Education

[scholasta]

How to write your personal statement for teacher training

In many ways, writing your personal statement for teacher training is not that dissimilar from your original UCAS statement for your undergraduate degree. The character restriction is the same (4,000 characters) and, just as you could only have one personal statement for all of your undergraduate universities, you have the same personal statement for both Apply 1 and Apply 2.

The content should focus heavily on your passion for education and how you see your career developing as a teacher. You should consider the skills you have, and how they make you well equipped for the challenges that lie ahead. Teaching is not an easy career path, and admissions tutors like to see an understanding of this from applicants.

It is fairly common for people interested in pursuing a career in Education to be driven by their own educational experiences. On occasion it is an individual who believed in, or otherwise inspired them, on others it can be more generalised support. You should reflect on your own motivations, and expand upon these in your statement. Everyone’s reasons are slightly different, and it will give the admissions tutors more of an insight into you as an individual- this can help you to stand out.

A number of applicants will have had work experience, either in a school, or working with children in a slightly different environment. It is important for you to talk about this in detail. Perhaps you have worked with children who have learning disabilities, at a youth- or after-school club, or summer camp where the children come from a range of different backgrounds, ages, and abilities. Alternatively, you might have taken part in the School Experiences Programme. Whatever you have done, these experiences will have taught you valuable lessons, and an awareness of the skills you have acquired and developed as a result is key.

Whilst a number of applicants who are looking to enter teaching are able to move to train, and then to work, there are others who, for whatever reason, are unable to relocate. This could be due to personal, or familial circumstances. If you feel that you need to stay in a particular region, it is important to mention that in your personal statement, along with a brief reason.  This will help the institutions to which you have applied gain a deeper understanding of your needs, and to support those in whatever ways they can. It is far better to mention your preferences at the point of application, rather than further into the process.

You will probably find, when you consider all of the above points, that it is difficult to write all that you want to say in 4,000 characters or fewer. The first step is to write all that you would like to include, disregarding the limitation. This is to ensure that your foundations of the personal statement are as genuine as possible, and for a career like teaching, that is essential. Once you have this working draft, you should read through it again and see whether there are any obvious sections which could be written more succinctly. Depending on your writing style, you should be able to make at least some cuts on your first read-through of the statement.

Unless time is of the essence, it would be a good idea at this point to take a break from editing, and return to it after a few hours or even a day or two to read through it again. It is likely that, during the time you have had away from the statement, your mind will have been reflecting further on the content, and, even though you may not realise it, you will be thinking about which points to prioritise, and other things you might want to include, and others to delete. This is an important part of the process, and it should, in theory, reduce the number of drafts you have before you have your final version.

When you revisit your statement for a second, or third, time, you should have a much firmer idea of the key points to include. You need to remember that you won’t be able to include everything, but that is the same for the majority of applicants. At this stage, you should prioritise what you think makes you stand out. It might be your reason for deciding to become a teacher, or the experience you have gained, but it is what will help you to shine against the competition.

If you have any friends or colleagues who are teachers, or work in Education more broadly, you might like to ask them to read your personal statement to see if they believe that it captures all of your strengths. At times, it can be difficult to identify exactly what you possess which would make you an excellent teacher. All teachers are different, and asking third parties who know you well can help you to gain some perspective and objectivity.

Ideally, you should give yourself at least a couple of weeks to construct your personal statement, as this will give you time to take breaks between drafts, and this is important to give yourself time to reflect. As with all applications, preparation is key, and if you can identify and focus on your strengths, you should be able to submit a strong personal statement which highlights not just your passion for education and desire to shape future generations, but also the unique skills you have which make you worthy of a place.

[scholasta]

It’s what’s on the inside that counts

We have all heard that the eyes are the windows to the soul, but now, scientists have developed a camera which can see through the human body.

The camera has been designed to enable doctors to track the location of medical tools during internal examinations, and it is proving to be more cost effective than using x-rays, or other scans.

It works by detecting individual photons in the body, and Professor Dhaliwal, an academic at the University of Edinburgh, has described the camera as “having immense potential” for a variety of medical purposes, and believes it could be instrumental in the advancement of minimally invasive treatments.

