Applying to university can be so stressful – how do you get the competitive edge in Year 12 and 13 above all the other applicants in your cycle?
Let’s start with the difference between extra-curricular and super-curricular activities:
- Extracurricular includes things outside of your curriculum (the topics you learn at school) – like sports teams, part-time jobs, hobbies, etc
- Supercurricular includes things to supplement your curriculum, and prove your interest in a specific subject.
This post is going to compile some ideas of super-curricular ideas to include in your university personal statement to boost your application and have a greater chance of getting into your dream courses
Essay Competitions
Particularly if you’re interested in applying to a humanities/social sciences degree course, taking part in an essay competition will be beneficial to your application. There are often many opportunities available for essay competitions for disciplines such as law, economics, history, English, etc- all you have to do is google ‘essay competition’ and check your eligibility to enter.
It doesn’t matter if your essay is awarded a prize or not – you will gain so many skills to add to your personal statement such as research, time management, academic language, and referencing skills.
For example, I entered an essay competition in year 12 hosted by the Durham University Economics Society, and whilst I didn’t gain a prize, my essay ranked in the top 10% of entries of that round and I was given a certificate. More importantly, it helped me have lots of dicussion points in my personal statement
Do an EPQ or NEA
Coursework and extended essays are perfect things to talk about in your personal statement to prove to the admissions team that you have the skills to write coherently, have referencing skills, and your ability to meet deadlines.
What makes this even better is that if your college/sixthform offers the opportunity to take an EPQ, this will gain you more UCAS points and some Universities even list that they will reduce your grade requirements in your offer if you complete one!
Furthermore, if your chosen A Level subjects already include coursework like Geography or History, doing well in these will not only potentially bump you up an A Level grade, but it is also a way to explore a topic of your choice that you can talk about in your personal statement
Reading books in your subject area
This is probably the most basic advice on this list but it really is true – however, it is far better to actually only read and mention in depth one or two books in your personal statement, rather than try and name-drop lots of books that you haven’t gotten a strong understanding of.
Wider reading can help you delve deep into other topics not explicitly covered in your current class specification or syllabus, but that you’re likely to cover in your degree.
An extra tip is to see if the University courses that you’re interested in have suggested reading lists- you can check these out to see if they interest you, or find other books that are either similar in concept or by the same author(s). This might actually help you realise if you like your degree course as you’re getting a flavour of what you might study on that course.
Finding books to read can really be as simple as searching your subject name under a book search, or visiting a bookstore or your local library for inspiration – also your teachers may have their own recommendations for you!
Documentaries and Shows
Less intensive than reading books, but far more creative and perhaps equally as interesting, watching documentaries can be an easier way to delve and add some unique insights into topics you bring up and should make it easier to write in your personal statement.
There are plenty of documentaries available on your streaming services or even for free on Youtube. You can give your own opinion on the topics covered in the show and even back it up using something you had read in the books you chose earlier.
Exhibits and Museums
This may depend on your subject topic but a way to make your personal statement stand out can be to see if there are any relevant exhibits or fairs that you could write about.
For example, I was interested in an ice-exhibition that drew attention to climate change that I then wrote about in my personal statement.
I think this helped my application because it showed my own unique perspective on the issue and also wasn’t as cliché as perhaps quoting from the same books as everyone else.
This might work especially well if you’re applying for a science or history-related degree course, but there are endless opportunities if you’re willing to get creative with it!
Society/Club Positions
Not every sixthform or college will have societies or clubs, but if they do have an active scene it might be worth checking out to see if you can get involved in some to boost your application.
You might even decide to work together with a few friends to create a club like a Medicine or Law society – this will especially show leadership skills and pro-activity
Work Experience
You might find it’s relevant to undertake some work experience to show your dedication to your subject – there are many online virtual work experience opportunities available that you can work on from home to boost your university application!