https://padlet.com/shivani_makwana62/74ikvz0x3rns Shivani Makwana en-us 2017-09-18 09:32:22 UTC 2024-11-19 12:09:23 UTC hello@padlet.com shivani_makwana62 https://padlet.com/shivani_makwana62/74ikvz0x3rns/wish/188380330 Firstly, the courses i have applied to all link in many aspects. At keele and portsmouth i have applied to do Psychology and Sociology. In kent i have stuck with sociology and social anthropology, i have also chosen social anthropology at SOAS and lastly, just anthropology at Brunel uni. 

Before choosing the universities i had read the course structure that was provided to me by the website and from that i chose the courses that suited/ intrigued me the most. 
I had also done some further research on the 'which.com' website for uni advice and stats. This website indicated to me on the student satisfaction of their past students as well as, the male to female ratio and lastly, helped me to understand the way i will be examined. Which was one of the most important factors to myself. ]]> 2017-09-18 09:38:36 UTC https://padlet.com/shivani_makwana62/74ikvz0x3rns/wish/188380330 shivani_makwana62 https://padlet.com/shivani_makwana62/74ikvz0x3rns/wish/188383506 Anthropology.

Another choice of mine is Brunel. The reasons as to why I would really enjoy myself going to this uni is due to the assessment structure. Unlike SOAS brunel focuses more on coursework and placement work rather than written exams. Thus, the exams percentage is much lower than UCL and Kent. 

Brunel is based in uxbridge which is an area i am very familiar with thus, it would not take long to settle in. Brunel also offers a large variety of extra curricular activities which I would be very interested in doing. 

Brunel also offers me a placement year which could help with employment in the future.

88.6% is the degree compltion which is the highest i have seen out of all the unis that i have considered this could be because the teaching is very good most students enjoy their time at brunel. However, this gives me something to consider when i am making my final choices. ]]> 2017-09-18 09:52:57 UTC https://padlet.com/shivani_makwana62/74ikvz0x3rns/wish/188383506 shivani_makwana62 https://padlet.com/shivani_makwana62/74ikvz0x3rns/wish/188384899 Sociology and Social Anthropology.

Kent is a choice of mine due to 
 the employment rate/ further education rate is 98% which is extremely high. At this moment i am going to uni in order to learn but a job in the industry is definitely in my plan thus, this rate shows that it should not be that hard in order to do after i graduate.

Kent is also based in an area which i am not very familiar with. I have never visited or lived in kent before so this will be a completely new experience for myself.

Kent also offeres practical assessments in every year you do with them, as well as written exams and coursework. 
Practical examinations are more preferable for myself and i feel like it can give me some useful experience. Kent also has a 4.13/5.00 score for student satisfcation, its not the highest it could be but it is a very good score which ensures me that the majority of people who attended the uni have enjoyed it. 

I had also looked at the student to staff ratio with is 13.3 sutdents to one teacher which i find very good, my current class is of 19 students and the teaching is very direct thus, 13 will be smaller and much more easier for indepdent teacher conversations.


]]> 2017-09-18 09:58:58 UTC https://padlet.com/shivani_makwana62/74ikvz0x3rns/wish/188384899 shivani_makwana62 https://padlet.com/shivani_makwana62/74ikvz0x3rns/wish/188408252 Keele - BTEC Level 3 extended diploma DDM
Brunel - BTEC Level 3 extended diploma D*DD
Kent - BTEC Level 3 extended diploma DDM
SOAS - DDM, 104-120 UCAS tariff points
Portsmouth - BTEC level 3 extended diploma - DMM

]]> 2017-09-18 11:45:04 UTC https://padlet.com/shivani_makwana62/74ikvz0x3rns/wish/188408252 shivani_makwana62 https://padlet.com/shivani_makwana62/74ikvz0x3rns/wish/188410863 Psychology and Sociology.

Keele is a top choice for me as  main reason as to why i want to attend this uni is due to the course structure being very manageable as most of the course is being marked via coursework in comparison to written exams as well as, the majority of the class (77%) are female which would make me personally feel very comfortable. Having gone to an all girls sixth form and highschool.

Additionally,  this uni has a 7% drop out rate which is the lowest i have seen so far. I think it is good to be aware of the drop out rate as you are able to tell how other students in your position felt during their time at the uni and the higher it is the more likely chances of you, yourself having a bad time there as well. 