One of the benefits of this camera is that it is highly portable, and can even be used at a patient’s bedside.  It is hoped that this will make treatments less stressful, and more routine, for patients undergoing treatment.  Early tests have shown that the camera can pinpoint a single light source through 20cm of tissue, and there are hopes that this will be improved, in terms of range of identification, and clarity.  This is to ensure maximum precision in all medical procedures.

This may be of particular interest to students reading about endoscopy, in addition to those interested in Bio-Physics.  You might like to consider other pertinent areas which could benefit from an instrument such as this, or any implications of the current research.  

[scholasta]

I’m applying to Oxbridge.  Should I make an open application?

When you apply to Oxford or Cambridge, you have the opportunity to apply to a specific College, or you can make what is called an “open application”.  If you make an open application, you will be randomly assigned a College.  When your application has been sent to that College, you cannot ask for this to be changed (unless a procedural error has been made, for example, if you are a male applicant and have been assigned to one of the women-only Colleges in Cambridge).  Your application is then treated in exactly the same way as students who have applied to the College directly.

A number of students make an open application based on the misconception that doing so will increase their chances of being made an offer.  Statistically, there is no difference in the success rates based on students who state a College preference, and those who do not.  Quite often, international applicants will make an open application, based on the fact that they have been unable to attend an open day or visit the city prior to applying formally through UCAS.  

There are 29 undergraduate Colleges at Cambridge, and 34 at Oxford.  Whilst not all of the Colleges will necessarily offer the course for which you are applying, there will be a number which do.  When you research these Colleges, you might find that there are more similarities than differences.  If that is the case, and there are no obvious differences (such as very traditional versus modern, or small versus large subject groups), it might make it difficult for you to choose which College is right for you. That said, there probably will be one or two Colleges which you can’t really see yourself attending.  If that is the case, there is already a reason to make an application directly to a College; imagine making an open application and then being assigned to a College you hadn’t shortlisted!

It is extremely rare for a student to be unhappy at the College they end up attending; the vast majority form very strong attachments to their College, and keep in touch with the College and University more generally, for the rest of their lives. If you know anyone who attends, or has attended, Oxford or Cambridge, you will probably know this anecdotally. With that in mind, choosing a College might become less of an arduous task.  There are always some students who can only imagine themselves at a particular College, but often this is based on perceived prestige, or family tradition. If you believe that attending a particular College is as important as attending the University, then your decision regarding your application is made for you.  If that is not the case, you might be minded to make more of a strategic application.  

In reality, however, it is worth remembering that your College is effectively where you live, eat, possibly play sport or attend College societies, and where you will make your initial group of friends.  No College, however, is isolated from the wider University, and you will have friends across all Colleges, and your Faculty.  The quality of teaching across the University is the same, and you will be in no way disadvantaged by attending one College compared with another.

If you have any further questions, you might like to visit our FAQs page.  Alternatively, you can always contact us directly.  

[scholasta]

How can I show enthusiasm for my chosen degree course?

A number of students each year aren’t sure whether or not they are doing enough to show their chosen universities that they are engaging enough with their subject before they start life as an undergraduate.  This can be a main concern for students as they write their personal statement, and ask themselves what they can include to make themselves stand out from the competition.

The reality is that enthusiasm can manifest itself in a number of different ways, and there are no “right” or “wrong” ways to show love for your subject.  For some students, they might have read around extensively, for others, it might be reflected in a series of internships and volunteering roles. With the rise of social media, some students are capitalising on the fact that it is now so easy to write blogs or create a YouTube channel where they can talk about topics that are of interest to them.

It is worth remembering that all of your universities will look at your application individually and consider what you have done with the opportunities you have had available. Admissions Tutors are always aware of situations whereby nepotism can play a large role, and they do their best to ensure that they treat applicants fairly, by considering what they could feasibly have pursued.  It would not be fair, or indeed proper, for universities to discriminate based on the fact that some students have access to more resources than others.

It is, however, important to show that you have been tenacious in terms of trying to pursue activities which could make you better at your degree path.  This could be by writing to hundreds of companies asking for work experience, or by downloading free online lectures which are of particular interest to you.  Even if you are unable to get particularly relevant work experience, you may still be able to do something which helps you to develop skills which may help you during your undergraduate career.  This will also be impressive to Admissions Tutors, so remember that doing something, even if the link is slightly tenuous, is almost certainly better than doing nothing.

