Study Skills

Course summary

The qualification is designed as a "stretch-and-challenge" opportunity, to investigate a topic beyond the normal confines of an A Level qualification. It demonstrates that you have some of the key skills required for university study and provides good evidence to include in a UCAS personal statement, demonstrating that you can work independently, research, plan, argue and present. Most applicants claim to have these skills, but an Extended Project shows specific evidence. The EPQ allows students to embark on largely self-directed projects. By taking responsibility for the choice and design of an individual project (or an individual role in a group project) students: • become more critical, reflective and independent learners. • develop and apply decision-making and problem-solving skills. • increase their planning, research, analysis, synthesis, evaluation and presentation skills. • learn to apply new technologies confidently. • demonstrate creativity, initiative and enterprise. Universities value students who undertake an Extended Project; mainly because the skills involved are those which they believe are important for students to access their courses successfully. For the less competitive universities, the points count fully, whilst for the more competitive universities, the Extended Project could be the deciding factor when it comes to making an offer to an applicant. There is also evidence that some universities will make students undertaking an EPQ an alternative offer to their traditional offer. The alternative offer will typically be one grade reduced from their traditional offer in exchange for an A in the EPQ. For example, a subject whose traditional offer is AAB will make an alternative offer of ABB plus A grade in the EPQ.