Sending certificates

Hiya

Have accepted an unconditional offer at Edinburgh and sent (in the real live post rather than electronically) a photocopy of the SQA "summary of attainment August 2008" which shows all the grades I have to date. Just wondering if I sent the correct stuff? :confused:

It said to send "certificates" but I assume a photocopy will be fine seeing as they accept scanned and emailed certificates? Should I have sent ALL my certificates (ie the Standard Grade and Higher unit breakdown sheets)? Surely they don't show anything more than the summary - I didn't have any conditions based on unit passes or anything.

Anyone whose already been here, what happens now? Do you just assume that they have recieved and accepted the copies, or do they get in touch to confirm that they have them?

Thanks. :smile:

Reply 1

ooze

13

I just sent photocopies of whatever certificates I got at AS.

The first time I sent them off I got a letter a month later asking me where they were, so I had to send them again ... no confirmaton of receipt.

Reply 2

RockyRoad

OP

8

ooze

I just sent photocopies of whatever certificates I got at AS.

The first time I sent them off I got a letter a month later asking me where they were, so I had to send them again ... no confirmaton of receipt.

Okay, thanks for that. :smile:

Reply 3

michael89mtb

7

Scottish student going to a Scottish uni- why did you have to send them your certificate? I've been to two unis and never had to send my SQA certificate. Maybe It is different for Edinburgh uni though.

Reply 4

nearlyheadlessian

15

michael89mtb

Scottish student going to a Scottish uni- why did you have to send them your certificate? I've been to two unis and never had to send my SQA certificate. Maybe It is different for Edinburgh uni though.

Why on earth would that make any difference? Edinburgh ask to see proof of qualifications from all their applicants, Scottish or not.

Reply 5

RockyRoad

OP

8

michael89mtb

Scottish student going to a Scottish uni- why did you have to send them your certificate? I've been to two unis and never had to send my SQA certificate. Maybe It is different for Edinburgh uni though.

nearlyheadlessian

Why on earth would that make any difference? Edinburgh ask to see proof of qualifications from all their applicants, Scottish or not.

What he said. :wink:

Which unis did you go to? My brother's at Glasgow and he had to physically take the certificates down to them. Admittedly it does seem slightly out dated - you'd think the unis/ucas would have some way of linking with the exam boards to check your results, although I suppose if it was that simple to set up they would have done it already.

Reply 6

michael89mtb

7

RockyRoad

What he said. :wink:

Which unis did you go to? My brother's at Glasgow and he had to physically take the certificates down to them. Admittedly it does seem slightly out dated - you'd think the unis/ucas would have some way of linking with the exam boards to check your results, although I suppose if it was that simple to set up they would have done it already.

Glasgow and Heriot-Watt- neither have asked to see certificates. They do link with the SQA because when i got a conditional for Heriot-Watt they knew my exam results before I had even received the results certificate from the SQA. So there is some system in place where they communicate. And I'm sure Glasgow wouldn't have just believed the grades I put down on UCAS so they must have checked the grades somehow before they let me in.

nearlyheadlessian

Why on earth would that make any difference? Edinburgh ask to see proof of qualifications from all their applicants, Scottish or not.

It would make a difference if he was Scottish because clearly there is some way of them checking the grades with the SQA, but if you are from a foreign (and maybe English) school then they don't have this ability. This is why there are huge numbers of foreigners using forged certificates. Since certificates can be forged so easily (especially photocopies) I was surprised that Edinburgh were using this method to verify grades when there are better methods available for Scottish students.

Reply 7

nearlyheadlessian

15

michael89mtb

This is why there are huge numbers of foreigners using forged certificates.

Firstly, I object to the suggestion that vast swathes of international students falsify their prior qualifications. Do you have any foundation for this outlandish claim?

michael89mtb

It would make a difference if he was Scottish because clearly there is some way of them checking the grades with the SQA, but if you are from a foreign (and maybe English) school then they don't have this ability. This is why there are huge numbers of foreigners using forged certificates. Since certificates can be forged so easily (especially photocopies) I was surprised that Edinburgh were using this method to verify grades when there are better methods available for Scottish students.

It makes no difference at all. The vast majority of applicants apply through UCAS. UCAS do have access to your ongoing education. So, if you tell Edinburgh that you're on course for ABB in your A levels and they make you a BBB conditional offer, when you achieve ABB the exam board passes that information on to UCAS who in turn pass it on to Edinburgh who then know that they can make your offer unconditional as you have met the conditions. However, you have also included in your application all previous qualifications. In Humanities at Edinburgh it's a requirement that you have a GCSE grade C or higher in a foreign language. So naturally if you tell them that you have, they want to see documentary evidence. It's not for UCAS or exam boards to provide proof of previous qualifications - after all, you might have taken them years ago - it's up to you. That's why you're issued examination certificates. It really isn't a difficult concept to grasp.

Reply 8

michael89mtb

7

That comment was out of place and unverified, soz, I was getting confused with an article I read about lying on personal statements not grades. The only proof is a friend of mine who lied about his grades but they never even checked his certificates and a person at my old uni that was thrown out after her lecturers became suspicious at how much she struggled with the basic stuff and was subsequently found to have forged her certificate also the occasions I've seen it in newspapers (but its only in the news when it is a big story such as those two students that were murdered and were found to have used forged certificates). Okay I exaggerated hugely- Its only a few people a year- sorry if it sounded offensive.

Looked into it and apparently qualifications are verified by UCAS with the exam boards (they claim) (I guess this is why it costs £17 to apply), so it would seem needless for Edinburgh to verify qualifications again- unless they are uncommon or foreign qualifications i.e. not Highers or A Levels with a UK exam board.

Sending certificates

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