The most important thing you can do to show enthusiasm for pursuing a particular degree course is by planning your application carefully.  Not only will this maximise your chances of securing offers, it will also ensure that you can have almost a proven track record of things you have done to stand out against the other applicants; perhaps it will mean that you haven’t rushed your research and reading, or that you are more familiar with the current state of research in your chosen fields. 

It is important to realise that Admissions Tutors are very experienced; it will be easy for them to tell if you have left your application to the last minute, and then it would be harder for you to make a good impression.

[scholasta]

How should I choose my degree course?

This is a question we get asked countless times every year, and it can be very hard to answer!

Some students are able to choose their degree based on the type of career they want. For example, if you want to become a psychologist, one of the quickest routes of getting there is by taking a Psychology undergraduate degree, and preferably one which is BPS accredited.

As the employment market has changed over the past couple of decades, so the choice of degrees has changed to reflect the greater diversity. If you wish to practice as a lawyer, you may complete a Law undergraduate degree, or you may instead pursue an entirely different subject and then undertake a Law conversion course. Similarly, more and more people are taking the Graduate Entry route into Medicine, as opposed to applying for it as a first degree.

An increasing number of options are now available to students and, whilst this can certainly be advantageous, it also makes the final decision regarding a particular route to a final destination more difficult.

For the majority of students, choosing a degree is not a quick process. Even once they have decided on a subject area, there are so many things to consider: would they prefer a three or four year course, would they like a year in industry or the option to study abroad, would they prefer assessment to take the form of examinations, coursework, or a combination?

They are just the preliminary decisions. Once a student has set parameters, they need to start making a shortlist of universities which offer their course. Arguably, it’s easier if not many universities offer it; the alternative being considerably more research which needs to be done. For “popular” degrees offered at a number of institutions, students need to think about more practical sides of studying: would they prefer to study in a city or somewhere more rural, what accommodation and facilities are on offer at the university, and how long are the terms?

Once a student has shortlisted universities they like, it is then that the more in-depth research needs to be done. Do the universities give standard offers that the student is likely to achieve or exceed? Are the modules and electives on offer in line with the student’s main interests? What size is the year group, and how is the teaching conducted?

Typically, after a student has thought about the above points, they will have shortlisted around eight to ten universities which they like. At that stage, it is always worth attending open days, or engaging with the faculties to gain as much information as possible to ensure that the university really is the right one. It is certainly worth the time and effort to create a sufficient pool from which to draw. Resist the temptation to apply to universities you don’t particularly like, or don’t know much about, merely to fill the UCAS options. Often, this leads to disappointment if a place is not secured from first or second choice universities.

In our experience, students are often reticent to ask their schools and colleges for support and advice. Choosing your university degree is a big decision, and it’s one which could have a marked impact on your career. It’s important that you feel that you can ask as many questions as you need in order to make an informed decision. You may find that you get advice from your family, friends, and school, but feel that you would still like to talk to someone else. If you’re in that position, you can always talk to the universities you’re considering, but also, you can talk to us for impartial advice. We have all been there, and are very happy to help!

[scholasta]

Subject Choices in Sixth Form

For those of you who have just received your GCSE results, your mind will probably now be turning to the start of Term and the new academic year.

Most of you will have finalised your subject choices for the next two years, but some of you about to take A-Levels (as opposed to the IB or other qualifications), especially if you had any surprises in your GCSE results, will still be deciding which three, four, or in some cases, five subjects are right for you to pursue.

Everyone wants to enjoy Sixth Form, especially as it’s really the first opportunity you have had to focus more fully on the subjects you love.  Perhaps you are even considering a subject that you may not have studied formally at GCSE, such as A-Level Economics, Law, or Psychology.  These subjects can seem attractive, especially if you are considering pursuing a degree which encompasses one of those areas.

A number of you may have decided which degree course is right for you, and others may still be deciding between a few different options.  It is important that you go on the websites of any universities you are considering to see if there are any compulsory subjects you need to take at A-Level to be eligible to apply for the degree.  Every year, we see a few students who have their heart set on a degree path, but they didn’t realise that their first choice university required a subject, or in some cases, subjects, that they were not taking formally in school or college.  This is always really disappointing for them, and they have to make a decision as to whether they will apply to different institutions, or take additional qualifications before they can apply to their dream university.

