Elin Roberts from Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor Dolgellau tells us about her hopes for university and her interests outside of college.
At the moment I’m studying French, History, English Language and Literature, Maths and Further Maths in my first year of A-levels. This year has flown by with the exams fast approaching. Next year I’ll be in year 13 and making my university applications. There are so many universities to choose from within the UK and the world – plenty of opportunities and choices, but which one do I choose? I would like to study Law in the UK, but I would also like to study at an Ivy League university in the US. What I like about studying in the US is the fact that one is able to study under the Liberal Arts Curriculum, which allows one to study a major degree with several minor degrees.
In order for me to make my applications I must try to incorporate as many extra & super curricular activities into my daily life, so that I stand out from the crowd.
For my super curricular activities, I try to read around my subjects as much as I can. For example, on Saturdays I attend Further Maths lectures at Bangor University, as well as Further Maths problem-solving sessions. To improve my French, I also attend a French conversing group as well as watching different programmes. Channel 4 on Demand is great as there are many French TV series there. My favourite is Spin which is a French political drama.
I personally love volunteering, so during the holidays I normally volunteer at my local food bank as I have previously had the experience of being homeless while living in a bed & breakfast for 5 months, so now I want to turn my experience into a positive in order to help others.
I also volunteer in the local community by being a member of the Work and Finance Committee for the Cerdd Dant Festival, which will be held in Blaenau Ffestiniog in 2018. Also I’m a prospective town councillor on the local town council, which allows me to learn about politics on a local regional level.
My main interests lie within law and politics. I have previously been on work experience with my local MP. This raised my awareness enormously about the British Political System. I have also had the chance to participate in the Welsh version of Question Time; Pawb a’i Farn. As well as participating on the Welsh current affairs Radio Programme; Taro’r Post. I’ve also had the chance to attend various political meetings with politicians such as Leanne Wood AM and Mhairi Black MP.
During this year I have won the Ffestiniog’s Town Council Scholarship to go to Paganonia. I have also been accepted to attend the UNIQ Law Summer School in Oxford.
The Seren Network has previously helped me to attend the Law Faculty Open Day at Oxford which was fantastic. I have also been accepted onto the Social Mobility Foundation’s Law Residential course where I’ll attend an internship with Linklaters solicitors in London. I think that the most important thing to strengthen a university application is to make the most of every opportunity, regardless of your social background and fears, because unless you take these opportunities with open arms, somebody else will!
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