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Ucas personal statements are changing: here’s what you need to know.

Personal statements are set to become a thing of the past. The University and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) has introduced a new process for university applications.

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Personal statements are set to become a thing of the past. The University and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) has introduced a new process for university applications from 2025, meaning that the process will change in 2024 ready for 2025 entrants.

Personal statements have always been an essential part of the university application process. However, UCAS has decided to scrap personal statements in their traditional form. They will now be replaced by a new three-question structure.

If you are preparing to apply for university right now, then you don’t need to worry too much. This new structure isn’t coming into play until 2025, when students are applying for 2026 entry.

What is the new application process?

The new application process differs from the original university application process. Initially, university students were required to write a personal statement, which would be uploaded to UCAS Hub . Universities would then read the personal statement as part of your original university application and make their offers from there.

Under the new process, it will work differently. Under the new university admissions policy, you will no longer be required to write a detailed personal statement but will need to answer questions related to three key areas.

Current key themes are:

  • Motivation for course: Why do you want to study the course?
  • Preparedness for course: How has your learning thus far helped you to be prepared for your course?
  • Preparation through other experiences: What else have you done to help yourself prepare? How and why are these experiences so useful?
  • Extenuating circumstances: Is there anything the university needs to know about you? (optional)

These questions allow students to present themselves in their own words but with more structure. Teacher references will also change, allowing for more objective comments.

Depending on user feedback, these questions may change in the future.

  • Preparedness for study: What have you done to prepare yourself for student life?
  • Preferred learning styles: Which learning and assessment styles suit you best?

Following extensive consultation, UCAS scrapped the latter three. This is because UCAS discovered that the themes would be too difficult to universities that have different teaching and assessment styles. The extenuating circumstances question will have a different section to be answered, but not everyone will need to answer it.

UCAS application process changes

When does this new process start?

This new process will be introduced in 2025 and take effect for 2026 applicants. Those applying to university for 2023, 2024 or 2025 will still need to write a personal statement for their application in the current format.

This means the new process will be coming in after January 2025 (October 2024, if you are applying to Oxbridge ).

A personalised tool will also launch later this year. This tool will provide applicants with entry-grade reports that will give students a range of the profiles accepted onto similar courses over a five-year period, using UCAS data.

Why is the process changing?

UCAS has decided to change the university application process based on student feedback. This process will now offer greater support for applicants from different academic backgrounds.

UCAS has recently published their own report on current applications, called the Future of Undergraduate Admissions report. This research discovered that, out of 13,000 polled students, as many as 83% found writing a personal statement to be too stressful, while a further 79% found the statement too difficult to write without appropriate support.

Personal statements were not unpopular, however. 72% of students found that personal statements were essential parts of the university application process. Personal statements allowed students to stand out as more than just application numbers and their grades. However, the question format s will allow students to continue to stand out from other applicants.

UCAS personal statement questions

How are teacher references changing?

Teacher references are changing to allow teachers to make more objective comments regarding students. Students can pick current or former academic referees, such as teachers, tutors or head teachers; these referees will then write a full reference to their career goals, work experience and predicted grades.

This process is set to change slightly for 2026 applicants. Under the new system, the referee will instead answer three structured questions. In these questions, teachers will include a general statement about the student’s school or college, any extenuating circumstances that could affect the student’s exam performances and any other circumstances the teacher feels the university should be aware of.

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UCAS Will Replace Personal Statements in 2024: What Students Need to Know

Big changes are coming to the UCAS application process . UCAS announced that they will be replacing personal statements with a series of structured questions starting in 2024 . This new approach aims to reduce stress for university applicants while still giving them a chance to share information about themselves.

Why is UCAS Changing Personal Statements?

The personal statement has been one of the key criteria of the UCAS application for years. However, feedback from both students and universities highlighted some issues with the current free-form format. Surveys found that 83% of students felt writing the personal statement was stressful and 79% said it was hard to complete without support .

Universities also noted it can be difficult to compare personal statements , as content varies widely depending on the individual student. With no set guidelines, students receive different levels of help based on what resources are available.

The goal of the new structured questions is to focus responses and make the process more equitable across the board . Applicants will have clarity on what information universities want to know upfront.

What Will Replace Personal Statements?

Starting with the 2025 UCAS application entry, personal statements will be replaced by six key questions identified through research with universities:

  • Motivation for Course – Why do you want to study these courses?
  • Preparedness for Course – How has your learning so far helped you to be ready to succeed in these courses?
  • Preparation through Other Experiences – What else have you done to help prepare, and why are these experiences useful?
  • Extenuating Circumstances – Is there anything the universities need to know to put your achievements into context?
  • Preparedness for Study – What have you done to prepare for student life?
  • Preferred Learning Styles – Which styles suit you best and how do your course choices match that?

The goal is to capture the key information universities need while allowing applicants to share relevant details about themselves. UCAS continues to refine the focus areas based on feedback.

What This Means for Applicants

Replacing personal statements will affect students definitely. For students applying in 2024 and beyond, the new questions will change how you present yourself to universities. 

The good news is that the process aims to be more straightforward with a clear structure to follow. However, it still requires thought and effort to make your responses stand out.

With less space for elaborate anecdotes, choose details carefully to showcase your skills, experience and fit for the program. Follow prompts closely and focus on exactly how you meet the criteria.

The emphasis will likely shift from creative writing skills to concise, persuasive responses showcasing your abilities. Take time to reflect on experiences that highlight your motivation and preparedness.

What Happens Next?

UCAS emphasizes this change will be a process based on continuous feedback. They aim to introduce the new questions somewhere in 2024 to allow students and advisors time to adjust.

Before launch, UCAS is gathering input on areas like:

  • Are there any missing question topics?
  • How much preparation time would your role need?
  • Perspectives on allowing different statements per university choice.

There is still time to share thoughts and help shape this update. UCAS also hints at more innovations in future cycles, such as multi-media submissions.

Postgraduate Personal Statements Remain Unchanged

The upcoming changes to the personal statement will only apply to undergraduate UCAS applications . For students applying to postgraduate, PhD and master’s programmes , personal statements will remain a required component of the application process. 

These programmes will continue to use free-form personal statements, allowing applicants ample space to detail their motivations, relevant skills and experiences. Universities utilise personal statements to assess candidates’ fit and potential for rigorous further study required at the postgraduate level. 

While undergraduate admissions are evolving, postgraduate applicants can expect the current personal statement format to persist across UK universities.

Learn more:

  • How to Write a Personal Statement for a Masters Degree
  • How to Write a Personal Statement for a PhD

Final Thoughts: Personal Statement Change

The UCAS personal statement as we know it will soon be a thing of the past. While it marks a major change, the update aims to streamline the process for all involved. Students can focus on putting their best foot forward in a more structured format. With some preparation, applicants will still be able to share their unique stories.

FAQ: UCAS Replacing Personal Statements

Why is ucas replacing personal statements.

UCAS decided to replace free-form personal statements after feedback showed the current format causes stress for applicants. Universities also noted personal statements can be difficult to compare. The new structured questions aim to make the process more straightforward and equitable.

When will the new questions be implemented?

UCAS plans to introduce the structured questions no earlier than 2024, for use in the 2025 application cycle. This timeline allows students, advisors, and universities time to adjust to the new format.