This is particularly important if you are choosing to apply for Oxbridge, or competitive degree courses such as Medicine or Law.  It is also worth thinking about what preparation you might be able to do in Year 12 to ensure that you don’t have to rush your university application preparation next summer.  For example, if you are thinking about applying to Oxbridge for a science based degree, and your school does not offer Further Maths, you might like to start working through additional Maths topics independently, to ensure that your application is as strong as possible.  Similarly, for those students who are interested in, say, applying to Cambridge for Medicine but don’t have a modern language at GCSE/equivalent, this is something you might want to learn over the coming year.  

If your degree course doesn’t have any compulsory subjects, you might like to pursue subjects based on enjoyment alone, but you might like to take into consideration some of the following points:

·         There is a fair overlap in terms of Mechanics style questions in A-Level Physics and A-Level Maths (Mechanics modules).  If you can choose the modules you sit in Maths, you can opt for modules that give you some “overlap”.

·         Some universities like students to show that they perform well in both science and arts subjects.  If you feel that this reflects your strengths, you might like to select your subjects to achieve a more even split.

·         If you are choosing a mathematical degree and you have the opportunity of taking Further Maths, we would strongly encourage you to pursue that.

You should take all of the subjects that are relevant to your degree unless you have an extremely compelling reason for not doing so.  As an example, if you are considering applying for Classics, and your school offers both Latin and Ancient Greek at A-Level, you should take them both.  If you don’t, the university in question may ask why, if you are passionate about your subject, you have not decided to prepare for it in the best way you can, given that the opportunity was presented to you.

You can always ask your school or college for advice regarding your preparation and what you can do to maximise your chances to perform well.  If you are unsure, or have any questions, you are very welcome to get in touch with us for advice- we are always happy to talk to students!

[scholasta]

Tips on how to write your personal statement

It’s come to that time of year where many of you who are applying to university later this year will be thinking about your personal statement.  The personal statement is an opportunity to show your passion and suitability for your chosen course.  Some of you may only recently have decided on a course choice, whereas others may already have an early draft of the personal statement in full.  Whatever stage you’re at in terms of drafting, here are some tips from us about how to write it whilst minimising the stress and hassle:

·         The maximum number of characters allowed through UCAS is 4,000, which might sound like a lot, but it really isn’t; it’s about one side of A4.  Once you start to write about why you want to study your chosen course, you’ll probably find that the hardest part is editing it down to fit the character count.  It’s a good idea for a first draft to forget the character count, and write all that you’d like to.  The chances are that, if you do that, you’ll have a very genuine and honest statement. Then you can think about how to write the same points succinctly.

·         Many students feel that the hardest part of the personal statement is the opening few sentences.  If you feel that that is the case, leave the first paragraph until last, when you know the thrust of the main paragraphs.  This should make the introduction easier to write.

·         An important thing to bear in mind that the focus of the personal statement should be about why you want to pursue your chosen degree and the areas of academic interest you are developing that are relevant to your chosen courses.  Many students, especially international students, can confuse U.K. personal statements with the tone required for US colleges- generally speaking, US colleges take more of a holistic approach, whereas in the U.K. especially if you are opting for a competitive and academically rigorous degree, they are far more interested in your academic side, and much less so regarding any extra-curricular activities or your familial/cultural background (unless it pertains to mitigating circumstances). Initially, it’s a good idea to read each paragraph individually, and ask yourself whether the content expands upon why you would be suited to the degree course.  If it’s not clear, perhaps you should think about rephrasing or restructuring it.

·         Include books and articles that you have read, but make sure that you have actually read them, and that you understand what you have included.  Reading around your subject does show that you are genuinely interested and motivated, but imagine how awkward it would be if you attended an interview, and it became apparent that you had not done the work you had outlined in your personal statement!  It could raise questions about your application more generally, and your suitability for the course.

·         Work experience, if it is relevant to your degree, looks good, but in the majority of cases, it is not a deal-breaker.  For certain subjects, like Medicine, it is important to show that you have had regular work experience, even if it’s just volunteering for a local charity for a couple of hours a week.  It shows that you’re reliable, consistent, and dedicated.  You could also develop some skills which could make you a better doctor in one way or another.  For some other subjects, like Classics, work experience is less important, but instead you may have pursued other activities which are relevant to the degree, whether it’s attending summer schools, or going to museums or key sites.

