Explain what’s made you want to study this subject, what you know about careers in the industry, and why you’re a good fit for events management.
-
Think about why you want to study the subject
- Have you been inspired by someone, a news story, a documentary, or a podcast?
- Do you have career aspirations in this area of study?
- What interests you about the subject – be specific; rather than saying you enjoy it or are good at it, try to explain the ‘why’ behind your reasoning.
- What do you already know about the subject and what are you looking forward to learning more about?
-
What makes you suitable to study the subject?
- Have you done projects or essays in this subject at school or college?
- Think about who you are as a person; your personality, your strengths, your experiences in life – how do these make you suited to study the subject?
- How have you shown an interest in the subject outside of school or college – have you done extra reading, online courses, been part of clubs or competitions?
- Your current subjects and grades will be included elsewhere in your application, so try to think about specific things you’ve learned during your studies that relate to the subject, rather than listing your grades and subjects.
-
Look at the bigger picture
- Have you done any work experience, an internship or had a part-time job in this subject area or related? Most job or work experience will give you transferable skills, even if it’s in a different industry.
- Do you have any hobbies you can mention that might relate to your chosen subject? Many hobbies show that you can be motivated outside of school to achieve and succeed in something you’re interested in.
- Think about how your life and personal experiences have helped make you the person you are today, and how these challenges and experiences can support your application by evidencing essential qualities for certain subjects.
- If you’ve got ambitions and goals for your life and career, can you express how this subject will help you reach these goals?
Guidance and examples you can use
Question 1: Why do you want to study this course or subject?
This is your opportunity to showcase your passion and knowledge of your chosen subject area and to demonstrate to universities and colleges why it’s a good fit for you and your future ambitions.
Examples:
- If you’re interested in events management, the chances are you’re interested in events, so give examples of ones you’ve attended virtually or IRL, or watched on TV, and how they’ve inspired you to want to pursue this career. Maybe it was Beyoncé, Blur, or Becky Hill at Wembley Stadium that first lit your fire. Elaborate on what you learned from that experience.
- If you’ve been to a careers fair or a comic con, perhaps you can critique something about the event – whether it was the attention to detail, how staff communicated with one another, or the comms and marketing that went with it.
- Explain why events management is a good fit for you. Have you always been organised, sociable, enjoy culture, or what other reasons do you have for wanting to do this? Perhaps you enjoy high-energy environments, or you see yourself working in hospitality or the music industry in the future..
Question 2: How have your qualifications and studies helped you to prepare for this course or subject?
This is your chance to shout about the relevant or transferable skills you’ve gained from your formal education and highlight your understanding of how they will help you succeed in this subject area.
Examples:
- What skills have you picked up in English, maths, or media studies, for example, such as good writing and communication skills, finance, and creative skills?
- You may also have learned how to budget during your business studies, as well as learning about leadership on that course or through managing a team project in lessons or an extracurricular club. If related, mention an EPQ you’ve done at school and how it will help you on this course.
- Have you done any online courses to boost your knowledge in the subject? For example, why not try Subject Spotlights or Virtual Work Experiences from Springpod to grow your skills and interest?
Question 3: What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences useful?
This is your chance to talk about any other activities you have undertaken outside of your formal education, or personal experiences which further demonstrate your suitability for the course. This section is likely to be highly personal to you and anything you do include should reflect on why you’re including it.
Examples:
- Think of events you’ve already organised, whether it was a bake sale for a charity, a concert or event at school, or even a surprise birthday party for someone. Expand on what you learned from the planning and undertaking of the event.
- Write about events you’ve experienced personally too, whether it was a sporting event, music festival, or wedding. Explain what you learned about events management and the qualities you’ll need.
- If you’ve had part-time or weekend jobs in a shop, restaurant, or call centre, you’ll have learned customer service, communication, and sales skills.
- Mention if you’ve captained a sports team, directed a play at school, or led a Scouts or Duke of Edinburgh’s expedition, as these all demonstrate your leadership skills, as well as your planning and time management.
- Do relate any examples back to the subject you’re applying to – make it relevant
- Do make it personal – admissions staff want to get to know who you are
- Do use a spell-checker and grammar-checker to ensure there are no errors
- Do ask people for feedback, whether that’s family members or teachers
- Do your research to find out what universities are looking for, and make sure you include evidence to show how you are suitable for the course
- Don’t just list out examples, subjects you study, or experiences you’ve had without any evidence
- Don’t copy something you’ve seen online or use AI to write something for you
- Don’t make things up just because you think they’ll make you look good on paper
- Don’t leave it until the last minute – you need time for several drafts
- Don’t worry about making each section the same length; as long as you hit the minimum character count, you can use the 4,000 characters across each answer in the way that suits you best
What else can you say about you as a person? Perhaps you’re sociable and you love meeting new people and chatting to them – even better if you can give examples of how you do this already, by working in a busy cafe, or organising an annual get-together with friends and family. Or maybe you’re great at networking and can give examples of how this has already helped you with your career goals.
Think of other things you enjoy doing that might show initiative and a commitment to something. Whether that’s writing your own music, teaching yourself how to code or crochet, or problem-solving your commute to college when your bus route was cancelled.
It's even better if you can link your interests and experience to something you've learned in your English, psychology, or business studies, or read on Time Out, Stand Out magazine, or on events companies’ social media.
Some more tips to consider
- Research the course: Why do you want to study events management, what specific aspects of the course interest you, how does it relate to your academic studies, and what additional reading or other activities have led you to apply?
- Examples of your relevant skills: Can you describe situations where you’ve shown good organisation, resilience, initiative, and great interpersonal skills?
- Problem-solving: Think of times when things have gone wrong or you’ve had to cope under pressure. This could be related to your exams or situations outside of school. Explain how you kept your calm and managed the situation.
- Make your work experience count: Mention any relevant work-shadowing or volunteering you’ve done at a venue, exhibition, or event, and be clear about what you personally gained from it.