What will the new questions focus on?

Based on research with universities, UCAS identified six key topics: motivation and preparedness for the course, relevant experiences, extenuating circumstances, preparedness for study, and preferred learning styles. Applicants will need to concisely answer prompts on each theme.

How many questions will there be?

UCAS is still finalising the format, but the initial framework suggests six main questions covering the key themes. Each theme may have multiple sub-questions to guide responses.

Will the word count stay the same?

We don’t know yet. Details are still in progress, but it’s likely the total word count will be similar to the current 4,000-character limit for personal statements. Word counts may vary per question.

How should students prepare for the new format?

Students should reflect on key experiences that showcase their skills, motivation and readiness for university study. Focus responses on providing relevant details the prompts ask for.

Will universities have access to past personal statements?

UCAS has not indicated if universities will still have access to personal statements submitted before 2024 during the transition period.

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Are UCAS Personal Statements Changing Format for 2024?

UCAS Personal Statement

No Changes to Personal Statements for 2024 Entry

In response to valuable feedback from students who find immense value in the personal statement process, UCAS has decided to retain this crucial element in the 2024 entry. Despite certain shortcomings, and amid reports that the personal statement was due to change, UCAS are now delaying their personal statement reform until at least the 2025 application cycle (if you want top tips and guides on how to ace your traditional personal statement, check out our brand new Personal Statement Page ). Proposed changes include removing the traditional 4,000 character statement in lieu of a number of questions that students will answer. The questions that have been settled on so far are as follows:

Motivation for Course: Why Do You Want to Study These Courses? Students will delve into their motivation for selecting specific courses, which could be linked to career aspirations or a genuine passion for the subject. This question encourages thorough course research, ensuring alignment with the student's goals, be it professional accreditation, a particular career pathway, or a deep fascination for the subject.

Preparedness for Course: How Has Your Learning Journey Prepared You for Success? This question invites students to reflect on their formal learning experiences, such as school or college curricula, and how these have shaped their understanding of the subject. It emphasises showcasing the skills and competencies gained, demonstrating an understanding of what will contribute to their success in the chosen courses.

Preparation Through Other Experiences: How Have You Readied Yourself, and Why Are These Experiences Useful? Students are encouraged to highlight a variety of experiences beyond formal education, ranging from extracurricular learning to employment. The focus is on explaining the significance of each experience, emphasising the skills developed, critical thinking fostered, and how these experiences will aid their academic journey.

Extenuating Circumstances: Providing Context to Achievements and Experiences. Although not mandatory, this question offers a space for students to contextualise their achievements and experiences by addressing any extenuating circumstances that may have impacted their educational journey. It allows students to provide a broader understanding of their context without diverting attention from showcasing their skills and suitability for the courses.

Preparedness for Study: How Have You Readied Yourself for Student Life? This question prompts students to reflect on their readiness for the transition to higher education, encompassing independent learning and, in some cases, independent living. It helps universities gauge applicants' understanding of the changes and their proactive measures to succeed in this new academic phase.

Preferred Learning Styles: Aligning Learning Styles with Course Choices. Students are encouraged to identify their preferred learning and assessment styles, illustrating how these preferences match their chosen courses. Whether they thrive in group projects or prefer solo work, universities seek to ensure a good match between the student's learning style and the course structure to enhance the learning experience.

However, UCAS do not propose actioning change to the personal statement before 2024, or for those starting new courses in 2025. There will be a number of feedback rounds from students to provide suggestions on what they think should change before anything is ultimately decided.

Changes to UCAS Applicant References in 2024

Although the personal statement itself isn’t changing, UCAS is implementing changes to academic references. The objective is to provide a more structured and insightful approach, aligning with universities' and colleges' expectations while streamlining the reference compilation process.

Previously, academic references often varied significantly in content and format from one referee to another, making it challenging to effectively compare applicants. Universities and colleges faced a dilemma in deciphering the true essence of each applicant from these diverse references. Simultaneously, academic advisers reported mounting pressure to invest extensive time in crafting detailed references with the anticipation of boosting applicants' chances of success.

A Structured Approach for Enhanced Clarity and Precision

To address these challenges, UCAS is ushering in a transformation by replacing the open-ended free text approach with a more structured, segmented format for academic references. Starting from the 2024 entry cycle, academic advisers will be guided to include three specific sections, bringing in a more standardised and clear structure to the references:

General Statement: Advisers will start with a concise general statement about the applicant.

Extenuating Circumstances (if applicable): This section allows for the inclusion of any exceptional circumstances that may have affected the applicant's academic journey.

Supportive or Specific Applicant Information: Advisers can add any other information they deem relevant, ensuring a comprehensive overview of the applicant's strengths and achievements.

Key Benefits of the Restructured Approach

Enhanced Clarity and Confidence: The structured approach instils clarity and confidence in advisers, knowing that they are providing pertinent and meaningful information that universities and colleges seek.

Time Allocation and Resource Efficiency: With a structured format in place, advisers can allocate their time and resources more efficiently, focusing on guiding students through the discovery phase of their application journey.

Streamlined Selection Decisions: Universities and colleges can easily navigate and extract vital information from the structured references, aiding in efficient selection decisions and targeted support.

Tailoring to Course-Specific Requirements

As with personal statements and entry requirements, some courses and institutions may have specific expectations for academic references. Applicants and advisers are encouraged to consider general guidance in conjunction with any specific requirements outlined by universities and colleges.

This transition to a structured approach in academic references marks a significant step towards streamlining the application process, aligning the expectations of academic institutions, advisers, and applicants alike. The 2024 entry cycle brings forth an era of increased clarity and efficiency, ensuring a more effective evaluation of applicants' potential within the higher education landscape.

How U2 Can Help With Your UCAS Application

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We support students through each step of the process, from university choice to course selection, and crafting a compelling UCAS personal statement. If applying to Oxbridge, this also means honing the skills necessary for admissions tests and interviews, ensuring you're well-prepared for the challenges ahead.

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Changes to the UCAS Personal Statement

The UCAS personal statement has been a stumbling block for university applicants for decades. However, UCAS (University and Colleges Admissions Service) is shortly to introduce an entirely new process which will instead adopt a structure incorporating six questions applicants will have to answer instead.

How will the personal statement be changing?

The previous requirement was for a lengthy and potentially unstructured personal statement which would be uploaded to the UCAS Hub.

Universities would read this statement, and potentially make admissions decisions and offers based upon your statement and your predicted grades. For a lot of students, especially those who didn’t necessarily have access – either socially or financially – to a lot of the extracurricular activities their peers might, this immediately put them at a disadvantage. Initially the new process was due to be introduced in 2024, for applicants looking for university entry from 2025. However, UCAS have now decided that it won't be introduced until 2025 at the earliest.

Currently, it is understood that the new process will ask you to answer questions on six areas related to your potential suitability for university entrance and study on your course. These are likely – but not yet confirmed – to be something along the following lines:

  • Why do you want to study this course?
  • What have you learned so far that prepares you for this course?
  • What else have you done (that isn’t necessarily directly related to the subject) that helps you prepare, and why has this been useful?
  • Are there any circumstances that the university needs to be aware of (such as personal, health, home, or other home life issues)?
  • How have you prepared/are you preparing for student life (i.e. independent living)?
  • Which styles of learning suit you best?

