Helping your child apply to university can feel a bit overwhelming, but don’t worry! With some guidance and a little planning, you can support them through the process step by step. Below, I have summarised everything you need to know.
1. Researching of Courses
The first step is deciding which courses and universities to apply to depending on your childs interests and aspirations. This might seem like a huge task, but it’s also an exciting opportunity for your child to explore what they want to do.
Research Online: Websites like UCAS are where you begin followed by individual university websites. You’ll find all the details on different courses, including what the course involves, the entry requirements, and how it’s taught.
What to Think About: Your child should consider whether they want to live locally or away from home. Do they want a course with lots of practical experience or more theory-based?
2. Attending Open Days
Once your child has narrowed down their choices, visiting open days is a great way to help them decide. It’s one thing to read about a university, but actually seeing it in person can make a big difference.
Why Go?: It gives your child the chance to meet current students, talk to staff and lecturers, and ask all the questions that matter to them – about student life, accommodation, or how the course is taught.
Make the Most of It: Prepare a list of questions and explore the campus. Encourage your child to imagine living and studying there.
3. The Importance of Year 12 Exams
Before your child even submits their application, their predicted grades will play a big part in the process. These predictions usually come from their Year 12 exam results and give universities an idea of what grades to expect from them at A-level. This is why they need to place a huge emphasis on the importance of the Year 12 end of year exams.
Why It's Important: Universities use predicted grades to decide whether to offer your child a place. If the predicted grades are close to the university’s entry requirements, your child is more likely to receive an offer. Encourage your child to take their Year 12 exams seriously!
4. The UCAS Application
Now, let’s talk about the UCAS application itself. This is the online system through which your child applies to up to five universities.
Important Deadlines: Applications open in September and most courses have a deadline in mid-January but the school/college will have their own internal deadline (usually in October). If your child is applying for Medicine, Dentistry, or Veterinary Science, the deadline is earlier.
Choosing Courses: Encourage a good mix of choices – from ambitious options to safer ones. Some courses are more competitive than others, so it’s smart to include a variety.
5. The Personal Statement
One of the most important parts of the UCAS application is the personal statement. This is where your child can show their enthusiasm for their chosen course and explain why they’re a good fit.
What to Include: Encourage them to write about why they love the subject, any work experience, extracurricular activities, or hobbies that show their dedication and skills and team work.
How to Help: Offer to read over their draft and give feedback, but remind them that it needs to come from them. Do not copy sentences from other peoples personal statements.
6. Selecting Firm and Insurance Universities
After your child submits their UCAS application and (hopefully) starts receiving offers, they’ll need to make some decisions. Most universities will give conditional offers, meaning your child will need to achieve specific grades to secure their place.
Firm and Insurance Choices: Your child will choose one firm university (their top choice) and one insurance university (a backup with lower grade requirements, just in case things don’t go as planned on results day). It’s a good idea to pick an insurance choice with lower entry requirements as a safety net.
7. Interviews
Not every course requires an interview, but for competitive fields like Medicine, Dentistry, and some arts and law degrees, interviews are part of the selection process.
What to Expect: Interviews vary – some are traditional, while others are more practical, like Multiple Mini Interviews (MMIs). Encourage your child to practice answering questions, research the course, and be prepared to discuss why they’re passionate about their chosen subject.
8. Results Day
Once A-level results are released, your child will find out whether they’ve met the conditions of their firm or insurance offer.
If They Achieve the Grades: Great news! If your child gets the required grades for their firm university, their place will be confirmed, and they can start preparing for the next big adventure.
If They Don’t Meet the Grades: Don’t panic! If they’ve missed the grades for their firm choice, the insurance university might still offer them a place. If not, you can call the admissions department and try to convince them to allow you to join their course. If this fails, they can enter Clearing, a process where they can apply to universities with available places, based on their achieved grades.
Summary
The university application process may seem daunting, but with a bit of planning, it’s manageable. Encourage your child to do their research, prepare well, and keep their options open. Most importantly, remind them that they don’t have to go through it alone – you're there to support them through every step of this exciting journey!
