A Brief (but BIG) Update

So… It's been a few weeks since I have had the time or energy to write a post. Since my last post, I have been invited to two interviews from 2 out of the 3 universities I sent my UCAS application to. The third university has informed me that they will be inviting me to an interview, but that they don't have the dates set yet, so it's more of a waiting game. I already had one interview, and the second is scheduled for this Monday.

The first interview was somewhere between what I had expected and slightly different from what I anticipated. I had thought that I would be meeting with at least 5 other applicants, but it was just me and and another applicant. While the tutors mentioned that this was unusual, it meant that I felt a lot more relaxed, and that the presentation of the course was delivered in a much more laidback, conversational manner. We were also told that we would be on campus from 13:30-16:30, but we were free to go from around 15:00. One of the most challenging aspects of the interview, was the timed five-minute presentation we had to deliver with regards to our art/design work. I managed to get through almost the entire the presentation (except for the very final slide), and the other student was in a similar situation, so I felt less awkward about this mishap. The presentations were followed by our individual interviews. To be honest, I walked out of my interview completely uncertain of how to feel about it. I had no idea if I had met the expectations of the tutors, or if I had come across as a candidate worthy of a place on their course… But I must have done something right because a little over a week after the interview, I was told that I had been offered a place on the course!

I will still have to pass a Disclosure and Barring Service Check, an Occupational Health Check, and the dreaded Skills Tests. Which brings me to the next topic: I've taken both tests now! I miraculously passed the numeracy exam on my first try, which lifted a huge weight off my shoulders. The literacy exam was fairly straightforward and I am very proud and happy to say that I can stop worrying about the tests now and focus on interviews. The tests were easier than I was expecting, I felt like the practise questions I completed using the books I purchased were more challenging than the ones on the actual exam. I suppose this is beneficial, since it over-prepares you for the "real thing", but it did trigger some unnecessary stress that wasn't helped by my phobia of maths. What was most surprising about the numeracy exam was that I had a significantly greater amount of time to complete the mental arithmetic questions than I was expecting (one of the books said you have roughly 18 seconds per question, but on the actual exam, I had roughly a minute). Thanks to this, I had just enough time to work out the answers without feeling too rushed.

On top of all this, I have also managed to secure a short internship at a school in west London. I am currently on my last day there and couldn't be more grateful for how welcoming the staff have been and how helpful the experience has been! I have been given the opportunity to observe classes for years 7-13, which includes GCSE Graphics and Art, as well as A-Level Photography and Graphics courses. I will prepare a separate blog post detailing my experience at the school and reflecting on the multitude of newfound knowledge I have gained thanks to the experience.

This was a brief run-down of everything that has happened thus far — once I have some more time to catch my breath, I will write more about the third school placement I just undertook, as well as a few more topics I think deserve some attention in this space.