This structured statement will allow students to give the university admissions board a good idea of who they are and what they might offer to the course and to the institution, but also give them guided help with what has previously been a dreaded part of the admissions process. It’s not just students that are subject to changes here; teacher references will also undergo changes, with an emphasis on objective assessment. The changes are still in fledgling form, and feedback will be sought from end users to refine the changes even further if necessary.

When will the changes to the personal statement take effect?

If you’re applying next year for 2026 entry, the bad news is that you will still have to write a personal statement (although, of course, there’s nothing to stop you using the prototype questions to help you structure this and make the process easier!).

These changes will come into effect for students looking to enter a programme of higher education from 2026 onwards.

What will help you, however, if you’re planning to go to university in 2024, is the personalised tool .

This will allow you to see the kind of profiles that have been accepted onto courses similar to those you are interested in over the past five years. So really don’t despair if you’re in the “last of the personal statements” intake!

Why is the personal statement changing?

University entrants are changing. Applicants who wouldn’t have considered university education as being a possibility for them even a decade ago are now graduating with top degrees.

However, the personal statement – with a bias towards those who are lucky enough to have a rich social and extracurricular experience to back up their academic prowess – wasn’t adequately reflecting (or indeed supporting) the students who might have needs or circumstances that precluded wider experiences. Current findings from UCAS show that 79% of students found the personal statement “too difficult” to write without additional and appropriate support. That’s almost 4/5 of applicants, so unquestionably shows the need for change.

That doesn’t mean, however, that students don’t see and acknowledge the value of the personal statement. The revamped, structured statement should allow all university applicants to show their worth on an equal basis.

To find out more, read the following report on the Future of Undergraduate Admissions from UCAS.

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  • UCAS Personal Statements Are Changing in 2025

Last Updated: 16th January 2023

Author: Matthew Amalfitano-Stroud

Table of Contents

It was announced by UCAS in January of 2023 that traditional Personal Statements will be removed from the university application process in the UK. 

Since 1993, UCAS has required university applicants in the UK to submit a 4,000-character Personal Statement during the application process, which would then be accessed by university admissions teams to assist in the shortlisting process. 

However, it has been confirmed by UCAS that this process will be changing as soon as 2025. Here, we dissect the announcement, discuss what we currently know about this change and explain how this could affect your university application. Let’s begin:  

In short, this is what you need to know:

  • UCAS Personal Statements are being replaced by a multi-question survey that gives applicants the chance to explain various aspects of their application.
  • This change could be implemented as early as the 2025 admissions cycle for 2026 Entry in the UK.
  • This will affect all applicants, both home and internationals, looking to attend a UK university in 2026 and beyond.
  • Students will need to learn how to take on these new questions rather than traditional Personal Statement writing.
  • Teachers will need to be prepared to do research on this new system and provide support for students in order to maximise their chances of success.
  • We at UniAdmissions are keeping a very close eye on the situation and will update this guide as new information surfaces. We will also ensure that our support systems are up-to-date and effective at helping students through these changes.

What are Personal Statements Being Replaced with?

With the announcement that the current system for UCAS Personal Statements will be getting replaced, it is only natural to be asking what will be replacing it. Thankfully, we have already been given some idea of what to expect. 

Unlike the other major shake-up to the 2024 admission process, the removal of various admissions tests including the BMAT , the official announcement has provided us with an explanation of what UCAS is seeking to implement instead of traditional Personal Statements. 

Put simply, the current format of providing a 4,000-character piece of writing will be replaced with a series of specific questions which applicants must answer. These questions will still allow you to write your answers out, but you will be answering set questions instead of having to plan and structure a full statement from scratch. 

The specifics of this system have not been announced yet, including the number of questions and the character limits. We also don’t know what the questions will be yet as they are still being developed. However, we do know the key areas that these questions will focus on (all points are taken directly from the UCAS report): 

  • Motivation for Course – Why do you want to study these courses?
  • Preparedness for Course – How has your learning so far helped you to be ready to succeed on these courses?
  • Preparation through other experiences – What else have you done to help you prepare, and why are these experiences useful?
  • Extenuating circumstances – Is there anything that the universities and colleges need to know about, to help them put your achievements and experiences so far into context?
  • Preparedness for study – What have you done to prepare yourself for student life?
  • Preferred Learning Styles – Which learning and assessment styles best suit you – how do your courses choices match that?

Of course, this is all subject to change as UCAS is still actively working with universities to determine what they want most from applicants. However, it seems that they are aiming to cover the same ground as traditional Personal Statements while also allowing applicants to discuss more personal factors such as motivation, preference and extenuating circumstances. 

At UniAdmissions, we ensure all of our students receive the most up-to-date support.

At UniAdmissions, we’re working tirelessly to ensure that our tutors, curriculum and resources are ready to get our students through these changes. You can join them today and ensure you get the support you need to make it through the 2024 admissions cycle . 

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When Are UCAS Personal Statements Being Replaced?

The initial announcement stated that these reforms to the Personal Statement system will be introduced in the 2024 admissions cycle for 2025 entry. However, UCAS have since gone back on this and delayed the change to as early as 2025 (for 2026 Entry). However, this change could also occur the following year for 2027 Entry. 

UniAdmissions contacted UCAS directly to confirm if a date had been set for the implementation of the new Personal Statement format. The representative stated the following: 

The current discussion around the Personal Statement changes are to improve the application process for all applicants. At the moment the earliest this change would take place is in the 2026 application cycle. There won't be any changes this year. UCAS Representative

It’s worth mentioning that these plans have been in place for a fair amount of time, with discussions of reforming the application process starting in April 2021. However, this change still won’t be implemented for another year, so applicants applying for 2025 (and potentially 2026) Entry will still need to submit a traditional Personal Statement. 

Why Are UCAS Personal Statements Being Removed?

The announcement of these reforms was made on January 12th 2023 via a blog post on the official HEPI website. This post highlights the amendments being made to the Personal Statement process and the research that was conducted to influence this change.  

Interestingly, the data quoted in this post states that the majority of applicants surveyed were happy with the current Personal Statement process, with 72% feeling positive about it. However, the same survey indicated that 83% of applicants found the process stressful and 79% felt unable to complete theirs without support. This is the data that most likely influenced the changes. 

The post’s writer, Kim Eccleston, states that they are aiming to provide better support for both applicants and universities, creating “a more supportive framework” that allows applicants to write about what the universities need to know in a less restrictive way. It is also stated in a more detailed outline of the announcement that both students and teachers preferred the use of specific questions instead of free-form writing. 

However, a previous post released in November 2022 provides even more insight into the reasoning behind this decision. Based on data featured in HEPI Debate Paper 31 , various industry professionals had commented on the challenges facing applicants of certain background when it comes to the current style of Personal Statement. 

Within the quotes featured here, the traditional UCAS Personal Statement was described as “ambiguous” , “unfair” and “barometers of middle-class privilege” . These comments may potentially be in reference to the current importance of work experience, which can be difficult to obtain without connections in certain industries, as well as additional experiences which may not be available to all applicants.  

