Applying to university

The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) handles all UK full-time undergraduate applications, which is handy as it means you only need to fill in one form to apply to up to six institutions. Application forms are available from schools, colleges and careers officers or you can apply on the UCAS website using their Electronic Application System. For help completing your UCAS form and with writing the personal statement, which university admissions tutors will review in considering your application, there is a handy guide available:

HOW TO COMPLETE YOUR UCAS APPLICATION 2008 19E (Ucas) "For the inside track on completing your UCAS application look no further than "How to Complete Your UCAS Application 2008" entry.Every year over half a million people apply to university in the UK. One in five of these applicants has to face the grim reality of an inbox full of rejections, instead of the offers they'd dreamed of. And the shocking truth for many of the tens of thousands of hopefuls who didn't get in is that they were let down not by their accomplishments, but by the poor quality of their applications - and in particular their personal statements."How To Complete Your UCAS Application" has been helping university applicants stay off the rejected pile for nearly 20 years. Published in association with UCAS, it gives the inside track on making your application, providing in-depth advice on navigating the Apply system and avoiding common mistakes. It guides you step by step, from the very early stages of the decision-making process through the ins and outs of completing and submitting your application to results day and beyond.Fully updated to reflect the changes for 2008 entry, it contains detailed advice on choosing what and where to study, entry requirements and it even covers non-standard applications (including Art and Design courses and music conservatoires), late applications and deferred entry."

When to apply
For most courses, UCAS must receive your application form between 1st September and 15th January in the academic year before university entry. Deadlines for Oxbridge colleges are slightly earlier and generally it is recommended that you get your application in as soon as possible.

Where to apply?!
Probably the most important factor to consider when choosing a university is to make sure they offer a course which you will be most interested in and which is suited to you. The next important thing to look at is the entry requirements for the course. By the time it comes around to applying to universities you should have a set of predicted A-level grades, the entry requirements to the courses you apply to should be based on your predicted grades. Be aware however that if you apply for a course which has significantly higher entry grades to your predictions, then the chances are that they will look most favourably at the candidates who do meet their entry requirements.

When filling in your UCAS form you will be asked to select your top six courses. The best plan is to choose a couple of courses whose entry requirements match, or even slightly excede your predicted grades. Then choose a couple more courses around your predicted grades, then a couple whose entry requirements are lower than your predicted grades. Therefore ideally, after you've received your responses from the universities, you'll be able to put your first choice course, usually the one with the highest entry requirements, as first choice - then a course with lower entry requirements as your 'insurance' choice.

As well as choosing an appropriate course to do at university, deciding which actual university you want to go to is an equally important decision. Often geography is a main deciding factor - with students deciding which university to go to based on its location around the country. A university's reputation is an important factor, as the very top graduate recruiters tend to focus on the more established 'redbrick' universities. One thing to take note of is that the standard of courses varies greatly between universities, it can by no means be guaranteed that a top five university would be the best choice for a specific course.

The majority of universities in the UK are campus based which means that accommodation, lectures and entertainment may all be based in the same area. You need to decide whether you'd be more suited to a relaxing, more country style campus - such as Exeter, or a bustling city university such as UCL in London. This decision can be another important factor in choosing which university would be suitable for you.

The Push Guide to Which University is the ultimate guide to everything every university applicant needs to know including: how to apply, what student life's really like, choosing a course, how to get the most out of it, how to get value for money.

Apply2Uni offer a personal statement example, editing and writing service to help people apply to universities in the UK. Their services are offered by experienced UCAS writers and they provide initial and ongoing advice to help applicants secure their first choice at university.

Here is a list of other recommended books:

	The "Times" Good University Guide 2009 "Since 1992, The Times has produced the most widely respected and used university league tables. The Guide takes the key measures of quality as its focus, so you can make informed choices of university and subjects. Still unique and still controversial, the rankings provide hard data, analysed, interpreted and presented by a team of experts. The 2009 edition of the best-selling Good University Guide has been further extended, now offering: Unique league table ranking to Britain's universities, which enables readers to assess strengths and weaknesses of each university. Over 60 tables giving the best universities for particular subjects. Advice on how to select a course and a university. Details of government changes to higher education. Guidance on how to apply and pay your way through university. Advice on finding and paying for accommodation while you are there. Two pages of information on each university. Detailed coverage of Oxford and Cambridge colleges.Information specifically designed for international students."
	The "Guardian" University Guide 2008 "The most fully comprehensive guide on the market, "The Guardian University Guide" is packed with no-nonsense advice, and guides students through every process, from applications to interviews, accommodation to finances. "The Guardian" subject ratings are the most up-to-date on the market. Unlike other guides, the "Guardian" uses new data each year. They are also the only ones to be based on the UCAS entry tariffs so that students can judge for themselves which are the best universities available to them. University profiles written by students already studying at their chosen university completes the picture on what university life is really like."
	The Virgin 2008 Alternative Guide to British Universities "Amusing contributions from students already on their way to degrees detail the nitty gritty of student life at each institution, including accommodation, health, living on a shoestring, low- and high- workload courses, union life, societies, sports and - last but not least watering holes and where to get a decent curry..."
	The Virgin University Survival Guide "The Virgin University Survival Guide is full of indispensable advice and information which will see you through the whole of your student life, from freshers' week to finals, and beyond. With advice on money and debt, housing, studying and exams, health and stress, work and careers and what to do when you graduate, this guide contains everything, including the kitchen sink (and how to unblock it)."
	MPW: GETTING INTO OXFORD AND CAMBRIDGE (Getting into Course Guides) "This is a must-have handbook for anyone applying to Oxford & Cambridge.The "Getting Into" Guides aim to give would be students a head start when applying for the UK's highly competitive undergraduate courses and universities. Written by acknowledged experts in a clear and concise format, they offer applicants straightforward, practical advice on how to secure a place on the course of their choice."
	MPW: GETTING INTO MEDICAL SCHOOL 12E (MPW 'Getting Into' Guides) "This definitive guide is packed with informed advice on each stage of the application procedure, including what grades and A level subjects are needed, preparing for interview (typical questions and current issues in medicine that applicants should be aware of), and what to do if you haven't made the grades."
	Medical School Interviews: A Practical Guide to Help You Get That Place at Medical School - Over 150 Questions Analysed "This book presents an in-depth look at over 150 medical school interview questions. It provides you with techniques to address the various types of questions, analyses good and bad examples of answers, teaches you how to add depth to your answers and how to answer those difficult ethical scenarios and lateral thinking questions."