essay terms bangor university

Personalise what you see on this page.

Looking for.

• Undergraduate courses
• Clearing courses
• Postgraduate courses

Change here for Clearing courses

• CHOOSE ONE OR MORE

Popular universities

• University of Kent
• University of East Anglia UEA
• University of Chester
• Coventry University
• University of Aberdeen
• University of Portmouth
• Nottingham Trent University
• University of Sunderland
• London Metropolitan University
• London South Bank University
• University of East London
• BROWSE ALL UNIVERSITIES

Course search

Popular undergraduate courses.

• Computer Science
• LLB Bachelor of Laws
• Biomedical Sciences
• Physiotherapy
• Sports Science

Open days search

Upcoming open days.

• University College Birmingham
• ARU Writtle (formerly Writtle University College)
• University for the Creative Arts
• Arts University Bournemouth
• Arts University Plymouth
• Birmingham Newman University

Article search

Popular topics.

• Clearing advice for students
• Clearing advice for parents
• Clearing advice for teachers
• League tables
• Getting ready for uni

Popular articles

• What is UCAS Extra?
• Applying directly into Clearing
• Clearing success stories
• What's a university open day
• How university rankings can help you through Clearing
• BROWSE ALL ADVICE

You are looking at:

2025 undergraduate info

Looking for Clearing information?

Bangor University

• WHY STUDY HERE
• STUDENT SUPPORT
• STUDENT LIFE
• EMPLOYABILITY

Learning support

• Each student is assigned a personal tutor who provides advice and support.
• Study Skills Centre offers one-to-one support, facilitated writing spaces and more. Workshops help students with academic skills.
• The Disability team gives advice and guidance on disability-related issues to support students' academic learning and engagement.

Health services

• Designated student appointments are available with the university's partner GP surgery.
• An adviser can help if students fall ill or have a change in circumstances.
• Several pharmacies are within walking distance of the student villages and the university’s main building.
• Gym membership is included in the accommodation fees to promote healthy living.

Wellbeing and mental health support

• Short and medium-term counselling support is provided. Specialist support and same day support available.
• Support includes reflective art workshops, 'look after your mate' workshops and psycho-educational skills.
• Students can also access art psychotherapy (individual and group) and DBT therapy.

Disability support

• Bangor University has adapted rooms which are accessible in the newer Ffriddoedd Halls.
• Specialised equipment may be available to loan, and students can have sole use of specialist computing facilities in the library.
• Offers reasonable adjustments, personal learning support plans, and direct assistance with DSA-funded support such as mentors.

Bursaries and scholarships

Bangor University supports students facing difficult financial situations with a range of awards:

• Bangor Bursary: up to £3,000 across a three-year course for students from the UK (excluding Wales). Eligibility depends on household income and the course, which must be a full-time undergraduate course with a full tuition fee payable to Bangor University.
• Start-up Bursaries: £1,000 for students from care.
• Merit Scholarships: up to £3,000 for students who excel in Bangor's annual entrance scholarship exams.
• Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol scholarships for Welsh speakers: £1,000 for students taking 80 credits per year in Welsh, and £500 for students taking 40 credits per year in Welsh.

READ MORE ABOUT

Frequently asked questions, why should someone choose bangor university.

With so many courses available at the university you're bound to find the right one for you. Bangor University is proud of its facilities and high-quality teaching, have a look at where it ranks on our league tables and see how its strengths could match what you are looking for from your university experience. There are many clubs and societies to join – from sports clubs to academic interest, hobbies to cultural and religious societies. Whatever your interest, Bangor University is keen to help you develop and reach your full potential.

What opportunities are available with a degree from Bangor University?

Good news! Studies, including research by HESA (the Higher Education Statistics Agency) and the University of Warwick, have found that graduates have a higher average salary than those who didn't go to uni. You can use a degree to explore subjects you are interested in and to find work in a field that you are passionate about, setting you up for a career that inspires you every day.

What types of accommodation does Bangor University offer?

Accommodation at Bangor University is modern and spacious and within walking distance of most university buildings. Halls have free Wi-Fi, kitchen and dining facilities, communal areas and on-site laundrettes. 24-hour security is also available on campus. Rooms have been adapted for students with disabilities in accessible halls. Budget halls are available, offering shared kitchen and bathroom facilities.

Is this page useful?

Sorry about that..., how can we improve it, thanks for your feedback.

Types of assignments

Understanding your assignments, starting an assignment, academic integrity.

• Written assignments
• Group assignments
• Presentations
• Independent study or dissertation

Further reading

There are a number of assignment types that you can be asked to produce at university.  They could be written, oral or visual but they all have the same basic purpose, which is to allow you to demonstrate your ability to:

• Research a topic
• Organise the research and evidence into a structured piece of work
• Show your understanding and knowledge of the topic

The assignment brief:

• Check any learning outcomes, marking criteria, word count information before you start.
• Make sure you understand the type of assignment you are expected to produce. Is it a written assignment like an essay or an assessment that includes a practical, visual element, like a poster presentation?
• Understanding what the assignment is asking you to do is key. Many assignments come in the form of an instruction, command or a task. It is essential that you understand the difference between these words before you start. See some links to terminology in the refence list below.
• Identify the topic , by highlighting the keywords in the assignment. This will help you focus on the main elements and help with your structure and research.
• Identify any  limiting words that might be in the brief, these are words that will place restrictions on your assignment e.g. topic is limited to the UK or a specific time period.  

References:

Bangor University. (2020) Essay terms explained . Available at: https://www.bangor.ac.uk/studyskills/study-guides/essay-terms.php.en (Accessed 11 July 2022)

McMillan, K. & Weyers, J. D. B. (2011) How to write essays & assignments . 2nd ed. Harlow: Pearson.

Staffordshire University. (2020) Terms and definitions . Available at: https://libguides.staffs.ac.uk/ld.php?content_id=4834785 (Accessed: 11 July 2022)

Once you have worked out what you are being asked to do (see above), then you need to:

• Allow sufficient time in order to carry out the research, plan the assignment and write it up. Check your course handbook for the submission date, so that you can estimate how much time you have to complete the work whilst factoring other work for other modules or other university, family or voluntary / paid work commitments.
• Search  for information and decide what is relevant whilst keeping a record of the sources you have found for your reference list. Don't forget the information that you have already, from your lectures or seminars. Don't forget the module reading list too.
• Reading and note making , are are essential part of the research process. There is no right or wrong method, just one that suits you. Note making is a learning process in itself, as it helps you understand what you are reading and makes you concentrate on the important information.
• The reading and note taking also generates  ideas  and links which helps with the creation of a plan .
• Drafting and writing , is where you begin implementing your plan and roughly put your thoughts together. It is where you begin making your argument, working out your ideas and organising your thoughts. When you have a rough draft you can make your revisions, taking into consideration the shape and structure, whilst making sure the argument is clear and answers the original brief.  
• Proof reading and editing , is where you check for errors be they spelling, grammatical or factual. This is also where you check your referencing is complete and correct, using the right referencing standard.

The avoidance of plagiarism is an important aspect of Academic integrity . Plagiarism is when a person tries to pass off someone else's work as their own. It is essential that other people's work is acknowledged and referenced properly. 

The University has a page with information and guidance on Academic misconduct and Academic integrity , including information about plagiarism and good academic practice.

