The key to King’s College University

“In addition to providing further education, attending university is a guaranteed way to make lifelong companions and acquire experiences that you may carry with you throughout your whole professional career.”

The first-year undergraduate, Nelli Arnaut, studying Medical Nursing at one of the top 5 Russell Group Universities in London- King’s College University - for medicine took time to discuss what she did to achieve a spot in studying in such a prestigious school and area. Nelli,18, went to sixth form and studied 2 A-level courses in Psychology and Sociology and a B-tech in Applied Science (where she was able to apply all three sciences in a coursework format). Successfully, she achieved 2 As and a Distinction Star which alongside her personal statement and experience granted her the entrance to pursue her career of becoming a nurse. Arnaut, throughout the interview, describes her struggles but also what she enjoyed in the process of applying and why she even chose this course of direction. Additionally, she expresses and hints at uni life and all its benefits.

Why did you choose University?

Arnaut stated that University was always her “first choice for post-18, it has always been a direction that I wanted to take as it satisfied me the most. However this was backed up with the course I wanted to take, as I wanted to go into medicine, university is most desired especially when specialising for a specific sphere of work - for me being nursing.” For her this decision relied mostly on her speciality but also because she felt it was something she wanted. “I know that some people believe you can be very successful without a degree but I felt that I personally wanted the extra educational years for myself not for the money I will get. I wanted to experience the uni life and have the extra liberty without the worry of a career just yet.”

How was the application process?

Surprisingly, Nelli Arnaut enjoyed the application process; writing her personal statement and her work experience. With confidence, Nelli expresses that “I actually enjoyed writing my personal statement, I got to know myself in a different way. I looked at it as an opportunity to express myself in a professional way. However that was for me personally, I know some people who had different experiences.”

How did you prepare for your exams?

“The best way for any sciences whether that is a social science (psychology) or applied science for instance, active recall is your best friend. To revise I would use a big whiteboard and just blurt everything I knew, then in a different pen write what I missed. I would repeat this several times until I learnt the material I needed. Also, past papers are guaranteed to boost your grades. Practising questions will not only help with your understanding but will get you familiar with the structure of the exams. It was truly a life saver!”

Is university living up to your expectations so far?

Without hesitation, Arnaut stated “Yes, it truly has and not only in the educational side but in the ability to connect with so many people who have the same interests as me. Each university has these “societies” that are essentially groups of people who have an interest in one thing. For instance, I joined the ice skating and fashion society and bonded with students who love the same hobbies as I do. Plus, my uni’s campus is spread across Central London so whenever I go from one lecture to another I'll go by Big Ben or the London Bridge.” 

       “It truly is such a beautiful experience and I wouldn't go back and change anything.”

By Alexandrina Cojan