Sophie Chen - Page 2 of 4

Articles by Sophie Chen

Sophie Chen

Sophie handles applications at UniSorted: course choice, personal statements, interviews, Results Day, Clearing. She has read enough personal statements to spot a chatbot opener at ten paces. The Clearing guides get rewritten every August because the timings shift every year. sophie@unisorted.co.uk

A student working through maths problems in a squared exercise book with a worksheet alongside on the desk

The 2026 Edexcel Maths Paper Was Hard. Here Is How Grade Boundaries Actually Work.

If you sat the Edexcel A-level Maths Paper 1 in early June and walked out feeling like it had been […]

Adult learner with reading glasses studying at home with a laptop and a book on her desk, illustrating part-time undergraduate study alongside other commitments.

Part-Time Undergraduate Student Finance 2026/27: How It Differs From Full-Time

Part-time undergraduate student finance applications opened on 11 May 2026 for courses starting this September. The tuition fee loan is

A group of students walking on a university campus sidewalk on a bright day

UK University Open Days 2026: What to Pre-Book, What to Walk Up, and How to Email the Department

Most prospective students walk into a UK uni open day, hit a queue, do one subject talk, and walk out

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Modular student finance from 2027: a school leaver's guide

The Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE) opens for student finance applications from September 2026, for courses and modules starting from January

Group of university students walking together along a tree-lined campus sidewalk on a bright morning

How to Defer or Change Course: UCAS Flexibility After You Apply

Deferring a university place, switching course after you have an offer, and when it is actually easier to reapply next cycle.

Teenager sitting at a bedroom desk under a warm lamp, focused on a laptop screen with notebooks beside it

A-Level Results Day and Clearing 2026: A Step-by-Step Guide

What happens on results day, what UCAS does automatically, how Clearing works, and how to self-release if you change your mind.

Three students studying together on a bench in a university campus setting outdoors.

Understanding UCAS Offers: Conditional, Unconditional, Firm and Insurance

Every UCAS offer type explained, how firm and insurance work, the 2026 reply deadlines, and how to avoid the common mistakes.

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Predicted Grades and References

Understand the landscape of predicted grades, with 75% of UK students receiving over-predicted A-level grades. Learn about the new three-section UCAS reference format, how to challenge grades, and where to place extenuating circumstances.

Three medical students in a hallway discussing notes, fostering teamwork and learning.

Early Entry (Medicine and Oxbridge)

Understand the critical early entry UCAS deadline of October 15, 2025, for Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Science, Oxford, and Cambridge 2026 entry. Learn about required admissions tests like UCAT and new UAT-UK tests, plus strategic UCAS choices.

Young woman in glasses sitting across a table from two interviewers

University Interview Guide

Headline facts 15 October is the UCAS deadline for courses that typically require interviews, including Oxbridge and medicine. Cambridge interviews