Therefore, this new system should presumably reduce the barriers for disadvantaged applicants by shifting focus to each individual’s own interest and abilities within their chosen subjects. 

Other Changes being Made by UCAS

Personal Statements are only one of five key areas being altered by UCAS, as highlighted in the blog post. This is certainly the most significant action taking place, but other changes to the application process include: 

  • Academic references are being reformed, moving from a free-text approach to a set of three questions, similar to the Personal Statement reforms.
  • The 'Entry Grade Report' will be created, which allows applicants to see grade profiles that have been accepted for courses over a five year period.
  • A 'Course Recommendation Tool' is being created to provide applicants with personalised suggestions for courses based on their current grades and preferences.
  • A 'Fair Access Programme' is being created to encourage widening access and participation.

Overall, it seems these changes all have the same intent; to level the playing field and make university applications more achievable for everyone. 

How will this affect my university application?

As previously stated, if you are applying to university this year for 2025 Entry, you will not be affected by these reforms and will need to submit a traditional Personal Statement to UCAS like previous years. 

For applicants applying for 2026/27 Entry and beyond, your application will follow this new process, meaning you won’t have to submit a full Personal Statement but will instead need to answer a series of questions relating to your application and abilities for your chosen course. 

When hearing that the whole process will be changing, this typically instils a feeling of dread as you’ll be treading new ground that no one else has experienced before. However, it’s important to understand that UCAS states these changes are being made for the benefit of both the applicants and the universities. 

As we’ve already discussed, a key part of the reason this change is being implemented is that a high percentage of applicants found writing a traditional Personal Statement stressful, which is counterintuitive to what UCAS is trying to achieve. By providing applicants with a strong framework, in the form of specific questions, this new process should allow more applicants to provide better quality statements for universities. 

This change is also set to be particularly beneficial to those from disadvantaged backgrounds, as the process will allow them to better express their ability regardless of any areas that may be lacking due to factors out of their control. Essentially, the new process should allow more people to stand a better chance of making a good impression despite limitations. 

How Can I Start Preparing?

If you’re starting your preparations early, the main barrier you’ll face at this stage of preparation is not knowing what the questions will be, as they have yet to be announced. There are no resources available currently that cover this system, so you’re going to have to be independent with your preparation here.

Since we have a rough outline of what the questions to focus on, you should still be able to practice your responses. Although they won’t be as relevant any more, it would still be helpful to check out Personal Statement guides and examples as these can help you pin down the language and writing style you use. 

With all this information now available to us, you should be able to get a sense of what to do for your application in the coming years. The initial introduction of this system in 2024 will act as a test of its effectiveness, so elements could be changed in the years following. However, the important thing is that you understand how things are changing from the current system and how you can make the most of the new system. 

If you are applying for university in 2023 for 2024 Entry, you will need to make sure you’re ready to write your Personal Statement. Thankfully, UniAdmissions have plenty of resources to help you through it, including our Ultimate UCAS Personal Statement Guide and our collection of successful Oxbridge Personal Statements . 

If you’re looking for more in-depth support that covers the whole application process for Medicine, Law and Oxbridge courses, them find out how you can enrol in one of our Premium Programmes .  

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Regardless of what changes are made to the Oxbridge admissions process, we will be ready to provide you with the very best support for your application. Our students have access to expert Oxbridge tutors, comprehensive online courses, intensive preparation events and so much more. 

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Ucas changes ‘fairer’ for disadvantaged students

Question marks on heads

Ucas will reframe the personal statement into a series of questions from next year, the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service has announced.

Questions are expected to focus on areas such as an applicant’s motivation for the course they are applying for, as well as their preferred approaches to learning.

Ucas intends to introduce the changes in 2024 for 2025 entry, after consulting with students, teachers, advisers, universities and colleges.

And a union leader has said that the move “feels to be a step towards a simplified, fairer application process”.

Six key areas have been identified for the focus of the questions so far: motivation for the course; preparedness for the course; preparation through other experiences; extenuating circumstances; preparedness for study; preferred learning style. 

Over the past year, Ucas said it has “consulted with 1,200 domestic and international students, over 170 teachers and advisers and over 100 universities and colleges as well as engaging with governments, regulators and the charity sector across the UK”. 

And it says it will continue to engage with the sector to help shape the delivery of the reforms “as we continue to test and validate our proposed questions”.

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Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said that, currently, “it can feel as if personal statements favour more advantaged students whose parents have been through the university system, and are therefore better equipped to help their children write it and provide a wide range of experiences that they can cite within it”.

Mr Barton said that the existing system is “badly in need of reform” but warned that “changes will need to balance the need to establish a consistent format with allowing students to express themselves”.

“Breaking down the personal statement into specific questions feels to be a step towards a simplified, fairer application process,” he said. “We will consider the proposals in detail and consult with members before providing feedback.”

A 2022 Ucas survey found that 72 per cent of applicants felt positive about the personal statement, but 83 per cent reported that “the process of writing a personal statement is stressful”, with 79 per cent agreeing that the statement is “difficult to complete without support”.

Ucas has also announced today that it will bring in changes to the academic reference element of the application.

Under the changes, the free text approach will be replaced with three structured questions that will act as a “built-in guide for referees keeping their focus firmly in the areas that providers want to know more about”.

Lee Elliot Major, a professor of social mobility at the University of Exeter, said it was “hugely positive” to see Ucas confirming the move to structured questions. 

He added: “No one should underestimate how important this reform will be in helping to level the playing field in university admissions. I’ve been calling for reform as statements currently add further advantage for middle-class applicants who are often given help in filling in their submissions.

“As we enter an era of increasing competition for the most selective university degree courses, we need more structured and transparent university admissions that are fair and fit for purpose for all.” 

A report published last November by the Higher Education Policy Institute recommended that the personal statement be replaced with a series of short-response questions to address the “unnecessary burden” of the task , which was “contributing to inequalities in higher education access”.

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Unexplained move

News | Education

UCAS ditching personal statement for university entry

The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service ( Ucas ) will no longer require students to write a personal statement when applying for university .

The change comes amid claims that the personal statements favour middle-class students who may have better access to “high-quality advice and guidance”, according to Ucas.

The 4,000-character essay will be scrapped and replaced with a series of questions about the higher education course they are applying for.

Ucas announced in February 2022 that it was considering changes to university applications.

At the time, Michelle Donelan, the universities minister, said “I have always felt that personal statements in their current form favour the most advantaged students.

“So I’m pleased that Ucas have confirmed that reform of the personal statement is in their plans so that personal statements work to the benefit of all students.”

Ucas consulted with 1,200 students, 170 teachers, and more than 100 universities and colleges before making the reforms, as reported by The Times.

According to Ucas , although 72 per cent of respondents surveyed felt positive about the personal statement, 79 per cent agreed that writing the statement is difficult to complete without support, and 83 per cent said they found the process of writing a personal statement stressful.

The structured questions aim to  “bring focus and clarity for students, reducing the need for support”.

Students will be asked questions about their motivations for studying courses, what they have done to prepare, and any extenuating circumstances.

Kim Eccleston, head of strategy and reform at Ucas, said in a Higher Education Policy Institute blog post: “We believe this will create a more supportive framework, which in turn will help guide students through their responses by removing the guesswork, as well as capturing the information universities and colleges have told us they really need to know from applicants when it comes to offer-making.”

