LONDON’S GLOBAL UNIVERSITY

What Admissions Tutors are Really Looking For …

Professor Mike Ewing

UCL Dean of Students (Academic)

• Applicants who will make the entrance requirements.

• Will applicants benefit from the programme that they have applied for?

• Does the applicant have the appropriate academic ability for the programme they have applied for?

• Does the applicant have the relevant practical skills for the programme they have applied for?

• Is the applicant sufficiently motivated; enthusiastic and committed to their chosen area of study?

• Is the applicant likely to contribute to the institution both inside and outside the classroom?

What are we looking for in UCAS applicants?

How do we find all this out?

1. UCAS application form

• predicted grades

• AS results

• GCSE results

• personal statement

• reference

Interviews – not all departments interview and the nature of the interview also varies across departments

Admissions tests (LNAT – Laws; BMAT – Medicine)

Criteria-based selection

Personal Statement - “the hardest thing I ever wrote”

• explain motivation for and commitment to the chosen subject

- is the statement relevant to all the degrees they are applying to??!!!

• show what they have done to find out more about their chosen subject

• we recommend 75% academic-related content, 25% non-academic

For us, this can be key to the applicant securing an interview

Personal Statement - dos and don’ts

• DO demonstrate relevant reading and experiences

• DO explain the reasons for applying for the chosen subject

“I’m passionate about Russia!” …?

or “I am fascinated by the films of Eisenstein …”

• DON’T write anything you can’t back-up at interview

If applying a second time …

• DON’T use the same personal statement twice!

Schools Reference

Reference and personal statement should be complementary

Please include, where appropriate;

• clarification of past exam performance

• predictions for future performance

• applicant’s strengths and weaknesses

• applicant’s intellectual qualities - evidence of real interest in the subject

Useful info…

• a sentence on the school type or environment

The reference is an assessment of the applicant and is not meant to advocate the applicant’s case.

Schools Reference

Guidelines for content:

• Brief statement about school or college

• Introduction of applicant in general terms

• Applicant’s achievement to date and academic potential, including health, financial or other adverse circumstances which could affect performance

• Suitability for the subject chosen

• Applicant’s interests, both intellectual and other, extra-curricular activities and contribution to life in the school or college

• At least as much information should be provided about academic ability, achievement and potential as about personal qualities

• Needn’t fill the whole space!

• Academic Performance / Potential• Other skills or capabilities required to pursue the subject• Understanding of what is involved in pursuing the subject• Motivation to study the subject• Motivation to study at UCL• Non-academic experiences and achievements• Widening Participation• Mature students and non-standard qualifications• English language requirement• Deferred entry acceptable?

Criteria Based Selection

• Academic Performance / Potential– GCSE: English language, Mathematics, (modern Language from 2012)

– A-levels (predictions)

– Assessment Task/Test

– Interview

• Other skills or capabilities required to pursue the subject– Personal statement

– Referee statement

• Understanding of what is involved in pursuing the subject– Personal statement

– Interview

• Motivation to study the subject– Personal statement

– Interview

Criteria Based Selection– details 1

• Motivation to study at UCL– Personal statement

– Open day / Visit

• Non-academic experiences and achievements– Personal statement

– Sustained commitment

• Widening Participation– Applicants from backgrounds without a university tradition

– Extenuating circumstances

– Potential

• Mature students and non-standard qualifications– Personal statement

– Interview

– Potential

• English language requirement• Deferred entry acceptable?

Criteria Based Selection– details 2

What we all want is to ensure that we fill our places with the right students for us, and that we are the right place for those students

Any Questions?