• Next: Written assignments >>
• Last Updated: Apr 18, 2024 11:15 AM
• URL: https://libguides.southwales.ac.uk/assignments

Bangor University: What it's really like

Find out about bangor university.

If you want to study at a small university in a scenic location, Bangor University could be the one!

Bangor at a glance:

Llinos, who works in Bangor’s Student Recruitment department, explains what student life at the university looks like.

What is Bangor University?

Founded in 1884, Bangor University is based in North West Wales. Initially funded by quarrymen and farmers wanting to improve access to higher education in the area, it is steeped in history. But Bangor is also a forward-looking institution: one of our missions is to become the most sustainable university in the UK.

We’re a medium-sized university. Around 10,000 students from around 70 different countries currently study with us on over 200 different courses. 

You can choose to study from courses across the sciences, arts, business, law, and humanities, and almost all our undergraduate degrees include the option to complete a work placement. There are only two exceptions currently: our Professional Policing degree, which is licensed by the College of Policing so blends in that practical learning element; and our two-year Law programme, which is designed for those who already have a law qualification or work experience.

Why apply to Bangor?

Bangor is a lively, student-orientated city. Many students choose Bangor because of the small and friendly nature of the city and university. It’s the kind of place where you bump into people you know all the time and you’re never far from where you need to be.

That said, student life at Bangor is vibrant and diverse! We have more than 150 Students’ Union clubs, societies, and volunteering projects, from snow sports and trampolining, to the Gaming League and debating societies. Student membership is free so you can sign up to as many as you like!

If you’re an international student, you might like to know that Bangor is one of the cheapest places to study. Totally Money ranked Bangor the most affordable place for students in the UK in 2019. So your living costs will likely be lower than in other parts of the country.

Who isn’t the right fit for Bangor?

If you’re after a large university in a big city location or somewhere with more of a nightclub culture, Bangor might not be the place for you. A reason students tend to choose us is because of the more close-knit, community feel here.

Any application tips? 

One of the main things we look for in applications is a personal reason for wanting to study the subject. For example, you might be applying for creative writing because you’re inspired by a particular author, or for Zoology after watching an impactful documentary.

We want to see students who are widely read around their chosen subject too, so talk about things you have learnt outside of your syllabus when doing your own research into the subject area.

Finally, get your application in sooner rather than later, as you’re likely to hear back from us quicker and get invited earlier to our Offer Holder Days. These give you a chance to visit the campus and get your questions answered.

What’s the location like?

I think Bangor is one of the most attractive study locations in the UK. We are situated on the North Wales coast, between the mountains of Eryri or Snowdonia, and the Menai Strait in a stunning setting. Whilst I can’t promise beautiful weather every day, on a nice day, you can’t beat it.

Many of our students visit the nearby beaches, walk up Yr Wyddfa (also known as Snowdon, but other mountains are available), and enjoy activities like climbing, kayaking, and mountain biking at Eryri National Park.

The university makes up a large part of the city of Bangor, so you’ll be less than 10 minutes’ walk away from anything you need in the city centre.

What facilities does Bangor have to offer?

As a university which provides strong support for research activities, Bangor has a number of subject related specialist resources. We have our own Botanic Gardens with Europe’s largest underground root laboratory; a Natural History Museum with preserved materials, including a two-headed lamb; and the Prince Madog, a research vessel for our School of Ocean Sciences students.

We also have our arts and innovation centre, Pontio, which includes a theatre, cinema, social learning spaces, and the chance to see live performances all year round.

What is the accommodation like?

We recommend living in one of our two halls of residence villages to make the most of your experience at Bangor. We pride ourselves on having some of the best student accommodation in the UK - in fact, we won 3rd place for accommodation in the What Uni Student Choice Awards 2023.

Both our residence villages are within walking distance of the main university buildings and the city centre. All accommodation is self-catered, and most rooms have private bathrooms with shared kitchen facilities. 

Your accommodation fees include your gym membership and Campus Life activities, from film nights to cooking lessons, open mic nights to outdoor activities, and even free Sunday roasts!

Other facilities you'll find on the villages include food and drink outlets, student lounges to meet your friends, computer rooms open 24 hours a day, launderettes, and a shop.

How does Bangor meet the needs of students with different accessibility requirements?

Our Student Services Centre provides a wide range of support from before you arrive to the end of your degree. They offer services like money advice, health and welfare support, advice on private housing, dyslexia support, and counselling.

There is also a dedicated Disability team who can offer virtual and in-person appointments. Their services include support workers, interpreters, library provision, and personal and academic advice.

Every student is assigned a Personal Tutor, who is a member of staff in your academic school who you can turn to, as well as a Peer Guide. Peer Guides are second and third year students who are trained to help new students settle into university life.

Bangor also is keen to offer extra financial help to students in financial need. Our Bangor Bursary is a package to support students from low income households. You don’t need to apply, but check our website to find out if you’re eligible.

Want to explore more UK universities? Remember, Unifrog’s Shortlisting tool can help you put together a list of great potential courses.

Latest posts:

Unifrog he summit 2024: connecting with students amid a challenging he landscape.

5th August 2024

Four key lessons from the Unifrog Teacher and Advisor Conference

2nd July 2024

Unifrog’s virtual work experience week (1st-5th July 2024) FAQs

1st May 2024

Skills development workshop and insights day with the British Army

26th April 2024

The student aspiration gap: what it is, why it matters, and how we fight it

29th January 2024

Counselor spotlight: Augusto Neto at St. Paul's School, Brazil

8th January 2024

How Bloomberg is getting closer to disadvantaged students with Unifrog’s help

4th January 2024

How to create a gold-tier early careers strategy

21st December 2023

Unifrog World of Work Conference round-up

9th November 2023

10 years of Unifrog

6th November 2023

Privacy & Terms

International schools

UK schools + colleges

Universities

Case studies

Support for International Students from DLC

• Introduction
• Why get support with Academic English?
• Joining a Teams site with a code
• In Person Classes 2024
• Online Classes 2024
• Understanding University Phrases
• Essay Terms Explained
• Commonly Used Library Terms
• Paraphrasing
• Email Etiquette
• Academic Vocabulary Quiz
• Subject Specific Vocabulary
• What Our Students Say
• Overcoming Challenges to Accessing Support
• Suggested Plan to Access Support
• External Resources

Analyse:   To look at all sides of an issue, break a topic down into parts and explain how these components fit together.

Argue:   To make statements or introduce facts to establish or refute a position; to discuss and reason.

Annotate:   To expand on given notes or text, e.g. to write extra notes on a printout of a PowerPoint presentation or a photocopied section of a book.

Bias:    A view or description of evidence that is not balanced, promoting one conclusion or viewpoint.

Bibliography:    A list of all the resources used in preparing for a piece of written work. The Bibliography is usually placed at the end of the document.

Citation:    A reference to another source in your work. Citations require less information than an entry to a reference list (author, date and page number (where required)). 

Critical thinking:   The examination of facts, concepts, and ideas in an objective manner. The ability to evaluate opinion and information systematically, clearly and with purpose.

Describe:   To state how something looks, happens or works.

Exemplify:   To provide an example of something.

Glossary:    A list of terms and their meanings (such as this list).

Adapted from McMillan and Weyers, 2011, pp 247-252)

Marking Criteria:    A set of ‘descriptors’ that explain the qualities of answers falling within the differing grade bands used in assessment; used by markers to assign grades, especially where there may be more than one marker, and to allow students to see what level of answer is required to attain specific grades.

