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Is your child applying to university or college this year?
Parents can play an active part in helping their children navigate the UCAS application process.
If you are a parent or guardian of someone applying through UCAS this year, there are a few things you can do to assist them.
First of all, you can register for our newsletter aimed specifically at parents. This will keep you informed throughout the application cycle.
Once you have done this, you should consider the six steps to applying, so you know exactly what each stage means and how you can help your son or daughter.
That should cover the basics of what the whole UCAS application process is about, but there is more you can do on a practical level as well.
Open days and UCAS higher education conventions are great ways for your child to find out about particular courses and institutions. Schools and colleges may arrange trips to some of these, but it might be worth taking your son or daughter along to a few more.
Though the Entry Profiles section on Course Search provides a good overview of every course available through UCAS, there is often no substitute to visiting in person. "Don't be afraid to contact a university to find out more – this shows interest and commitment," John Wheeler, admissions tutor at Staffordshire University, told the Guardian recently.
Another important role you can play is with the Personal Statement. This needs to be your child's own work, but it will do no harm to offer some guidance along the way, particularly with structure, spelling and grammar.
Karen Martin, from the Admissions & Student Recruitment department at the University of Dundee, explains: "Check your spelling and grammar before submitting. Admissions selectors are also assessing your ability to be able to write an essay at university standard. Also think about your paragraph and sentence structure."
If you have any queries on behalf of your son or daughter, you can always turn to UCAS Connect. UCAS adviser John Madden says: "From here you can post a question to our dedicated social media advisers on Facebook and Twitter.
"You can also see 30-second clips of our customer service advisers answering popular questions and in-depth video guides on UCAStv covering a range of issues such as entering qualifications, making sense of offers and using Track."
2011-10-20