Most first year students get a welcome – ours get a welcome back!

Written by Alice Salmon, Senior Access Officer (Museums and Academic Skills)

The UCL Widening Participation and UK Undergraduate Recruitment Department welcomed first year students who have previously attended prospective student activities at UCL at a celebratory event on Tuesday 1st October.

The  students and staff enjoyed an informal reception and presentation. This gave them the opportunity to catch up with friends made from our programmes, share their experiences of their first week and celebrate becoming UCL students.

Students who attended the event have participated in a variety of sustained engagement programmes designed for prospective students. Examples of these include the Year 10 Horizons Saturday School, Year 11 Explore UCL Summer School, Mature Student Masterclasses, Sutton Trust Summer School, and the Language and Study Skills Summer School, to name just a few examples.

The fact that students feel like they have gained from attending one or more of our prospective student activities was clear to see. From simply getting to know the UCL campus and facilities, to having the opportunity to meet fellow students and be given essential advice and guidance about university life, each student had a different reason why they value the activities delivered by the Widening Participation and UK Undergraduate Recruitment Department.

One student who attended the Year 11 Summer School in 2011 told staff that “the summer school made me realize that I really wanted to go to UCL and made me really focused on meeting that goal”. We are very happy that we are able to welcome her, and others, upon realizing that goal.

The Widening Participation and UK Undergraduate Recruitment Office at UCL leads on the development and implementation of UCL’s UK undergraduate recruitment strategies, with particular emphasis on widening participation from students and young people from under-represented groups.

We offer a range of activities for school and college students, and run programmes for mature students. Our aim is to raise aspirations towards university study, with a particular emphasis on raising the profile of, and encouraging applications to, UCL.

If you would like more information on the work that the Widening Participation and UK Undergraduate Recruitment Department does, please visit the following website: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/widening-participation/wp-home

Images: Students at the event