Paraphrase:   To quote ideas indirectly by expressing them in other words (Note: A paraphrase should still be accompanied by a citation).

Plagiarism: Copying the work of others and passing it off as one’s own, without proper acknowledgement. See our guide on avoiding plagiarism for further information .

Primary Source:    The source in which ideas and data are first communicated.

Quotation:   Words directly lifted from a source, e.g. a journal article or book, usually placed between inverted commas (quotation marks).

Reference/referencing:   If you include another person’s idea in your assignment, you must give credit to the author through the process of ‘referencing’. Find out more about how to reference through our referencing guide .

Reference list:    A list of sources referred to in a piece of writing, usually provided at the end of a document.

Secondary source:     A source that quotes, adapts, interprets, translates, develops or otherwise uses information drawn from Primary sources.  

Synonym:     A word with the same meaning as another.

Topic:    An area within a study; the focus of a title in a written assignment.

Topic paragraph:   The paragraph, usually the first, that indicates or points to the topic of a section or piece of writing and how it can be expected to develop.

Topic sentence:     The sentence, usually the first, that indicates or points to the topic of a paragraph and how it can be expected to develop.

• Essay Terms Explained University of Bangor
• << Previous: Understanding University Phrases
• Next: Commonly Used Library Terms >>
• Last Updated: May 29, 2024 11:29 AM
• URL: https://libguides.derby.ac.uk/DLC

Choose Your Test

• Search Blogs By Category
• College Admissions
• AP and IB Exams
• GPA and Coursework

Getting College Essay Help: Important Do's and Don’ts

College Essays

If you grow up to be a professional writer, everything you write will first go through an editor before being published. This is because the process of writing is really a process of re-writing —of rethinking and reexamining your work, usually with the help of someone else. So what does this mean for your student writing? And in particular, what does it mean for very important, but nonprofessional writing like your college essay? Should you ask your parents to look at your essay? Pay for an essay service?

If you are wondering what kind of help you can, and should, get with your personal statement, you've come to the right place! In this article, I'll talk about what kind of writing help is useful, ethical, and even expected for your college admission essay . I'll also point out who would make a good editor, what the differences between editing and proofreading are, what to expect from a good editor, and how to spot and stay away from a bad one.

Table of Contents

What Kind of Help for Your Essay Can You Get?

What's Good Editing?

What should an editor do for you, what kind of editing should you avoid, proofreading, what's good proofreading, what kind of proofreading should you avoid.

What Do Colleges Think Of You Getting Help With Your Essay?

Who Can/Should Help You?

Advice for editors.

Should You Pay Money For Essay Editing?

The Bottom Line

What's next, what kind of help with your essay can you get.

Rather than talking in general terms about "help," let's first clarify the two different ways that someone else can improve your writing . There is editing, which is the more intensive kind of assistance that you can use throughout the whole process. And then there's proofreading, which is the last step of really polishing your final product.

Let me go into some more detail about editing and proofreading, and then explain how good editors and proofreaders can help you."

Editing is helping the author (in this case, you) go from a rough draft to a finished work . Editing is the process of asking questions about what you're saying, how you're saying it, and how you're organizing your ideas. But not all editing is good editing . In fact, it's very easy for an editor to cross the line from supportive to overbearing and over-involved.

Ability to clarify assignments. A good editor is usually a good writer, and certainly has to be a good reader. For example, in this case, a good editor should make sure you understand the actual essay prompt you're supposed to be answering.

Open-endedness. Good editing is all about asking questions about your ideas and work, but without providing answers. It's about letting you stick to your story and message, and doesn't alter your point of view.

Think of an editor as a great travel guide. It can show you the many different places your trip could take you. It should explain any parts of the trip that could derail your trip or confuse the traveler. But it never dictates your path, never forces you to go somewhere you don't want to go, and never ignores your interests so that the trip no longer seems like it's your own. So what should good editors do?

Help Brainstorm Topics

Sometimes it's easier to bounce thoughts off of someone else. This doesn't mean that your editor gets to come up with ideas, but they can certainly respond to the various topic options you've come up with. This way, you're less likely to write about the most boring of your ideas, or to write about something that isn't actually important to you.

If you're wondering how to come up with options for your editor to consider, check out our guide to brainstorming topics for your college essay .

Help Revise Your Drafts

Here, your editor can't upset the delicate balance of not intervening too much or too little. It's tricky, but a great way to think about it is to remember: editing is about asking questions, not giving answers .

Revision questions should point out:

• Places where more detail or more description would help the reader connect with your essay
• Places where structure and logic don't flow, losing the reader's attention
• Places where there aren't transitions between paragraphs, confusing the reader
• Moments where your narrative or the arguments you're making are unclear

But pointing to potential problems is not the same as actually rewriting—editors let authors fix the problems themselves.

Bad editing is usually very heavy-handed editing. Instead of helping you find your best voice and ideas, a bad editor changes your writing into their own vision.

You may be dealing with a bad editor if they:

• Add material (examples, descriptions) that doesn't come from you
• Use a thesaurus to make your college essay sound "more mature"
• Add meaning or insight to the essay that doesn't come from you
• Tell you what to say and how to say it
• Write sentences, phrases, and paragraphs for you
• Change your voice in the essay so it no longer sounds like it was written by a teenager

Colleges can tell the difference between a 17-year-old's writing and a 50-year-old's writing. Not only that, they have access to your SAT or ACT Writing section, so they can compare your essay to something else you wrote. Writing that's a little more polished is great and expected. But a totally different voice and style will raise questions.

Where's the Line Between Helpful Editing and Unethical Over-Editing?

Sometimes it's hard to tell whether your college essay editor is doing the right thing. Here are some guidelines for staying on the ethical side of the line.

• An editor should say that the opening paragraph is kind of boring, and explain what exactly is making it drag. But it's overstepping for an editor to tell you exactly how to change it.
• An editor should point out where your prose is unclear or vague. But it's completely inappropriate for the editor to rewrite that section of your essay.
• An editor should let you know that a section is light on detail or description. But giving you similes and metaphors to beef up that description is a no-go.

Proofreading (also called copy-editing) is checking for errors in the last draft of a written work. It happens at the end of the process and is meant as the final polishing touch. Proofreading is meticulous and detail-oriented, focusing on small corrections. It sands off all the surface rough spots that could alienate the reader.

Because proofreading is usually concerned with making fixes on the word or sentence level, this is the only process where someone else can actually add to or take away things from your essay . This is because what they are adding or taking away tends to be one or two misplaced letters.

Laser focus. Proofreading is all about the tiny details, so the ability to really concentrate on finding small slip-ups is a must.

Excellent grammar and spelling skills. Proofreaders need to dot every "i" and cross every "t." Good proofreaders should correct spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and grammar. They should put foreign words in italics and surround quotations with quotation marks. They should check that you used the correct college's name, and that you adhered to any formatting requirements (name and date at the top of the page, uniform font and size, uniform spacing).

Limited interference. A proofreader needs to make sure that you followed any word limits. But if cuts need to be made to shorten the essay, that's your job and not the proofreader's.

A bad proofreader either tries to turn into an editor, or just lacks the skills and knowledge necessary to do the job.