Keele is also somewhere where i have never been before, being in stoke leads to new opportunities and a whole new experience which is very much what i want to gain from uni. Additionally, it is an all campus uni thus the social sector is pretty close within this uni.]]> 2017-09-18 11:55:34 UTC https://padlet.com/shivani_makwana62/74ikvz0x3rns/wish/188410863 shivani_makwana62 https://padlet.com/shivani_makwana62/74ikvz0x3rns/wish/188648306 2017-09-18 19:41:41 UTC https://padlet.com/shivani_makwana62/74ikvz0x3rns/wish/188648306 shivani_makwana62 https://padlet.com/shivani_makwana62/74ikvz0x3rns/wish/189942677 2017-09-21 21:01:13 UTC https://padlet.com/shivani_makwana62/74ikvz0x3rns/wish/189942677 shivani_makwana62 https://padlet.com/shivani_makwana62/74ikvz0x3rns/wish/189945618 University is a high level education institute in which students study for degrees and where academic research is done.

The reason i personally think universities is the best thing for me is due to the fact that considering i am the only child i have never had the experience of independence and i think university will give me that experience. Additionally, living on campus is something i have always wanted to do and uni is something that can provide me with that.   
Being in a very motivated and focused campus will motivate me to do better and make the most of my experience in terms of getting the qualifications. 

However, considering i want to live off campus my hopes are that everything will be okay however, i may struggle to set budgets, wash my clothes and complete simple independent tasks. Considering i have picked 3 unis which are considerably far away from my home, i may get home sick and not feel comfortable in the new environment.

The opportunities that come from uni is developing yourself as an independent person, living for yourself, cooking for yourself and having control over what are your own personal priorities are. All the universities i have applied to either have a year aboard to study or a placement year within the industry which will allow me to network with people and eventually find contacts when it comes to looking for a job in the future.]]> 2017-09-21 21:15:11 UTC https://padlet.com/shivani_makwana62/74ikvz0x3rns/wish/189945618 shivani_makwana62 https://padlet.com/shivani_makwana62/74ikvz0x3rns/wish/207649862 Sociology and Psychology.

After researching some important facts of the uni and what the majority of the graduates from the course do i have found that 99% of the students have gone on the further education or have gotten a job, which is very impressing. An average salary which is the highest i have seen is £20k and compared to all the other unis is the highest which is also fairly important to me. the course also has up to 5% of international students which really does excite me as i would love to meet people from different places in the world. Thus, portsmouth is my second option.  

The student staisfaction levels are 4.14/5.00 which is pretty decent and makes me comfortable that i will enjoy my time at this uni if i was to attend additonally, Portsmouth uni has a service called puple door whereby, you are able to find nearby jobs and careers for when you are a student in order to earn a bit of cash on the side. ]]> 2017-11-16 13:49:18 UTC https://padlet.com/shivani_makwana62/74ikvz0x3rns/wish/207649862 shivani_makwana62 https://padlet.com/shivani_makwana62/74ikvz0x3rns/wish/207653887 Social Anthropology. 

Similar to portsmouth 40% of the students are from abroad which is very interesting and intriguing to me personally. SOAS is in the heart of London more specifically, Euston. Thus i am very aware and known to the location surrounding. Being familiar with a surrounding will make it easier for me to get around.

The university is also very high up the league table meaning it is rated a very well known university which makes me feel confident in that this uni will preform to my expectations. 

The student to teacher ratio is fairly small being 11. One of my key points when looking into a uni is how much direct learning you will be gaining from the classes and the smaller the class i feel, the more directed my learning will be thus, anthropology being a subject i have never studied but only read about before i feel like i would need a lot of direct teaching thus, a smaller class would be a great start. 

However, the degree complition at this uni is 85% which is slightly worrying, it is not very huge but it is still something which makes me question why one wouldn't complete the degree however, these reasons may be to do with personal reasons and nothing to do with the uni. However, since i can not see direct information about each case i will also bear this in mind when picking my firm uni etc.

]]> 2017-11-16 13:56:05 UTC https://padlet.com/shivani_makwana62/74ikvz0x3rns/wish/207653887 shivani_makwana62 https://padlet.com/shivani_makwana62/74ikvz0x3rns/wish/207670633 Apprenticeships allow you to combine work and study by mixing on-the-job training with classroom learning. Thus you will be employed to do a real job whilst studying for a formal qualification.

