The UCAS Process
At King Solomon Academy our main priority is to ensure that you are fully prepared for the next phase of your life, which for many students will be life as an undergraduate.
For parents: Year 12 University and Apprenticeships Information
The next step: applying to university
A place at a good university is the primary target for most students at KSA. The UCAS application now involves completion of a form on-line via the Internet and for all KSA pupils this will be done between September and November in Year 13. Through this process you can apply to up to five universities.
As part of the Advisory and Careers curriculum, we provide a comprehensive programme of lessons and visits to prepare students for applying to university. This includes:
- Lessons on the university process
- University visits (2 compulsory visits in Year 12, plus optional subject and extra curricular visits).
- 1:1 meetings to discuss university choices and courses
- Each student has a Pathways mentor to support them as they go into Year 13 with applying for university.
See the Careers Page for more information about our university preparation curriculum.
Selective, Highly Selective and Super Selective Institutions
There are hundreds of universities up and down the country and at KSA we view them in three key groups according to access type:
Selective Universities’ targeting criteria is usually mostly 6s and above at GCSE and A levels should be between ABB-CCC for their course offers. This includes universities such as: University of East Anglia, University of Reading, and Goldsmiths University etc.
Highly Selective Universities’ targeting criteria is usually at least three 8-9 grades at GCSE and the rest 6-7s and A levels should be between AAA-BBB for their course offers. This includes universities such as: University of Manchester, Kings College London, University of Nottingham etc.
Super Selective Universities’ targeting criteria is usually at least five 8-9 grades at GCSE and the rest 7s and A levels should be between A*A*A*-AAA for their course offers. This includes universities such as: University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, University College London etc.
As part of the application process, you are expected to write a personal statement detailing your suitability for the course and university. Some things we adivse you to include in your personal statement are:
- Why you want to study the particular subject or course – show why you’re passionate about the field.
- How your current studies have helped you prepare for university. Be reflective - explain why you've made certain choices and what you've learnt, but don’t go into lots of detail.
- How you’ve gone above and beyond the curriculum to demonstrate your interest in the subject (for example, books you’ve read, taster sessions you’ve attended).
- Your skills and experiences (including work and placements) and how you feel they’ll help you to succeed on your chosen course.
- The achievements that you’re particularly proud of. Be honest – you may be asked about them at interview!
- What you hope to gain from university, and your career aspirations.
- Your interests/hobbies. It’s recommended that 75 per cent of your statement is academic/course-related, while the other 25 per cent can focus on extra-curricular activities
Support and Resources for University Planning
For information on courses, applying to University, entry requirements etc:
-To compare Universities based upon the National Student Survey results, including employment data:
-To find out more information about careers and employers, including short video clips focussing on specific jobs and companies:
-To view the rank order of Universities for your chosen subject area:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/table/2011/may/17/university-league-table
-For information on student finance:
