By now you’ve probably accepted your place, and started packing your bags, but there’s a few other things you need to do first before you pack up your favourite teddy bear and your Spice Girls poster. First of all, once you’ve clicked ‘accept’ on UCAS, they’ll send you a little slip that you have to sign and send off to the university to confirm your place. Most universities will now accept a reply via email. It’s all on the slip, but do bear in mind, they want it back within 14 days of the date on the letter. I can remember my panic as I got to the 13th night and found the slip under my desk- SEND IT BACK ASAP!
After UCAS
Each university will have a different post-UCAS protocol. At St Andrews for example, to get my place in a halls of residence, I had to submit a form pretty much as soon as I accepted my place. Even if the offer is your insurance choice (ie. if you don’t get the grades for you conditional first choice) they will more than likely like be you to apply for halls anyway. It’s easier reject a space than try to get one at the last minute. If in doubt, contact the university.
Entrants Pack
That will probably will be all you will hear until the summer, when they send you your ‘entrants pack.’ Mine for St Andrews contained information setting up my computer account, how to access my email, how to pick my modules, information on Matriculation (the fancy term for seeing your ‘Advisor of Studies’ to make sure you have picked modules related to your degree and handing in forms for doctor registration and picking up your Student ID card) and all the information they required from me before I got there. It also contained information on what was happening during ‘Freshers Week.’ Suddenly you go from being Joe-Bloggs High School-leaver to Joe-Bloggs Uni Student. Its exciting. You might require a new pair of pants by the end of it all…
So, you’ve sent all that back, all that’s left is waiting for Fresher’s Week to roll around..