The changes to the admission process will be introduced no earlier than 2024 for students applying to begin university in 2025.

And in the future, Ucas said that it would consider moving away from written text to multimedia submissions.

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  • March 30, 2023

UCAS Announces No Changes to Personal Statement for 2024 & 2025

UCAS, the organization responsible for managing university applications in the UK, has announced that there will be no changes to the personal statement for the 2024-2025 application cycle. In a recent statement, UCAS stated that they are still in the process of evaluating and assessing potential changes to the personal statement, and will not make any updates until they have completed this process.

The personal statement is an important part of the university application process, allowing applicants to showcase their achievements, interests, and suitability for their chosen course. While some have called for changes to the personal statement format, including limiting the number of characters or introducing more structured prompts, UCAS has decided to hold off on making any updates for the time being.

In their statement, UCAS explained that they are committed to ensuring that the personal statement remains a fair and effective tool for assessing applicants, and that any changes they make will be thoroughly evaluated to ensure that they do not disadvantage any groups of applicants.

While some may be disappointed by the lack of changes to the personal statement, it is important to remember that the statement remains a valuable opportunity for applicants to demonstrate their strengths and suitability for their chosen course. By focusing on presenting a clear and compelling narrative about their experiences and goals, applicants can make the most of this opportunity to impress admissions teams.

As UCAS continues to evaluate potential changes to the personal statement, it is important for applicants to stay up-to-date with any updates or announcements. However, for now, the personal statement will remain a key part of the application process, and applicants should focus on presenting their best selves in their statement to stand out to admissions teams.

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Important Updates on UCAS Personal Statements for 2024 and Beyond

UCAS Personal Statements will not be changing for the 2024 admissions cycle as previously suggested.

We understand that the university application process can be both exciting and challenging, and we are here to support you every step of the way. Recently, there have been significant developments regarding the structure of UCAS personal statements, which we believe is crucial information for all prospective students.

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Initially, UCAS had proposed changes to the personal statement system, indicating a shift towards shorter questions in place of the traditional long-form personal statement starting from the 2024 application cycle. However, we would like to bring to your attention that there has been a recent update from UCAS regarding this matter.

According to the latest information from UCAS (available here ), despite initial plans to make changes for the 2024 entry, UCAS has decided to keep the current system intact. The 2024 application cycle will proceed with the familiar long-form personal statement.

Looking ahead, UCAS is in the process of consulting with students and educators to determine whether they will implement changes from autumn 2025 onwards. While there is a possibility of transitioning to a series of shorter questions, this decision is yet to be finalised, and UCAS is actively seeking input from stakeholders.

What does this mean for you as a prospective applicant? Well, if you’re applying in the coming 2024 cycle, then you do not need to worry about the Personal Statement format changing from the current familiar one. If you’re applying from autumn 2025, however, it means keeping on top of updates from UCAS so that you can be aware of what you have to do as soon as the new Personal Statement system is finalised. In the meantime, thinking critically about your motivations, passions, and key skills in relation to your chosen degree course will always be helpful to your application, regardless of whether or not these changes transpire.

As the situation evolves, we here at Oxbridge Applications will keep you informed of any further updates and adjustments to our support services to ensure that you are well-prepared for your application journey. If you have any questions or concerns regarding these developments or any aspect of the application process, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected] or +44 (0) 20 7499 2394. We are here to support you in achieving your academic goals.

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30 January, 2023

UCAS removes personal statement for 2024 admissions

Thinking of going to a UK university? Read on to learn about the new changes UCAS has made to the university admissions process.

by Rachel Timmins · 3 minutes

UCAS has stated its plans to eliminate the 4000-character personal statement that all students have - up to now - been required to submit, in order to overhaul the university and college admissions procedures. Instead, university applicants will respond to a set of brief questions from the 2024 admissions cycle, according to The Evening Standard.

In February 2022, UCAS revealed that it was exploring changes to university admissions.UCAS engaged with 1,200 students, 170 instructors, and more than 100 institutions and colleges before implementing the modifications, reports from  The Times claim.  According to UCAS , while 72% of respondents questioned were enthusiastic about the personal statement, 79% agreed that writing the statement without assistance is tough, and 83% stated the process was stressful.

At the time, Michelle Donelan, the universities minister, said “I have always felt that personal statements in their current form favour the most advantaged students.

“So I’m pleased that UCAS have confirmed that reform of the personal statement is in their plans so that personal statements work to the benefit of all students.”

The structured questions aim to “bring focus and clarity for students, reducing the need for support”. Kim Eccleston, Head of Strategy and Reform at UCAS, added: “We believe this will create a more supportive framework, which in turn will help guide students through their responses by removing the guesswork, as well as capturing the information universities and colleges have told us they really need to know from applicants when it comes to offer-making.”

Cambridge Assessment also indicated earlier this year that they will make modifications to their admissions exam since they were operationally unsustainable and in order to "provide them cheaply to students and higher education institutions." 

In summary, please find below the UCAS adjustments we should expect for the 2024/25 admissions cycle:

Students will no longer have to write a 4,000-character personal statement.

Instead students will be asked different higher education subject specific questions.

Other entry requirements such as BMAT, NSAA, ENGAA and TMUA examinations will also be phased out.

Changes to the admissions procedure will be implemented no earlier than 2024 for students starting university in 2025. In the future, UCAS  stated that  it would consider shifting away from textual material and toward multimedia contributions.

Here at Melio Education , our mission is to help international students to make informed and competitive applications to UK universities. We want to see students reach their full potential, so from our perspective any move that evens out the playing field and helps the most talented students get into their dream university is positive. 

Emily Bisset , Head of Product and Operations at Melio Education says: ‘We have always enjoyed working with students on their personal statements, and we appreciated the opportunity for students to display their creative flair. However a free-form piece of writing does disadvantage non-native speakers of English (who make up many of the students we work with), and therefore we are pleased to see this move to a fairer process. We are interested to see in due course what the exact questions will be and how they will be framed. We will continue to support our students in every way that we can to get into the universities where they most want to study.’

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Please join our upcoming webinar in February where we will be discussing all things Oxbridge applications, and will include a discussion around these planned changes.

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UCAS set to replace personal statements from 2024

personal statement changes 2024

13th January 2023

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The university application landscape seems set for reform according to reports this morning. UCAS wants to replace a unified personal statement with a series of six questions. Admissions service are also making changes to teacher references, and plans to release details of grade profiles that were accepted onto specific courses. The changes may arrive for the cohort applying in the autumn of 2024.

This might be worth a read:

Five steps UCAS is taking to reform the undergraduate admissions process

The newly published UCAS report is available here

Initial reaction from Geoff Barton here

‘Breaking down the personal statement into specific questions feels to be a step towards a simplified, fairer application process,’ says @RealGeoffBarton of @ucas_online announcement https://t.co/kwseX9NSZQ — Tes (@tes) January 12, 2023

No doubt a huge amount will be said and written as the consultation process gathers momentum. The six question approach appears rather prescriptive and there will be plenty of discussion I feel about the last question on preferred learning styles!

And in a month when ChatGPT and other emerging AI tools have dominated the education headlines, what price that these AI bots will be able to generate convincing written responses in seconds?

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Geoff Riley

Geoff Riley FRSA has been teaching Economics for over thirty years. He has over twenty years experience as Head of Economics at leading schools. He writes extensively and is a contributor and presenter on CPD conferences in the UK and overseas.

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What customers should know about AT&T's massive data breach

By Khristopher J. Brooks

Edited By Anne Marie Lee

Updated on: April 2, 2024 / 5:38 PM EDT / CBS News

Millions of current and former AT&T customers learned over the weekend that hackers have likely stolen their personal information and are sharing it on the dark web . 

AT&T on Saturday said it doesn't know if the massive data breach "originated from AT&T or one of its vendors," but that it has "launched a robust investigation" into what caused the incident. The data breach is the latest cyberattack AT&T has experienced since a leak in January of 2023 , that affected 9 million users. By contrast, Saturday's much larger breach impacts 73 million current and former AT&T account holders. AT&T has seen several data breaches  over  the years that range in size and impact. 

The data breach prompted an Ohio man to file a class-action lawsuit against AT&T, accusing the telecommunications giant of negligence and breach of contract. Lawyers representing Alex Petroski of Summit County, Ohio, argued that the cyberattack could have been avoided and that AT&T's security failed to protect customer data. 

Until more details of AT&T's investigation arise, here's what customers should know about the most recent data breach.

How many people were impacted by the AT&T data breach?

AT&T said the breach on Saturday affects about 7.6 million current and 65.4 million former AT&T customers. 

What type of information was taken from AT&T?

AT&T said Saturday that a dataset found on the  dark web contains information such as Social Security and passcodes. Unlike passwords, passcodes are numerical PINS that are typically four-digits long. Full names, email addresses, mailing addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth and AT&T account numbers may have also been compromised, the company said. The impacted data is from 2019 or earlier and does not appear to include financial information or call history, it added.

Was my information affected by the AT&T data breach?

Consumers impacted by this breach should be receiving an email or letter directly from AT&T about the incident. The email notices began going out on Saturday, an AT&T spokesperson  confirmed .

What has AT&T done so far to help customers?

Beyond notifying customers, AT&T said that it had already reset the passcodes of current users. The company also said it would pay for credit-monitoring services where applicable.

What's the latest with AT&T's investigation into the breach?

AT&T hasn't disclosed details about its investigation into the data breach, but it is likely to be time-consuming and costly, according to Kevin Powers, the founding director of the Master of Science in Cybersecurity Policy and Governance Programs at Boston College.

The company will most likely bring in outside computer forensics specialists who will work with its on-site IT staff to determine exactly when and how the hackers got into the customer account information system, Powers said. But identifying the hackers' path of entry will be a big challenge for such a large company.

"You don't know where it came in from," Powers told CBS MoneyWatch, referring to the source of the breach. "It potentially could be from a customer or it could have been done from one of their outside contractors or someone else along their supply chain."

In addition, AT&T will have to scrub any malware out of the software that runs its customer account system, while also keeping the system running for customers who weren't impacted, he said. All these steps will have to be shared with lawyers, the outside consultants, and likely officials from the Federal Trade Commission. 

What's the best way to protect my personal information? 

Start by freezing your credit reports at all three major agencies — Equifax, Experience and TransUnion. Then sign up for 24-7 credit monitoring and enable two-factor authentication on your AT&T account, said WalletHub CEO Odysseas Papadimitriou, a former senior director at Capital One.

If you receive a notice about a breach, it's a good idea to change your password and monitor your account activity for any suspicious transactions. The Federal Trade Commission offers free credit freezes and fraud alerts that consumers can set up to help protect themselves from identity theft and other malicious activity.

—The Associated Press contributed to this report.

70820838-10107939517480338-3901705551913943040-n.jpg

Khristopher J. Brooks is a reporter for CBS MoneyWatch. He previously worked as a reporter for the Omaha World-Herald, Newsday and the Florida Times-Union. His reporting primarily focuses on the U.S. housing market, the business of sports and bankruptcy.

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medRxiv

Age- and sex-related changes in motor functions: A Comprehensive Assessment and Component Analysis

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Age-related motor impairments often cause caregiver dependency or even hospitalization. However, comprehensive investigations of the different motor abilities and the changes thereof across the adult lifespan remain sparse. We, therefore, extensively assessed essential basic and complex motor functions in 444 healthy adults covering a wide age range (range 21 to 88 years). Basic motor functions, here defined as simple isolated single or repetitive movements in one direction, were assessed by means of maximum grip strength (GS) and maximum finger-tapping frequency (FTF). Complex motor functions, comprising composite sequential movements involving both proximal and distal joints/muscle groups, were evaluated with the Action Research Arm Test (ARAT), the Jebsen-Taylor Hand Function Test (JTT), and the Purdue Pegboard Test. Men achieved higher scores than women concerning GS and FTF, whereas women stacked more pins per time than men during the Purdue Pegboard Test. There was no significant sex effect regarding JTT. We observed a significant but task-specific reduction of basic and complex motor performance scores across the adult lifespan. Linear regression analyses significantly predicted the participants' ages based on motor performance scores (R2 = .502). Of note, the ratio between the left- and right-hand performance remained stable across ages for all tests. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) revealed three motor components across all tests that represented dexterity, force, and speed. These components were consistently present in young (21 - 40 years), middle-aged (41 - 60 years), and older (61 - 88 years) adults, as well as in women and men. Based on the three motor components, K-means clustering analysis differentiated high- and low-performing participants across the adult life span. The rich motor data set of 444 healthy participants revealed age- and sex-dependent changes in essential basic and complex motor functions. Notably, the comprehensive assessment allowed for generating robust motor components across the adult lifespan. Our data may serve as a reference for future studies of healthy subjects and patients with motor deficits. Moreover, these findings emphasize the importance of comprehensively assessing different motor functions, including dexterity, force, and speed, to characterize human motor abilities and their age-related decline.

Competing Interest Statement

The authors have declared no competing interest.

Funding Statement

This study was funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) - Project-ID 431549029.

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AT&T resets account passcodes after millions of customer records leak online

Us telco giant takes action after 2019 data spill.

personal statement changes 2024

Phone giant AT&T has reset millions of customer account passcodes after a huge cache of data containing AT&T customer records was dumped online earlier this month, TechCrunch has exclusively learned.

The U.S. telco giant initiated the passcode mass-reset after TechCrunch informed AT&T on Monday that the leaked data contained encrypted passcodes that could be used to access AT&T customer accounts.

A security researcher who analyzed the leaked data told TechCrunch that the encrypted account passcodes are easy to decipher. TechCrunch alerted AT&T to the security researcher’s findings.

In a statement provided Saturday, AT&T said: “AT&T has launched a robust investigation supported by internal and external cybersecurity experts. Based on our preliminary analysis, the data set appears to be from 2019 or earlier, impacting approximately 7.6 million current AT&T account holders and approximately 65.4 million former account holders.”

“AT&T does not have evidence of unauthorized access to its systems resulting in exfiltration of the data set,” the statement also said.

TechCrunch held the publication of this story until AT&T could begin resetting customer account passcodes. AT&T also has a post on what customers can do to keep their accounts secure .