An apprenticeship gives an individual the opportunity to ear money whilst furthering their education and still remaining to learn. It is technically the best of both worlds as, you are personally gaining experience of being in a working environment which can lead to meeting new people / networking which can allow you to develop higher in your profession. Additionally, it gives one the chance to be in control of their own money and allows them to learn how to budget and pay for certain things themselves. 

However, you make incur some difficulties if you to put one over the other. In terms of making work your priority thus, leading to your university work overlapping and building into a heap of work that needs to be completed and not having enough time due to a personal fault of making your working life more of priority than uni. However, a student may also lack the whole uni experience thus missing out the little parts that most students take part in. ]]> 2017-11-16 14:21:49 UTC https://padlet.com/shivani_makwana62/74ikvz0x3rns/wish/207670633 shivani_makwana62 https://padlet.com/shivani_makwana62/74ikvz0x3rns/wish/207676131 Full time employment is whereby an individual is employed to work a minimum of hours which is defined by his/her employer.

Going into work after college allows you to get a hands on experience of the working life and allows you to make money for yourself, this can help with your family or just personal savings. Working full time can allow you to network with others and grow yourself as an independent adult. 

However, working straight after college can make you miss out on what all your friends are up to and allowing you to further your studies and gain a degree. Degrees are key for some professions and having one can always help in any case thus, when applying for a very high role of job will mean you will be overlooked or maybe not picked if the other candidates have a degree and you are lacking. but this is all depending on what you want to get into in the future. ]]> 2017-11-16 14:29:45 UTC https://padlet.com/shivani_makwana62/74ikvz0x3rns/wish/207676131 shivani_makwana62 https://padlet.com/shivani_makwana62/74ikvz0x3rns/wish/207690757 In October 2015 I attended a uni fair in which I was able to go around to little stalls which were representing universities all over england, and ask questions in regards to the courses they provide, what are their entry requirements, questions regarding their societies that are being held at the uni. I found this experience very beneficial in terms of gaining an insight into the uni and how they are being represented. They each had a prospectus for us to take home in order for us to look at them for any additional information which i may have not asking when i was at the stall or rather, for more specific answers if i required. 

The fair started at 9am and lasted until 4pm. It was a mixed fair and loads of other students from different colleges and sixth forms attended it thus, talking to other people and asking about what they wanted to do and what unis they were considering was helpful. As a few of them knew thing that i didn't which helped me and made me consider a few other unis. 

I made the most of this event by going to every stall and asking if they provide the course that i would want to take, i had also asked about the fees the course is running for and all were able to tell me an accurate amount. ]]> 2017-11-16 14:51:17 UTC https://padlet.com/shivani_makwana62/74ikvz0x3rns/wish/207690757 shivani_makwana62 https://padlet.com/shivani_makwana62/74ikvz0x3rns/wish/207736166 My practice interview was filmed and conducted by David Lashbrook who is a tutor of mine within the course that i am currently doing. 

the interview lasted 10 minutes and the questions were much easier than expected however, my nerves did come into play throughout the interview resulting into me saying 'like' a lot and using many fillers.

The feedback that i got from my interview from the first question to the last was firstly, that I was confident in speaking which puts me in a strong position. However, i must make sure that i have had more practice with interviews in terms of talking about a specific point and not rambling as much. Being specific and answering the question to the point gives off a very clear message to the interviewer and helps them understand what you are trying to put across. I can not assume that the interviewer has read my personal statement as i did expect them to have read it in the interview i just had. Not assuming they have read it also gives me more to work with in terms of content and information for myself to talk about, and lastly, make sure that i watch some interviews in order to be better prepared for my actual interviews. ]]> 2017-11-16 15:56:16 UTC https://padlet.com/shivani_makwana62/74ikvz0x3rns/wish/207736166 shivani_makwana62 https://padlet.com/shivani_makwana62/74ikvz0x3rns/wish/207741043 During the 5/10/17-8/10/17 I had spent my time at Keele university which is one of the first choices. I had visited the uni and was shown around by some of my friends, i was shown the library as well as, the student union. The library like many other unis is open 24/7 which i find very important as i love to work from the early morning and it gives students the flexibility. The uni is also an all campus one meaning everything in within a walking distance and makes it easy to get around. The uni also has a very active student union and their societies are very friendly. 

I had attended a trial football match whilst visiting and got to see all the sports grounds from the volleyball hall to the pitch and even the long jump strip. I very much enjoy doing sport and thus, having these facilities on campus makes the uni even more attractive. 

