#russellgroup

A number of students each year aren’t sure whether or not they are doing enough to show their chosen universities that they are engaging enough with their subject before they start life as an undergraduate.  This can be a main concern for students as they write their personal statement, and ask themselves what they can include to make themselves stand out from the competition.

The reality is that enthusiasm can manifest itself in a number of different ways, and there are no “right” or “wrong” ways to show love for your subject.  For some students, they might have read around extensively, for others, it might be reflected in a series of internships and volunteering roles. With the rise of social media, some students are capitalising on the fact that it is now so easy to write blogs or create a YouTube channel where they can talk about topics that are of interest to them.

It is worth remembering that all of your universities will look at your application individually and consider what you have done with the opportunities you have had available. Admissions Tutors are always aware of situations whereby nepotism can play a large role, and they do their best to ensure that they treat applicants fairly, by considering what they could feasibly have pursued.  It would not be fair, or indeed proper, for universities to discriminate based on the fact that some students have access to more resources than others.

It is, however, important to show that you have been tenacious in terms of trying to pursue activities which could make you better at your degree path.  This could be by writing to hundreds of companies asking for work experience, or by downloading free online lectures which are of particular interest to you.  Even if you are unable to get particularly relevant work experience, you may still be able to do something which helps you to develop skills which may help you during your undergraduate career.  This will also be impressive to Admissions Tutors, so remember that doing something, even if the link is slightly tenuous, is almost certainly better than doing nothing.

The most important thing you can do to show enthusiasm for pursuing a particular degree course is by planning your application carefully.  Not only will this maximise your chances of securing offers, it will also ensure that you can have almost a proven track record of things you have done to stand out against the other applicants; perhaps it will mean that you haven’t rushed your research and reading, or that you are more familiar with the current state of research in your chosen fields.