·         If you’re particularly proud of any achievements, such as taking any GCSEs or A-Levels early, or you have won/performed well in any subject based competitions, make sure that you include that in your personal statement. Remember that, for many degree courses, there are going to be at least four applicants per place, so excelling in your subject can help you to stand out.  It’s important not to come across as arrogant, but you also want to show the Admissions Tutors how well you have performed to date.  

·         No U.K. university wants their applicants to be all work and no play.  You might like to include a few sentences about your extra-curricular activities and what you enjoy doing in your free time.  It gives the universities more of an idea about you as a person, and what you might bring to them in addition to your academic performance.  

Finally, don’t worry about writing a number of drafts before you’re happy with your personal statement. It’s extremely rare for students to compose only one or two versions before they have finalised everything; the vast majority will write eight, nine, even ten drafts before they feel as though they are submitting everything they want to include.  If you start thinking about how to draft your statement now, you’re giving yourself a lot of time to think about its contents, and any edits you would like to make.  It’s common to write a draft and then leave it for a few days or a week, before returning to read it again with “fresh eyes”.  As with everything, the more time you give yourself, the less rushed it will feel, and the less stressful it will be.

If you’re in the process of writing your personal statement and have any tips or advice you would like to share, please get in touch with us, and we will share it with our readers. Alternatively, if you’re struggling to write yours, let us know, and we will see how we can help.  

In the meantime, good luck and happy writing from everyone at Scholasta!

[scholasta]

Bank holiday weekend in Cambridge!

Over the bank holiday weekend, two of our tutors, Stuart and Sheridan, decided to go back to Cambridge, their alma mater, to re-visit some of their old haunts.  They returned with so many tales to tell, that we thought it might warrant a short blog post.

Stuart read Mathematics at Trinity College, whereas Sheridan took Mathematics with Physics at Murray Edwards (she still calls it “New Hall”).  Like so many alumni, they feel strong College ties, and return to stay at their own Colleges whenever possible.

“It’s always a little strange to return to New Hall- almost bittersweet.  In a way, it’s as though I’ve entered a time-warp; I’m 18 again, and Cambridge is home.  Then I remember that that was over ten years ago, and I feel more like an outsider, but that doesn’t last for long.  One of the things I like about New Hall, and Cambridge more broadly, is that a fair amount of time may pass, but so much stays the same.  We may have a different College cat, and the accommodation has been extended, but the feel is very much the same, and we still have the best Porters!” – Sheridan

Returning to Trinity had a similar effect on Stuart, “It brought out the academic side of me.  Of course, I also felt nostalgic for my youthful, student days.  It’s hard not to feel lucky for studying there when you consider the history.” – Stuart

One of their first stops was the Cockcroft Lecture Theatre, where they started their time at Cambridge having Maths lectures six days a week.

“I still associate this place with Professor Gowers, and the fact that, from my very first week, I was being lectured by a Fields Medallist in Numbers and Sets.  I was completely in awe of him.  You could always hear a pin drop in his lectures.” – Sheridan

“Again, it reminded me of my youth.  It was also interesting to compare it with what I remembered.  I seemed to recall the facts, but my mental image was far off.” – Stuart

One of the things neither Stuart nor Sheridan did as undergraduates was walk to Grantchester.  As the weather was particularly good, and it was one of the things they had always intended to do, they made their way there.

“It’s so easy when you’re a student not to do things that are on your doorstep.  It’s only once you’ve gone that you really start to think about all the things you could have done.” – Stuart

“When I was at Cambridge, I always felt so lucky and proud to be there.  I was in a bubble, and I only fully realised just how special it was once I had left.  There was so much left to see and do.  I can miss it terribly at times.” – Sheridan

When Sheridan went on to study Greats at Oxford, she researched Homeric influence on Word War I poets, but with particular emphasis on Wilfred Owen and Rupert Brooke.  She particularly enjoyed the trip to Grantchester, following in Brooke’s footsteps!

In the office this morning, we were joined by Sheridan who always brings back treats for the rest of us.  She clearly didn’t want the weekend to end, as she got out her Murray Edwards mug as soon as she got into the office!

