Outreach Activities Officer

1
The Personal Statement, getting it right! What do
admissions officers look for?
Outreach Activities Officer Admissions and
International Recruitment University of the West
of England, Bristol
2

• The Application Form
• Short list 5 options (courses and/or
  universities)
• Apply online - Buzzword
• Password - change to something memorable.
• Personal Information get it right!
• Show clearly the examinations to be taken
• Know your exam boards.
• List all examinations taken, even if failed
• Personal statement no spell check tool on
  UCAS.COM!
• Academic reference

3

• Making your application
• What is the university looking for?
• Academic
• Motivation and interest
• Academic ability (including predicted results)
• Awareness of own strengths/weaknesses
• Communication skills
• Self-management skills (meeting deadlines,
  prioritising workload)
• Working in groups/ individually
• Attendance and timekeeping
• Contributions in class
• Suitability for chosen course

4

• Making your application
• What is the university looking for?
• Personal Statement
• Sell yourself!
• Clearly show why you have chosen the course why
  it interests you, and how it might link to career
  aspirations. Relate to academic and other life
  experiences
• If applying for different courses on the same
  form, explain why do not give the impression
  that you have not made up your mind!
• What skills and abilities do you have, and have
  demonstrated, that will be needed for the course
  working to deadlines, diplomacy, problem
  solving, using initiative
• Positions of responsibility school
  council, voluntary work
• Work experience and what you learnt,
• how it has helped you develop

5
Work Experience offers the skills qualities
Universities look for

• Required experience (HSC, Education)
• Organisation
• Time Management
• Confidence
• Independence
• Commitment and Motivation
• Communication
• Responsibility
• Professionalism
• Team Work

6

• Making your application
• What is the university looking for?
• Personal Statement
• Interests/ hobbies your social, sports and
  leisure interests, including non-accredited
  qualifications like Young Enterprise or Duke of
  Edinburgh
• Plans for gap year how you will use your time,
  and what you will gain from it
• Any other relevant information be honest, for
  example, if you have experienced any disruption
  to your studies as it could make a difference
• Admissions tutors are looking for enthusiastic
  and committed students make sure the personal
  statement conveys this
• Spelling and grammar ARE important, but
  humour rarely works

7
Making your application The application form A
good example for Law!
Work experience in local law firm
Visited magistrates court
Reasons for A-level choices and evidence of
skills gained
Personal goal demonstrates enthusiasm and
motivation
Research / background reading.
Personal yet professional.
Charity / voluntary work -
Involvement in School Council shows leadership
skills
Position of responsibility
Ambitions for future
Serious and committed
8
Making your application The application form A
poor example!
Poorly presented
Very unclear too many subjects not focused
Negative need to sell yourself!
Again, unfocused no thought. Not credible due
to insufficient depth / referencing.
Would expect a greater level of interest in
subject.
Weak reason.
Negative defeatist attitude.
No explanation
Question mark sums final comments up!
This applicant was not offered a place
9

• Making your application
• What is the university looking for?
• The Reference
• Academic references are best admissions tutors
  are looking for information that supports an
  applicants potential to be successful in HE
• Do refer to others who teach the applicant
  particularly if the applicant is studying a
  number of subjects, so that the reference covers
  the whole spectrum of experience
• Confirmation of programme of study and
  contribution by the applicant to that programme
  interest, commitment, motivation
• Independent confirmation of any difficulties
  faced by applicants anything that might have an
  impact on their attainment levels

10

• Making your application
• What is the university looking for?
• The Reference
• Useful if comment can be made about other skills
  leadership, teamwork, personal style. This is
  more important for certain courses but is
  useful to distinguish between applicants
• It is useful to know in what capacity the referee
  knows the applicant this helps to put context
  to what is written
• Predicted grades for A levels are very useful
  Bristol UWE makes offers within a band of tariff
  points, and makes offers within that banding by
  referring to predicted grades

11

• Education and Health Social Care Programmes
• For these programmes, it is very important that
  applicants
• Clearly demonstrate, at application,
  questionnaire/test and interview stage, their
  commitment and motivation for the programme
• Demonstrate that they have a clear understanding
  and knowledge of the profession, backed up by
  work experience within the field
• Are able to clearly identify the key skills
  required to work in the profession teamwork,
  empathy, excellent social skills, maturity
• Ensure that academic ability is also demonstrated
  these programmes are academically rigorous, and
  in order to succeed, applicants need to show
  this.

12

• Why do we interview?
• Interview not required for all courses
• Ideal opportunity to further asses your
• Academic / professional suitability
• Enthusiasm
• Dedication and Commitment
• Knowledge
• Discuss and expand upon elements of your
  application
• Occasionally asses team work ability
• Often determining factor of whether an offer is
  made

13

• How to get a place.
• Preparing for Interview
• Keep a copy of your biographical questionnaire
  and application form, and remind yourself of what
  you wrote
• Have a practice interview need to be relaxed,
  confidant and alert on the day, so a practice run
  helps to settle those nerves
• Think of the sort of questions you would like to
  ask!
• Make sure you have a clear and realistic idea of
  the route you have applied for, and why you want
  to take that route and be prepared to explain
  that to the interviewer
• Competition for places on these programmes is
• high - applicants need to sell themselves to
• Admissions tutors

14

• Making your application
• What happens next?
• Form received at UCAS
• Checked for errors
• Sent to each institution listed
• Applicant may be invited for an interview
• Decision sent back to UCAS to be communicated to
  applicant
• Accept or decline places via UCAS
• UCAS Extra

15

• Making your application
• Post application considerations
• Post application Open Days
• Confirmation of results
• Decision making - universities and applicants
• Clearing
• Holiday?
• Off to University!