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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?
University Admissions Tests: Everything you need to know right now!
On the whole, I see them as something that gives an advantage to the wealthy and more educated families, who are able to prepare their sons and daughters for the tests, or can afford extra coaching.
In addition they come with extra costs, which can be a significant barrier for many.
I’d prefer it if universities would simplify admissions processes as far as possible, basing it on the one genuine gold standard we have in education: your school leaving qualifications.
However, university admissions tests exist, and for a number of courses and universities, they are a straightforward requirement.
And so this article is designed to help you navigate your way through them, understand what they are for and how you go about taking them.