aren't bad at teaching you just need to ask questions and stuff as they don't push you as much as other sixth forms like LAE in the subjects I picked.

For top UK universities, generally the term you'll hear is 'super-curriculars'. These are similar to extra-curriculars but directly relate to the subject you're applying for, so if you were applying to study Music, then a music theory qualification would be a super-curricular, but it wouldn't be so if you were applying to study Maths. For Oxford and Cambridge, only super-curriculars that relate to your desired subject will have any effect on an application.

As you are in Year 11, you are ahead of the curve in thinking about this. The first thing is to have a look at what sort of courses would interest you: I'm assuming something STEM-heavy by your A-Level choices. Make sure that any degrees you want to study are attainable with your A-Levels, e.g. if you wanted to Maths at Cambridge, then you would need to take Further Maths. It may help to read around your subjects to help you decide. This could be as simple as watching YouTube videos or reading online articles. You are not expected to spend money for your super-curriculars.

I wouldn't worry too much about writing a research paper - this is something that is at a much higher level and beyond most Year 13 applicants. There are the CREST awards which may be relevant. Shop around.

Reply 2

taia4

OP

2

Original post

by melancollege

For top UK universities, generally the term you'll hear is 'super-curriculars'. These are similar to extra-curriculars but directly relate to the subject you're applying for, so if you were applying to study Music, then a music theory qualification would be a super-curricular, but it wouldn't be so if you were applying to study Maths. For Oxford and Cambridge, only super-curriculars that relate to your desired subject will have any effect on an application.
As you are in Year 11, you are ahead of the curve in thinking about this. The first thing is to have a look at what sort of courses would interest you: I'm assuming something STEM-heavy by your A-Level choices. Make sure that any degrees you want to study are attainable with your A-Levels, e.g. if you wanted to Maths at Cambridge, then you would need to take Further Maths. It may help to read around your subjects to help you decide. This could be as simple as watching YouTube videos or reading online articles. You are not expected to spend money for your super-curriculars.
I wouldn't worry too much about writing a research paper - this is something that is at a much higher level and beyond most Year 13 applicants. There are the CREST awards which may be relevant. Shop around.

But then how would you know it's a good super-curricular for your application and it isn't just a random thing that doesn't have an effect? Also thank you for replying it's very helpful

Reply 3

melancollege

Universities Forum Helper

19

Original post

by taia4

But then how would you know it's a good super-curricular for your application and it isn't just a random thing that doesn't have an effect? Also thank you for replying it's very helpful

Essentially if it relates to your course of study. Also, it it's not that extracurriculars that are unrelated will specifically detriment an application, they just won't boost it.

You can always use supercurriculars to help you decide your course of study before finalising it. You're in year 11 so you have plenty of time.

Reply 4

Uni of Southampton Students

Official Rep

17

Original post

by taia4

Hi, I'm in year 11 and my school isn't the best in terms of expectations and extracurriculars but I aspire to go to a top uni and my school just says that I just need the grade and hasn't given guidance ( he told me it isn't needed ) when I asked advice for example how does writing a research paper work due to seeing that being a good point to add to an application. My grades aren't the best, but I am working to improve them and I don't want to just be enough I want to do my best. Therefore I'm scared that staying at my school's sixth form will be reason as to why I won't achieve this dream I did do some extracurriculars but they feel scattered as in from what I researched in order for an application to be successful it has to have extracurriculars that had an impact and depth. So does anyone where as an year 11 I should be at for this to happen and what type of things I can do, where to look for extracurriculars or even what to do to improve? To give a bit of context I picked chem, physics, maths and I plan to learn coding on the side as I enjoy it a lot (I didn't pick cs due to the teachers) and the teachers aren't bad at teaching you just need to ask questions and stuff as they don't push you as much as other sixth forms like LAE in the subjects I picked.

Hi @taia4 first of all, it’s really great that you’re thinking about this in Year 11. A lot of people don’t start until Year 12, so you’ve already got a head start.

1.

Sixth form choice: your school won’t “hold you back” automatically

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Staying at your current school’s sixth form won’t ruin your chances. What matters most is:

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Your A-level grades

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Your supercurriculars (subject-related activities that show interest)

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Your personal statement / motivation

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Admissions tests/interviews (for some unis/courses)

A “high-pressure” sixth form can help some people, but it can also overwhelm others. The best sixth form is the one where you’ll realistically get the highest grades and have enough support/time to build your profile.
If you’re considering moving, look for sixth forms that:

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Have strong results in your subjects (Maths/Chem/Physics)

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Run STEM clubs/olympiads or support competitions

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Offer good university guidance (Oxbridge/medicine/engineering pathways if that’s your goal)

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Have good teaching and good pastoral support

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About extracurriculars: it’s not about being “perfect”, it’s about depth

You’re right that scattered things can feel messy, but you can fix that by choosing a theme and building depth over time.
For your subjects (Maths/Chem/Physics + coding), strong “supercurricular” examples include:

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Reading & reflecting (a book/article + what you learned)

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Online courses (e.g., Python, maths for engineers, chemistry concepts)

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Competitions (UKMT, Physics Olympiad, Chemistry Olympiad, Bebras, coding contests)

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Projects (coding project, data analysis project, simulation, electronics)

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Work experience / university summer schools

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Lectures/talks (Royal Institution, universities, STEM webinars)

Unis usually care more about these than general “extracurriculars” like random clubs (those are still fine, but they’re not the most important part for academic courses).