[scholasta]

Happy bank holiday weekend!

Hi guys!

The bank holiday weekend is upon us, and we’re so happy to be enjoying some sun.  We love the Friday feeling, but even more when it’s a long weekend. 

Have you ever wondered how bank holidays came into being?  We did this morning, and were woefully ignorant.  A google search later, and we found out these interesting facts that we wanted to share with you.  Trivia ftw.

“A history of bank holidays

In the U.K. we are about to enjoy a bank holiday weekend.  For those of you in countries where this is not observed, a bank holiday weekend means that (unless you work in certain industries, like retail), there is a strong chance that you will have Saturday, Sunday, and Monday off work – effectively giving you a long weekend.

Whilst we are all very happy to observe these days, relatively few people know the origins of bank holidays in the U.K.  As it’s Friday, and everyone in the office is in a good mood and looking forward to their long weekend, we thought we’d share some bank holiday trivia with you.

·         Prior to 1834, the Bank of England observed no fewer than 33 saints’ days and religious days as holidays.  In 1834, however, the number of days was cut substantially, to a meagre four: Good Friday, May Day (1st May), All Saints’ Day (1st November), and Christmas Day.

·         In 1871, the first legislation regarding bank holidays was passed, and ensured that no-one was obliged to “make any payments or conduct business that s/he wouldn’t typically make/do on Christmas Day or Good Friday”.  The English, not widely known for their joy and exuberance, were so thankful that these days were, for a time, known as St Lubbock’s Days after Sir John Lubbock, the man responsible for their introduction.  Scotland was treated separately from England, to reflect the different traditions in the two countries.

·         In 1703, St Patrick’s Day (17th March) was added in Ireland.

·         New Year’s Day did not become a bank holiday in England until as recently as 1974 (somewhat ironic as the same year also gave us the infamous ‘three-day week’).  The May Day bank holiday was formally introduced even later, in 1978.

·         The philosophy behind the August bank holiday was to extend British holidays over the summer period.

·         In 1968 and 1969, the August bank holiday Monday actually fell in September.

·         Royal Proclamation is invoked to ensure that bank holidays that fall on a weekend (Saturday or Sunday) are not “lost” but carried forward to the next working day.

·         Easter Monday is not considered to be a bank holiday in Scotland.

·         There are calls for more bank holidays including: St David’s Day (1st March), St George’s Day (23rd April), and St Piran’s Day (patron saint of Cornwall- 5th March), though this is observed in parts of the county only.

·         Harold Wilson called for a non-statutory bank holiday on 15th March 1968 after meeting with the privy council on the previous day.  This was so that the U.K. could close the gold market, mitigating the damages as a result of losses suffered by the British pound!”

For more articles and fun, visit our blog scholastaedu.wordpress.com.  If you’d like to see more about what we do, including Access and Outreach, check out our website scholasta.com.

HAVE A LOVELY BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND, EVERYONE!

[scholasta]

Show me the money!

It’s not even coffee time, and we’ve already had a debate in the office today.  Should universities be run as businesses?  We’ve had so many points thrown around that one of us decided to write a short opinion piece.  It’s on our blog (scholasta.wordpress.com), but I’m coping it below for you all to see.  Please do join in the debate- it’s becoming a bit of an echo chamber here!

“Show Me the Money!

Our recent blog post (“What do we really know about the new GCSE grades?”) triggered much internal debate here.  (We take that to be a good sign.)  Much of the discussion focussed upon whether an examination system should be structured in order to provide rewards for effort, or instead reward the tangible result, or output, of that effort.  We suspect the debate will run and run.

During the conversation, another issue of some interest was touched upon; to what extent should universities be businesses.

Way back in the day, universities were seats of learning, nothing more, nothing less.  Knowledge, insight and enlightenment were seen as primary virtues with academic excellence prized wherever it was found, for improving the mind was seen as improving the man (and, later, the woman).  That is why Oxbridge was largely founded on the twin pillars of Maths and Classics (we have one of our tutors to thank for that particular contribution; what did they study?  Yes, you’ve guessed it.)

A little while back, this author met up with the finance director from his old alma mater.  The changing nature of higher education was one of the topics inevitably visited.

