Passion and positive attitudes are key to university entrance

A passion for their subject, a positive attitude to studying and good written English are crucial to getting through university admission procedures.

The elusive list of attributes that universities look for in applicants aside from exam results has been revealed in new research.

A study involving university admission officers asked them to name the skills and attributes that they most like to see, other than qualifications and grades, when considering applications.

Good written English skills led the way, followed by a passion for the course subject and a “proven ability to think and work independently”. 

The University Admissions Officers Report 2013 was commissioned by ACS International Schools and the research involved 100 admissions officers. The list of the 10 most sought after attributes, published below, is based on the percentage of respondents who ranked each area as “important” or “very important”.