All about your UCAS choices
😊 Welcome
In today’s newsletter I attempt to answer two questions I saw from parents on social media this week, and we take a look at 10 ways to make sure a university (and a course) is the right fit for you!
🤔 Do I need to use all my UCAS choices at once?
First up, I saw a really good question the other day that I thought was worth a share, and an attempt at answering. “What…” they asked “are the pros and cons of just using three out of your five UCAS choices?”.
Lots of people on the group answered that you might as well use all five, pointing out that there is no downside to the applicant in doing this. After all, the universities don’t know how many courses you’ve applied for, and so using all five maximises your chances, and enables you to apply for ambitious, realistic and safe options.
I thought for a bit, and decided that maybe I take a different view. The main pro to only using three choices is quite simple: it means you can use the other two choices later.
So… if you don’t have more than three genuine choices right now, don’t waste the other two spaces on courses that you have no intention of taking. Keep these choices aside; you can use them later if you change your mind, or come across something else you are interested in.
🤔 Can I apply for more than one course at the same university?
The second question I thought interesting this week was about applying for more than one course at the same university.
Now, you can apply for more than one course at the same university, but that doesn't mean you should. Lots of people think that if you apply twice, or three times, to the same university it means that you are more likely to get a place there.
But the reality is… if the courses are very similar, if admissions are done by the same department, and if the entry grades are the same, there is usually no benefit in applying twice; you are no more likely to get an offer of a place.
Meanwhile, if the courses are very different, then you will probably run into problems with your Personal Statement not being a good match for both.
So my view would be: if the two courses you are considering are very similar subjects, but have very different entry requirements, applying to both might be sensible. It can give you a good fallback choice if you don’t get into the more competitive option.
However, more often than not, it’s wise just to choose your preferred course at a specific university, and use your other choices to apply elsewhere.
✍️ 10 ways to work out if a university and course is the right fit for you
Sometimes I write in a bit of depth about one rather niche aspect of studying at university.
Sometimes I give a slightly quirky twist on something, just to show that there are different ways of approaching things.
Sometimes I really try to challenge conventional thinking.
Not this week. This week we look at 10 straightforward matters that are really important when choosing where to apply to. Forward this to anyone you know who is choosing between universities, and who might appreciate a really simple, easy set of things they should be considering!
That’s all for this week!
Jonathan
Ps. That UCAS Personal Statement isn’t going to write itself is it? Need a little help? Head to my UCAS Personal Statement writing course right here!
