A bit about me...
Hello! I'm Vonny and I am in my first year studying Psychology with a work placement at Bath. For my A-levels, I took Psychology, English Lang/Lit, Spanish, Drama and Theatre Studies.
I took part in Discover Bath in Year 12, and it was such a fantastic opportunity. The experience helped me feel less overwhelmed about choosing a course and more confident about applying to university.
Belonging at Bath
I remember I was the only student from my Sixth Form that applied to the Discover Bath programme. I was really nervous about going alone, but I met so many lovely people that I still keep in touch with now.
During my time on the summer school, I knew I wanted to make Bath my firm choice. I got to know so many different people from diverse backgrounds and it was really great to meet others with similar mindsets to myself and discover why they wanted to study Psychology too. The atmosphere was so welcoming and friendly, I really felt like I could see myself at Bath.
Benefits of the programme
Taking part in first-year undergraduate level study on the residential whilst immersing myself in Bath's student culture first-hand allowed me to discover what would suit me best in terms of the course, accommodation and extra-curriculars.
I was unsure if I wanted to apply for a degree with a placement year, but after talking with the friendly Student Ambassadors, I learnt about the various options for placements and the possibility for a work placement abroad.
I learnt about all the incredible opportunities and support Bath offers through the personal experiences of the Student Ambassadors. I had not previously known about the network of support for those with disabilities and mitigating circumstances alongside the wellbeing support and counselling on offer. I cannot emphasise enough the value of attending Discover Bath as having all of my questions answered by current students at the university was incredibly insightful and useful.
How the academic sessions prepared me for Higher Education
The sessions on guidance in applying to Higher Education were very helpful as I applied this to making a competitive UCAS application and writing a personal statement that stands out (you can even talk about your experiences at Discover Bath in your personal statement!)
The academic sessions were really engaging as they focused on current issues. My favourite session was on recent research into the effects of TikTok on body image. This further developed my interest in Psychology and gave me a taste of what lectures would really be like.
I have developed valuable transferable skills for the future which have helped me with my criticality and time management in essay writing in my first year of studying Psychology at Bath.
My advice
My advice for any Year 12 students thinking about applying to Discover Bath is to absolutely go for it. Take every opportunity you can. You will meet some wonderful people and create the most incredible memories and get a head start on making your UCAS application stand out form the crowd.
Good luck! You'll be amazing!
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