The land in which the uni is set on has big fields which means there are loads of nature and animals around such as squirrels, they also have walk paths which students can decide to do as they range from different levels of intensity. 

My visit was very personal and i was able to be a student at keele for 2 days which i found very beneficial and helped me make my decision on the uni. ]]> 2017-11-16 16:03:45 UTC https://padlet.com/shivani_makwana62/74ikvz0x3rns/wish/207741043 shivani_makwana62 https://padlet.com/shivani_makwana62/74ikvz0x3rns/wish/207763799 This is my personal statement for Psychology and Sociology]]> 2017-11-16 16:38:34 UTC https://padlet.com/shivani_makwana62/74ikvz0x3rns/wish/207763799 shivani_makwana62 https://padlet.com/shivani_makwana62/74ikvz0x3rns/wish/207914615 I would like to get into teaching after i complete my degree, having my degree will allow me to teach more than primary school and thus i can start my PGCE which is a teacher training course in order for me to qualify to teach. I would love to teach aboard like the netherlands and as they speak Dutch, i will pick up a language during my time at uni. Keele offers all students the opportunity to study a language alongside their degree and thus, i will pick dutch. 
I would love to teach at a school in amsterdam in the future and hopefully to continue my studies at the same time. 

My second option would be to get experience after finishing my degree within the industry, hopefully in a hospital as a child psychologist as the health and wellbeing of children has always intrigued me personally and i would love to give back and help other. However, after year or more of experience i will ensure that i go back to complete a PhD in phycology in order to get a better position within the field. Gaining a PhD can allow me to climb the ladder within the medical region and have a better position with hopefully more hands on jobs to help other people. Working for the NHS would be very beneficial rather than a private hospital as i think that everyone no matter what state one is in should have access to health care and thus, the NHS which provides exactly this, would be the best place for me to work as it would morally right for me. ]]> 2017-11-16 21:28:10 UTC https://padlet.com/shivani_makwana62/74ikvz0x3rns/wish/207914615 shivani_makwana62 https://padlet.com/shivani_makwana62/74ikvz0x3rns/wish/210804670 Feedback: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4g9mfiAEcs&feature=youtu.be
Interview: https://youtu.be/MlY3YNuRRqM]]> 2017-11-28 10:07:29 UTC https://padlet.com/shivani_makwana62/74ikvz0x3rns/wish/210804670 shivani_makwana62 https://padlet.com/shivani_makwana62/74ikvz0x3rns/wish/210806247 Showreel: https://youtu.be/ApeOeKlN0Ao]]> 2017-11-28 10:12:58 UTC https://padlet.com/shivani_makwana62/74ikvz0x3rns/wish/210806247 shivani_makwana62 https://padlet.com/shivani_makwana62/74ikvz0x3rns/wish/210806851 My showreel is 2mins and 2seconds long. The max time for a normal showreel as discussed in class should be no more than 2:30mins. Thus, I personally think the time frame is okay for my showreel. My showreel indcludes a mixture of both images and video footage however, due to the images just being of the same place and it was not all really based on my photography due to it being very focues on the video footage more, i was told to get rid of the images as they seem somewhat irrelevant. Additonally, the jump cuts between scenes are fine and i have allowed enough time between each scene in order to give whoever is watching it enough time to look at the camera angles and understanding the meaning of each shot. The music in the background is also very upbeat thus, making it a very positive and happy showreel and lastly, including contact details like my name as well as my email adresses allows the viewers to contact me without asking and thus, makes my details much more available to whoever may be intrested.  ]]> 2017-11-28 10:14:46 UTC https://padlet.com/shivani_makwana62/74ikvz0x3rns/wish/210806851 shivani_makwana62 https://padlet.com/shivani_makwana62/74ikvz0x3rns/wish/215722641 2017-12-13 10:12:34 UTC https://padlet.com/shivani_makwana62/74ikvz0x3rns/wish/215722641 shivani_makwana62 https://padlet.com/shivani_makwana62/74ikvz0x3rns/wish/215724761 On the 29th of November we were invited to South Bank universitey in westminster for an open day in order for us to gain an understanding for the courses that they provide, however, considering i had gone with my media class all the subjects were media related which was not the most helpful however, within the first two hours of the lectures that we sat in i understood a lot of the way uni works and what each lecturer expects from their students regardless of the course, they focus on our understanding of the topics and general discussions on the current events that relate to the subject. So some advice that i would take from that is that when i do start uni i will ensure that i am subscribed to some sort of news informing me of the current affairs in relation to psychology and sociology. 