AT&T customer account passcodes are typically four-digit numbers that are used as an additional layer of security when accessing a customer’s account, such as calling AT&T customer service, in retail stores, and online.

This is the first time that AT&T has acknowledged that the leaked data belongs to its customers, some three years after a hacker claimed the theft of 73 million AT&T customer records. AT&T had denied a breach of its systems , but the source of the leak remains inconclusive.

AT&T said Saturday that “it is not yet known whether the data in those fields originated from AT&T or one of its vendors.”

In 2021, the hacker claiming the AT&T breach posted only a small sample of records, making it difficult to check if the data was authentic. Earlier in March, a data seller published the full 73 million alleged AT&T records online on a known cybercrime forum, allowing for a more detailed analysis of the leaked records. AT&T customers have since confirmed that their leaked account data is accurate .

The leaked data includes AT&T customer names, home addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth and Social Security numbers.

Security researcher Sam “Chick3nman” Croley told TechCrunch that each record in the leaked data also contains the AT&T customer’s account passcode in an encrypted format. Croley double-checked his findings by looking up records in the leaked data against AT&T account passcodes known only to him.

Croley said it was not necessary to crack the encryption cipher to unscramble the passcode data.

Croley took all of the encrypted passcodes from the 73 million dataset and removed every duplicate. The result amounted to about 10,000 unique encrypted values, which correlates to each four-digit passcode permutation ranging from 0000 to 9999, with a few outliers for the small number of AT&T customers with account passcodes longer than four digits.

According to Croley, the insufficient randomness of the encrypted data means it’s possible to guess the customer’s four-digit account passcode based on surrounding information in the leaked dataset.

It’s not uncommon for people to set passcodes — particularly if limited to four digits — that mean something to them. That might be the last four digits of a Social Security number or the person’s phone number, the year of someone’s birth, or even the four digits of a house number. All of this surrounding data is found in almost every record in the leaked dataset.

By correlating encrypted account passcodes to surrounding account data — such as customer dates of birth, house numbers, and partial Social Security numbers and phone numbers — Croley was able to reverse-engineer which encrypted values matched which plaintext passcode.

AT&T said it will contact all of the 7.6 million existing customers whose passcodes it reset, as well as current and former customers whose personal information was compromised.

AT&T won’t say how its customers’ data spilled online

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AT&T says a data breach leaked millions of customers’ information online. Were you affected?

FILE - The sign in front of an AT&T retail store is seen in Miami, July 18, 2019. The theft of sensitive information belonging to millions of AT&T’s current and former customers has been recently discovered online, the telecommunications giant said Saturday, March 30, 2024. In an announcement addressing the data breach, AT&T said that a dataset found on the dark web contains information including some Social Security numbers and passcodes for about 7.6 million current account holders and 65.4 million former account holders. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File)

FILE - The sign in front of an AT&T retail store is seen in Miami, July 18, 2019. The theft of sensitive information belonging to millions of AT&T’s current and former customers has been recently discovered online, the telecommunications giant said Saturday, March 30, 2024. In an announcement addressing the data breach, AT&T said that a dataset found on the dark web contains information including some Social Security numbers and passcodes for about 7.6 million current account holders and 65.4 million former account holders. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File)

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NEW YORK (AP) — The theft of sensitive information belonging to millions of AT&T’s current and former customers has been recently discovered online, the telecommunications giant said this weekend.

In a Saturday announcement addressing the data breach, AT&T said that a dataset found on the “dark web” contains information including some Social Security numbers and passcodes for about 7.6 million current account holders and 65.4 million former account holders.

Whether the data “originated from AT&T or one of its vendors” is still unknown, the Dallas-based company noted — adding that it had launched an investigation into the incident. AT&T has also begun notifying customers whose personal information was compromised.

Here’s what you need to know.

WHAT INFORMATION WAS COMPROMISED IN THIS BREACH?

Although varying by each customer and account, AT&T says that information involved in this breach included Social Security numbers and passcodes — which, unlike passwords, are numerical PINS that are typically four digits long.

FILE - An AT&T sign is seen at a store in Pittsburgh, Monday, Jan. 30, 2023. AT&T said, Saturday, March 30, 2024, it has begun notifying millions of customers about the theft of personal data recently discovered online. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)

Full names, email addresses, mailing address, phone numbers, dates of birth and AT&T account numbers may have also been compromised. The impacted data is from 2019 or earlier and does not appear to include financial information or call history, the company said.

HOW DO I KNOW IF I WAS AFFECTED?

Consumers impacted by this breach should be receiving an email or letter directly from AT&T about the incident. The email notices began going out on Saturday, an AT&T spokesperson confirmed to The Associated Press.

WHAT ACTION HAS AT&T TAKEN?

Beyond these notifications, AT&T said that it had already reset the passcodes of current users. The company added that it would pay for credit monitoring services where applicable.

AT&T also said that it “launched a robust investigation” with internal and external cybersecurity experts to investigate the situation further.

HAS AT&T SEEN DATA BREACHES LIKE THIS BEFORE?

AT&T has seen several data breaches that range in size and impact over the years .

While the company says the data in this latest breach surfaced on a hacking forum nearly two weeks ago, it closely resembles a similar breach that surfaced in 2021 but which AT&T never acknowledged, cybersecurity researcher Troy Hunt told the AP Saturday.

“If they assess this and they made the wrong call on it, and we’ve had a course of years pass without them being able to notify impacted customers,” then it’s likely the company will soon face class action lawsuits, said Hunt, founder of an Australia-based website that warns people when their personal information has been exposed.

A spokesperson for AT&T declined to comment further when asked about these similarities Sunday.

HOW CAN I PROTECT MYSELF GOING FORWARD?

Avoiding data breaches entirely can be tricky in our ever-digitized world, but consumers can take some steps to help protect themselves going forward.

The basics include creating hard-to-guess passwords and using multifactor authentication when possible. If you receive a notice about a breach, it’s good idea to change your password and monitor account activity for any suspicious transactions. You’ll also want to visit a company’s official website for reliable contact information — as scammers sometimes try to take advantage of news like data breaches to gain your trust through look-alike phishing emails or phone calls.

In addition, the Federal Trade Commission notes that nationwide credit bureaus — such as Equifax, Experian and TransUnion — offer free credit freezes and fraud alerts that consumers can set up to help protect themselves from identity theft and other malicious activity.

AP Reporter Matt O’Brien contributed to this report from Providence, Rhode Island.

personal statement changes 2024

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personal statement changes 2024

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Benefit and pension rates 2024 to 2025

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COMMENTS

  1. Personal statements will not be changing for 2024 entry

    The Future of Undergraduate Admissions report highlights UCAS' continued engagement and ongoing progress with admission reform, including: references. personal statements. grades on entry. personalisation. widening access and participation. Read the report here (3.38 MB). If you have any questions, comments or thoughts regarding potential ...

  2. Changes to the UCAS Personal Statement in 2024

    Contact our Oxbridge-graduate consultants and book a Private Consultation for strategic guidance. Book a Private Consultation. As of 2024, UCAS is no longer going to require applicants to write a personal statement. Read how this is likely to affect you as an applicant.

