The UCAS Application Process 2011

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1 The UCAS Application Process 2011 We recommend that all students register for Apply, even if you are thinking that you may not go to university, as it provides you with an opportunity to gather all your personal data in one place. There is no possibility of you submitting an application in error and the process will prompt you to think about your future, which is really important at this stage in your life. Where do I start? Entering the basic details 1. Firstly log on to and click on Apply Do not in error select Apply Click on register to use Apply. You may use the guided tour, which fully explains how to complete this form. Before being allowed to proceed you will need to accept the terms and conditions. 3. Once you have accepted the terms and conditions you will be invited to start entering your personal details. 4. After completing your initial details, you will be asked to provide security information, including a password between 6 and 14 characters and containing at least one number and one letter. You also need to answer 4 unique security questions write them down if you forget later it makes it more difficult to retrieve your application. 5. Once you have registered, the system will generate your username for subsequent log ins. It is usually a combination of your name and a number e.g. tprocter1. KEEP IT RECORDED SAFELY. You are now ready to begin 1. Go to the Login page and you will be asked How are you applying? Answer Through my school and use the BUZZWORD Ashby When asked which Tutor/Application Group, again select Ashby11. (Do not select don t know or Ashby10, which is last year s entries). 3. Once your preliminary registration is completed you are able to log back in to work on your application at will. Frequently Asked Questions by Students Completing Apply Personal Details Country of Birth For the vast majority it is United Kingdom top of list on drop down menu. Address Put your school . Nationality For the vast majority it will be UK National see drop down list.

2 Area of Permanent Residence Country in which you live see drop down menu. Residential Category A UK Citizen / EU National. Student Support Fee Code Select 02 LA see drop down menu. DO NOT SELECT PRIVATE FINANCE OR DO NOT KNOW. Student Support Arrangements Here you put the name of your Local Authority usually Leicestershire or some of you it could be Derbyshire. You put the name of the county to which your household pays Council Tax not your postcode. Mailings from UCAS Yes to . Additional Information National Identity For most of you it will be British from the drop down list. Disability/Special Needs Make sure you include any disability or special need including Dyslexia. They will be very sympathetic and offer all sorts of support. Activities in preparation for Higher Education This is an opportunity for you to record summer schools, university workshops, even Open Days. The sponsor would be if the summer school or workshop was sponsored by an organisation such as the Sutton Trust for example.

3 FAQ Do I put my choices of course and university in order of preference? No, they will appear on the form in alphabetical order. Universities only receive the part of your application form relevant to them, so will not know where else you will have applied. What if I want to defer entry until 2012? There is a question about this in the section on courses and institutions. You simply answer Y. What is Point of Entry? Leave this blank if you wish to start your course in Sept/Oct Enter 1 if you defer and wish to start in Which schools do I need to enter in the section about education? You only need to put Ashby School, unless you only joined us in the 6 th Form. In which case you need to put your GCSE School as well. Date of joining Ashby School will be 2007 if you joined us in Year 10 and 2009 if you joined us in Year 12. How do I fill in the qualifications section? Once you have entered your school, you can enter your qualifications. Click, add qualifications. This takes you to an alphabetical list. Click G for GCSE. Pick your subjects you will need to know your exam board. You need to enter ALL GCSE courses. Put the correct date, most of you sat your GCSE s in For Science Core and Additional are not listed so put this in the other box, but do them individually. Triple Science can pick Physics, Chemistry and Biology from the list. The Board for Science is AQA. You then enter the Grades received. Remember Citizenship and RS were short GCSE courses so click on G, and find GCSE Short Courses from list. In terms of AS levels, click on A and find AS Level (First Award 2001) select subject from list. You get the opportunity of entering Module Results. This is optional. Include if excellent, but if you do it for one subject you really should do it for all subjects but it is up to you. AS Module Resits if you are intending to resit a module these must go down. They go under AS Section. Just put the subject again, but the date will be January 2011 (this tells UCAS it is a resit) and the Grade will be Pending. If you are picking up an AS in Year 13, again it goes in AS Qualifications, but the date will be June 2011 again result Pending. A2 click on A Level and select from list again Grade is Pending. Date is June I would ignore Module details.

