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Bad Ucas Teacher reference - How will this affect my chances?

PQ

You know that university staff talk to staff in other universities yes?

And that staff move from one university to another?

This isn't my opinion sat in a cubicle - this is based on conversations with admissions staff from a wide range of subjects at a wide range of universities. It's also based on the results of wide ranging consultations on admissions practices and policies across the sector.

So you are telling me that you extensively consult other universities and make sure that admissions policy is exactly the same across the board? My point is that there are going to be discrepancies and for quite a few universities, references will not play as significant role as you make out. (That is not saying they have no role).

Nevertheless, we have hijacked this thread slightly and so yes OP, make sure you get it sorted and don't accept that reference as final because it may well have a larger effect on your application than one could foresee and is expressed by the above posts.

Reply 41

PQ

Clearing and Applications Advisor

21

I didn't consult - http://www.admissions-review.org.uk/ prompted a whole bunch of independent research which was all placed in the public domain.

If you don't want to believe me then that's fine :smile:

Reply 42

Clarity Incognito

11

PQ

I didn't consult - http://www.admissions-review.org.uk/ prompted a whole bunch of independent research which was all placed in the public domain.

If you don't want to believe me then that's fine :smile:

Just playing the devil's advocate, you'd be surprised how much you can learn about one's own views, you have put forward your evidence very earnestly so I have no reason not to believe, I just think it's significance may vary dramatically. Anyway, I'm going to go look at that website, it's certainly been interesting, until next time.

Reply 43

librian91

TeamPrincess

Our teacher wrote our references VERY late and she emailed everyone the day before yesterday to say if we wanted a copy emailed we should let her know. Well i did and received an email from her last night at about 11pm with my reference. Now parts of it are good but there are 3 issues in it that i'm worried about. 1st she says she thinks my best subject is politics even though i'm applying for psychology, 2nd she says that she thinks i have a learning disablilty (which is slightly insulting and more importantly not true) and thirdly she has made spelling and grammatical errors for instance referring to me as "he" instead of "She". Worst part is the minute i was sent the email i checked on ucas and it says my application is being processed by ucas etc. The uni's i applied 2 are between 30 and 50 on the league tables so average i assume. Will this reference hurt my chances of getting an offer?

I'm pretty sure she sent you the reference of a guy who has learning disability. You should ask her again to send YOUR reference

Reply 44

Notker

3

hypocriticaljap

Apparently, references aren't taken into account as much any more because universities know that students eventually get to see them

How's that then?
You have no legal right to a reference through the school. You do have a legal right to a copy via UCAS but how many could be bothered?

Anyway with wrong gender, wrong subject, non existent learning difficulty - are you sure it is your reference she sent you?

I'm pretty sure it's illegal for someone to refuse to disclose information they have on you. Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Reply 45

PQ

Clearing and Applications Advisor

21

Notker

I'm pretty sure it's illegal for someone to refuse to disclose information they have on you. Freedom of Information Act 2000.

You're thinking of the Data Protection Act - however that does not apply to references PRIOR to submission - and once they're submitted then they're part of your record at another organisation (in this case UCAS, in most cases a potential employer) and so you're advised to access them via you DPA rights from that organisation.

http://www.ico.gov.uk/what_we_cover/data_protection/your_rights/exempt_information.aspx <= confidential references are exempt (until they become a part of your application file)

Reply 46

TeamPrincess

OP

ok so i went to talk to the head and it turns out when our tutor sent in all the references to the college they checked them over, saw mine and realised how "inappropriate" it was and actually rewrote bits of it and sent it off that way. I was given a copy of the rewritten version and although its not the very best reference its a darn site better than the original and they took out the learning disability crap so i feel better knowing that was what the uni's were sent. The only thing is they kept in that orally i'm bright but on paper i'm not clear or something to that effect, which is false but the person re writing the reference had never even met me so she didn't know whether it was true or not. Do you think that will affect me, even if my personal statement and assignments can prove otherwise? The rest of the reference is luke warm i'd say

Reply 47

CarlyC-H

Notker

Maybe they'd take pity on a transgendered retard? :biggrin:

I'm not sure someone with a learning disability can be classed as a retard!

Reply 48

Notker

3

CarlyC-H

I'm not sure someone with a learning disability can be classed as a retard!

They certainly would have been when the word retard had currency in the medical community, and this is coming from someone with autism (specifically; me). It didn't always have a pejorative connotation; the word simply means someone who is slow (in this case at learning).

Reply 49

hypocriticaljap

2

And they used to pay to go round Bedlam! You post utter crap. Retard is a disgustingly offensive word that is only ever used in a pejorative way to people with learning difficulties. It is as unacceptable as P***, N***** and *******. You will notice TSR doesn't allow these words and the fact that it allows retard is shameful on its owners.

Reply 50

Natasha_c

hypocriticaljap

And they used to pay to go round Bedlam! You post utter crap. Retard is a disgustingly offensive word that is only ever used in a pejorative way to people with learning difficulties. It is as unacceptable as P***, N***** and *******. You will notice TSR doesn't allow these words and the fact that it allows retard is shameful on its owners.

I agree

Reply 51

PQ

Clearing and Applications Advisor

21

hypocriticaljap

And they used to pay to go round Bedlam! You post utter crap. Retard is a disgustingly offensive word that is only ever used in a pejorative way to people with learning difficulties. It is as unacceptable as P***, N***** and *******. You will notice TSR doesn't allow these words and the fact that it allows retard is shameful on its owners.

Retard used to be censored but the french speakers complained and for some reason that was enough for it to be taken off the list.

******* should still be on there though.

Reply 52

haithere

1

As has been said, they will notice that she can't even use proper spelling/grammar, and therefore I assume not take what she says with much seriousness.

Reply 53

hypocriticaljap

2

PQ

Retard used to be censored but the french speakers complained and for some reason that was enough for it to be taken off the list.

******* should still be on there though.

so foreigners now decide what and what isn't offensive in the English language?
Ridiculous.

Reply 54

umbrellahead

2

I found my reference from my UCAS application for the 2009 cycle and my referee had put down that I was doing Law, Sociology and English Language when in fact I took Psychology, Sociology and English Literature. Can't believe he could get it so wrong.

I only got 1 offer that year. I don't know if that's a reason for it, but it really annoys me that such errors could be made. Glad I actually got to look at my reference before it was sent off this time. :yes:

Reply 55

Natasha_c

Do you get a chance to see your reference then?

Reply 56

JoshyEls

4

Clarity Incognito

It's debatable whether it is relevant, considering we are talking about UCAS applications and you are speaking from a position from one particular university then it would be unwise to extrapolate the particular processes that may occur at your admissions to every other university's admissions policy, expecting that they will treat parts of an application to the same degree. If you do not want to, I respect that and I will ask no more of you. If anything, I now hold a reference in a much higher esteem.