This podcast is where the Futures department at Stowe School share recordings of our careers and higher education talks. Applying to universities and apprenticeships is becoming increasingly competitive. Research suggests that the number of UK students accepted at the top universities has been declining since 2000, with only 6.4% of applicants in 2019 (pre-Covid) gaining an offer from one of the country's most selective universities. Similarly, US News reported that universities (all of them in the US, not just the Ivy's with low single digit acceptance rates) and becoming increasingly competitive, with acceptance rates falling from 63% in 2000 to 51% in 2018. It seems to be getting more competitive each year. In this competitive environment, prospective students must demonstrate that they have gone above and beyond in their academic pursuits. Research has become increasingly important in university applications, with many universities expecting evidence of in-depth research in the form of essays, presentations, and publications... Participation in extra and supra-curricular activities, such as sports, clubs, community service, and academic extension activities, is essential for demonstrating well-roundedness. "It's getting more competitive to get into the top universities, so students need to show that they're really doing something to make their application stand out."