We had also had a session on writing our personal statements which i found very much helpful as it included many examples for real personal statements and not only did it highlight what not to do, it specified how to better the sentence you are making. They had also prepared a presentation in which stated in bullet points on what we should include such as; the course in which we want to further study, why we wants to do so, what experience or research have we done outside of class in preparation for the course that we want to study and lastly, how we will be a suitable candidate for the course and uni. 

I found the day very eventful as we also had a campus tour and even though i am not specially applying to that uni it is good to know how spaced out everything is and because we were being guided by former students of the uni they were able to tell us about their experience within the uni as well as, inform us about the student life and how they have enjoyed themselves. I was also given the oppoturnity to ask questions about socioeits that they have in the uni such as; badminton and tennis. 

I found the trip very benefical and thought the uni was decent i would still not apply to this uni however, it was a very productive day and learned a lot and gained a lot ]]> 2017-12-13 10:20:48 UTC https://padlet.com/shivani_makwana62/74ikvz0x3rns/wish/215724761 shivani_makwana62 https://padlet.com/shivani_makwana62/74ikvz0x3rns/wish/215733217 Keele:
1st for student satisfaction 
1st for affordability 
Gold award in TEF 
24/7 open library which is very helpful to myself as i like to revise and study late at night
Known lecturer: Dr Sue Sherman; who had gained a pHd in Cognitive Psychology. I am very much interested false memories and would love to learn from her. 

Kent:  
The university has a specialist laboratory which include eye trackers, brain stimulators and virtual reality. 
300 acres of land surrounding the campus, which is lovely. 
Kent is also 1st for Psychology graduates which shows how they have continued to be a great uni over the years

Portsmouth:
Have received gold award in TEF 
They allow you to have a placement year in which you are able to go into the industry and focus on the subject that you have currently been learning about but much more hands on. 
The option to learn an additional language whilst studying my subject very much interests me. 

Brunel: 
The anthropology course within the uni is top 2 in the country at the moment
This course also allows one to have a placement year aboard to either Mexico, Uganda or Nepal. Which is something i would love to do in order to go explore different places of the world and gain myself a very hands on practise. 

SOAS:
One lecturer in SOAS named Lauri Allen who is a very inspiring individual who is very much interested in politics as well as, anthropology of violence. 
People who are genuinely interested in the subject outside the classroom are very enthusiastic teachers i would love to be taught by them. 
SOAS has also gained 93% of student satisfaction from their time teaching anthropology and sociology. ]]> 2017-12-13 10:54:11 UTC https://padlet.com/shivani_makwana62/74ikvz0x3rns/wish/215733217 shivani_makwana62 https://padlet.com/shivani_makwana62/74ikvz0x3rns/wish/216438309 Interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5q9xKu1QBfw&feature=youtu.be ]]> 2017-12-15 11:13:34 UTC https://padlet.com/shivani_makwana62/74ikvz0x3rns/wish/216438309 shivani_makwana62 https://padlet.com/shivani_makwana62/74ikvz0x3rns/wish/216438528 My second interview was conducted by my mother who is already aware of the choices i am making to uni and is happy with them.

To begin with, she replied that I had good relevent information such as lectures that study the subjects that i am to study at keele as well as, sounding conifdent throughout the interview. Addiotnally, I remained calm and collected which is a good sign for when you are having an interview. Perhaps the setting could be better than the sofa for this interview however, it was fairly last minute. 

Being able to talk about a weakness of mine and how i had overcome it was a great point to make out as it puts you down as a problem solving candidate however, the way i was dressed was not appropriate and for my actual interview i should avoid that style of dressing. Maybe not fidget as much as it can shows nerves but on the whole i would say it was better than my first as i had a lot more to say.]]> 2017-12-15 11:14:56 UTC https://padlet.com/shivani_makwana62/74ikvz0x3rns/wish/216438528 shivani_makwana62 https://padlet.com/shivani_makwana62/74ikvz0x3rns/wish/221432572 Argos in Harrow between the dates of 26th feb - 2nd march]]> 2018-01-15 13:02:38 UTC https://padlet.com/shivani_makwana62/74ikvz0x3rns/wish/221432572