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Bad UCAS reference

I emailed my college lecturer asking if she would write my reference and she said she wouldn't have a problem doing it. However she said "I will have to be honest and say that you haven't done great in your prelim and that you're attendance isn't great".

Now when i was in school last year, my guidance teacher wrote the reference and just didn't mention any bad things so I thought that was what every referee did.

I'm really p****d off and worried about this. How will it affect my chances of getting into uni?

Reply 1

balotelli12

Quite a lot probably. Referees have one duty only - to tell the truth.

Reply 2

Midnight1811

Original post by balotelli12

Quite a lot probably. Referees have one duty only - to tell the truth.

Yeah, because a reference is a legal document whereby UCAS or any future employer will look at what others have said aboutyou which can be based on you college/school ....

Do you ever get to see your reference ?

Reply 3

balotelli12

UCAS have to let you have a copy if you request it for which you pay a fee. The referee is under no obligation to let you see it.

Reply 4

EagleWing

Original post by balotelli12

UCAS have to let you have a copy if you request it for which you pay a fee. The referee is under no obligation to let you see it.

I requested a copy of my UCAS and there was no reference, just my own personal statement and grades.

Reply 5

Juno

Original post by EagleWing

I requested a copy of my UCAS and there was no reference, just my own personal statement and grades.

You have to pay £10 for it

Reply 6

EagleWing

Original post by Juno

You have to pay £10 for it

I payed £15 :/

Reply 7

balotelli12

You didn't ask for a copy of the reference. If you did they HAVE to let you have it for a fee.

Reply 8

EagleWing

Original post by balotelli12

You didn't ask for a copy of the reference. If you did they HAVE to let you have it for a fee.

Hmm, I will ring them up and ask why the reference is missing. I'm interested to know what was written about me. Or maybe ignorance is bliss xD

Reply 9

igloo1

if you've got a job, surely you could ask them to write a reference? I'm not sure though, you'd have to ask someone who knows the ins and outs of UCAS .
But yes, a bad reference won't help you much.. unless you've written an amazing statement with amazing grades.