Unsuccessful - Not qualified, poor personal statement / reference - can I try again?

[h="4"]My first choice replied:

Your application for this choice has been unsuccessful.[/h][h="5"]Reason for Unsuccessful[/h]
Unsuccessful - Not qualified, poor personal statement / reference

...this was due to my college being a nightmare and not providing an academic reference. I done my a-level's in 2007, so obviously teachers wouldn't remember me easily. The head of 6th form did get in touch to say she'll try and give me one, but she never wrote back. I provided UCAS with a recent employer reference, but the uni was adamant to have an academic one before calling me for an interview.

I really want to go to this particular uni. I know they still have spaces. How can I go about making them consider me again?

Reply 1

Carnationlilyrose

18

Original post by Random254

My first choice replied:

Your application for this choice has been unsuccessful.

Reason for Unsuccessful

Unsuccessful - Not qualified, poor personal statement / reference

...this was due to my college being a nightmare and not providing an academic reference. I done my a-level's in 2007, so obviously teachers wouldn't remember me easily. The head of 6th form did get in touch to say she'll try and give me one, but she never wrote back. I provided UCAS with a recent employer reference, but the uni was adamant to have an academic one before calling me for an interview.

I really want to go to this particular uni. I know they still have spaces. How can I go about making them consider me again?

If they have rejected you then they will do so again until your application changes in some way. Firstly, you need to obtain the qualifications you don't have, which is what they mean by not qualified. Your best bet is to do an access course, which will also tick two other boxes - that of proving evidence of recent academic study, since 7 years will be regarded as too distant to count; and it will provide you with a recent academic reference. Universities need references from people who have dealt with you in an academic capacity and employers don't fulfil that.

Regardless of whether they have spaces or not, they won't consider you again until you fit their requirements.

Reply 2

Random254

OP

3

Original post by carnationlilyrose

If they have rejected you then they will do so again until your application changes in some way. Firstly, you need to obtain the qualifications you don't have, which is what they mean by not qualified. Your best bet is to do an access course, which will also tick two other boxes - that of proving evidence of recent academic study, since 7 years will be regarded as too distant to count; and it will provide you with a recent academic reference. Universities need references from people who have dealt with you in an academic capacity and employers don't fulfil that.

Regardless of whether they have spaces or not, they won't consider you again until you fit their requirements.

The thing is, I do have the qualifications they require. They wanted to invite me to interview/assessment, but wanted the reference before sending me a date. They gave me a week to get this, in which I tried hard to contact my college and obtain one, but they just weren't helpful at all. I then got this update on UCAS, so I would say it was due to the reference only. It kinda sucks because I had my heart set on this uni. :frown:

Reply 3

Carnationlilyrose

18

Original post by Random254

The thing is, I do have the qualifications they require. They wanted to invite me to interview/assessment, but wanted the reference before sending me a date. They gave me a week to get this, in which I tried hard to contact my college and obtain one, but they just weren't helpful at all. I then got this update on UCAS, so I would say it was due to the reference only. It kinda sucks because I had my heart set on this uni. :frown:

Well, they list three things, so I'd try to put all three of them right. I'm afraid they won't change their minds this year.

Reply 4

Random254

OP

3

Original post by carnationlilyrose

Well, they list three things, so I'd try to put all three of them right. I'm afraid they won't change their minds this year.

ok

thanks anyway.

Reply 5

SlowlorisIncognito

16

Original post by Random254

The thing is, I do have the qualifications they require. They wanted to invite me to interview/assessment, but wanted the reference before sending me a date. They gave me a week to get this, in which I tried hard to contact my college and obtain one, but they just weren't helpful at all. I then got this update on UCAS, so I would say it was due to the reference only. It kinda sucks because I had my heart set on this uni. :frown:

As your qualifications aren't recent, it's very likely that you need to provide some proof of recent academic study. People can lose skills in some subjects quite quickly. This is probably why they wanted to assess you further. Not having evidence of recent study could be seen as a problem by a lot of universities.

Not having an academic reference is a major red flag- most universities will assume you are hiding something. If you can't obtain one, you need to let universities know BEFORE you apply. They can then decide if an employer reference or something else will be suitable.

Unless you can change the factors that caused them to reject you, then they won't accept you. One way to do this would be to do some study over the next year, e.g. with the OU, or a college. This will help you get a reference and show the university you are committed to returning to study.

Unsuccessful - Not qualified, poor personal statement / reference - can I try again?

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