Why did you apply for the programme?

My name is Abbie and I am from Inverness, in the Highlands of Scotland. I applied for the Sutton Trust Summer School for many reasons. Living in a small village, in a relatively small city, I always dreamt about studying in a busy city.Applying to study at the University of Glasgow for a week would give me the chance to experience this and decide whether or not this environment was right for me. I also applied to the programme as it allowed me to study multiple subjects that interested me and I knew that doing the programme would give me a much better understanding of the subjects I was considering studying at university. One final reason I applied was that I wanted to push myself out of my comfort zone and become more independent as I had never properly experienced living on my own.

Did you have any worries before attending?

I did worry about attending Summer School. I was afraid that university might not be for me and it would not live up to my expectations. I was worried that instead of helping me decide what I wanted to do in the future it would, in fact, confuse me even more and have me worrying about picking the right subject for me. I was also extremely worried that I wouldn’t fit in and be lonely. However, none of these worries became a reality!

What were your highlights of the programme?

The highlight of my Summer School was definitely the people. Every single person I met opened my eyes and taught me so much. I made friends for life and realised that making friends in a university setting is not as scary as you might imagine it to be. The staff and existing pupils also made the experience as wonderful as it could possibly be. From the minute we arrived until the minute we left, everyone was so welcoming and did everything they could to give us the most enjoyable and life-changing experience possible. I can’t praise them enough!

I have gained so much from the Summer School. I have made friendships that will last forever, I have experienced life in a different city, I have tried new subjects and discovered what I would love to study in the future. However, the thing I am most grateful for is the support I have received throughout my whole Summer School journey. Every member of staff we met gave us their contact details so we could voice any concerns or worries we had about studying a particular subject or even university life in general.

After receiving my exam results I instantly received advice on what subjects I could study to benefit me in my final year of high school and was congratulated for all my hard work. We are still being offered support now in writing our UCAS personal statements and we are being provided with any additional we may need. Gaining this support network has been so beneficial to me as a student but it has also given me a whole new group of people who believe in me and make me want to achieve great things. Summer School really has changed my life.

What are your plans for the future?

I am currently in the process of applying to university. Thanks to attending my summer school, my passion to study Sociology has only grown and I can’t wait to explore this subject more thoroughly in the future. Studying sociology gives me many options in terms of employment after university and I am excited to see which path I will go down.

What would you say to someone who is unsure about applying?

If you’re eligible, please apply! I have learned so much from this experience, not only about university and what I want to do in the future but also about myself as a person. You will gain so much from the experience and you will feel so much more secure about your future plans knowing you’ve already got an idea of what university is actually like and what is on offer to you. It is such an amazing opportunity and applying for a Summer School is, in my opinion, the best way to get all of your questions answered and put to rest any worries you may have surrounding university.