UCAS and University Experience
Hi All!
So, to begin my university series I have decided to start with my University Application experience through UCAS, and how my AS Levels went and reveal what university I will be going to. So in 2016, I completed my AS exams in Psychology, English Literature, Business Studies, Philosophy and Ethics and General Studies (GS was forced on us by our school – yawn). And much to my disappointment I did not do brilliantly at AS, I received BBBDD, with the D’s being in GS and English Literature. This was a huge disappointment for me as I was potentially considering applying for Oxbridge had I got good grades given recommendation from a progression tutor at my school. However, while this had not been my main goal it was a disappointment to find I had not done great in one of my favourite subjects. Now, this was my own fault to some extent, while my school did not provide us with the right resources or even the right criteria to pass the exams, I should have taken it upon myself to find out what was on the specification and mark scheme.
However, my not so brilliant grades became my saviour as I am the type of person where when something becomes difficult I immediately push myself to achieve and prove that I am better than what originally happened. And so, because I preferred English Literature to Philosophy, I dropped Philosophy. After all, what’s life without a challenge. And so when it came to UCAS predictions instead of AAA I got predicted AAB, since my English grade was 2 raw marks below a C. Now, those were the grades I sent off to UCAS with my application as discussed with my Head of Year. He had full faith in me, and only allowed my high predictions due to the earliness of my application, since I handed my personal statement draft to him a week after term had started since I finished it in the summer. I was so proud of my personal statement and I am so happy with how it turned out, and I think it really did help doing it over the summer to help me get my offers. Since everyone usually submits their applications in November/December, the universities have more time to really study your application, and they have more spaces to offer. Think of it logically, if I had sent my application off in November, the universities may have only glanced over my application and I would have been in competition with multiple people, and those people potentially having more experience or better grades than myself.
So, I had my reference being written, my head of year had checked over my application, and I had to think clearly and cleverly about which universities I wanted to apply to. So since I couldn’t apply to Oxbridge I decided to stay close to home, and living in the Midlands is the best place to be for that. And so, my five choices were the University of Warwick, the University of Birmingham, the University of Worcester, the University of Coventry and Aston University, and I applied to study their individual versions of Management.
The first university I heard back from was the University of Birmingham, around two weeks after I’d applied, and at that time I thought this would be my firm as the grades were AAB, and a Russell Group uni! Next, I received Worcester’s offer of 112 points (equivalent to BBC), which I always knew would be my insurance. Then I received Aston, with an AAB, or a ABB if I firmed. And then, I received Warwick’s offer of AAA maybe a month after I had originally sent off my UCAS. And finally Coventry sent me an offer last of ABB. So I received offers from all 5 of my choices. And I genuinely believe that that was mostly because of how early I got my application in!
Now one amazing thing that happened was the day before my applicant day at Warwick I had received an email telling me to check my UCAS as I was applicable for a reduced contextual offer. This offer basically meant that because I went to a school that was a lower performer I was able to get a lower offer, and it is the reason why so many of my friends and people I went to school with got unconditional offers (honestly, I think half of my year got unconditionals and at least two people had all five offers unconditional). This is an amazing system that has been added and I’m so grateful because I got an offer of AAB from Warwick. So I went to the applicant day and I absolutely loved it, I loved the facilities, the campus, the lecturers, the course, everything I fell for. And so I firmed it. (I did visit UoB but it wasn’t for me if I’m honest).
And so I got cracking, I really knuckled down and I achieved A*ABD, (the D was in GS, which no one cares about anyway). And so, I have a place at Warwick University. The 8th best university in the UK, and the 5th best business school in the UK. And honestly I could not be happier.
So I’m ready to start the next chapter of my journey. And I’m going to blog about as much of it as possible – mainly to share this experience with others, especially those hoping to attend Warwick as I’ve been obsessed with university bloggers and vloggers since I was accepted.
Whoosh,
-Rosie
