[Anonymous]

First of all I would like to say, I'm not sure if this is in the right place. If it isn't could you please move it, but I would like to stay anon if possible.

So after speaking to admissions on the phone, the consensus was from the uni's to email them about my circumstances affecting my exams as well as expanding on what has happened the last seven years due to health problems.

Now, I have spent between 20-30 hours with my dad trying to write the expansion (we're the kind of father-daughter who will argue about every comma, semi-colon and etc) and I am not happy with the end result.

I feel I let him write it his way, which was to be extremely detailed and whilst it does add *something* I'm not sure it adds enough to bore the admissions tutors to death reading two whole pages of what's gone on with my health affecting my schooling. Although to be fair seven years is a long time, and every year has been different.

I really feel like we've taken so long over this, I just need to send it out now. But I really don't want to worsen the admissions tutors opinion of me? For example there is a paragraph on how fit and active I was prior to year 8... he says it's needed to put my health into context, where as I think it should just get straight to the point and be as short as possible, as they're busy people. I haven't had to write anything like this before, so I just don't know? Some of the more important stuff is probabaly on the second place, and I'm just so worried they'll not read through to that point?

(I also really don't want to annoy my dad by saying I'm not happy when he's spent so much of his time with me)

Does anyone have any advice?

[doomhalo]

My mum died between Christmas and New Year '10 after I'd already applied to Uni which put a lot of strain on me and my family. I was quite worried about exam results for the modules in my final year and I rang up the departments of the Uni I'd firmed and explained my circumstances, who basically told me that if I slipped a grade or so I'd still be considered for my course and likely accepted, and even if not accepted I'd be accepted on the BSc (I'm doing Masters). Fortunately I got the grades so it didn't really matter.

I think a lot would depend on what the health issues are and how much they've affected you; ie if you missed exams or a large chunk of term then obviously you need to write in detail about what happened. However if it's an occasional appointment at the hospital once a month they'll assess it as being less important. It really just depends. I doubt going on about how active you were before Year 8 is important though, they're assessing your mental capability not your physical and none of that assessed is from when you're age 14 or younger. Also they're not allowed by law to discriminate based on health problems.

[Anonymous]

H

(Original post by doomhalo)
My mum died between Christmas and New Year '10 after I'd already applied to Uni which put a lot of strain on me and my family. I was quite worried about exam results for the modules in my final year and I rang up the departments of the Uni I'd firmed and explained my circumstances, who basically told me that if I slipped a grade or so I'd still be considered for my course and likely accepted, and even if not accepted I'd be accepted on the BSc (I'm doing Masters). Fortunately I got the grades so it didn't really matter.

I think a lot would depend on what the health issues are and how much they've affected you; ie if you missed exams or a large chunk of term then obviously you need to write in detail about what happened. However if it's an occasional appointment at the hospital once a month they'll assess it as being less important. It really just depends. I doubt going on about how active you were before Year 8 is important though, they're assessing your mental capability not your physical and none of that assessed is from when you're age 14 or younger. Also they're not allowed by law to discriminate based on health problems.

Haha no it's not the occasional absence. The worst was being withdrawn from school completely for a six month period because I was too ill to go in and too mentally incapictated to work from home . But I haven't been to school full time since Year 7, until this my a2 year (sort of, as 3 A2's means a lot of free periods!) most of the time doing some variant of going to half the lessons of each subject and no homework. I feel like it is kind of important to explain it all, as I've been told it's what I've done is quite an achievement without having solid building blocks of year 8-11. I did my AS's over two years too, and completely self taught two of them. But compared to your sitution, I feel like kind of pathetic making excuses etc and don't want the admissions tutors to feel that :/

[Juno]

Really, this is the kind of thing that should come from your referee, although that may be difficult as it's the summer holidays, and ideally it should have been sent earlier so definitely get it done asap. And shorter will probably be better.

I'd say PM it to me and I'll have a look but I currently have PMs turned off so that won't work. Maybe post in the PS Help forum, because although it isn't a PS I'm sure they'd understand and if they don't I'll beat them with a stick.

[Anonymous]

(Original post by Juno)
Really, this is the kind of thing that should come from your referee, although that may be difficult as it's the summer holidays, and ideally it should have been sent earlier so definitely get it done asap. And shorter will probably be better.

I'd say PM it to me and I'll have a look but I currently have PMs turned off so that won't work. Maybe post in the PS Help forum, because although it isn't a PS I'm sure they'd understand and if they don't I'll beat them with a stick.

Haha thank you! That would have been really good, however sorted it out internally. Talked to my dad, he was pissed off at first but once he calmed down we worked on it some more and shortened by half! But thank you again anyway!