1.

Research paper: you don’t need a published paper to impress

It’s a common myth that you need a “research paper” as a sixth former. It can be a good project, but admissions tutors care about what you learned, not how you label it.
A possible realistic version could be:

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Choose a question you’re really interested in (e.g., a physics modelling question or chemistry topic)

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Read 5-10 good sources

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Write a structured mini-report: intro → methods/ideas → analysis → conclusion → references That’s already “research” at your level and could be amazing for a personal statement.

If you want a formal option, consider:

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EPQ in Year 12/13 (excellent for research/writing skills)

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Essay competitions and STEM research programs (there are a few in the UK)

1.

What you should focus on right now (Year 11 → Year 12)

If your grades “aren’t the best” but you’re working on them, the key is:

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Secure good GCSE grades

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Develop study skills that will serve you well in A-levels

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A straightforward plan that works:

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After each topic, do past questions (not just reading notes)

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Keep a “mistake book”: every mistake is a revision target

1.

Coding on the side is an excellent idea

Not doing CS won’t hurt if you can show actual evidence of coding:

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Create a small project and post it on GitHub (having 1-2 good ones is sufficient)

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Do Python maths/physics (graphs, modelling, simulations)

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Try problem-solving websites (Codewars, LeetCode beginner, Advent of Code)

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This is a perfect fit for Maths/Physics and appears to be very strong for engineering/CS-related courses.

1.

You can absolutely aim high

If you continue to improve your grades and create a strong “story” for STEM + coding, you can definitely compete with top unis. The fact that your school doesn’t provide guidance simply means you have to be proactive, not that it’s impossible.
If you let me know what area of the course you are interested in (engineering? physics? chemistry? computer science?), I can recommend a very tight set of supercurriculars that fit it and a Year 11-12 plan.

I hope this helps!!!
Kind regards,
Thaabit - Student Ambassador at UoS

Reply 5

taia4

OP

2

I'm not sure what I like, but I do like things that are like logical hence why the subjects. What I can say is that I've been preparing for the physics olympiad and since the first day I saw it it's like I fell in love with the subject, like it made me realise how intresting physics actually is aside from lessons so maybe something similar I don't know because I feel like this could happen with chemistry aswell as it is also intresting. With chemistry I haven't done anything outside of gcse content and some experiments in class so maybe that's why I'm not as excited. I also entered the isaac computer science competition as I do enjoy computer science a lot and researching on AI and making the presentation aside from being stressful was fun, also the coding side is very fun, so to really be able to tell I wouldn't know how because GCSEs at the moment are very memory based. Essentially all I can say is that all of these subjects intrest me a lot and engineering especially as I've never seen or experience what it's like. Also by depth do you mean multiple super-curriculars interlinked with each other and the specific subject? How would you pick what to do or what to commit to?
Also thank you so much, I was so scared about my school choice and about my future what you said made it sound doable if hard work was put in so thank you.

(edited 2 months ago)

Reply 6

Muttley79

20

Original post

by taia4

I'm not sure what I like, but I do like things that are like logical hence why the subjects. What I can say is that I've been preparing for the physics olympiad and since the first day I saw it it's like I fell in love with the subject, like it made me realise how intresting physics actually is aside from lessons so maybe something similar I don't know because I feel like this could happen with chemistry aswell as it is also intresting. With chemistry I haven't done anything outside of gcse content and some experiments in class so maybe that's why I'm not as excited. I also entered the isaac computer science competition as I do enjoy computer science a lot and researching on AI and making the presentation aside from being stressful was fun, also the coding side is very fun, so to really be able to tell I wouldn't know how because GCSEs at the moment are very memory based. Essentially all I can say is that all of these subjects intrest me a lot and engineering especially as I've never seen or experience what it's like. Also by depth do you mean multiple super-curriculars interlinked with each other and the specific subject? How would you pick what to do or what to commit to?
Also thank you so much, I was so scared about my school choice and about my future what you said made it sound doable if hard work was put in so thank you.

Focus on you GCSE grades for now.

Start looking at the UKMT Senior Maths Challenges - recent papers here:
https://ukmt.org.uk/competition-papers/jsf/jet-engine:free-past-papers/tax/challenge-type:76/

year 11 - extracurriculars

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