• Question: What is the best way to apply for an university with an engineering course?

    Asked by anon-74461 to Nic on 12 May 2020.
    • Photo: Nicola Grahamslaw

      Nicola Grahamslaw answered on 12 May 2020: last edited 12 May 2020 2:20 pm

      Hi! OK, so my advice would be to think about the following things. Firstly, check that uni is the right option for you. If you enjoy studying in a school, then uni could be a good choice. If you enjoy actually getting stuck in and doing something hands-on, then consider an apprenticeship. There are some apprenticeships where you work part time and go to uni part time so you still end up with a degree at the end, plus loads of bonus experience!

      If you definitely want to go to uni, look at the details of some courses. Go online and search for unis, or if your school has some prospectuses have a look at those. What branch of engineering do you want to do, or are you not sure yet? I wasn’t sure which type of engineering, so I applied to courses where the first year was lots of types, specialising later on to give me more time to decide. But if you know you definitely want to do one type (for example electronic) then you don’t want to be spending time in first year learning about other types of engineering (for example structures) or you’ll get too bored.

      Other things to consider are what grades the courses need compared to what your predictions are, and what the unis are actually like (do you like the idea of where you’d actually be living? Does the uni have good facilities for your favourite sport or music? Are there companies nearby who will give you good work experience? etc).

      Then once you’ve chosen your courses your next job is to write a great application. The most important part is your personal statement. The unis want to see your enthusiasm for the subject and this is your chance to tell them what a great student you’d be. Why do you want to do engineering? What’s your favourite subject at school and why? What projects have you done at school or read about / seen on TV? Do you do any other activities that give you useful skills to do well at uni? Make sure you get a teacher to check it as they will be able to give you some more tips on what to write.

Comments

  • Photo: siobhanmullan

    siobhanmullan commented on :

    Hello, as with the previous answer, there are a variety of routes into the field of Engineering. Good to work on your personal statement for a University Application if that is the route you decide to follow. There are also many types of Engineering. So it is a good idea to look around and find out about the types of Engineering and the courses available. University is one route and there are apprenticeships. I am a Civil Engineer, the Institution of Civil Engineers has some information on choosing courses etc… and the options available that may give you some more useful information.

    https://ice.org.uk/what-is-civil-engineering/how-can-i-become-a-civil-engineer/16-19s-apprenticeships-alevels-vocational-options

    If you read about the different types of Engineering and see which one/s interest you and try to get a placement with a Company so you can see what the Engineers day to day work is like in a particular area. It is also a good idea to visit the University you are interested in attending, to see if you like the Campus therefore, attending Open Days is a good idea. Best of luck with your application.