  3. UCAS Personal Statements Are Changing

    Personal statements are set to become a thing of the past. The University and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) has introduced a new process for university applications from 2025, meaning that the process will change in 2024 ready for 2025 entrants. Personal statements have always been an essential part of the university application process.

  4. What Are the Latest UCAS Personal Statement Changes for 2024?

    The UCAS personal statement requirements are changing for university applications applying for 2026 entry. This means that changes will be implemented from October 2025 onwards, so current applications will not be affected by these changes. Students applying for degree programmes starting in the autumn of 2024 or 2025 will still need to write a ...

  5. UCAS Will Replace Personal Statements in 2024

    24 Oct,2023 Alan Withworth. Big changes are coming to the UCAS application process. UCAS announced that they will be replacing personal statements with a series of structured questions starting in 2024. This new approach aims to reduce stress for university applicants while still giving them a chance to share information about themselves.

  6. Will Ucas scrap personal statements?

    In January 2023, Ucas published plans to replace the current free-form personal statement with a series of questions. At that time, the admissions service had suggested the changes could be in place as early as 2024. But Ucas interim CEO Sander Kristel tells The Uni Guide the removal of the current personal statement requirement will now happen ...

  7. Reforming admissions

    The Future of Undergraduate Admissions report highlights UCAS' continued engagement and ongoing progress with admission reform, including: references. personal statements. grades on entry. personalisation. widening access and participation. Read the report here (3.38 MB)

  8. Are UCAS Personal Statements Changing Format for 2024?

    No Changes to Personal Statements for 2024 Entry. In response to valuable feedback from students who find immense value in the personal statement process, UCAS has decided to retain this crucial element in the 2024 entry. Despite certain shortcomings, and amid reports that the personal statement was due to change, UCAS are now delaying their ...

  9. Changes to the UCAS Personal Statement

    Current findings from UCAS show that 79% of students found the personal statement "too difficult" to write without additional and appropriate support. That's almost 4/5 of applicants, so unquestionably shows the need for change. That doesn't mean, however, that students don't see and acknowledge the value of the personal statement.

  10. UCAS Personal Statements Are Changing in 2025

    The initial announcement stated that these reforms to the Personal Statement system will be introduced in the 2024 admissions cycle for 2025 entry. However, UCAS have since gone back on this and delayed the change to as early as 2025 (for 2026 Entry).

  11. Changes to Ucas personal statement 'fairer'

    A 2022 Ucas survey found that 72 per cent of applicants felt positive about the personal statement, but 83 per cent reported that "the process of writing a personal statement is stressful", with 79 per cent agreeing that the statement is "difficult to complete without support". Ucas has also announced today that it will bring in changes ...

  12. Changes to Personal Statements confirmed by UCAS

    UCAS recently announced changes to the personal statement section of university applications. The current free-form 4,000-character essay is going to be replaced by structured questions. These changes aim to make the application process fairer, simpler and more transparent for everyone. Kim Eccleston, head of strategy and reform at UCAS ...

  13. UCAS ditching personal statement for university entry

    The changes to the admission process will be introduced no earlier than 2024 for students applying to begin university in 2025. And in the future, Ucas said that it would consider moving away from ...

  14. Changes to the UCAS Personal Statement in 2024

    This month has brought the news that, as of 2024, UCAS is no longer going to require applicants to write a personal statement when applying for university. In this article, we're going to take ...

  15. UCAS Announces No Changes to Personal Statement for 2024 & 2025

    UCAS, the organization responsible for managing university applications in the UK, has announced that there will be no changes to the personal statement for the 2024-2025 application cycle. In a recent statement, UCAS stated that they are still in the process of evaluating and assessing potential changes to the personal statement, and will not ...

  16. Important Updates on UCAS Personal Statements for 2024 and Beyond

    The 2024 application cycle will proceed with the familiar long-form personal statement. Looking ahead, UCAS is in the process of consulting with students and educators to determine whether they will implement changes from autumn 2025 onwards.

  17. UCAS 2024 Update: The Evolution from Personal Statements to Structured

    As we approach 2024, UCAS has unveiled plans to replace the traditional personal statement with a new approach centred around structured questions. In this blog, we dissect what this change involves and how it will impact prospective university applicants. The Rationale Behind the Shift. UCAS is effectuating this monumental shift to foster a ...

  18. UCAS removes personal statement for 2024 admissions

    UCAS has stated its plans to eliminate the 4000-character personal statement that all students have - up to now - been required to submit, in order to overhaul the university and college admissions procedures. Instead, university applicants will respond to a set of brief questions from the 2024 admissions cycle, according to The Evening ...

  19. UCAS set to replace personal statements from 2024

    The university application landscape seems set for reform according to reports this morning. UCAS wants to replace a unified personal statement with a series of six questions. Admissions service are also making changes to teacher references, and plans to release details of grade profiles that were accepted onto specific courses. The changes may arrive for the cohort applying in the autumn of 2024.

  20. Five steps UCAS is taking to reform the undergraduate admissions

    Of these, the key area I want to highlight is personal statements. We know this aspect of the UCAS application attracts a lot of attention (including in a recent HEPI Debate Paper), and we have been carrying out widespread engagement to determine its value and whether it can be enhanced by changes. In the past year, we have consulted widely ...

  21. UCAS Changes: What You Need to Know 2024

    UCAS, the UK university and college admissions service, has announced the biggest changes to their processes in more than a decade.. In this article, we look past the headlines saying that the personal statement is dead in order to share what the changes will really mean for you, students looking to apply to UK universities.

  22. 3 Big Social Security Changes in 2024 That May Surprise Many Americans

    To review, I've discussed three changes to Social Security that took effect in 2024. Income up to $168,600 is now subject to Social Security payroll tax, up from $160,200 in 2023. Social Security ...

  23. What customers should know about AT&T's massive data breach

    What to know about AT&T's massive data breach 02:13. Millions of current and former AT&T customers learned over the weekend that hackers have likely stolen their personal information and are ...

  24. Age- and sex-related changes in motor functions: A Comprehensive

    Age-related motor impairments often cause caregiver dependency or even hospitalization. However, comprehensive investigations of the different motor abilities and the changes thereof across the adult lifespan remain sparse. We, therefore, extensively assessed essential basic and complex motor functions in 444 healthy adults covering a wide age range (range 21 to 88 years).

  25. AT&T resets account passcodes after millions of customer records leak

    AT&T said it will contact all of the 7.6 million existing customers whose passcodes it reset, as well as current and former customers whose personal information was compromised. AT&T won't say ...

  26. Are your 2024 goals lagging? Time to try a Personal Strategy Map

    REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights. NEW YORK, April 3 (Reuters) - It is April and the first quarter of 2024 is behind us, so there is a good chance your well ...

  27. AT&T data breach: Find out if you were affected

    Updated 2:32 PM PDT, March 31, 2024. NEW YORK (AP) — The theft of sensitive information belonging to millions of AT&T's current and former customers has been recently discovered online, the telecommunications giant said this weekend. In a Saturday announcement addressing the data breach, AT&T said that a dataset found on the "dark web ...

  28. Benefit and pension rates 2024 to 2025

    Details. This publication lists the benefit rates and pension rates for 2024 to 2025 as set out in the written ministerial statement made by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on 22 ...