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What is UCAS? Why do I have to use it?

So you’re all probably familiar with the idea of UCAS, whether this is UCAS points, the application itself or even just the website.

UCAS hosts the application process for universities, meaning that you will have to only fill out one application instead of one for each university you apply to – isn’t this a life saver?

So the deadline this year for Edge Hill applicants is 15 January 2017… this seems ages away, but remember to keep on top of your application. The part you will have heard most about is your personal statement. This is not as daunting as everybody says it is! Basically you write about yourself, telling the University why you want to study the course and why you’re the most suitable candidate to do so.

UCAS do charge a fee of £13 to apply to one course at any one university, or £24 to apply to multiple courses at any university. So bearing this in mind… UCAS is a formal and serious application so make sure you step up and show universities like Edge Hill what you have to offer. UCAS offer more information for undergraduates here, so if you want to find out more on the step-by-step process of the application take a look.

Remember to please ask us if you want more information.

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For all you thinking about Uni!

So welcome to Edge Hill’s blog for prospective students, in four years time you will have finished college… and your degree! As you will probably agree, time flies even faster the older you get so it won’t be long before you’re in a cap and gown! You will be the class of 2020.. how futuristic!

So now you’re in the last year of college and your courses are in full swing, you will be thinking what course to choose, which Universities to apply to and which halls appeal to you; both cosmetically and financially! So here on Edge Hill’s Student Blogs, we are here to help you by informing you on what’s going on, things we think you should know to help inform your decisions and to answer any questions you have.

Many of us will also remind you of the UCAS deadlines throughout the year as well as guidance with your personal statement. This year will be tough with deadlines and exams etc. but don’t worry it’ll a distant memory in four years time that will make everything 110% worth it!

So if you want to ask a question or want more information on ANYTHING! Please comment below, or comment on any blog and we will all be more than happy to help you out!

Hope to hear from you soon!

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Results Day!

Hey everyone!

Hope you are all doing extremely well today. For those of you who want to go to uni this year then a very important day is on it’s way.

Many of you will be looking forward to (or slightly dreading) results day and now the waiting is almost over!

Good luck to all of you who are getting your results next week, I wish you every success.

Results day can come with a lot of pressure, everyone wants to get the grades they need to get into their firm or insurance university. And, after that, the reality that you will be headed away to uni will soon sink in.

The main piece of advice I can give here is don’t worry! With a little bit of preparation and organisation the steps from results day to your first day of uni will be a complete breeze, I guarantee it.

The main question you will be asking when you get your results is what happens now?

The universities you have chosen will have your results, and they will update your offer status on UCAS throughout the morning of results day.

Receiving an unconditional offer from your Firm Choice University – Well done! This means you have met the terms of your conditional offer and your first choice university is ready to welcome you in September.

Receiving an unconditional offer from your Insurance Choice University – The great thing about an insurance offer is that you have a backup university if you don’t quite get the results you needed for your Firm University. If you miss out on your first choice but receive an offer from your Insurance then you will be off to university before you know it!

Clearing –  Sometimes a university will not accept you if the results you received were not equal to the offer that was made. Thankfully this doesn’t mean that you have to give up your university dream! Clearing is a great service that allows students without an offer to look for course places at different universities, and you can still go on to start your degree in September. For more information about clearing click here.

Results day is when you find out if all your hard work paid off, so although it may have been a stressful year you can say you made it through, and the end results will be worth it!

Quote for the day: “It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up.” – Babe Ruth

Hope you all have a good week and good luck with your results!

-Becki 🙂

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Last Minute Guide… Choosing the Right Course!

Oh how depressing that Christmas is over and there’s only a few days until the new year! This means it’s nearly the year of intense revision, exams and results- but boy is it worth it! Hopefully you’ve submitted your UCAS application, but if not and you’re unsure of what course to choose I’ve decided to help you out a bit…

I first found my course looking through the Edge Hill prospectus when I wasn’t 100% sure what degree I wanted to pursue. This page of the prospectus broke down the course into the main things I needed to know, such as what content was covered and what grades I needed amongst loads of other useful information. The prospectus is definitely worth a look as it has information on every course at Edge Hill, if you’d like a copy you can order one online, to do so please look here.

However if you can’t wait and want more information on the vast array of courses available look here on our website!

You should ensure that you’re happy with every aspect of your course, such as what you will be learning and also how it is assessed! The worst thing would be to choose a course that is mainly exams when you love coursework or the opposite way round!

