what to think about in y13

If you’re thinking of going to uni in September 2019 and you haven’t got a shortlist yet, you’d better get yourself measured up for a thinking cap pretty fast.
 
Officially, you’ve got until January 15th to complete your application for most courses, but the deadline for Oxbridge, medicine and veterinary courses is only a month away.
 
Even if you’re not planning on applying for those courses, unis will start looking at and accepting applications from now, and so leaving it any later than the middle of November is cutting it fine. By then, the unis' firm 'yes' and 'no’ piles will be starting to grow. Some offers will already have been made. Some courses may be full already. Leaving your application till the last minute tells the uni you're not that serious. 

If you know where you want to apply: It's time to start crafting the perfect personal statement.
The personal statement on a UCAS form is your chance to convince the admissions people that there’s a lot more to you than
exams and a date of birth.
 
Many universities have given up doing interviews (some never even started) because, as student numbers increase and funding dwindles, they simply don’t have the time. That means the 47 lines in the personal statement are more important than ever in fluffing up your feathers and peacocking as only you know how. The uni’s website or the course page on UCAS will tell you what they’re looking for. Show them you’ve got it.
 
Never be afraid of the 3 B’s: boasting, bragging and bigging up your wondrous attributes and talents. Imagine what your mum or dad, a.k.a your biggest fans, would write about you. Work on the basis that, if you don’t think you’re great, why would anyone else? Always back up your brag with facts, though: what you’ve done, what you achieved, what you learned.
For tips on writing the perfect personal statement, click here. 

Author

LUCY HARDING  is the Editorial manager for Push. She is an English Literature grad and an MA Publishing student at UCL. She is passionate about international relations and cultural diversity, having worked closely with her university’s Erasmus society to support European students. She also spent a year abroad studying at California State University: Long Beach.