Ucas and university

[BDC]

On Ucas track all my choices have changed from 'referred' to 'sent'. Now I'm assuming that this means I have been sent a letter but not got it yet, as one of those now marked 'sent' has contacted me to give me an offer.

Any ideas?

Ucas is annoying me a lot though. They sat on my application for nearly two weeks until I phoned them up and demanded to know why they were doing nothing with it.

[ah_dut]

I think it's just always like that...I think they cannot take the strain or some of their people are just plain slacking off

[Duke Malcolm]

Ugh, I have to deal with UCAS next year...

[The_Doctor]

I still have not done the UCAS stuff. I need to write my personal statement by thursdays. Then my tutor will check it, give it back and then I send it off.

[BDC]

I still have not done the UCAS stuff. I need to write my personal statement by thursdays. Then my tutor will check it, give it back and then I send it off.

I was first to get it off from my school, so I got pretty good one-on-one help with it. Not that Ucas really did anything with it when they got it. But at least it meant that even with the two week delay it still got it off before Oct 15th...

The amount of people who get messed about by their teachers with this is amazing. If your teachers are delaying, stand there until they do it!

Just the waiting and hoping game now.

[The_Doctor]

What courses are you doing?
What have you applied for?

I am doing:
-AVCE ICT(Programing, HCI, Project management, Systems analysis, database design, software and hardware installation)
-Communications Key Skills level 3
-Basic Computer Maintainance (A small course they added on to help with the main course.

I have applied for Computer games technology and software development.

[BDC]

I'm doing biology, maths and chemistry. Applied for medicine.

Far too much pressure. I like my subjects though (although biology can be a little trying), so it's alright. :)

I really wish I knew some more about programming though. I'm really in the dark about it besides an absolutely basic vague idea of it all.

[Big King Sanctaphrax]

Everything's gone quite smoothly for me-I'm doing Bio, Chem, History and English Lit., applied for medicine. I got it off start of October, and now I've heard back from all of the Unis I've applied to, in some form or another.

BMAT was a bitch, though.

[The_Doctor]

I'm doing biology, maths and chemistry. Applied for medicine.

I did biology and chemistry before my current course. I got a D in biology and an E in chemistry, which is why I am doing AVCE ICT, which is two A-levels only with a lot more coursework and less exams.

I liked biology. The teachers where a bit mad, but it was very interesting.

Chemistry was murder, I should have done physics. Just to scare you, the last exam, which is a multipy chose exam, is the hardest thing ever. You have 1 hour to answer 40 questions, most of which should take you at least 15 minutes to find the answer for.

I really wish I knew some more about programming though.

Programing is great. We are learning Visual Basic in this course.

We have to create a set of interfaces for a company called "McBurger", our company is called "Notsoft". In the learning part of the course the company was called "Hugh Jars".

[BDC]

BMAT was a bitch, though.

Oh yes. Yes it was. *shudder*

Chemistry was murder, I should have done physics. Just to scare you, the last exam, which is a multipy chose exam, is the hardest thing ever. You have 1 hour to answer 40 questions, most of which should take you at least 15 minutes to find the answer for.

I think the last paper on my course is a synoptic one... Not looking forward to it much.

[Somebody Else]

I've done UCAS twice now... I believe 'sent' means that the application has been sent by UCAS to the universities in question. They will then inform UCAS, who will then let you know whether you have an offer or not (unless it's a uni that requires an interview, in which case they'll go directly to you).

Those of you who were trying for the October 15th deadline, good luck with Oxbridge.

[Big King Sanctaphrax]

Got any interview tips for Oxford, Mr. Successful Applicant?

[Somebody Else]

Got any interview tips for Oxford, Mr. Successful Applicant?

The interview is the way they try to assess how capable you are of thinking for yourself, so don't worry too much about revising loads of stuff for it - just make sure that you do know about the stuff you claimed to in your personal statement (that almost scuppered me). The other important thjing is to relax, someone who goes in to the interview relaxed and confident is going to give a better impression than someone who's barely able to stop quivering - don't clam up, don't start gabbling. Answer the questions clearly and concisely. If you don't know an answer, say you don't know - but remember, they will ask you stuff you don't know deliberately, they'll also give you some information - it's up to you to work it out from there.

I went in there believing it was a foregone conclusion that I'd get in (I'm arrogant like that). Lo and behold, I got in.

Um, if I've missed anything, then... uh, well. I dunno. Good luck!

P.S. What college are you applying for?

[BDC]

Pembroke.

I got two offers before it was 'sent' though... Frankly Ucas have just been annoying this year. Luckily I'm deferring anyway, so I can just reapply next year if they have messed it up too much for me. And call them up the day after to demand some sort of action.

[Duke Malcolm]

Two Oxford applicants, eh? I hope to apply to Cambridge next year...

[Big King Sanctaphrax]

P.S. What college are you applying for?

Merton. It's nice and old.

Thanks for the advice.

[The_Doctor]

I have nearly finished the personal statement. I am not sure how to finish it.

Any advice?

[BDC]

Two Oxford applicants, eh? I hope to apply to Cambridge next year...