Some signs that you're working with a bad proofreader are:

• If they suggest making major changes to the final draft of your essay. Proofreading happens when editing is already finished.
• If they aren't particularly good at spelling, or don't know grammar, or aren't detail-oriented enough to find someone else's small mistakes.
• If they start swapping out your words for fancier-sounding synonyms, or changing the voice and sound of your essay in other ways. A proofreader is there to check for errors, not to take the 17-year-old out of your writing.

What Do Colleges Think of Your Getting Help With Your Essay?

Admissions officers agree: light editing and proofreading are good—even required ! But they also want to make sure you're the one doing the work on your essay. They want essays with stories, voice, and themes that come from you. They want to see work that reflects your actual writing ability, and that focuses on what you find important.

On the Importance of Editing

Get feedback. Have a fresh pair of eyes give you some feedback. Don't allow someone else to rewrite your essay, but do take advantage of others' edits and opinions when they seem helpful. ( Bates College )

Read your essay aloud to someone. Reading the essay out loud offers a chance to hear how your essay sounds outside your head. This exercise reveals flaws in the essay's flow, highlights grammatical errors and helps you ensure that you are communicating the exact message you intended. ( Dickinson College )

On the Value of Proofreading

Share your essays with at least one or two people who know you well—such as a parent, teacher, counselor, or friend—and ask for feedback. Remember that you ultimately have control over your essays, and your essays should retain your own voice, but others may be able to catch mistakes that you missed and help suggest areas to cut if you are over the word limit. ( Yale University )

Proofread and then ask someone else to proofread for you. Although we want substance, we also want to be able to see that you can write a paper for our professors and avoid careless mistakes that would drive them crazy. ( Oberlin College )

On Watching Out for Too Much Outside Influence

Limit the number of people who review your essay. Too much input usually means your voice is lost in the writing style. ( Carleton College )

Ask for input (but not too much). Your parents, friends, guidance counselors, coaches, and teachers are great people to bounce ideas off of for your essay. They know how unique and spectacular you are, and they can help you decide how to articulate it. Keep in mind, however, that a 45-year-old lawyer writes quite differently from an 18-year-old student, so if your dad ends up writing the bulk of your essay, we're probably going to notice. ( Vanderbilt University )

Now let's talk about some potential people to approach for your college essay editing and proofreading needs. It's best to start close to home and slowly expand outward. Not only are your family and friends more invested in your success than strangers, but they also have a better handle on your interests and personality. This knowledge is key for judging whether your essay is expressing your true self.

Parents or Close Relatives

Your family may be full of potentially excellent editors! Parents are deeply committed to your well-being, and family members know you and your life well enough to offer details or incidents that can be included in your essay. On the other hand, the rewriting process necessarily involves criticism, which is sometimes hard to hear from someone very close to you.

A parent or close family member is a great choice for an editor if you can answer "yes" to the following questions. Is your parent or close relative a good writer or reader? Do you have a relationship where editing your essay won't create conflict? Are you able to constructively listen to criticism and suggestion from the parent?

One suggestion for defusing face-to-face discussions is to try working on the essay over email. Send your parent a draft, have them write you back some comments, and then you can pick which of their suggestions you want to use and which to discard.

Teachers or Tutors

A humanities teacher that you have a good relationship with is a great choice. I am purposefully saying humanities, and not just English, because teachers of Philosophy, History, Anthropology, and any other classes where you do a lot of writing, are all used to reviewing student work.

Moreover, any teacher or tutor that has been working with you for some time, knows you very well and can vet the essay to make sure it "sounds like you."

If your teacher or tutor has some experience with what college essays are supposed to be like, ask them to be your editor. If not, then ask whether they have time to proofread your final draft.

Guidance or College Counselor at Your School

The best thing about asking your counselor to edit your work is that this is their job. This means that they have a very good sense of what colleges are looking for in an application essay.

At the same time, school counselors tend to have relationships with admissions officers in many colleges, which again gives them insight into what works and which college is focused on what aspect of the application.

Unfortunately, in many schools the guidance counselor tends to be way overextended. If your ratio is 300 students to 1 college counselor, you're unlikely to get that person's undivided attention and focus. It is still useful to ask them for general advice about your potential topics, but don't expect them to be able to stay with your essay from first draft to final version.

Friends, Siblings, or Classmates

Although they most likely don't have much experience with what colleges are hoping to see, your peers are excellent sources for checking that your essay is you .

Friends and siblings are perfect for the read-aloud edit. Read your essay to them so they can listen for words and phrases that are stilted, pompous, or phrases that just don't sound like you.

You can even trade essays and give helpful advice on each other's work.

If your editor hasn't worked with college admissions essays very much, no worries! Any astute and attentive reader can still greatly help with your process. But, as in all things, beginners do better with some preparation.

First, your editor should read our advice about how to write a college essay introduction , how to spot and fix a bad college essay , and get a sense of what other students have written by going through some admissions essays that worked .

Then, as they read your essay, they can work through the following series of questions that will help them to guide you.

Introduction Questions

• Is the first sentence a killer opening line? Why or why not?
• Does the introduction hook the reader? Does it have a colorful, detailed, and interesting narrative? Or does it propose a compelling or surprising idea?
• Can you feel the author's voice in the introduction, or is the tone dry, dull, or overly formal? Show the places where the voice comes through.

Essay Body Questions

• Does the essay have a through-line? Is it built around a central argument, thought, idea, or focus? Can you put this idea into your own words?
• How is the essay organized? By logical progression? Chronologically? Do you feel order when you read it, or are there moments where you are confused or lose the thread of the essay?
• Does the essay have both narratives about the author's life and explanations and insight into what these stories reveal about the author's character, personality, goals, or dreams? If not, which is missing?
• Does the essay flow? Are there smooth transitions/clever links between paragraphs? Between the narrative and moments of insight?

Reader Response Questions

• Does the writer's personality come through? Do we know what the speaker cares about? Do we get a sense of "who he or she is"?
• Where did you feel most connected to the essay? Which parts of the essay gave you a "you are there" sensation by invoking your senses? What moments could you picture in your head well?
• Where are the details and examples vague and not specific enough?
• Did you get an "a-ha!" feeling anywhere in the essay? Is there a moment of insight that connected all the dots for you? Is there a good reveal or "twist" anywhere in the essay?
• What are the strengths of this essay? What needs the most improvement?

Should You Pay Money for Essay Editing?

One alternative to asking someone you know to help you with your college essay is the paid editor route. There are two different ways to pay for essay help: a private essay coach or a less personal editing service , like the many proliferating on the internet.

My advice is to think of these options as a last resort rather than your go-to first choice. I'll first go through the reasons why. Then, if you do decide to go with a paid editor, I'll help you decide between a coach and a service.

When to Consider a Paid Editor

In general, I think hiring someone to work on your essay makes a lot of sense if none of the people I discussed above are a possibility for you.

If you can't ask your parents. For example, if your parents aren't good writers, or if English isn't their first language. Or if you think getting your parents to help is going create unnecessary extra conflict in your relationship with them (applying to college is stressful as it is!)

If you can't ask your teacher or tutor. Maybe you don't have a trusted teacher or tutor that has time to look over your essay with focus. Or, for instance, your favorite humanities teacher has very limited experience with college essays and so won't know what admissions officers want to see.

If you can't ask your guidance counselor. This could be because your guidance counselor is way overwhelmed with other students.

