You’ve Done the Career Test and the Uni Prep Report: Now What?

The process of preparing for university can often seem never-ending, with various steps and requirements before you even submit your application. However, at the Oxford Scholastica Academy, we’re working to make this process easier and more straightforward for prospective students, beginning with our sister organisation’s Career Test and University Prep Report. If you’ve arrived at this article, you’ve likely completed both of these steps – congratulations!

For those who have yet to try our free tests, we encourage you to utilise these resources to ease your anxieties around the university admissions process.

Regardless of the stage you’re at in your journey towards undergraduate applications, this article serves as a guide to empower you to confidently navigate your next steps!

What Is the Career Test?

The OxBright Career Test is a free resource designed to guide students aged 15-18 towards their ideal career path. This is also helpful in deciding which subject to pursue for your undergraduate degree. The Career Test utilises a student-specific algorithm to analyse your interests, preferences and skills to generate tailored career recommendations, in-depth insights and relevant resources.

Additionally, the test is able to synthesise data to produce a comprehensive comparative analysis, allowing you to better understand your strengths and weaknesses.

What Is the University Preparation Report?

The OxBright University Preparation Report is our second free resource, designed to help prospective students aged 15-18 improve their university applications and stand out from other applicants. 

The report scores students against the seven key metrics of university success – confidence, reading, experience, news, courses, practice and support – to suggest the most relevant resources, tips and advice for creating the best possible application. 

Like the Career Test, the University Preparation Report uses student information to produce detailed data and statistics, so you can see how you compare to other applicants to similar programmes and universities.

Interpreting Your Results

Once you’ve completed both the Career Test and University Preparation Report, you’ll likely be curious about your results. This section outlines how to interpret your reports to get the most value out of the data.

Understanding your Career Test results

To start, you should take note of the areas where you scored highest on the Career Test. These are not only your strengths, but also a strong indication of your interests and passions, which can be fundamental in choosing the right course for you.

Once you’ve had the opportunity to examine your strengths and weaknesses, it’s useful to reflect on the specific types of tasks, environments and activities that best align with your strengths and interests. For example, an interest in economics or quantitative research might indicate you’re a good fit for a fast-paced banking environment.

You should also evaluate how closely the recommended career paths align with your personal values and long-term aspirations. After all, an undergraduate degree is the first step in preparing for your future, and finding a career that brings you joy and fulfils your personal needs is a key part of a successful and satisfying life.

Finally, take the time to reflect on the level of fulfilment and satisfaction you can envision in each of the recommended careers. Is there an area that seems particularly interesting or suited to your values? What about a professional path that doesn’t particularly excite you? These are all helpful questions to ask yourself.

Analysing your Uni Prep Report results

Similarly, the Uni Prep Report results allow for personal and academic reflection. Based on these results, you can identify the areas where your scores are lower, or where there’s room for improvement, but don’t panic! 

Learning about potential areas for growth is just as important as acknowledging your strengths. By taking your results on board, you’ll be able to strengthen your university application and boost your overall preparedness. 

Take the time to compare your scores to the benchmark data provided in the Uni Prep Report to understand where you stand relative to other applicants. This can often help you recognise the areas where your application could be further refined.

Finally, this benchmark information can be used to set realistic goals for improvement and development – especially if you take the tests well in advance of the UCAS deadlines.

What Now?

Taking the time to reflect on your results is the first step in understanding how prepared you are for your degree and future career. 

Next up…

1. Research career fields

Consider diving deeper into your recommended careers. This might look like speaking to professionals involved in each sector, or researching local organisations and university programmes that provide training in the field itself. 

Don’t hesitate to research the job prospects, industry trends, required qualifications and potential growth opportunities in each recommended field. It’s never too early to begin thinking about these questions.

2. Informational interviews and shadowing

Once you’ve delved into some deeper research in your recommended career fields, you can begin to reach out to professionals working in these areas. You could request informational interviews or a more formal shadowing process. Many professionals are excited by the prospect of introducing young people to their field, and will be happy to take you under their wing for a period of time.

Shadowing opportunities, in particular, give you the opportunity to gain first-hand insights into different career paths and industries. This can further refine your career and degree search, as you may discover that a certain field suits you more than another.

3. Set SMART goals

Once you’ve identified your strengths and weaknesses, you can try some goal-setting. We recommend adopting the SMART criteria to define your academic and career goals: 

• Specific 
• Measurable 
• Achievable 
• Relevant
• Time-bound

The SMART goals technique is useful in breaking down large goals into smaller deliverables. These actionable steps allow you to more effectively track your progress toward higher education or the professional world.

4. Start reading

Once you’ve set attainable goals for yourself, it’s time to immerse yourself in the books, articles and resources recommended by the University Prep Report. This is certainly not a comprehensive set of resources, but it’s an immensely useful place to start!

Additionally, it’s also a good idea to stay updated on relevant industry news and emerging trends to demonstrate your subject interest in your university applications.

5. Strengthen your academic skills

The Uni Prep Report acts as an excellent launchpad for you to strengthen your academic skills. Consider the areas where you’ve demonstrated potential room for growth, and fill those gaps in time to submit your undergraduate applications.

This can be done by enrolling in academic courses or workshops that enhance your critical thinking, writing and quantitative reasoning abilities. 

6. Get involved with extracurriculars

Beyond academics, you can use the test results to consider possible extracurricular activities that align with your interests and goals. Extracurricular activities enhance university applications, and are also a fun way to develop important transferable skills. 

Joining clubs, sports teams or volunteer organisations can help you develop strong leadership skills, teamwork and time-management abilities to help you stand out from the crowd of university applicants.

7. Gain experience

Once you’ve identified potential career paths that align with your academic and personal interests, you can start acquiring work experience. Seek out relevant internships, part-time jobs or volunteer opportunities that align with your longer-term goals.

This hands-on experience and practical skill development will set you apart in both your university applications and future job searches.

8. Draft your personal statement content

Writing your UCAS personal statement is an incredibly important part of the undergraduate admissions process, as it allows applicants to showcase their personal skills and attributes that make them uniquely suited for a given degree or university. 

After completing the Uni Prep Report, take the time to draft your personal statement, incorporating the new insights you’ve gained. Be sure to demonstrate your individual achievements, experiences and aspirations in a compelling and authentic manner.

9. Seek guidance and support

Finally, as you begin to explore potential career paths and refine your academic skills, it’s important to remember you have various avenues for support. Don’t hesitate to reach out to trusted mentors, educators or career advisors for guidance throughout the application process.

Ultimately, remember to do the following:

• Share your goals and aspirations for professional and educational life
• Outline your identified challenges and areas for improvement, based on the test results
• Ensure you speak to trusted individuals who’ll offer valuable advice and encouragement around a given topic

The undergraduate admissions process can be a difficult one to navigate alone, so tap in the support of those closest to you each step of the way.

Overall, these assessments are a wonderful way to start preparing for your undergraduate application journey.

We encourage you to continue utilising our online resources throughout your academic and professional journey to bolster your path to success and set you apart from the crowd.