My specific course involves exams, some in January and April, and also coursework, essays, portfolios, placements and presentations! Phew! It sounds a lot and honestly it can be overwhelming at times but when you manage your time effectively and organise yourself it isn’t bad!

If I could advise anything it would be to create a check list ranked on the most important aspects of a course for you. Therefore you can make an informed decision, and if you’re missing anything that you need to know you can reach out to us so we can help you!

Feel free to comment if you have anything you’d like to ask!

Now, best of luck and have a fantastic New Year!

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‘Twas the Night Before Results Day…

…When all through the house, not a student was sleeping…because they were all far too nervous!

So tomorrow is the big day. In less than 24 hours Edge Hill University will have a brand new set of students ready to start in September. This is so incredibly exciting! Although I imagine the butterflies are starting set in properly by now! Tomorrow will probably be a day you remember forever, hopefully for the right reasons.

There’s nothing that I can say that will make tomorrow seem less scary, that’s only going to happen when you’ve finally been able to check Track and look at your exam results. But if you have any room in your head right now for something other than worrying about results and university places, it should be that these things are not the end of the world. They don’t define who you are and they don’t necessarily ensure that your life will go a certain way. Don’t get me wrong, getting great results and a place at your university of choice is an amazing achievement that should definitely be celebrated, but when it comes down to it, there’s more to life than some words and numbers on a page.

If you’re looking for any last minute advice from me, I’d say to make sure you’re well aware of all the possible outcomes tomorrow. You can read up on how to understand Track on the UCAS website. UCAS also have a really useful results page. Another tip is that you should have all your login details at hand, because there’s nothing worse than finding that Track is finally open only to realise that you’ve forgotten your username.  You might also want to refresh yourself on the conditions of your offer from your university of choice (if you received a Conditional Offer), so that you know right away whether or not you’ve met it when you see your results .

I am so nervous for you all, but I know that tomorrow will bring so much happiness to so many people which is so wonderful to celebrate. Best of luck!!!

 

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RESULTS DAY, AHHHHH!

So the time has finally come that you will receive your A-level results (Thursday)!

As much as you might have wanted summer to drag out, it’s time to face the music and your fate (slightly dramatic? I think so). But listen… obviously you want amazing grades, but it’s not the end of the world if you don’t get them. EHU ha a range of amazing students with all different grades. A piece of paper does not determine who you are and luckily or for you EHU is willing to try and help any student who wants a place.

CLEARING: Clearing lines will be open and can be accessed through the EHU website, so don’t fear the worst if it all doesn’t go to plan on the day.

For anyone coming in September- you’ve made the right decision. Hopefully summer speeds up even more and we can all be united in Ormskirk very soon! GOOD LUCK ON RESULTS!!!!!!!!!!

Until next time…:)

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A Level Results Day: What to Expect

It’s just over a week until A Level results day and so I imagine that for a lot of you the nerves are well and truly setting in. I won’t lie to you: it’s a big day, and if you’re waiting to hear whether you’ve got a place at university, it could be a day that changes your life forever. But this doesn’t mean that you have to be terrified; it is also a really exciting day, and regardless of what results you get or which university you get in to, you should be proud of everything you’ve achieved. Making it through A Levels is not an easy thing to accomplish, and I still consider it to be one of the toughest points of my education.

So what’s going to happen on results day? Well, if you’re anything like me you won’t get a lot of sleep the night before and will be up at the crack of dawn refreshing the UCAS results page just in case. They do normally update the results page a little earlier than they say they will, but there’s not much point sitting in front of your computer in the dead of night. Track will be available from around 8:00am, at which point you will be able to see the status of your university application. Hopefully, it’ll be good news all round! But if not,  try to stay calm; this doesn’t mean that you’re definitely not going to university. Clearing is a wonderful option (I have a lot of friends who found their universities through Clearing and they couldn’t be happier). Visit the UCAS page that explains what your status on Track means if you’re unsure.

A few hours later your colleges/Sixth Forms probably open for you to go and collect your envelope containing your final results (although I know some exam boards now publish results online from midnight). This will be a chance to thank your tutors and to celebrate with friends. However it’s also an opportunity to ask any questions or get any help from members of staff who are very in the know and will be able to help you, especially if you find yourself in Clearing.

Results day will probably be stressful, but it should also be joyous! I am keeping my fingers crossed for you all!

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Exams are approaching… STAY CALM!