If you can't share your essay with those who know you. It might be that your essay is on a very personal topic that you're unwilling to share with parents, teachers, or peers. Just make sure it doesn't fall into one of the bad-idea topics in our article on bad college essays .

If the cost isn't a consideration. Many of these services are quite expensive, and private coaches even more so. If you have finite resources, I'd say that hiring an SAT or ACT tutor (whether it's PrepScholar or someone else) is better way to spend your money . This is because there's no guarantee that a slightly better essay will sufficiently elevate the rest of your application, but a significantly higher SAT score will definitely raise your applicant profile much more.

Should You Hire an Essay Coach?

On the plus side, essay coaches have read dozens or even hundreds of college essays, so they have experience with the format. Also, because you'll be working closely with a specific person, it's more personal than sending your essay to a service, which will know even less about you.

But, on the minus side, you'll still be bouncing ideas off of someone who doesn't know that much about you . In general, if you can adequately get the help from someone you know, there is no advantage to paying someone to help you.

If you do decide to hire a coach, ask your school counselor, or older students that have used the service for recommendations. If you can't afford the coach's fees, ask whether they can work on a sliding scale —many do. And finally, beware those who guarantee admission to your school of choice—essay coaches don't have any special magic that can back up those promises.

Should You Send Your Essay to a Service?

On the plus side, essay editing services provide a similar product to essay coaches, and they cost significantly less . If you have some assurance that you'll be working with a good editor, the lack of face-to-face interaction won't prevent great results.

On the minus side, however, it can be difficult to gauge the quality of the service before working with them . If they are churning through many application essays without getting to know the students they are helping, you could end up with an over-edited essay that sounds just like everyone else's. In the worst case scenario, an unscrupulous service could send you back a plagiarized essay.

Getting recommendations from friends or a school counselor for reputable services is key to avoiding heavy-handed editing that writes essays for you or does too much to change your essay. Including a badly-edited essay like this in your application could cause problems if there are inconsistencies. For example, in interviews it might be clear you didn't write the essay, or the skill of the essay might not be reflected in your schoolwork and test scores.

Should You Buy an Essay Written by Someone Else?

Let me elaborate. There are super sketchy places on the internet where you can simply buy a pre-written essay. Don't do this!

For one thing, you'll be lying on an official, signed document. All college applications make you sign a statement saying something like this:

I certify that all information submitted in the admission process—including the application, the personal essay, any supplements, and any other supporting materials—is my own work, factually true, and honestly presented... I understand that I may be subject to a range of possible disciplinary actions, including admission revocation, expulsion, or revocation of course credit, grades, and degree, should the information I have certified be false. (From the Common Application )

For another thing, if your academic record doesn't match the essay's quality, the admissions officer will start thinking your whole application is riddled with lies.

Admission officers have full access to your writing portion of the SAT or ACT so that they can compare work that was done in proctored conditions with that done at home. They can tell if these were written by different people. Not only that, but there are now a number of search engines that faculty and admission officers can use to see if an essay contains strings of words that have appeared in other essays—you have no guarantee that the essay you bought wasn't also bought by 50 other students.

• You should get college essay help with both editing and proofreading
• A good editor will ask questions about your idea, logic, and structure, and will point out places where clarity is needed
• A good editor will absolutely not answer these questions, give you their own ideas, or write the essay or parts of the essay for you
• A good proofreader will find typos and check your formatting
• All of them agree that getting light editing and proofreading is necessary
• Parents, teachers, guidance or college counselor, and peers or siblings
• If you can't ask any of those, you can pay for college essay help, but watch out for services or coaches who over-edit you work
• Don't buy a pre-written essay! Colleges can tell, and it'll make your whole application sound false.

Ready to start working on your essay? Check out our explanation of the point of the personal essay and the role it plays on your applications and then explore our step-by-step guide to writing a great college essay .

Using the Common Application for your college applications? We have an excellent guide to the Common App essay prompts and useful advice on how to pick the Common App prompt that's right for you . Wondering how other people tackled these prompts? Then work through our roundup of over 130 real college essay examples published by colleges .

Stressed about whether to take the SAT again before submitting your application? Let us help you decide how many times to take this test . If you choose to go for it, we have the ultimate guide to studying for the SAT to give you the ins and outs of the best ways to study.

Trending Now

How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League

How to Get a Perfect 4.0 GPA

How to Write an Amazing College Essay

What Exactly Are Colleges Looking For?

ACT vs. SAT: Which Test Should You Take?

When should you take the SAT or ACT?

Get Your Free

Find Your Target SAT Score

Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests

How to Get a Perfect SAT Score, by an Expert Full Scorer

Score 800 on SAT Math

Score 800 on SAT Reading and Writing

How to Improve Your Low SAT Score

Score 600 on SAT Math

Score 600 on SAT Reading and Writing

Find Your Target ACT Score

Complete Official Free ACT Practice Tests

How to Get a Perfect ACT Score, by a 36 Full Scorer

Get a 36 on ACT English

Get a 36 on ACT Math

Get a 36 on ACT Reading

Get a 36 on ACT Science

How to Improve Your Low ACT Score

Get a 24 on ACT English

Get a 24 on ACT Math

Get a 24 on ACT Reading

Get a 24 on ACT Science

Stay Informed

Get the latest articles and test prep tips!

Anna scored in the 99th percentile on her SATs in high school, and went on to major in English at Princeton and to get her doctorate in English Literature at Columbia. She is passionate about improving student access to higher education.

Ask a Question Below

Have any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply!

The Quality of Education within Bangor University Essay

• To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
• As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
• As a template for you assignment

Introduction

Bangor University is a reputable and a world-class university located in North Wales. The university is home to local students within the U.K and many international students who come from diverse nations.

Quality education is an important part of today’s society and hence leading lecturers from the university and other like-minded universities and education institutions have been in the forefront of ensuring that the quality of Education within the country and in their respective institutions is up to standards with the current demands of the global market.

If the quality of education offered in tertiary institutions is high and appropriate for the market then the quality of graduates from universities such as B.U. will be very high and appropriate for the market.

In achieving quality standards, course work is an important part of B.U.’s curriculum and every term/semester is usually strategically preplanned and scheduled in order to ensure that the academic and practical needs of the student body are well catered for.

Having the students needs in mind, lecturers strive to achieve a balanced syllabi that will assist students attain both practical and theoretical expertise by developing programs that involve both writing and presentations on relevant course units/subjects (Noddings 1995, 13).

Purpose of the research

This report intends to look at the quality of education within B.U and therefore will critically gather data from students of B.U. with the sole intention of taking a look at how lecturers achieve academic goals through setting the appropriate course work syllabus and the various techniques such as exams that are used to evaluate how well students within the Bangor University have learnt throughout the term/semesters.

Also course work is important because it can be used to evaluate both students’ performance and lecturers’ input by ranking student performance. Additionally, this research intends to investigate how familiar and effective presentation and writing techniques help students to achieve the objectives of their course work (Kothari 1985, 10).

The research is important because the data gathered from this process can be used by the faculty of B.U. and also the students to improve and carry out any needed changes that may be necessary in the curriculum and syllabus of B.U.

The aim of any tertiary institution is to impart knowledge and develop highly competent individuals and therefore this research will shed some light into whether the university curriculum is appropriate for the students studying within B.U.