4 Remember to include your Enrichment Subjects: AS General Studies AS Critical Thinking EPQ goes under AS Section A2 General Studies A2 Critical Thinking Choosing Appropriate Courses Do your research. Attend Open Days. Use UCAS website (unistats) or Centigrade plus bestcourse4me.com. The Stamford Test via UCAS website, Connexions interviews, as well as the numerous books in the Sixth Form Centre should help to prepare you for making decisions. Ensure you know your predicted UCAS grades, so you can realistically make informed selections and check out the Course Entry Profiles and make certain you enter yourself for any necessary additional admissions tests. It is vital that your predicted grades will match or be higher than entry requirements for the degree you apply for. We are working towards a completion date of 29 th October This being done we will guarantee your application goes off to UCAS first and as a priority. Naturally any applications ready before 29 th October will be sent off as and when we receive them. Note it is to your advantage to submit your application early. Note also that those applications received after 29 th October WILL NOT be dealt with until after all those received by the deadline have been processed. The Personal Statement and UCAS Reference You will be provided with lots of information and advice to help you produce a personal statement of quality. The booklet Writing the UCAS Personal Statement is a great start as is Stop Thinking, Start Writing The Personal Statement Writing Guide. These are available outside the Sixth Form Office. Also available will be actual examples of Personal Statements for over 30 different degree courses. PLEASE USE ALL THE RESOURCES. The process starts this term. Admittedly you cannot produce your Personal Statement until you know what degree course you wish to follow, but you can start thinking and jotting down pieces of information that might be included eg. Personal skills, achievements, things you do in and out of school, which reflect you as a person, see Writing the UCAS Personal Statement booklet. We, the Sixth Form Team, will be holding surgeries next term to offer help and advice. You will be encouraged to have conversations with your Form Tutor both this term and certainly next term in order for them to help you shape your Personal Statement. In the mean time start thinking about possible degree courses and what can you do between now and applying to demonstrate a great love/passion for that subject area, which will then be included in your Personal Statement. Summer holidays provide great opportunities for reading books outside the normal curriculum area and getting work experience. Remember your Personal Statement must reflect the degree course for which you are applying it is your chance to say Look at me, look at what I have done, I am worthy of a place on your degree course.

5 Your Form Tutor will also use your Personal Statement to enhance the final Reference which they write. It is vital you have discussed it with them. Note: The school also has a Higher Education Partnership Advisor, Jamie Bradford from De Montfort University, who can be contacted be studentadvisor@dmc.ac.uk ( ). He is more than happy to look at and give advice on your Personal Statement or anything on the UCAS Application Process. Ultimately however, the statement should be personal to you and the final decision as to its content will be yours. Produce the definitive statement as a Word document send an electronic copy to your Form Tutor and paste it into your application. UCAS Reference At all stages you should keep communication with your Form Tutor, as this is the person who will write the all important UCAS Reference. Your Tutor will need to know where you are applying and for which courses. If you want the best reference it is vital that your Form Tutor has a copy of your UCAS application, and your Personal Statement. Your UCAS Reference must tie up what you are saying in your Personal Statement with your choice of degree. Submitting the Form When you send your form to the Administrator, which is Mr Procter, you need to enter electronically your payment details, which UCAS will encash at the point of receipt. You lose the ability to alter your application form at the point of submission. Mr Procter will attach the Tutor Reference and send your form to UCAS. If Mr Procter spots and error, he is able to return the form to you and will you to tell you the action you need to take. It is therefore extremely important that you check your school s on a daily basis. Once the form has been despatched, UCAS will send you a welcome letter and/or you a Track Code, so you are able to see exactly how your application is progressing. They will maintain regular contact with you from this time, advising you of offers and the key dates for your decisions to reach them. You can follow the progress of your application using Track. This is where you find out about offers. This is one of the most important decisions you are likely to make, so research your options thoroughly. Good Luck