[britchick]

Sorry if this is a REALLY obvious question, or if this has been posted on here before, but I cannot find the answer online/elsewhere so I wondered if anyone on here would know:

What do admissions tutors at universities actually see on your application? Obviously they see your GCSE grades/AS grades/predicted A-level grades, along with personal statement and teacher's reference, but I've been told they don't see things such as ethnic origin etc.

So what do they see, and what is screened from them?

Thanks

[oxymoronic]

(Original post by gavinlowe)
x

Hi,

Is this something that you'd be able to clear up from an admissions tutors end rather than other people second guessing? Thanks!

[gavinlowe]

(Original post by britchick)
Sorry if this is a REALLY obvious question, or if this has been posted on here before, but I cannot find the answer online/elsewhere so I wondered if anyone on here would know:

What do admissions tutors at universities actually see on your application? Obviously they see your GCSE grades/AS grades/predicted A-level grades, along with personal statement and teacher's reference, but I've been told they don't see things such as ethnic origin etc.

So what do they see, and what is screened from them?

Thanks

We don't see ethnic origin. I guess the central university gets that for statistical analysis. We do see nationality, though.

We do see criminal convictions .

We do see disabilities/special needs. That can be important, if we need to provide support or make special arrangements for interviews, e.g. for wheelchair access. It's also very important to know about if we take the student, so that we can provide suitable support.

We also see whether the candidate is in care, which can provide important contextual information.

I'm not sure what else we don't see, as I don't know what else you put on your UCAS form. Feel free to ask about specific items I've not mentioned above.

[britchick]

(Original post by gavinlowe)
We don't see ethnic origin. I guess the central university gets that for statistical analysis. We do see nationality, though.

We do see criminal convictions .

We do see disabilities/special needs. That can be important, if we need to provide support or make special arrangements for interviews, e.g. for wheelchair access. It's also very important to know about if we take the student, so that we can provide suitable support.

We also see whether the candidate is in care, which can provide important contextual information.

I'm not sure what else we don't see, as I don't know what else you put on your UCAS form. Feel free to ask about specific items I've not mentioned above.

Thanks, that's very useful as I've declared my chronic pain syndrome so will require special needs such as extra time in exams, so at least the universities know that.

Do the universities see:
- Gender? (although most of the time I suppose one's name would be indicative :P)
- Where you live? (I come from the Croydon area)
- "Activities in preparation for higher education"? (I did a taster course at a uni for the day)
- Whether parentals have been to university & the higher earner's job title? (Neither of my parents went to uni and my dad is an insurance broker)
- Whether we are applying for student finance? (I'm applying to the university fee loan i.e. "the £9000 one", but paying for the rest i.e. acommodation/living expenses etc.
- Every single module of A-levels you have completed? (I have an E in one of my modules although I'm re-sitting)
- Titles of A-level modules? (I'm applying to a Biology-related course and in Psychology we do numerous Biology-related modules so it would be good for the uni to see that)

Thanks

[gavinlowe]

(Original post by britchick)
Thanks, that's very useful as I've declared my chronic pain syndrome so will require special needs such as extra time in exams, so at least the universities know that.

If you're likely to have a test as part of the interview process, then it would be worth letting them know in advance that you get extra time. In any case, when you get to university you will probably need to make arrangements for extra time. Different universities vary in the quality of support they provide, and how attentive they are. I would recommend flagging the issue.

Do the universities see:
- Gender? (although most of the time I suppose one's name would be indicative :P)
- Where you live? (I come from the Croydon area)
- "Activities in preparation for higher education"? (I did a taster course at a uni for the day)

Yes to all those.

- Whether parentals have been to university & the higher earner's job title? (Neither of my parents went to uni and my dad is an insurance broker)

Admissions tutors don't see those (at least, in Oxford). I suspect the central university admin uses it for statistical analysis.

- Whether we are applying for student finance? (I'm applying to the university fee loan i.e. "the £9000 one", but paying for the rest i.e. acommodation/living expenses etc.

Again, tutors don't see it, but admin probably do.

- Every single module of A-levels you have completed? (I have an E in one of my modules although I'm re-sitting)
- Titles of A-level modules? (I'm applying to a Biology-related course and in Psychology we do numerous Biology-related modules so it would be good for the uni to see that)

Thanks

Those seem to vary from candidate to candidate. It looks like if you put in details of modules, admissions tutors will see them. Of course, you can also use your personal statement to emphasise modules you want tutors to know about.

[britchick]

(Original post by gavinlowe)
If you're likely to have a test as part of the interview process, then it would be worth letting them know in advance that you get extra time. In any case, when you get to university you will probably need to make arrangements for extra time. Different universities vary in the quality of support they provide, and how attentive they are. I would recommend flagging the issue.


Yes to all those.


Admissions tutors don't see those (at least, in Oxford). I suspect the central university admin uses it for statistical analysis.


Again, tutors don't see it, but admin probably do.


Those seem to vary from candidate to candidate. It looks like if you put in details of modules, admissions tutors will see them. Of course, you can also use your personal statement to emphasise modules you want tutors to know about.

Brilliant. Thanks very much.