Livestream highlights: Admissions applicant advice video transcript

Alice: We’re now joined by Helen Mercado, Head of Admissions at the University. Welcome back, Helen.

Helen: Thank you.

Alice: Helen, so for the benefit of the people who weren’t with us last time, what is the purpose of admissions at the University?

Helen: So, we receive all the applications across the university for our undergraduate and postgraduate provision, both home and international students. We collect all of those applications that come through into my team and we process the applications. So, we have delegated authority from the rest of the University to look at each application that comes in and process it against the entry criteria for each of those courses.

Alice: So, when we spoke to you last month, we were rapidly heading towards that UCAS deadline. So, it’s getting to that time now where people are starting to get those responses back, as you’ve said. What should people do about that? Should they respond immediately, is it best to sit tight and wait till they’ve all come in. What… what should people be doing at this stage?

Helen: I think it very much depends on if they’ve got their heart set on a specific course and institution. If they have then, you know, it might be the first offer that drops on the mat that that’s the one that they accept. I would probably recommend that they wait for all of their different offers because they might be different, and it just gives them the opportunity to reflect a little bit. Perhaps go back to some of that research they might have done in the first instance, maybe even visit institutions again if they get the opportunity to do that to just make sure that the offers, they are accepting are the right ones for them. So, they will be able to have a firm and an insurance choice if they’ve applied through UCAS. It’s just as I say making sure that it is actually the right choice when they make that decision so I think it will vary by person, I would think. But I would definitely recommend waiting until all of those offers are in.

Alice: And, is it always just a yes or a no? Are there any other options people might be given?

Helen: So, definitely lots of different options. We do try very hard to give people an offer onto their first course choice. Sometimes we might have to make an alternative offer. Particularly for the selecting courses where it just is limits of numbers of how many people we can actually take on those courses. We do try and, like I say, give people their first choice of course if they can, even if that’s an aspirational offer, and then what we might do later on down the line if they aren’t successful meeting the entry criteria, then we might offer them that alternative course at confirmation when they get their results.

Alice: So, for many students who might have some particular support or wellbeing needs, at what stage in the process should they make that known?

Helen: So, I would say definitely as early as possible in process. We don’t actually take any of that into consideration when we’re processing. But if people do acknowledge that in their application, then it is picked up by our wellbeing team and it just means that we’re able to sort of communicate with them and assess any needs that they might have in advance of them joining the university. It’s just to make sure we can provide the support that they need to get here.

Alice: So is it better to mention it early than to wait last minute?

Helen: Definitely. Yeah, definitely.

Alice: And if a student finds themselves a bit stuck somewhere in the application process what’s the best way of getting that resolved?

Helen: The best way to do that is just to get in touch with us in admissions. I have a specific inquiry team that are always there, happy to help, whether it’s by email or by phone. So please yeah, reach out. Get in touch. There’s no stupid questions. We’re always happy to help.

Alice: Thanks, and it’s quite a complicated process I think, for both students and universities, so that’s very good of you to help us decipher all that and make it easy for people. Thanks.

Helen: My pleasure, thank you.

Livestream highlights: Admissions applicant advice video

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