Is work experience essential when applying to university?

By Hiroki Takano. Prestigious placements aren't much use if you have nothing insightful to say about them, Professor Mary Beard tells today's student blogger.
Aside from the obligatory two-week placement school pupils complete during year 10, work experience isn't something most students take seriously until they are at university. Then, it's an opportunity to bulk up the CV and meet potential employers.
But is work experience now a necessary prerequisite for sixth formers applying to university? A report released last year by education charity the Sutton Trust warned that top universities use personal statements – which include extracurricular experiences – to distinguish between students of equal academic ability. It said that those who go to private schools are far more likely to recount impressive placements with blue chip employers. This gives them an advantage when applying for a university place. Many vocational degree courses such as medicine or fashion say that applicants must complete work placements before applying. Read more...