Methodology

The research is a scientific research with a clearly defined problem. It is to take a look into the effectiveness the course work and curriculum that is used by the faculty to impart knowledge among the students of B.U. (Kumar, 2005, p. 122).

The researcher intends to use a non probabilistic method to gather his data. Data will be gathered by the interviewer form every faculty within the campus, the researcher will use a convenient sampling technique where based on a predetermined quota the researcher will predetermine the number of 1 st , 2 nd , 3 rd , and 4 th year students who need to be to be interviewed and strive to ensure that he collects data from all the faculties within B.U.

Data gathering technique

The researcher will gather data from various faculties of students who study in B.U. using semi structured questionnaires. The advantage of using a semi structured questionnaire is that the researcher gathers both qualitative and quantitative data which will enable the users of the research conducts a more in-depth analysis during the process of Data analysis (Kothari 1985, 65-67; Beeby 1966, 81).

The source of information

The data of this research will be primary data that will directly be collected from the respondents who are current students within various faculties of B.U. the sample size of the number of respondents is 100 students from diverse faculties of B.U.

Data Analysis

Once the 100 questionnaires are filled the researcher intends to arrange and analyze the data using both qualitative and quantitative techniques (Dawson, 2002, p.34).

The use of qualitative techniques will enable the researcher attach percentages to the data while the qualitative data analysis techniques will enable the researcher co0nduct some content analysis that will enable the researcher give a description of the various implication (Whyte 1989, 29; Dawson 2002, 53).

40% of all respondents were from the College of Business, 10% from the Social Sciences and Law while 5% were from the College of Lifelong Learning, 20% were College of Natural Sciences while 10% were from the College of Health and Behavioral Sciences and the last 15% were form the College of Physical and Applied Sciences.

20% of all respondents were foreigners while 80% were citizens of Wales. 50% of all students in the College of Arts Education and Humanities were taking education while 10% were taking music, 20% were taking theology while the rest 30% were taking modern languages.

Out of all the respondents from the college of Business social science and law 60% were taking business courses while the remaining 34% were taking law. The entire respondents from the College of Lifelong Learning were taking the same course. 5% of the respondents from the College of Health and Behavioral Sciences were taking medicine while the rest were in school of sports and exercise science.

All the respondents from the College of Physical and Applied Sciences were taking electronics (Kumar, R., 2005, 102; Brandt 2000, 96).

Most of the students within B.U. claim to do well when asked if they have ever failed exams, 85% of them responded by saying they attain their pass mark while the remaining 15% have previously failed to attain their pass mark.

74% All the respondents claimed they have at least one presentation as part of their course work while the remaining 26% said that their curriculum doesn’t involve making presentation as part of the course work. 80% of all the respondents claimed that the main reason of their failure was either wo0rk overload or unfair lecturers; the remaining 15% of those who failed claimed that is their lack of preparedness that leads to failure.

Out of all the 100 respondents 80% of them have never missed exams before while the rest who have earlier missed exams were forced to take substitute exams only if they had given authorities prior notice and sufficient reason those who never gave prior reason are forced to repeat the subject (Pashler, McDonald & Bjork 2009, 77).

60% of all the respondents fell that presentations are a very important part of their curriculum while the remaining 40% see it as a waste of time.55% of all respondents stated that they at least have one presentation per term while 25% of them stated that they have more that in presentation per term the remaining 20% have no presentations.

The respondents stated that 50% of all presentation per tem were given as part of group work while the rest were individual assignments.

60% of all respondents believed that essay writing was very important for first years while 30% believed that report writing was important for first years the remaining 20% stated that email were essential for first years. 70% of respondents stated that essays were between 1-5 pages in first year while the rest stated that essays were more that 5 pages in first year.

55% of all students stated that they only contact tutors only when they have homework while 40 % said they make sure that they contact tutors at least once a week 5% said that they contact their tutors through email daily or frequently.

30% of respondents especially those taking health sciences and arts stated that they write an essay weekly. The remaining 70% stated that their lecturers ensure that they give them an essay at least once in 3 months.

90% of those students who are given essays weekly stated that they ensure they finish their essays within seven days because if they don’t they risk loosing marks.

50% Student who are required to do one essay in 3 months said that they ensure that by the end of the second month they finish their essays, 20% of them said that they finish their essay by the end of the first month while the rest said they ensure that they finish the essays by the end of the third month.

It is thus clear that the faculty and lecturers at B.U use practices that encourage their students to be highly proactive especially when it comes to learning. Student’s taking medical sciences, applied sciences and Arts are exposed to more essays and report writing activities due to the nature of their courses.

The faculty’s policy is effective in the fact that it has ensured that there is a high turnout rate especially during exams and that those who miss exams with no reason face the consequences.

As far as first years are concerned it is good to ensure most of them (60%) are involved in rigorous writing activities so that they can nature their writing ability skills while still at the early stages of university so that they can be experienced writers in later years.

Recommendations

The University should ensure that the curriculum of every faculty is well balanced and that the course work has a balanced approach that allows the students to enhance both their writing and presentation skills through having both report and essay writing together with presentation assignments every term/semester.

In faculties where the volume of materials to study is very large especially in the College of health Sciences it is important that the faculty of B.U ensures that the students are not overworked or excessively given assignments because this can affect their performance and course work.

Due to the low level of communication between the tutors and the students it is necessary that the faculty comes up with awareness campaigns that will encourage students to communicate more frequently with tutors with the aim of improving their academic performance.

The campus administration should open a clear and more open communication system in regard to exams so that students who fail their exams can communicate their reasons in due time and avoid their chances of repeating the whole course over again (Bangor University, 2011).

Reference List

Bangor University, 2011. Bangor University. Web.

Beeby, C., 1966. The quality of education in developing countries. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press.

Brandt, R., 2000. Education in a new era: ASCD Yearbook 2000. Alexandria, Virginia: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Dawson, C., 2002. Practical Research Methods . New Delhi: UBS Publishers Distributors.

Kothari, C. R., 1985. Research Methodology- Methods and Techniques . New Delhi: Wiley Eastern Limited.

Kumar, R., 2005. Research Methodology-A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners , 2nd ed. Singapore: Pearson Education.

Noddings, N., 1995. Philosophy of Education . Boulder, CO: Westview Press.

Pashler, H., McDonald, M. & Bjork, R., 2009. “Learning Styles: Concepts and Evidence.” Psychological Science in the Public Interest 9 (3): 105–119.

Whyte, C., 1989. “Student Affairs-The Future.” Journal of College Student Development , v30 n (1) p. 86-89.

• Is College Education Appropriate or Should It Be Mandatory
• Most Popular Universities in Britain
• Microeconomic Issues. Ethical Issues in Business
• Religion in Sociological Perspective
• Education System: Clark Atlanta University
• Major in Success: Make College Easier, Fire up Your Dreams, and Get a Great Job
• Public vs. Private Education
• The Value of a High School Diploma
• Northeast State University
• Math Just Isn’t Adding Up for College Students: Critique of a News
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2019, March 25). The Quality of Education within Bangor University. https://ivypanda.com/essays/bangor-university/

"The Quality of Education within Bangor University." IvyPanda , 25 Mar. 2019, ivypanda.com/essays/bangor-university/.

IvyPanda . (2019) 'The Quality of Education within Bangor University'. 25 March.

IvyPanda . 2019. "The Quality of Education within Bangor University." March 25, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/bangor-university/.

