A new academic year has arrived, and for many, this September marks the beginning of the end of school days. Those students in the sixth form have no doubt begun thinking about courses, colleges and university applications – but now’s the time to really get pen to paper. As the UCAS deadlines rapidly approach, here’s everything you need to take university applications in your stride.
Oxbridge bound
Applicants to Oxford or Cambridge face an earlier UCAS deadline of 15th October 2024. This requires choosing a course, selecting a college (or opting for an open application), drafting a personal statement and organising an academic reference, all in the next few weeks.
Most Oxbridge courses will also require additional tests, taken online. Students will need to confirm the requirements and register for these by early October, ready to sit the tests later that month. Similarly, some courses ask for a submission of written work, usually by 10th November. The exact dates will vary, so it’s important to check the individual requirements for your chosen course and college. Those who are shortlisted will be invited to interview in December, with final offers given in January 2025.
Our tutor, Zebulon, graduated from Cambridge University with a BA and MEng (Hons) in Computer Science, and now interviews potential candidates. Here’s his advice for prospective candidates:
As a Cambridge interviewer, I’m looking for people who are truly passionate about their subject, and clearly enjoy talking through questions. At school you rarely get asked to speak about your own interests, so have a go at talking about what you like with your friends and family, and get used to answering questions out loud.
As for the admissions tests, there’s only one way to improve: do as many past paper questions as you possibly can. Take your time with some, and try to do others in timed conditions. But the main thing is to practice as much as you can, especially if you want to get faster.
What about other universities?
The deadline for general admission is 31st January 2025, although there are some courses that also have an October UCAS deadline, including many medical, dentistry and veterinary degrees. Do make sure to check the details for each target university and course.
Although January may feel like a way away, we strongly recommend getting started now. In fact, we aim to get all general UCAS applications in before the winter holidays. First, you’ll need to register with UCAS and begin filling in the mandatory information, like personal details and educational history. Students can select up to five courses, but it’s important to remember that you’ll be submitting the same application to all universities.
You will need an academic reference, so identify who you would like this to be, and talk to them promptly about the requirements and deadline. And of course, there’s the all-important personal statement to get drafted.
Aren’t personal statements changing?
Earlier this year, news broke that UCAS plans to replace the personal statement with three structured questions. However, the important thing to note for our current cohort is that these changes won’t come into force until next year – meaning the personal statement remains a critical part of the application process for those beginning university in 2025.
Personal statements have a limit of 4,000 characters. This may sound like a lot, but it translates to less than 1,000 words – and in an increasingly competitive landscape, every word will count. It’s important to be clear, concise and compelling, with an impactful opening, thoughtful structure and original point of view.
One of our tutors, Pandora, graduated with a BA in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from Oxford University. This is what she had to say on the topic of personal statements:
What was immediately obvious at Oxford was that every student had a genuine passion for their degree – a childlike excitement that lit up their faces and prompted a gush of opinions and musings about the latest academic they were reading, whenever asked. My advice would be to try to distil and convey that same enthusiasm in your personal statement. Write about what genuinely interests you – however niche – as it will come across.
How Figtree can help
This is a daunting time – and for our Oxbridge students in particular, there’s a lot to do in the coming weeks. Whether you’re pursuing a lifelong dream or still trying to find the right fit, we know the pressure can be intense.
That’s why we take a bespoke, end-to-end approach to university applications. We can identify the best courses and institutions to meet each student’s individual needs and aspirations. And with a wide network of alumni and specialists to draw on, we’ll answer queries, allay concerns and support informed decision-making. We know what a great personal statement looks like, and we have a whole toolkit of top tips to ensure our students make the best impression.
We have a proven track record working with Oxbridge candidates and our roster of experts can support with entrance test preparation across the LNAT, HAT, PAT, BMAT, OLAT, STAT, TMUA and UCAT. Meanwhile, our interview specialists are on hand to suggest further reading, hone answers and boost confidence for the big day.
At Figtree, we team big-picture thinking with an eye for the smallest details – paving the way towards a smooth and successful application. For more information about how we can help, please get in touch with the team for an informal chat.
