Think laterally
We are looking for students who are both numerate and literate;
people who can cope with the necessary quantitative tools to analyse problems,
and who can communicate their results effectively.
When you fill in your UCAS form, try to find ways of demonstrating those qualities. A strong personal statement demonstrating an academic interest in the course is really important, giving examples of your past achievements or positions of responsibility. You may want to consider the following:
- What is it that really interests you about this subject? Are there particular areas of the subject which really grab your attention and make you want to study it in more depth?
- Have you read widely outside your exam syllabus? Don't just list your wider reading; say what you thought about it, how it relates to other aspects of the subject, and how it has helped to develop your thinking.
- If you have applied for a joint or interdisciplinary degree, have you made connections between the various areas of study?
- What do you hope following this course will do for you personally? What do you hope to get out of it?
- Do you have a particular career or area of work in mind which you hope the course will help you to enter?
- Assess your skills and abilities - what are your strengths and skills and how would you use and build on them in following this course?
We prefer candidates who show a balance and breadth of subjects in which numeracy and literacy are apparent. For example, complement A2 or Higher Level Maths with a subject which develops written communication skills such as English or History. Too narrow a focus can count against you, for example Economics and Business Studies may be a less successful combination than Chemistry and History, or French and Physics.
So, to convert your application to an offer, your UCAS form must demonstrate subject breadth plus evidence of advanced literacy and numeracy.
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