1. IvyPanda . "The Quality of Education within Bangor University." March 25, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/bangor-university/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "The Quality of Education within Bangor University." March 25, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/bangor-university/.

Questions about Studying at Bangor University

At the end of the 'Top Tips for Studying at Bangor University' workshop students, used post-it notes to ask anonymously further questions about the discussed areas. In general, the questions fall into three categories. You could read all of the questions and their answers below.

Lectures and Lecturers

How can i search for the exact person i am looking for help.

If you know the person's name you can use the Bangor University Directory . You will be asked to sign in with your Bangor University username and password before you can search. Alternatively, you can search for your module code on MyBangor and contact the module coordinator to ask how to contact the person of interest.

I have 4 classes back to back in one day in different buildings, how do I make it?

Lectures in Bangor University start 10 minutes past the hour (9:10am, 11:10am, etc.) and finish on the hour (11:00am, 1:00pm, etc.) to allow students to move between teaching rooms.

What are teachers' expectations in the UK versus elsewhere in terms of reports, coursework, etc, in general?

This question is impossible to answer - the United Kingdom has devolved higher educational system. Thus, there are some differences between expectations of lecturers' in England versus Wales or Scotland, for example. Further to that lecturers' expectations elsewhere (the rest of the world) vary greatly, not only between country, but also between region. One thing that might be new to students starting their studies in Wales is that students are expected to be independent learners. So they will need to follow their own initiative in finding information about areas of study that are new to them as well as previously studied areas, where they do not feel they know enough to follow a lecture. 

Is it possible to meet the teacher to discuss essays in their office?

Yes, all of your lecturers will have office hours, when you can go and talk to them about your studies and academic work.

Can we find the lectures online after class?

Some lectures will be recorded and will be available online shortly after the class. But some lectures will NOT be recorded or there might have been technical difficulties with the recording and it might be incomplete. It is best to ask your lecturer and to try to attend as many lectures as possible, in case there are technical problems with any of the recorded lectures.

Does all work have to be dropped online? And how much time in advance could we drop off its?

Yes, all work is submitted electronically at Bangor University. The period of time that you could submit your work prior to the deadline will depend on each assignment. Therefore, it is best to ask your lecturer about it. In most cases, you will be able to submit at least 3-4 days before the submission deadline.

Why are some lecture rooms colder than the outside?

When you sit down for a long period of time (1 hour or more) your body temperature decreases and the room seems colder. Then as you leave the room your body temperature starts increasing and the outside of a room seems warmer than its inside.

Is there a map with lectures rooms numbers on it?

No, there is no such a map, but you could use the Lecture Room Directory to find in which building your lecture is scheduled to take place in. It is a good idea to bookmark this webpage so you can access it quickly.

Do we lose a lot of points because of our grammar or spelling?

Yes, usually everyone loses points for grammar and spelling mistakes. As 'a lot' is a subjective term it is impossible to answer this question. So check for each assignment how much of the mark is given to grammar and spelling or language expression. If you are unable to find such information ask your lecturer.

Plagiarism and Referencing

If we take an idea from something like journals, books, internet, about essays or topic is that plagiarism.

Using an idea from a source in your work is NOT plagiarism, as long as you acknowledge the source of the idea (i.e. where you have taken it from). So every time you like an idea take a note of its source. Then if you choose to use it in your work you will be able to quickly find where it has come from, cite and reference the source and you will be sure not to plagiarise the work of the original author. Please read the Avoiding Plagiarism online guide to get more information about this topic.

How do I use Turnitin to pre-check my work for plagiarism before submission?

Some modules will have a draft submission link for your work. That will generate a Turnitin similarity report and give you an indication if you have plagiarised the work of others. You have to ask you lecturer if your assignments will have draft submission links.

What are the links where we can exactly check our assignment for plagiarism?

Where can i find an explanation of the different styles of referencing online.

Explanations of a referencing style rarely exist and they are usually in physical books rather than online. If you are interested how to use a certain referencing style you can find a number of guides online. For example, the Academic Librarians team has created a Bangor Harvard Referencing Guide that you might find useful. Your module handbook will tell you what referencing style you are expected to use and where to find the related guide. Please check Blackboard for more information and speak to your lecturer if you cannot find the information there.

Are there special rules for referencing sources written originally in languages other than English?

No, the rules of a referencing style are the same worldwide. Even if you are using a source originally published not in English you need to provide all bibliographic elements (author, title of publication, etc.) in the same format and order as for a text published in English.

Are there any workshop on how to do reference in 2 or 3 different styles of referencing using in Bangor university?

The Academic Librarians team usually deliver a session for most academic schools discussing the chosen referencing style for that specific school. There is no workshop that discusses 2 or 3 different styles at the same time as that will be rather confusing. There is a ' Paraphrasing and Avoiding Plagiarism 'workshop run by Study Skills Centre where you can explore the process of paraphrasing and using the work of others in your own writing, but the workshop does not discuss a specific referencing style.

Where do we cite the information sources? Right below the borrowed and paraphrased content or at the end of the write up/essay?

When you are using the work of others in your own writing, you need to cite the source of information in the body of your text. This is usually in the same sentence as the idea you are presenting. Citations are a shorthand approach of identifying the source of the information and they do not have enough detail for a reader to find your source. Thus at the end of the text you will add a referencing list where you will reference in full the source of information that you have used. Then your reader will have all of the details and will be able to find quickly the source of information. Therefore, you need to both cite and reference each source of information in your work. Please read the Avoiding Plagiarism online guide and the relatedrelated Referencing and bibliographies online guide to get more information about acknowledging sources of information.

Where can I get full guidance or reference for APA referencing?

APA referencing style has a couple of variations and it regularly changes. The most up to date guidance about it is on the related website  APA Style Guide . For example, both the School of Nursing and the School of Psychology use APA style, but they use different versions of it. Therefore, it is best to check with your lecturer which guide you are expected to follow. They will often e-mail you a copy of the guide or tell you where you can find it on Blackboard.

What is the oldest research we can use (eg 10 years)?

Sometimes you need to quote ancient philosophers and their research in your work, so there is no limit on the age of the research you could use. What is important is not when some research information was published, but is it still accepted as correct by the present day researchers in this field. So, always check if the research that you are citing has recently been cited by other research publications, and if their authors agree or disagree with the research, you are citing.

Academic Studies and Student Support

For maths and stats support do we have limited time of appointments can we request a longer appointment (an hour or two).

The Maths and Stats appointments available through the Study Skills Centre are 20 or 40 minutes long. No there is no option to have an appointment that lasts longer than 40 minutes. The reason for that is that this approach allows us to help more students in the same day rather than if we give one two-hour long appointment to only one student. As you can book more than one Maths and Stats appointment in the same semester, you can get all the help that you need with your studies.

How to improve English skills for international students?

There are many ways that you can improve your English skills. Regarding oral skills, I strongly suggest that you try to speak as much as possible and not to be worried about making a mistake when speaking. The important thing is not how many mistakes you are going to make in a conversation, but what you are going to do afterwards. Once you have an idea that you have made a mistake it is useful to write down the correct way of saying things and to practice using the correct phrase as much as possible. When it comes to grammar and spelling the in-sessional courses by ELCOS are the best way to improve your English skills. In addition, ELCOS has a Writing Advice Sessions that will help you explore grammatical and spelling issues.

What is the recommended amount of time to study a day?

