Tactics

With up to five choices to make, and with only predicted grades to go on, it's all a bit of a game - but a game whose outcome could determine the rest of your life. Games have rules, but they also have strategies which help maximise the chance of winning. Through all of this, remember that admissions tutors do not know which other universities you have applied to, nor do you put down a priority order. Here are some strategies in the university applications game:

Apply Early

More and more universities are making early decisions; it is more difficult to receive an offer once the university has reached its quota. Complete your application as early as you can.

High grade offers do not necessarily mean good courses

Everyone wants to go to the "best" university for their subject, and it is an easy assumption that the higher the entry requirement, the "better" the course. In fact, high offers merely represent a university's or department's popularity. Such popularity is not necessarily based on academic merit. Much better to do your research properly to find the course that fits you and visit universities to see for yourself.

Do not waste applications on "popular" courses

The higher the offer for a course, the greater the chance of rejection. The more popular your subject, the greater the danger of a "wasted" application, ie one which requires grades you are unlikely to achieve. Make sure you are realistic about your potential grades at A Level. Ambition is a virtue, but flying in the face of reality is not. In other words, match your course choice to your predicted grades.

Your final choices should normally be for the same or closely related subjects

If you choose a mixture of subjects, your commitment to any of your chosen courses will be in question. Furthermore, it will be very hard for you to write a personal statement covering several different subject areas. Thus, your choices should be for the same or similar courses whether single subject (eg: Politics, Political Studies, Political Science) or combined subjects (eg: French and Spanish, French with Spanish, French and Hispanic Studies).

Think carefully about your insurance choices

It is pointless applying to five highly prestigious and status-conscious universities. Even very good candidates have been on the receiving end of a number of rejections in such circumstances. For example, candidates applying in arts subjects to all three of Bristol, Edinburgh and Durham might well be rejected by all three. Even if predicted AAAA, make sure you choose at least one course in a less popular university, especially if you are keen to study a highly popular subject. But you must think carefully about each one of your choices. Are you prepared to go to your last choice if it is the only offer you get?

Your UCAS form is critical

Make sure that every section has been filled in absolutely accurately and truthfully. In particular, your Personal Statement is the only chance you have to tell the admissions tutor why you want to gain a place in their department, and what sort of person you are. You will be expected to describe your talents, your interests, your passions. If you haven't got any, get some! And it is more convincing to write several lines about a few genuine interests than to write out tedious lists of things you dabble in.

If you are not a strong A Level candidate...

Select a wide range of universities, including some of the newer ones. These will represent a more realistic target, and may well have the courses which are better suited to you. Such a strategy is recommended if you cannot be fairly certain of scoring a minimum BBC at A Level, and also for stronger candidates applying for particularly popular subjects.

Do not assume you can change courses once you get to university

It is a highly dangerous strategy to apply to a popular university on a less popular course, and then try to change to the course you really want once you are there. If it's full up, it's full up. Other people (particularly those who went to university some years ago) may tell you it is easy to do; it is getting harder and harder to do so by the year.

Which offers do you reject?

Once you have sent your application form in you can expect to hear from individual universities: their response will usually be either a conditional offer or a rejection. If you are in the fortunate position of having more than 2 offers, you must choose which to reject. You are only allowed to keep two offers, and must reject all others - usually by the end of April. One offer should be in line with your predicted grades (your firm offer) the other for lower grades (your insurance offer). Remember that if you only make the grades for your insurance offer and that is the place you get, you must take it up or drop out of the UCAS system altogether for that year - you cannot enter clearing, or approach other universities.

If you change your mind after applying

It's not the end of the world if you have second thoughts and drop out of the UCAS system altogether. It is much better not to take up a place if you come to the conclusion that you have made some wrong decisions. If that happens, let UCAS know quickly so that they can inform the universities. You can always reapply for the following year, or take a different path altogether.