By Alex Roberts – Conwy, Denbighshire 

“I’m Alex, a first year at Cambridge University studying Biological Natural Sciences, and over the past couple of years I have been involved in the Seren Network. I attended quite a few of their events, where I was given the opportunity to explore different subjects, and speak with people from a lot of universities, which helped me to decide the path I wanted to go down.

“The Seren Conference is a chance for you to find out specifics about choosing a course, universities, applications and other opportunities. There are a few things that you can do beforehand in preparation to make the most of your time there. It is important to plan what sessions you are going to attend, and to think about some questions you have on the relevant topics. So, for example, you’ve decided that you want to go to one of the subject talks (a particularly valuable resource if you aren’t sure about what course you want to do). Think about what you would need to know to begin making the decision of whether that course is the right one for you.

“Speaking to representatives of different universities at the conference gave me a clearer understanding of what was on offer. It is useful to try and have an idea of what it is that you want from a university, so that when you go to their stalls, you know what to consider, and what to ask. The representatives are good at giving you an idea of what their university is like, and what you need to do to get there should you like what you hear. I found this section of the day particularly helpful in choosing what universities to apply to, so don’t be scared to go and talk to people. Most universities will have copies of this year’s prospectus with them. They are invaluable in comparing universities, deciding on courses, and are extremely good for reference after the event – so don’t forget to pick one up!

“When it comes to making decisions about university, you aren’t realistically going to remember everything you hear or find out at the conference, a lot of which will be quite relevant. This is why it is important to take some notes. Though, it can be quite tempting to write every single thing down, and I have found that this can cause you to pay less attention to the talk itself, so try to keep it concise and just note down the most important things.

“Finally, make sure to be proactive. Ask lots of questions, tailor the event to what you need it to be, and find out what you need to know. Good luck, and enjoy!”

We are now fully booked for Tuesday 4th and Wednesday 5th December. There are still places available for Thursday 6th December and the good news is that the booking deadline has been extended to 21st November for this final date.

• Visit the booking page here and follow the instructions
• The full programmes can be downloaded here:
  • Students click here
  • Professionals click here