There is no recommended number of hours that you should study per day. The number of hours that you will spend studying each day will vary greatly. This will depend on a number of things like how many lectures do you have on a certain day, how many assigned readings do you have for a related lecture or seminar, do you find a particular area of study easy or hard to understand, do you have an assignment deadline or an exam coming up soon, and many others. Although each day you will study a different number of hours it is important for you to set yourself academic goals for each day. This will help you to track your progress and to have an idea what else needs to be done in the following days. The Organising Your Time online guide can help you to manage your study time successfully.

How can you prepare to a presentation if you don't like giving presentations?

Giving a presentation is very stressful and most people do not like doing one. It is similar to sitting an exam - nobody likes taking exams, but throughout our studies, we have to take at least one exam. Therefore, if you approach an oral presentation with the same mindset as you approach an exam - something you do not like, but something that you have to learn how to do, it will be easier for you to actually stand up and present. You can prepare for giving a presentation by booking a 1-2-1 appointment and discussing the particular situation with an advisor. Alternatively, you can attend the workshop ' Presenting with Confidence '. 

What can I do if I feel nervous and unconfident in doing research?

'Doing research' means different things in different academic disciplines. For some areas, it will mean reviewing published literature, while for others it will be collecting samples during a field trip or lab experiment. The best approach is to discuss this immediately with your personal tutor. Then visit the lecturer, in their office hours, for the module that requires research to explore the details further. This will help you to get a better idea of what exactly is expected of you. Then you could plan your next actions and decide how you can increase you confidence.

What do you expect from a master student writing an essay? What do they have to do more compared to their bachelor degree?

During postgraduate studies, lecturers at Bangor University would expect a higher level of critical thinking and writing than at an undergraduate level. Furthermore, they would expect deeper analysis of discussed sources of information and a higher proportion of original ideas, especially when you are writing your dissertation.

Can we book appointments 1 to 1to get help on study skills and writing skills more than once?

Yes, you can book more than one 1-2-1 appointments with the Study Skills Centre. When you have your first appointment, you need to share the areas where you feel uncertain with your Study Skills Centre advisor. Then you could come to an agreement how many appointments you will need to work on all of these areas.

What other resources does the Study Skills Centre provide?

The Study Skills Centre has a number of online guides and interactive online quizzes that you can use at any point in time. The Centre also organizes free interactive workshops to explore key elements of academic study and to practice useful strategies for overcoming challenges in any of these areas. Further to these, the Centre offers 1-2-1 academic writing and study skills , and Mathematics & Statistics appointments. If you are studying at PhD level the Centre also offers multidisciplinary writing groups where you can share your writing and receive critical feedback as well as practice research presentations. I do hope that you will find at least one of these types of support useful in your academic studies.

Can I write some mock essays and have your feedback before I can actually submit my real class essays?

The Study Skills Centre can support you through 1-2-1 appointments in the process of planning and writing an essay, but we cannot offer a feedback on your work. Feedback on your academic work will come from your lecturers as they have greater knowledge about the areas that have been covered during the teaching sessions and what was expected to be covered through independent learning for each assignment. If you are unsure about the meaning of the feedback given by your lecturer, you can book a 1-2-1 appointment in order to try to understand what it might mean.

Can anyone attend the ELCOS lessons (no bearing credits) without the obligation of handing out homework or taking tasks and exams?

This is a rather unusual request, as most people would want a recognition for the work that they have done. It is best to contact ELCOS directly at [email protected] and to discuss with them the details of this specific situation.

It looks like you’re visiting from outside the UK, would you like to be redirected to the international page?

Skip to Content

Other ways to search:

• Events Calendar

Ready? Set. Apply! Your need-to-know guide for the 2025 application season.

Despite all the hype, submitting the application doesn’t have to be a daunting task. This process allows you to put together a curated masterpiece of your life’s work; an opportunity to show us your story in your own words. As admissions professionals, we’re looking to your application to give us an idea of what you’ve accomplished or the roadblocks you’ve encountered along the way. It’s important to imagine your application as a cohesive narrative of your academic and personal path. Check out this step-by-step guide that will help you navigate this process successfully—and without all the stress. 

Step # 1: Investigate! 

Start by asking yourself, “What’s important to me?” and take that a step further by exploring the college experience you envision for yourself. Write down a few goals or priorities for the next four years—and allow those to be a roadmap through your college search. Be sure to take advantage of the support system around you by connecting with your admission counselor, current students, alumni and faculty! We are here to help, and we’re happy to discuss any questions or worries you have about the application process. 

Pro-tip: Create a college specific email address for all college related communication! 

Step # 2: Start setting those calendar reminders! 

We know you’re super busy and in the midst of your senior year, and of course we want you to be able to enjoy this special time. But part of celebrating how far you’ve come is preparing for your next step! You’ll feel more relaxed and prepared if you have a solidified timeline and set milestones for yourself. Mark your calendar with a due date that is a few weeks ahead of the application deadline. Don’t forget to review all required documents and have them submitted by the deadline. This will ensure that you have the time to carefully review your application before you submit it to the admissions office. 

Step # 3: Make sure to take breaks. 

Don’t forget to take a step back from your application to breathe. Let someone else (or a few people) read through your application before submitting it to get a fresh perspective. Remember, this is YOUR story to tell, but having input from others can help catch any little errors that you may have overlooked. 

Step # 4: Flexibility is key. 

Every year, there are updates and changes to college applications, and this year has been no exception. Changes are being made at the college level to adapt to student circumstances. 

A few things to highlight within the 2025 application: 

Test scores are optional for first-year students applying to CU Boulder. 

Students are required to submit the Common Application Essay (word limit: 250-650) and a short-answer academic interest question (word limit: 250).

We accept unofficial transcripts, which you’ll be able to upload directly to your application status page. 

We recommend reviewing the application checklist on the  First-Year Application website  to ensure that you’ve submitted all required materials for a completed application. When you’re happy with the final version and have made any necessary edits, it’s time to click “Submit!” Take a deep breath and take some time to admire what you’ve accomplished. 

No one can tell your story quite like you can. Regardless of where you end up, never forget how far you’ve come and how hard you’ve worked to get where you are. Be confident! Have faith in yourself, your application, what you’ve done and what’s coming next in your life. And remember, this is just the beginning! We will be hosting several in-person and virtual visit opportunities​ this fall to help you with your application and walk you through the admission process. 

Written by CU Boulder Office of Admissions

• Application Tips

The University of Colorado does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, pregnancy, disability, creed, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, political affiliation, or political philosophy. All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply. You may  view the list of ADA and Title IX coordinators  and  review the Regent policy .

As a student or prospective student at CU Boulder, you have a right to certain information pertaining to financial aid programs, the Clery Act, crime and safety, graduation rates, athletics and other general information such as the costs associated with attending CU Boulder. To view this information visit  colorado.edu/your-right-know .

Apply for Admission

Visit Campus

Support CU Boulder

• Safety & Health Services
• COVID-19 Information
• Campus Communications
• Emergency Alert System
• New Student & Family Programs

Getting Around

• Campus Events
• Parking & Transportation
• Visit Information

Information for

• Faculty & Staff
• Journalists

Initiatives

• Business & Industry Collaborations
• Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
• Free Speech
• Innovation & Entrepreneurship
• Public & Outreach Programs
• Sustainability
• Understanding Your Cost of Attendance