Pure Potential - Where will your talent take you?

Information for Parents

• Deciding if your child should apply to university
• Picking the right course
• UCAS form
• Extra-curricular activities
• Interview preparation
• Outcome of the application

As a parent you'll no doubt want to support your child's application to university as much as you can, but how? We've listed a few key areas and important decisions where you might offer guidance and advice. Just remember that if your child decides to move out and live in halls of residence you can say goodbye to smelly laundry, a trail of mess around the house and washing up left in the kitchen!

Deciding whether to apply to university

If your child enjoys academic work and is keen to go to university, there'll definitely be a course and institution out there for him or her. It's important to encourage your child to fulfil their potential and aim high, while being realistic about their capabilities and motivation; it would be a pity to get their hopes up only to be disappointed. The UCAS application allows each applicant to choose five different universities to apply to. It is sensible to apply to a range of universities, with perhaps a 'top two' and three 'fall back' options. It may also be helpful to speak to the school and ask what kind of support they can offer. If your son or daughter is unsure whether or not they want to go to university, remind them that they can always apply this year and change their mind or defer their course if they want to take a gap year.

It will be useful to do some research into finance as this may be a burden not only on your child but the whole family. Your child will need support and guidance and probably a little help at first with budgeting; our student finance section will help. The system has been designed so that nobody is put off Higher Education because of financial worries, but do investigate the various funding available. Your child may be hesitant to apply to university due the financial strain on the family - it may be helpful to reassure them that you will offer all the support and guidance they need over the coming years.

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Picking the right course

It's very common for Year 12s and 13s to want to go to university but have no idea what to study. The overriding factor when making this decision should be picking a subject they enjoy - either at school or outside of school. They will have to immerse themselves into this subject in depth for the next 3-4 years, so it's no good studying something because they feel they should or because they got an 'A' grade in one of their modules.

It will be useful to obtain a list of courses available, of which there are literally hundreds - degree choices should not be restricted to subjects enjoyed at A-Level, so encourage your child to think about what they enjoy and why. The UCAS handbook, which should be available at your child's school, provides a full list of courses available with their entrance requirements. Universities often have subject- specific open days which can give a better idea of what the course will involve. When choosing what to study and where it is important to bear in mind geography - is it miles away from home? How much will it cost for them to come home during the holidays? How will they transport all their belongings from home to their halls of residence?

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UCAS form

UCAS - the University and Colleges Admissions Service - is the centralised body which coordinates all applications to undergraduate degrees at UK universities.

Every university applicant must apply through UCAS by filling in what is known as the UCAS form. The most important section of the form is the personal statement, where applicants write about 600 words about their personal background and their reasons for choosing their course. For further information on this please look at our Personal Statement Zone. Your child may want to talk this over with you - perhaps you can remind them of their achievements and what they enjoy studying and doing in their spare time, it's so easy to omit important things. That said, remember it is their personal statement and while it can be useful to cast your eye over it and offer advice, it must remain their own piece of work and its contents must be truthful. There is little point in writing a personal statement which they may be asked questions on in an interview if it claims they have written about books they have not read or done things they have not actually accomplished! This can result in them being embarrassed at interview and can damage their chances of making a successful application.

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Extra-curricular activities

Work experience

Work experience is useful both for your child's university application and their career beyond. Please see the page on work experience for more details. Often parents will look at their own workplace or friends' and relatives' workplaces for work experience opportunities.

Further reading

A keen interest in the subject is one of the most important deciding factors when admissions tutors offer places. It's important to read outside of the recommended curriculum books and to be familiar with current affairs, especially within the sector of the subject. Broadsheet newspapers will offer news on all subjects, and The Week offers an overview of all newspapers on a weekly basis. Students wanting to study Economics and finance for example, will find publications like The Economist useful, whilst medics might want to read the New Scientist. Encourage your child to read around their subject: this may be something the school can help with, or most universities publish reading lists on their websites.

Interview preparation

The interview is often considered the most daunting part of the application process. Not all universities or all subjects require the applicant to come to interview and it's worth doing some research. It's likely to be the first time your child has ever had an interview and naturally they will be nervous! Take a look at our interview preparation page for tips on how to prepare thoroughly and to remain calm and confident on the day.

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Outcome of the application

If the outcome of the application should be unsuccessful, it can be very hard for your child - it may be the first time they have ever worked hard towards something and failed. As a parent it will be important to encourage your child to refocus on their academic work to ensure they do the best they can in their exams and coursework.

Remind them that all is not yet lost: they can always reapply next year, or go through clearing in August when their exam results are released. Get your son or daughter to have a think about why they didn't get in and how they can improve their application next year. The skills they have learnt with their application will be useful for job and other university applications in the future.

Related links

• University Options
• Hero
• Top universities
• Parents' Centre

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