Common application mistakes and how to avoid them

A big mistake we tend to make is diving straight into writing our applications without tapping into our most valuable resource: the people around us. I remember when I was applying, I wasn’t sure what to focus on in my personal statement. It wasn’t until I asked my teachers, friends, and family what they thought my strengths were that I started to see what really made me stand out.

Getting an outside perspective is super helpful — and the ego boost isn’t bad either! Just make sure the skills you highlight are relevant to your course. For example, there’s no need to talk about your cooking skills if you’re applying for a business degree (unless of course you can directly link it!). Keep it focused and on point.

Once you’ve got your feedback, make sure you’re showcasing a variety of skills. Don’t just say you’re hardworking, diligent, and studious — using similar attributes to describe yourself may make you seem one-dimensional.

For my Filmmaking application, I included one statement about my academic work, another about my leadership abilities, and one highlighting my teamwork skills. This approach made me seem more well-rounded and helped show a more personal side of me. After all, it is a “personal” statement!

Go ahead and find out the deadlines for submitting your personal statement. Your Sixth Form or college might have their own, or you may need to check the UCAS website. As soon as you know the date make a note of it.

I remember when I was applying, I set multiple reminders on my phone — one a month before, another a week before, and a final one the day before — just to make sure I didn’t miss it. It saved me from a last-minute panic and allowed me to prioritise what needed to be done.

And remember, if you’re describing yourself as organised or anything similar in your application, missing a deadline won’t exactly back that up so just be mindful of how you’re presenting yourself.

If you’re only applying to one university, try to mention them by name in your personal statement. It makes your application feel more tailored and personal.

But if you’re like me and applying to five different universities, you’ll need a different approach. What I did was focus on the common ethos of the universities I applied to. All of them emphasised the importance of theory influencing practical work, so I highlighted examples from my past projects that aligned with this, like how colour theory inspired me to create custom film props.

When it came to editing my showreel, I tailored it to each university. For example, Leeds Beckett emphasised storytelling, so I made sure to showcase my strongest plot lines to show that I’d paid attention to their focus. You might be able to do something similar if you’re required to submit portfolios or attend interviews.

Let’s talk about proofreading—it’s not the most exciting task, but it’s crucial if you want your work to shine. Here’s my three-step approach:

Round 1:
Turn on your spell checker and review every flagged word—yes, every single one.

Round 2:
Read it out loud. You’d be surprised how different it sounds, and you might notice that some sentences are too wordy. If you’re stumbling over your words, try shortening those sentences.

Round 3:
Bring in backup. Get a fresh pair of eyes on your personal statement, ideally someone with excellent grammar. I asked my parents, but you could also ask a friend you trust, a teacher, or even your school librarian.

There’s nothing more frustrating than putting in all the effort on your personal statement, only to find out you don’t meet the entry requirements.

Make sure you double-check that each of your chosen universities accepts your qualifications. Some courses may require specific subjects, while others might not.

As someone who had a mix of a BTEC, two A-Levels, one AS Level, and a Gold Arts Award (hey, I like being thorough!), I had to email each of my prospective universities to find out what grade combinations they would accept. Some universities frustratingly wouldn’t count my AS Level or Arts Award towards my UCAS points, so I had to put in extra effort in my A-Levels for those ones. I’m glad I checked beforehand to avoid any unexpected surprises on results day!

As a final tip, make sure you convey your passion in your application. Remember, while you’re investing in the university, they’re also investing in you. They don’t want disinterested students in their courses.

Your passion is one of the most important aspects of your application and helps level the playing field for students from all backgrounds. Speaking from experience, I didn’t have any fancy film training, specialist equipment, or perfectly aligned A-Level subjects. But I demonstrated my enthusiasm for filmmaking through my scriptwriting, storytelling, and a showreel I shot on my phone.