University is, for many older teenagers, a great option to extend their learning and provide them with some life experience and independence ahead of entering the jobs market. However, with 100,000 graduates under 30 out of work and a further 2.8 million graduates shouldering over £50,000 of student debt, a university application places young people on the precipice of a huge financial investment.
It’s no wonder parents want to be involved in the process. But how much help is too much help? What’s actually worth mentioning in a personal statement? And do admissions tutors really spend much time poring over personal statements, anyway?
To find out what not to do when trying to support children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews in their university applications, The i Paper spoke to Annie Shuker, head of student recruitment and admissions at the University of Newcastle.
Don’t forget a proper spell check
It seems really obvious, but spelling mistakes can really put academic selectors off, especially if it’s a more competitive course (you can use the UCAS website to give you an idea by looking at historic entry grades for different courses). It’s really noticeable if the applicant hasn’t paid that much attention to spelling – but it’s so easy to avoid. We also see Americanised versions of words because the wrong spell checker has been used.
Don’t overuse AI
It is always apparent when an applicant has used AI. While it can be useful to test structure and readability, we would never advise using AI to write your statement, because we want it to be authentic. We know when a personal statement has been put through AI, so use it as a tool to support you once you’ve drafted, to pull out what reads wrong or what’s misspelt.
Don’t take ownership of your child’s application
People who have been to university or have had another child go through it will want to be very involved, and it’s a good idea because obviously the child is making massive life decisions, but they need to be aware of what they’re doing. Proofreading and structured support – in the form of asking certain questions, and being a sounding board – can help, but young people should take ownership of the application, not parents.
Ultimately, they’re going to be responsible for their own studies, sometimes their own finances, their own living arrangements. If you’re constantly hand-holding, it’s probably not setting them up for the right experience.
Don’t think assessors just flick through
Admissions tutors might assess personal statements at different stages in an application journey, and the more competitive the course, the more we will look at them in detail. Medicine and dentistry applications, for example, require a deeper analysis. We will also read them to identify any extenuating circumstances.
Don’t think predicted grades are enough
We review personal statements alongside predicted grades, as well as references from teachers. For some courses we do interviews and admissions tests and this gives us a fuller picture. We do find predicted grades are sometimes overinflated. It’s common for them to be quite far off – you can’t take them as a big “tick”.
Don’t think automation isn’t used
We currently don’t use automation for undergraduate applications but we are looking at how we can use it to get decisions out quicker. Where other universities have been using automation it’s about making recommendations to the admissions team, not necessarily sending out offers. Even if universities are using automation to pull out key points from a personal statement, it will be alongside other elements.
Don’t let your child just sell themselves
Genuine students stand out; we want to know why they want to study, the motivations for it and what brings them to university. That sincere interest in a subject is important because what we want is students who want to learn and contribute. They don’t have to have done reams and reams of volunteering experience; it’s more about that passion that comes across and that they’ve actually researched and understand what they are applying for.
I appreciate that because they’re applying for several universities, they can’t t pick out one module from one uni and reference that, but even saying “I’m looking forward to learning X, Y or Z’ or ‘gaining further knowledge of’ whatever it may be, that’s what we’re looking for. Young people need to ask themselves: why am I actually doing this?
Don’t just lob in extracurriculars
Having experience is great, but what’s that given the young person? What skills have they learned?Playing rugby might mean they’ve taken on responsibility, or they’ve been able to manage their time. We like transferable skills and knowing young people can manage their studies alongside other interests.
When it comes to reading outside of the curriculum, or attending events, it has to be genuine; a young person could just Google loads of things and list them, but if they can show motivation and an innovative approach to the course, and a genuine response to it, that really helps. When it comes to medicine, though, the young person really has to show some work experience or shadowing.
Don’t crowd your child at open days
Open days are so important to help you work out if you like somewhere, but it’s natural that some young people don’t speak when their parents are with them on open days, because they naturally fall back into the child role. Sometimes splitting up and going off, finding things that you’re interested in, especially a parent session, gives your child the chance to ask their own questions.
Getting them to plan questions in advance can help, too. Get them to read in advance, make notes and prep. Some students do come without their parents because they’re used to that, but increasingly, more and more parents do come, because it is an investment! Money can be an issue in terms of travel, but a lot of universities will offer support for those who need it.
Don’t forget a backup plan
If your child doesn’t get an offer, or into uni, it’s not the end of the world, but it might feel like it at the time. So prepare by thinking about what they will do: could they resit an A Level? Would they take a year out? They might even change their mind when they get to results day. So be prepared for a shift somewhere.