Pembroke Cambridge lol.

With personal statement, just read through it, change any bits which don't sound too great or polished.

[Somebody Else]

Can't comment on the 'tab colleges, but Merton is... interesting. Has a reputation as a slightly old-fashioned (traditions etc. they walk round the quad backwards at some point or something) but the top ranked academically.

Personal statement - be clear, don't overdo it - the tutors have done them themselves, they know that 90% of them are full of crap - just try to give the impression that you are interested in the subject at hand, as well as being a vaguely interesting person. If you want to mention something specialised, do be sure that you know about it, as they will know if you've made it up.

[BDC]

I have been given an interview at Cambridge! *dances*

[English assassin]

Cambridge? Bah.

Seriously, good luck to the Oxford applicants, and (shudder) to the Fenland polytechnic ones too.

As for the interview, its largely about how you think not what you know. (Although knowing things is not a bad idea). Also bear in mind that the tutor has to spend the next three/four years trying to cram things in your tiny minds (not that mine allowed that responsibility to weight too heavily on her, I never got a reading list in four years), so they are looking for someone who they can spend time with without going up the wall.

Basically, be yourself, but if you can manage to be a slightly more intellectually curious and quick witted version of yourself then that would be good. In so far as you may be asked specific questions, a good interviewer will want you to demonstrate what you know, and so you should get questions like "Who do you think was the greatest novellist of all time and why" rather than "what do you know about Dickens". (NB don't worry you probably won't be asked this in a medicine interview.)

So if you do feel the need to bone up on facts, maybe if only for self confidence, my advice would be to pick a few things that interest you and that could be used to illustrate questions on a wide range of topics rather than trying to cover everything.

Oh and for heavens sake make sure you have been reading a quality paper in the month or two before the interview. Medics could quite easily be asked something like "what do you think about the recent case where a woman went to court to get an order forcing her health authority to prescribe herceptin" and whilst you can't go wrong with saying its an outrageous infringement on the doctor patient relationship, or that the government should have been funding the treatment without the need to go to court, or any other half sensible opinion, not having an opinion at all on a headline medical story would be bad.

Oh and don't overlook the obvious warm up questions like what first interested you in [whatever].

[Big King Sanctaphrax]

Yay, I have an interview at UCl. Hopefully this mean I didn't do as dreadfully in my BMAT as I thought I did.

I've also gotten a letter from Oxford, stating that they will send me another communique in a fortnight, telling me if they're going to interview me. Helpful. Not as much as your tips, mind, EA.

Any of you Londoners fancy getting a beer while I'm up at UCL? You'll have to buy it for me, mind.

[BDC]

Yay, I have an interview at UCl. Hopefully this mean I didn't do as dreadfully in my BMAT as I thought I did.

I've also gotten a letter from Oxford, stating that they will send me another communique in a fortnight, telling me if they're going to interview me. Helpful. Not as much as your tips, mind, EA.

Any of you Londoners fancy getting a beer while I'm up at UCL? You'll have to buy it for me, mind.

Hmm, maybe UCL will give me an interview. As I haven't got anything from them yet though I suspect not. Shame, I would get money off the fees because my Dad works there.

Although some doctors I talked to about it told me not to go to a London one... Which was nice of them.

Good interview tips!

[Duke Malcolm]

Is UCL or ICL better for Physics, does anyone know? Oh, and the same for Chemistry?

[Big King Sanctaphrax]

ICL is the bomb for Physical Sciences. Well, after Cambridge.

Although some doctors I talked to about it told me not to go to a London one... Which was nice of them.

Why?

[ah_dut]

Ditto what BKS said about Physics...

I'd buy you a drink mate but I'm underage

good luck all, I know you'll be wishing me luck in about 4 years

[Duke Malcolm]

ICL is the bomb for Physical Sciences. Well, after Cambridge.

Excellent, excellent. So indeed, good luck to those applying, and as Ah Dut says, you may wish upon me next year when I apply...

[BDC]

Why?

They said because of the way everyone lives in flats etc it was just like going to work. Not bad, but not the same as you'd get at a campus uni.

[Big King Sanctaphrax]

Ah well. Part of the price you pay for living in London I suppose.

[English assassin]

@ BKS and the other medics: the editorial in the lancet this week (Nov12 http://www.thelancet.com/ you have to register but its free) is about Herceptin and NICE appraisals. Puts a very different view to the red top "NHS denies patients life saving drug" story. I was talking to a cancer nurse this morning and she was furious about the whole thing, as its not reported that, eg, only about 21% of patients are suitable for treatment, only half of them respond, the drug has major issues with cardiotoxicity (and prognosis from heart failure is far worse than breast cancer) etc. But because of the news coverage all her patients think they are being denied a life saver.

I reckon its well worth a read, could be used to answer all sorts of questions, topical story, NICE, role of politicians or accountabuility generally in the health service, patient demands vs clinical reality/availability of funding, the need to evaluate all the risks associated with a treatment etc etc.

If I'm not tied up at work I'd buy you a beer to hear how the interview went, but, if you are going to wear that green lantern outfit from the superhero thread, forget it. Even in London that would raise eyebrows.