Personal statements and extracurricular activities....

[toffeebutterpopcorn]

I’m not really sure what he should be thinking about - the schools advice was ‘put relevant things and work experience’ but with covid and a lazy-ass child (he is my wonderful child but he takes after his mum)...

Any ideas - he is looking at chemistry or physics (doesn’t take after me here)? I’m so old I just applied to the course I wanted, had an interview and was offered a place (none of this messing about...).

IME universities are not as interested in DofE or swim club success as they are in an interest in to the subject to be studied. Has he done any research, for example into future careers? Can he write about what inspires him to study the subjects? My dd (eng lit) talked about aspects of the literature canon she felt passionate about.

Predicted grades are the most important thing. Do they match with the typical offer at his chosen unis? If he is looking at BCC then don't put five places that ask for AAA.

He isn’t sure what he wants to do - I don’t blame him he’s only 16 (I still don’t know what I want to be). He loves both subjects and is very good at maths. His predicted grades should be good - at least AAAA.

I agree with the previous poster. It’s more imports that your son can show real engagement with his subject rather than DoE type activities.

Has he done anything like the Maths Olympiad?
Or Smallpeice trust courses that help people try our different subjects at a university (may not be running at the moment?). This would help him shape his ideas about what to study.

Those are great predicted grades so he should aim high.

He’s done the maths and physics challenges - he’s been doing the maths one for years now and really enjoys it. He didn’t take advanced maths as he didn’t want an all maths/science so is doing English (and is really enjoying it). Isn’t it wonderful to have choice!

I’ll take a look at the Smallpiece trust.

Now what you mean about covid OP. DD13 wants to do paramedic science and really wants to do St John's Ambulance but they're not doing sessions at the moment. Same with every other scheme we've looked at.

You say he wants to do chemistry or physics. Can he articulate why?

Oh I mean work experience.

Just write around why he likes the subjects, how they interlink (if he's hoping to do both, or hasn't he decided which yet?), any books he's read about a particular topic and some vague blurb about wanting to learn more. Unless he's applying to Oxbridge he'll get offers even if he only writes a couple of lines!

1. Isaac Physics:

Free website with lots of problem solving in Physics, Maths and Chemistry. Anyone can access this and they can do as much (or as little) as suits their schedule. Optional online mentoring for some year groups. DS did the Senior Physics Challenge through this, came in the top 50, and was invited to the (free) residential summer school. In his personal statement he wrote a paragraph on the skills he had learned through participating in the Isaac Physics programme.

Ah - it’s hard to stop him when he starts explaining something sciencey to me... nonono mum, so bla bla bla and then bla - do you see? It’s very interesting ...

Me -> 😵

1. Institute of Research in Schools (IRIS):

Worth doing if your school takes part. DS spent one lunchtime a week analysing data for the UK Astronomy Technical Centre, then did a poster presentation at a science fair. He learned a lot about research skills and teamwork, and this formed another paragraph in his personal statement. He was asked about this project at two different interviews (not as part of the formal assessment process, they just genuinely seemed to be interested).

1. Senior Maths Challenge (and BMO if he qualifies) would be a nice bonus for application to physical science courses. DS didn't have space to include this in his personal statement, but the school briefly mentioned it in his reference.

Chemistry Olympiad and/or Physics Olympiad as relevant.

@toffeebutterpopcorn

Ah - it’s hard to stop him when he starts explaining something sciencey to me... nonono mum, so bla bla bla and then bla - do you see? It’s very interesting ...

Me -> 😵

Well there you go - next time tell him to write it down! Job done!

1. DS volunteered to help regularly with learning support in Y9 Science lessons and Y10 Maths lessons. He mentioned this in his personal statement in the context of science communication and accessibility.

1. If he isn't sure what course he wants to study, Insight Into University might be helpful (online summer programme).

www.etrust.org.uk/insight-into-university

Applications close today though.

Unless he's applying to Oxbridge he'll get offers even if he only writes a couple of lines!

Not this year. Lots of students didn't get offers. Lots of students rejected. Think this will probably knock on for a couple of years. In fact it was baffling as to how they actually made their decisions this year.

@BigWoollyJumpers

Unless he's applying to Oxbridge he'll get offers even if he only writes a couple of lines!

Not this year. Lots of students didn't get offers. Lots of students rejected. Think this will probably knock on for a couple of years. In fact it was baffling as to how they actually made their decisions this year.

Not

Sorry! Not in those subjects. More places than applicants still.

@titchy

Sorry! Not in those subjects. More places than applicants still.

I don't know..... on MN boards and IRL, History and PPE type courses have been very oversubscribed, and under offered this year, and for students at the AAA plus level.

Small piece trust as mentioned by others highly recommended. Relevant stuff followed online ( e.g NASA updates and launches) or even gaming where maths and physics feature highly would be relevant. A hobby or part time job show commitment and time management but they are mainly looking for his interest in the subject he chooses.

I don't know..... on MN boards and IRL, History and PPE type courses have been very oversubscribed, and under offered this year, and for students at the AAA plus level.

But he's not applying for History or PPE. He's applying for low demand courses

In the last few years, Physics courses were advertised in Clearing (with the implication that they were undersubscribed) at several universities with a strong research reputation (although not at the most competitive institutions). I believe the same was true for Chemistry.

I don't think it's wise to try to extrapolate this to the next couple of years. The offer rate for many courses is decreasing due to several factors: an increase in birth rate from 2002 onwards, significant changes in A-level assessment, universities reacting cautiously after oversubscription in 2020, and a possible increase in deferred entries.

The OP's son is getting A grades, so might apply to selective universities, where not every applicant with high predicted grades gets an offer. These places may read the personal statement as part of their selection process.

DS helped with Physics with younger pupils at school and then did some physics reading.

Go on the website for a course he fancies, look at the pre course reading and pick a couple to read. Then comment a bit in the personal statement.

IME universities are not as interested in DofE or swim club success as they are in an interest in to the subject to be studied

I agree. Depending on the subject and university, many don't even read the personal statement. DD is doing biomedical sciences at a well regarded RG university, and the admissions tutor said that they only read the personal statements of the borderline students. She applied post A levels and got an offer straight away.

In many institutions these days admissions are pretty much entirely centralised. Nobody's reading the personal statements. Just checking grades and predicted grades. That's certainly how it's done where I work. Oxbridge is an exception of course, and I guess courses like medicine are different with interviews etc.