UCAS Applications: Put More in to Get More out.

At first I didn’t really see the point of putting down five university choices, but after submitting my UCAS form it became clear to me that filling in all five choices was a good idea. Here’s why:

Depending on how many universities you opt to apply for, you could be paying up to £24. When I learnt this, I was struck with the realisation that if I didn’t get an offer from any university, I would literally be forking out £24 just to get rejected. What happened to the good old-fashioned rejection that resulted from bearing your soul to your unrequited love who subsequently spurned it? At least the only thing you lost then was your dignity rather than your money. That’s one of the reasons why joining Opinion Panel was so attractive- it provided an opportunity to recoup the expense of using UCAS as a middleman.

Certain establishments distinguish themselves by their rapid response times and their general communication with you, while with other universities it’s just radio silence – not even an automated receipt email. I know automated emails aren’t the most personal of touches but it’s still better than the silent treatment.

Are you going to fill all 5 options on your UCAS form? #UCAS #applications #Poll

— OpinionPanel (@OpinionPanelC) November 16, 2018

When I completed my UCAS form, I added one university as a last-minute decision, not really expecting them to be a serious option. Their purpose was more of a safety net… or so I thought. The level of attention they have given me during this initial application stage is faultless. When I received a punny postcard (yes, pun was intended there) they declared themselves a major contender; receiving a pack of information, an offer letter alongside the postcard increased the romanticism of the whole process.

Not a couple of days before, I was complaining to a friend about how receiving offers on UCAS Track takes away from the obsession of constantly checking the post – or, you know, chasing the postman down the street. A Cinderella Story was one of my favourite movies when I was younger, so it’s no surprise that I wanted a tangible letter I could rip open and then skim-read for the “we are delighted…” or “we are sorry…” The good thing about having Track online, however, is that there’s less chance of your evil stepmother opening your post and giving you a fake rejection letter.

Regardless, just when I thought the dream of getting an acceptance letter through the post was a dream lying dead in its pipeline, there was a thud as an A4 envelope landed on the doormat.
I know that the length of time taken to consider your application shouldn’t be a deciding factor; a lot of universities will uphold a façade of appearing pro-active because, at the end of the day, they’re businesses and they want your money. But the application stage is one of the first points of contact you’ll have with them, so a good admissions team can make a whole lot of difference. And if, like me, the universities (ignoring the one you really really really want to go to) you put down are all level with each other, then a postcard can massively help that university to overtake the others.

I’m so glad I went with five choices. University is a massive step forward and it can be difficult to find even one place you’d want to go, let alone five. In a way, I feel righteous being picky about where I go, given the extortionate rate of tuition fees and the abolition of the maintenance grant. But being picky does limit your options, so I think as long as there are at least three realistically-chosen universities on your application, then don’t just put three down – fill the other two spaces with ones that look okay to you (even if you haven’t been on an open day) and they might surprise you… in a good way!