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Applying for highly competitive courses
Whether you are brand new to the university application process, or have been working in the education sector for as long as I have, you’ll undoubtedly have heard teachers, advisers and university staff talking about “highly competitive courses”.
It’s a term bandied about with little thought. On one hand teachers use it to make sure students take their applications seriously, and don’t make assumptions about their chances of getting into university. On the other, it is used by universities to make their courses seem more attractive; the more unattainable a course is, the more people want to get into it!
So, as students, applying through UCAS for the first time, how do you know which courses are genuinely “highly competitive”, and if they are, do you really need to do anything different with your application?
Wait… has the UCAS Personal Statement just been scrapped?
Earlier in the summer, just after the schools broke up in England, UCAS made an important announcement about the UCAS Personal Statement.
If you just looked at the headlines, you’d think that the Personal Statement had been banished forever. But in truth the Personal Statement is not being scrapped at all; it’s being reformed and restructured.
And it’s not happening immediately either.
So, what is the truth behind all those misleading headlines?
Your university application timeline, with key dates for 2025
Are you about to embark on your university applications for entry in 2025?
If so, this timeline is exactly what you need to help you get your head around the process.
I’ll give you all the key dates and deadlines, suggestions about what you should be considering and when, plus links to loads more advice and support for each stage of the process.
How to get feedback on your UCAS Personal Statement
So, you’ve had a go at writing your UCAS Personal Statement. The school deadline is looming, and you have no idea whether what you have written is any good.
This is where you need to start looking for some specific help and support. The great news is that there are almost certainly people around to help you.
However, getting feedback is not simple. Knowing who to ask (and when) is not simple. And knowing who’s input to take on board is not simple.
But never fear, I have a few ideas about how to maximise and make the very most of the feedback you can receive, by getting the feedback in a planned manner.