So exams are fast approaching (like scary fast if we’re being honest) and it’s time to focus. Some of you might have already finished a few of your exams and others are just beginning, but I bet everyone is nervous/scared/anxious about not only the exams themselves, but also the results.

Everyone has different goals and targets… and that’s okay. It doesn’t really matter if you’re hoping for 3 As or 3 Bs, as long as you try your best and aim high, that’s all you can do!

Exams are stressful. You can’t control the questions that the examiner is going to ask, but you can control how much effort you put in to trying to succeed.

Revision is key. Make a plan of when you are going to revise different topics and stick to it. Add social time to that plan so you don’t feel swamped 24/7. Make flash-cards and put post-it-notes all around your room. If you feel that you can study in a group without getting distracted, have group sessions. Ask your teachers for extra work and sample exam questions. Colour code sheets and keep everything organised! Before the exam, make sure you eat. Collect all your resources that you need and keep calm!

We know you’ll do amazing and hopefully you’ll get the results you want, have an amazing summer and we hope to see you in September. GOOD LUCK!

Until next time…:)

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Other Courses and why Psychology was the right one for me.

With the UCAS deadline rapidly approaching (January 15th is the deadline for applications for the majority of courses) I thought I’d reflect on the other courses I considered when applying to university.

History

My 1st choice of degree course for a long time (right the way through high school) was history. I’ve always been a history buff and got an A in it at GCSE and C at A-level. So I looked at the history courses at a number of universities including UCLAN (University of Central Lancashire), York, Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan and Bradford. But then I failed my AS history first time around and whilst my teacher let me re-sit, he did tell me I needed another choice (a plan b) of degree course when applying to university.

Archaeology 

This coincided with my love of History and I grew up watching the program Time Team (a group of archaeologists who go around the country digging up various sites of archaeological interest) so I looked at archaeology at UCLAN, York and both Manchester universities. However I decided it was not for me when I read the first few pages of an A-level textbook my dad bought me to help me decided whether it was really for me. Needless to say I wouldn’t have enjoyed being on my hands and knees digging up fields in all weathers.

Why Psychology?

This then brings me onto the course I of course ended up studying at degree level. Psychology. Psychology was the right course for me. I’ve widened my knowledge of psychology in terms of theory and research methodologies since starting at Edge Hill 2 1/2 years ago (almost) and more importantly my career choices are so much wider than if I’d done History or Archaeology because I’ve picked up skills like research skills, data analysis as well as enhanced my oral and written communication, time management, team work and organisation skills. All of which are prized by employers and if all goes according to plan I should be working full time this time next year 🙂

Anyway this is my last blog as a twenty year old (I turn twenty one on wednesday!) but in the meantime make sure the course your applying for is the right one for you. You don’t want to end up picking a course only to regret it later on.

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Christmas is coming but so are deadlines!

IMG_0077 copySo it seems to be that everyone is slowing down on the run up for Christmas, getting all their shopping done and going out for staff parties, but not me! This is one of my busiest times of the year! Being a student studying a coursework heavy degree, Christmas time is all about getting a million and one assignments in and making sure they are all to the very best they can be. I really shouldn’t complain though I do literally get a whole month of in January – bonus! But not only is it a busy time for me, I’m guessing it is for you too and trying to decide what uni is best for you in order to get that UCAS (is the word driving you crazy yet) in on time. So here are my top tips on how to decided which uni is right for you!

  1. The Course- If you love the uni and don’t like the course, probability is you’ll get really bored and want to drop out after a matter of weeks. Picking the right thing for you is so important because you have to put up with it for 3 years! And doing something you love just makes everything so much easier.
  2. Extra – What do all the universities offer you that others couldn’t? Will they offer you opportunities to enhance your CV and make you more employable?
  3. Area – Think about whether you want a campus uni or city, weigh up the pros and cons. For me this was so easy, I wanted a campus university, but not too far away from a major city, for shopping and nights out.
  4. Societies and Facilities- Does it have everything you want and give you opportunities to try something new? Check out everything that’s going on at the uni and make sure there’s stuff you’ll want to get involved in.
  5. Can you honestly see your self there? – That sounds like a bit of an odd one, but when I came to visit Edge Hill I instantly felt at home, and I could just see myself settling in straight away, go with your gut instinct, usually they never fail you!

I really hope this helps some of you guys and helps make the whole issue of picking uni’s that little bit less stressful!