University of Edinburgh

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Application Worries.

When applying for university through Ucas I could not find the section/ question where you state if you have a parent who went to university, which I remember filling in last year. I live with just my mother who didn't attend university and I don't think this information was included in my application, I just read that this is a very important factor for Edinburgh, is there anyway to tell if this information was included in my application? I've tried viewing application on Ucas and I can't see it. And if not should I email them directly?
Thank you.

Reply 1

tadah

ring up ucas and the uni tomorrow and explain the problem. if you tell them, it shouldn't be a problem. :smile:

good luck.

University of Edinburgh

Reply 2

ZMinton

Thanks, just to check, this is an important factor isn't it?

Reply 3

LouboutinLove

I suppose it depends how competitive the course is....if it's a fairly unpopular course then they'll probably overlook it and concentrate on your PS and grades, but if you were applying for medicine or something equally competitive then I guess they might take it into consideration along with everything else.

Reply 4

nearlyheadlessian

ZMinton

Thanks, just to check, this is an important factor isn't it?

Not really. Whether you've got the grades, the personal statement and the potential is much more important.

Reply 5

tadah

ZMinton

Thanks, just to check, this is an important factor isn't it?

it depends, sometimes the reason they ask for it is because they want to know if your parent did the same course and whether that, because of this, you are only choosing it as a default path.
does that make sense?
but still, it's best to let them know. :smile:

Reply 6

Obscured

I thought that question was just ucas's way of collecting statistics. As far as I am aware it is not taken in to account when offers are made.

Reply 7

MrAwesome

There is a thing called LEAPS which you should perhaps google, but as im not eligible my little knowledge of it makes me think that it is only for Scottish citizens. If you were eligible, LEAPS would be another thing taken into consideration along with your grades, personal statement, references, etc.

Reply 8

LouboutinLove

We say it doesn't matter, and it may not be the case at Edinburgh, but I know someone who had all A's and whatnot who got rejected from 5 top Uni's for medicine - when she asked for feedback most of them said it was because both her parents had been to university. :s-smilie:

Reply 9

ZMinton

Obscured

I thought that question was just ucas's way of collecting statistics. As far as I am aware it is not taken in to account when offers are made.

If you read the application info on Edinburghs website it is a factor in their decisions.

Reply 10

nearlyheadlessian

ZMinton

If you read the application info on Edinburghs website it is a factor in their decisions.

It certainly is, so you may as well inform UCAS of your situation. But like I said further up, it's only a factor once they're looked at all the other more important stuff. They aren't going to check whether or not your parents attended university before they consider you academically.

Reply 11

Nelien

Would anyone care to explain the reason Universities care whether your parents have been to uni or not? I really don't see the importance in it and reading what *k.a.t.e* wrote it seems even more ridiculous.. What have the applicants parents to do with anything?

Reply 12

artorscience?

Nelien

Would anyone care to explain the reason Universities care whether your parents have been to uni or not?

It's mostly related to the government's equal opportunities pushes and need to get more and more working class people through tertiary education, widening participation and all those other buzz phrases.

Reply 13

watermelon sugar

does open university count as your parents having a degree? my dad dropped out of university but did a degree through open uni and some work thing? i put that he had a degree anyway :/

Reply 14

artorscience?

watermelon sugar

does open university count as your parents having a degree? my dad dropped out of university but did a degree through open uni and some work thing? i put that he had a degree anyway :/

Well if he has a degree, he has a degree. The OU is a real university. Anyway, it's nothing to worry about, for the most part it is statistics gathering.

Reply 15

watermelon sugar

artorscience?

Well if he has a degree, he has a degree. The OU is a real university. Anyway, it's nothing to worry about, for the most part it is statistics gathering.

i know it's a degree, just wondering if it's the same as attending a university full time

Reply 16

artorscience?

watermelon sugar

i know it's a degree, just wondering if it's the same as attending a university full time

Not physically. But it means that you are not the first person in your household who has shown interest in higher education, and thus that you were more likely to go for Higher Education (supposedly) than someone whose family haven't in any way experienced HE. You're not being enticed to university by the experiences that you'll have there (or that's the official line, your personal reasons for going to university aren't really the issue), therefore you are going to get an education that you were aware of, etc...