Wind back thirty plus years and this long-established University, like many others, was seeing acute funding pressures.  A number of long-standing Departments were under threat.  Fortunately, the then Vice Chancellor took the view that the only way for the University to survive, prosper and control its own destiny was for it to become ‘commercially aware’.  That tradition was carried on with such good effect that, today, at least one of the Departments threated with closure is now positively thriving.

So, where’s the balance?

The higher education landscape has changed dramatically.  A much higher percentage of students are now going on to higher education in comparison with the numbers 30-years ago.  Most of our universities do, or are certainly capable of, creating brilliant innovations of significant commercial value.  They all have superb resources in terms of knowledge base and expertise.  Is it really so unreasonable for us to ask them to exploit what they have in abundance?

Conversely, if we take that line, where does it end?  Do we want our universities to create their own internal markets where survival of the fittest reigns?  Are we then prepared to accept the consequence and let the ‘non-commercial’ departments simply wither and die?  Surely, that would be the ultimate abandonment of the core ethos of education which has held us in good stead for centuries.

Looks like this is another discussion which will run and run.”

[scholasta]

GCSE results!

Hi guys!

Congratulations to all of you who received your GCSE results today!  We hope that you are proud of all you have achieved.

Our tutors always like to write opinion pieces, and we have had one written today about the new GCSE grading.  I’m sure many of you will agree, and many disagree, but we have always believed in debate and opinion, and that’s why we think opinion articles are important in providing different perspectives. 

Have a read (scholasta.wordpress.com) and let us know what you think!  Whatever your plans are next, we wish you all the very best.

[scholasta]

FAQs about Oxbridge

Are you thinking about making an application to Oxbridge, either this year or in the future?

If so, you probably have a number of questions you’d like to ask.  If you have only recently started researching Oxford and Cambridge, there are probably some very common questions you’d like to have answered, and spending time on the different websites can be very time-consuming.

I’ve compiled a list of the most frequently asked questions I get on a daily basis.  If you’d like to ask something which does not appear on this list, please do get in touch.

https://www.scholasta.com/faqs

[scholasta]

Fast and frugal heuristics

Hi guys!

I just wanted to let you all know that we have released another blog article on fast and frugal heuristics.  We think that it might be of interest to students thinking about applying for psychological and behavioural science degrees, but also more widely for anyone interested in judgement and decision making.

It’s written in a way that we hope is very accessible and interesting, so please let us know if you like it, or what you’d like to see improved!

Have a lovely day!

scholastaedu.wordpress.com

www.scholasta.com

[scholasta]

Our latest blog articles

At Scholasta, we want to help students applying to university in any way we can. We remember what it was like when we went through the process, and we want others to benefit from what we have gained along the way.

Sometimes, it's really easy to get so caught up in the subject you're applying for, that you forget to keep up with current affairs. This is particularly important for students thinking about Oxbridge and other Russell Group universities- you could get asked about anything that even remotely pertains to your subject, so it's best to be prepared.

That's why at Scholasta we're blogging daily about topics we think might be of interest to you. Our "Stay current" category features articles which reflect what is in the news now (or has been recently) and our "In passing" category is more timeless.

We hope that you find our blog interesting and useful. Please do get in touch with us if you have any comments or questions. You'll be guaranteed a warm, and supportive, welcome.

scholastaedu.wordpress.com

[scholasta]

Scholasta: Our new education blog

I know that many of you are thinking about applying to university in the UK later this year. I remember the process myself, and there were so many questions I had that weren’t really answered by my school, and in all honesty, there were points where I was pretty clueless. Having gone through my time at university, I’m really passionate about education and helping people with their applications, so I set up Scholasta. The first thing I wanted to do was write a blog to offer advice and hopefully help to make the sheer amount of information out there more digestible. That said, the blog isn’t all work and no play. I’m also including articles I think may be of interest to applicants for a whole range of subjects. It’s more a reflection of what’s in the news, or has been recently, but it could well be a little bit off the beaten track to make it something you may not have come across already. I hope there’ll be something you find interesting to you. Please have a look if you’re interested. I’m going to be posting on it at least Monday-Friday. Also, if you have any questions, comments, or feedback, do contact me. I like to think I'm approachable, and I promise to get back to all messages.

I wish you all GOOD LUCK with your applications!

scholastaedu.wordpress.com