The 5 Types of University Applicants
Every year, when the UCAS application deadline rolls around, a familiar set of characters start to emerge in Sixth Forms and Colleges around the UK.
Whether you’re huddled over personal statement drafts, debating what course is right for you, or still pretending none of this is happening, you’ll almost certainly recognise yourself (and your friends!) in at least one of these.
Here are the five types of university applicants – which one are you?
1. The Early Bird (a.k.a. “Already Submitted in September”)
You know the one. While everyone else is staring at blank screens, this applicant is walking around with a type of swagger only someone who has already clicked ‘submit‘ could pull off.
Their personal statement answers? Drafted before summer.
References? Chased down in July.
Course choices? Locked down for months.
Now they sit back and enjoy watching everyone else panic.
Go-to phrase: “Oh, you haven’t started yet?”
2. The Chilled One
This applicant radiates a mysterious calm.
While deadlines approach at an unimaginable speed, they seem utterly unbothered.
Are they secretly on top of everything?
Are they in denial?
Will they casually pull out a flawless application 24 hours before the deadline?
Nobody knows. The suspense is all part of the vibe.
Go-to phrase: “It’s fine. I’ll do it later.”
3. The Perfectionist
Hours polishing a single sentence.
Three different versions of their personal statement answers – plus a colour-coded backup.
Has researched every university within a 300-mile radius and created a spreadsheet comparing them across 27 different metrics.
This applicant will submit an immaculate application… eventually.
Go-to phrase: “I can’t send it yet – the spacing on paragraph two isn’t right.”
4. The Last-Minute Scrambler
Application deadline: tomorrow.
Word count: 0.
Stress level: through the roof.
Powered by caffeine, panic, and questionable choices, this applicant will somehow hammer out an application at 2am and submit it with seconds to spare. Chaos is their natural habitat.
Go-to phrase: “Wait…what do they mean by a reference?”
5. The Destiny Seeker
For this applicant, choosing a university is a spiritual journey.
The vibes must be correct. The campus must speak to them. The prospectus must feel like a sign sent straight from the universe.
They’ll rewatch campus tour videos, evaluate what their “future self” would want, and read course descriptions like horoscopes.
Go-to phrase: “I’ll know the right choice when I feel it.”
So… which one are you?
Whether you’re the calm, the chaotic, or the spreadsheet-obsessed, remember: everyone gets there in the end. The important thing is finding a path – and a university – that fits you.
Ready to take the next step? Explore our courses, choose the one that’s right for you, and submit your application by 14 January!
