Applying to University
UCAS application support is strong at Altrincham College. Year 13 students who aspire to go to university receive 1:1 support from Mrs Court, Careers and UCAS Adviser, as well as guidance from their form tutors and teachers throughout their time in the Sixth Form.
The research and application process may seem daunting, but our staff are on hand to assist students every step of the way. We advise students of the following:
Research:
Make sure you have thoroughly researched every aspect of the course before making your decision.
- Visiting a university open day is a fantastic opportunity to find out what university life is like. Exploring the campus, meeting academics and current students and attending subject talks will help students to decide if (and which) university is right for them.
- Unifrog is our school's online careers platform. Students can use the university search tool to research university courses, ranking them on factors such as: distance from home, acceptance rate or by league table ranking. Simply enter your preferred subject and predicted grades, and Unifrog will highlight which are aspirational, solid or safe choices, based on the information you provide:
- The UCAS website is full of information and resources to aid students (and parents/carers). Their course finder tool allows users to search through over 500,000 university and college courses.
- The LRC in the Sixth Form is home to lots of university prospectuses and other resources to aid our students' research.
Personal Statement Writing:
Students are asked to begin writing the first draft of their personal statements as early as possible, in the summer term of year 12.
Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to write your personal statement; it's a formal, academic piece of writing and most students find it challenging. Mrs Court and your form tutor will provide feedback and guidance on each draft of your personal statement, before it is approved by Mr Mahmood, Head of Sixth Form.
The personal statement should be no more than 4,000 characters. Each answer will have a minimum character count of 350 characters. The questions are as follows:
Question 1: Why do you want to study this course or subject?
Question 2: How have your qualifications and studies helped you to prepare for this course or subject?
Question 3: What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences useful?
What do I need to include?
- Reasons for choosing the course
- What excites you about this subject?
- What skills and knowledge do you have that make you right for the course?
- Can show your understanding of or suitability to the course?
- Do you have any relevant work or voluntary experience?
- What plans do you have for your future career?
- Do you have any extra-curricular activities and other interests to write about?
- What achievements are you proud of?
There are personal statement subject guides in the LRC. You can also find examples of personal statements, by subject on Unifrog.
Don't forget to check the Subjects Library on Unifrog for ideas of 'super-curricular activities' that you can read, watch or listen to, to add depth to your personal statement:
Advice from our students:
"Start working on your personal statement over the summer of Year 12 and have a 1st draft ready for September.” Iraj
“Don’t be disheartened if you’re asked to re-write your personal statement – it can take 10 drafts to get it right!” Dalia
“Having extra-curricular activities to talk about will give you the edge over other applicants.” Lara
“Make sure you visit all 5 of your university choices.” Bob
Information for parents
UCAS has a 'myth busting' for parents Podcast which covers everything parents and carers need to know about education and careers, from university applications to the skills shaping the jobs of tomorrow:
Applying to Oxbridge
Students who aspire to apply to the universities of Cambridge and Oxford are fully supported throughout the process. Remember that the mid-October application deadline for Oxbridge is much earlier than the main UCAS deadline.
Each year we are delighted to welcome Dr Dave Leal from Brasenose College, University of Oxford, to talk to our Year 12 students about the Oxbridge application process, and more generally, how to make a strong UCAS application.
Students who aspire to apply to Oxbridge receive 1:1 guidance on their application, along with practice interviews with teaching staff and the Senior Leadership Team.
We advise students to thoroughly research course choices and the admissions requirements. Typical offers are:
- Cambridge – A*A*A (Science) A*AA (Art)
- Oxford -- A*A*A (Science) AAA (Art).
Remember that the mid-October application deadline for Oxbridge is much earlier than the main UCAS deadline.
For the most up-to-date information about applying to the University of Oxford or Cambridge, please visit the following websites: Undergraduate admissions and outreach | Oxford University and Applying to Cambridge | Undergraduate Study
Student Finance Information
Our Year 13 students who are going to university this year will need to apply for student finance. There is just one application for both your tuition fee and maintenance loan. You can find out more here: https://studentfinance.campaign.gov.uk/
Students attend an annual Student Finance assembly, to ensure they fully understand the loans system and application process. A copy of the presentation can be found at the bottom of this page.
It can take up to six weeks for Student Finance England to process applications, so be sure to apply as early as possible. If your application is late, your money might be too. You'll need your passport and National Insurance number to get started.
When applications open, you can apply for student finance here: www.gov.uk/apply-online-for-student-finance
Remember you don't need a confirmed university place to apply. Get your application in early and change any details later, if needed!
To learn more about how to apply, please watch the video below:
Lots more information about applying to university can be found in the documents attached to the bottom of this page.
If you have any queries, please email Mrs Court. Students are also advised to check individual university websites and prospectuses for details, but in addition, the following websites can be extremely useful:
The universal destinations platform: Sign In - Unifrog
All students in the sixth form have access to their Unifrog account. They can login seam by clicking 'sign in with Microsoft'. Unifrog helps students to explore the worlds of work and education, and find the best next step to realise their aspirations.
Students use Unifrog to draft versions of their personal statements. Staff check and provide feedback on each version within the Unifrog platform. Unifrog is also used by students to write notes for their reference writers, and staff use it to collate and write references, and for predicted grades.
UCAS is the best website for comprehensive UCAS application support, which provides step-by-step guides, personal statement builders, and expert advice. It offers tailored tools, including the UCAS Hub guide, to help students manage applications, track progress, and find tailored advice for higher education.
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"The official website for comparing UK higher education course data" |
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"All you need to find the right uni! FREE, COMPREHENSIVE AND STUDENT LED" |
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"Providing you with a comprehensive university and college open day directory" |
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"Helping you compare establishments so you can decide what Uni should to go to" |
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"The Independent UK University League Tables & Rankings 2015" |
