EDUCATION
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
WHICH EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES WILL LOOK BEST ON A UCAS APPLICATION ?
BY DR KIRSTEN DICKERS , HEAD OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND CAREERS , ASHFORD SCHOOL ( formerly Admissions Director , Sidney Sussex College , Cambridge )
IN NINE YEARS AS AN ADMISSIONS TUTOR , THIS WAS PROBABLY THE QUESTION I WAS ASKED MOST OFTEN . BUSY TEENAGERS WHO WERE ALREADY TRYING TO JUGGLE SIXTH FORM STUDIES , PART-TIME JOBS AND SOCIAL LIVES WERE WORRYING ABOUT HOW TO CRAM IN VOLUNTARY WORK , LEADERSHIP POSITIONS IN SCHOOL , COMPETITIVE SPORTS , MUSIC , DUKE OF EDINBURGH AND COUNTLESS OTHER ACTIVITIES .
I hope that my answer came as a relief : UK universities , particularly the more selective ones , do not base their selection decisions on extra-curricular activities . Instead , they look for super-curricular engagement , or evidence that applicants are exploring the subject they want to study beyond the confines of the school curriculum . To be a competitive applicant , this is what students should focus on .
The good news is that it ’ s easy to do .
There are numerous ways to research topics that they find interesting – reading , following the news , listening to podcasts , watching documentaries , MOOCs , essay competitions , olympiads and other problem-solving challenges , relevant work experience , attending university webinars , taster days and summer schools , and many more . In addition , there are qualifications such as the EPQ and CREST awards , which help students develop valuable research skills at the same time as learning more about a subject of their choice .
Universities stress that quality is better than quantity , in the sense that they would rather see a few things done thoroughly than a long list of quite superficial engagement . I normally advise students to focus on three or four main ideas in a personal statement , demonstrating reflection on each : what is their opinion of what they have read ? How does it extend their learning ? Has it changed their view , and why ? What questions does it leave them with ?
Many university websites have suggestions for wider research and reading , but bear in mind that these are meant to be jumping-off points for a student ’ s own exploration , not a restrictive list of ‘ approved ’ books . Academia is all about people following their own ideas and enthusiasms , and this is what they want to see applicants doing . Admissions tutors will favour genuine academic engagement over namedropping and prestige . For an Economics applicant , work experience at a major investment firm is not ‘ better ’ or more impressive than a summer job in a local supermarket . Both offer a chance to see economics in action , and the important thing is what a student makes of that opportunity . Some of the most interesting candidates I interviewed were the ones who ostensibly had the least prestigious experience – because rather than wasting their energies chasing after CV points , they had taken the time and effort to really reflect on what they had done .
None of this is to say that extra-curricular activities aren ’ t valuable . They are an excellent way of developing skills and qualities such as resilience , selfmotivation , teamwork and leadership , which will be hugely beneficial at university and in later life . But the message to students is to do activities because they enjoy them and want to develop these skills , not just because they are hoping for extra credit in the selection process .
My advice to applicants is : Think about why you are applying for a particular degree course . What excites you about it , and what topics are you most looking forward to studying ? Focus on exploring these ideas independently and in depth . Find your own enthusiasms , and that will come across in your personal statement and at interview – and equally importantly , you will hopefully have a more enjoyable and less stressful time in sixth form .
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