Applying to University post Covid-19
2022-2023
Many students are left questioning what university will be like following the pandemic.
University often packs in a new life experience with many changes, which may now seem more intimidating following the pandemic when most of us became accustomed to spending life indoors!
Students starting in 2022 have a more significant advantage than those who began their course over the last few years. With most of the population vaccinated, the risk of transmission is significantly lower. Regardless, many of you will wonder what the long-term implications are for university and higher education. In this post, we will explore the impact that covid has had on universities and how to best prepare for the beginning of your higher education.
The Current Impact of COVID-19 on universities.
The impact that Covid-19 has had on students is undeniable. The most significant transition for university students was learning online. As the pandemic hit, in-person teaching halted, and lectures and seminars began taking place on video conference software such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams. Students were also restricted to staying inside their rooms in halls as communal areas became the breeding ground for the virus!
This year, many universities have a ‘hybrid’ approach to teaching where some of the teaching remains online and some is held in-person. This new approach ensures that students have both flexibility and accessibility! With this new approach, you can ensure that you are getting to meet your peers and tutors and access the university services, as well as having the advantage of learning at your own pace remotely.
Many of you may be questioning the effectiveness of online teaching and whether it provides the same learning experience as traditional methods. Below we have compiled a list of all the ways that online learning may enhance your university experience!
Pros of Online learning:
The number one advantage of learning online is that it is accessible from anywhere. You no longer need to be physically located near the university and you can access the teaching from anywhere as long as you have access to the internet. This means you have greater flexibility!
Learn at your own pace! Having the material accessible online at all times means that you no longer need to scribble down notes as you’re listening to the lecturer speak! You’ll be able to go through the recordings at your own pace and get a better grasp of the material before selecting the important information to make notes from! This also makes it easier for you to understand the material.
Better attendance and time management! Without the need to commute to campus, you’ll be able to cut out the extra time needed and dedicate that to another area of your life. In turn, this makes it easier for you to fit it into your day without any disruption, making it easier to attend!
READ MORE: How Will Covid-19 Impact my University Application?
Your application
Although the applications are working the same way as they did pre covid-19, many students find that they lack the experience to include in their personal statements.
Throughout the pandemic, many missed out on the opportunity to gain work experience or placements or even engage in extracurricular activities. Although this isn’t always what your personal statement is about, it does make up a significant chunk as it allows the admissions team to see what skills and experience you have gained and how they can be utilised during your time at the university.
Despite the challenges, there are many things you can do in order to optimise your chances of being accepted onto your desired university course. The aim of your personal statement is to illustrate why you are a suitable candidate to study the course. You can highlight this by showing what initially sparked your interest in the field, what motivates you and how this course falls into the steps toward your dream career. In your personal statement, you can mention the subjects you most enjoyed at school and what modules you enjoyed as long as they are relevant to the course you’re applying to! However, we recommend doing some additional reading to make your personal statement shine! Read or research texts relevant to the course to show that your interest in the field extends beyond the classroom! This will show the admissions officers that you’re serious about the subject and dedicate your free time to becoming better acquainted with the subject!
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Your personal statement may include any activities you participated in at school or college! Sports, drama, business, and debate clubs, many of these activities will encourage working in groups or pushing your creative flair, organising, communication, and responsibilities. Think about your roles in these groups and what skills they enhanced, and through your personal statement, you can illustrate how they will help you at university!
There are always plenty of things to talk about in your personal statement! Make a list of everything you wish to say, and give yourself plenty of time to make amends, edit and proofread! You may also opt to use a personal statement service. Personal statement services are there to maximise your chances of a successful university application. They can assist you with flawlessly presenting you skills and experience in a way that appeals to the admissions team at the university. They can help to ensure that your chosen format and structure is suitable for the course that you’re applying to, as well as filtering through the content to select the most relevant information.