Why I took the PTES and you should too

Another year, another survey. But wait, what’s this? It’s the Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey! The PTES is ready and waiting to be taken by you all between now and Friday 17 June. Having recently completed it myself, I’m here to guide you through what the PTES does and why it is the perfect platform to express your views on how this year has been and what could be improved for the ones to come.

Are you a final year postgraduate taught student? If so, this survey wants to know how that feels! In brief, the PTES is run by King’s in partnership with Advance HE, and it’s an opportunity for us PGT students to reflect on and review our year of learning. If you have ideas about what could be done differently or feel that some things work wonderfully just as they are, then this is the survey for you. Plus, so much good will come from your participation in the PTES. You will be enhancing the PGT experience whilst also providing support beyond the King’s community as each completed survey will see King’s donate £1 to Centrepoint, a charity for young people experiencing homelessness.

Like what you see? Well keep reading! The PTES is generally thought to take around fifteen minutes and I would say this is entirely plausible. The survey itself consists of straightforward tick boxes to gauge our initial responses to the statements provided. I was particularly impressed by the wide range of categories, including accessing support and developing skills, because this seemed to illustrate that King’s are genuinely encouraging feedback on all aspects of our student experience. Once you’ve shared your general thoughts, there is a space at the end of each page inviting any further comments. The added bonus here is that there is room for more than just one sentence of your thoughts – I should know, I made use of it! – so you can write freely to your heart’s content.

Did I mention complete anonymity? Yes, you heard that right! The best way to positively impact the experience of future students is by hearing from those of us who have been there and done it. If there are certain areas that you feel strongly about then don’t hesitate to voice your opinion, all safely in the knowledge that you will not be identifiable from your responses. This year will have been unique to all of us, perhaps in the way we were learning or how we took our exams, and this widespread scope of experiences will be invaluable to King’s. After all, implementing and developing new ideas can only occur if there is someone to suggest them in the first place, so by contributing to the PTES you can be a part of the change you want to see.

Is there something in the air? Smells like potential! There were moments this year where I found myself thinking that time could be better managed or that different approaches should be taken, and the PTES provided me with the ideal space to acknowledge this. One of the main benefits of participating in the PTES has to be that there is no risk of these responses getting lost in a sea of emails. They will be sent across directly and immediately, so you can rest assured that your contribution will be gladly received and highly effective.

Want to have your say? Take the PTES 2022! This is the moment to really ensure your voice is heard and encourage all kinds of helpful developments by sharing your individual experience of being a King’s PGT student. The PTES may take around fifteen minutes to complete, but your views could bring about positive changes that last for years.